Originally Posted by
akcae
Seems ridiculous to me. What other upgrade method/instrument charges $75? If I gift an SWU to a non-elite, and they clear at less than 21day before departure, would they be charged this fee?
Originally Posted by
akcae
OK, maybe I'm blind, but I can't find that verbiage. That's the same link where I went to check before my first response.
In your quote from the page, it says "mileage upgrades requested less than 21 days prior to departure". So if you *request* earlier than that, but it doesn't clear until close-in, I suppose the fee doesn't apply?
Which also belies the pointlessness of the fee -- it surely doesn't cost AA anywhere near $75 to "process" the upgrade (or award booking).
So if you are any kind of elite on AA, there is no $75 fee. Just the $350 + 25k miles.
If you are EXP and use SWU, no $75 fee.
If you are not elite and you request less than 21 days before the flight and the upgrade clears, they hit you for the charge. If you are not elite and you request more than 21 days before and the upgrade clears, you are not charged the $75.
I assume it is way to prevent too much of non elite flyers scouting out where upgrades are available and getting them easily on short notice. Just a guess. Agree the $75 fee does not correspond to any level of effort or staffing.