In case anyone at AA reads this forum, I must chime in here and agree with the other posters that this move is very discouraging. I only use my miles for upgrades--I have never exchanged them for a free ticket. This move tremendously decreases the value of AAdvantage miles to me.
I'd be happy to pay up to $100 each way for an international upgrade, but the amounts that are being tossed around here are crazy.
Why didn't they just increase the number of miles needed for international upgrades by an amount they consider to be the cash-equivalent of the new fees?