Originally Posted by
jpsj
I have been making use of the BE upgrade segment awards. However, I have had a strange experience of getting upgraded using them. Sometimes the awards clear well in advance. However, on my last flight, I had the experience of my PHX-GEG segment not clearing and being about 8th on the upgrade list. I am a PE and so very rarely show up below 3rd on the list. I have been told by BE that the BE upgrade trumps the complimentary upgrade queue---and falls behind system-wide upgrades. In this case, that would mean that on my PHX-GEG flight, 7 others were trying to upgrade with something else besides a complimentary upgrade. I find this hard to believe. I asked at the airport and the agents said that the BE upgrade is simply like having a complimentary upgrade--they process together. I also got the following message from the Twitter desk. The agents and twitter desk are saying the complete opposite as the BE folks. If the BE upgrade processes the same as a complimentary upgrade, then it is a waste for me to use it, as my status would get the upgrade. Thoughts?
My understanding is that BE upgrades use A or C space for upgrades, same as SWU and Miles and Copay. It could be that AA releases X or R before A or C. Your priority on the list also has to do with your status before type of upgrade instrument. You mention you are PE on your post but I'm not sure what this means. CKs are ahead of EXPs which are ahead of Platinum Pro and so on, regardless of instrument used.