Originally Posted by
HLCinCOU
On the other hand...booked COU-DFW-LAX this morning for next Monday. Ticketing got hung up because COU-DFW upgrade cleared too fast, but once that was sorted both legs cleared comp upgrades within a few hours of booking. COU-DFW was J3/I0 and DFW-LAX was J7/I3 when I booked. I was considering whether to do miles+copay, but they rendered that question moot.
Interesting -- but I think it's a different calculus when you're that close to departure at booking (i.e. already within the upgrade window) because the time to buy an advance purchase fare has passed and (assuming it's the right kind of route) AA optimizes by holding out for high-fare true-last-minute pax. I've had plenty of CLT-DCA upgrades surprisingly clear when it's been J3/4/5. But OP is a "few weeks" out (and presumably AA is offering D and I on at least some non-redeyes that day)... so I'd gamble that the redeye will fill up.