If, on the day of the flight, there are not enough seats on the plane to accommodate all ticketed passengers, AA will ask for volunteers willing to be bumped for a compensation of AA's choosing.

Being stuck in a middle seat is not a basis for being confirmed on a different flight. If you are interested, all passengers -- even those with no status -- may stand by for an earlier flight on AA.

After you have purchased your ticket, you are free to check the seat map periodically to determine if any (or better) seats have become available.