FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - FAQ: What's a Systemwide Upgrade / SWU / VIP and how to use? (Master thread)
Old Jan 4, 2022 | 3:13 pm
  #1262  
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Originally Posted by tuchop
How does C class availability open up?
I mean, if a certain flight wasn't showing C space and then the next day it does, does it mean there's no one waitlisted for a SWU?
If there was someone waitlisted, would it automatically be given the upgrade and not showing C availability?
Or does it always open C space and then the first in the list gets upgraded?
C space opening up and the waitlist clearing are 2 processes that run independent of each other.

If you're on the waitlist, the system will check for C space every so often (let's say every hour, not sure what the exact batch search timing is, only someone at AA would know really). It's not an automatic/immediate process that as soon as C space is released the #1 person on the waitlist clears.

So depending on the timing of when AA releases C space compared to when the system does it's search, it could be almost instant or it could be an hour or two or more as to when the waitlist starts clearing. But if you have a scenario where a flight goes to say C1 and stays that way for more than half a day or so then it's probably a safe bet that no one is on the waitlist.
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