Originally Posted by
gambda
On a recent flight from HKG - AKL I had gifted APD to my travel companion travelling on a separate ticket to upgrade from Y to PE. It cleared 2 days prior to departure and she has no status.
On the other hand my RU from PE to J only cleared at the lounge - about 6 hours before departure.
I know they say there's a lot of variables that come into play when it comes to upgrades, but it was surprising that someone with no status had their upgrades cleared 2 days in advance.
It's not at all surprising. Assuming there is availability upgrades are cleared in advance if possible - it's just that many never clear until the gate because of the high loadings in premium cabins.