Originally Posted by
AsiaTravel2019
So this is a new thing for me. I lost status last month and became a free agent, but I am using up my SWU's on an upcoming flight. Only 1 of the 4 flights on the itinerary has cleared and AA CS told me I was "wait-listed" for the others.
What are the odds of this clearing? Is a SWU ahead of free upgrades for members with status?
The SWU waitlist is ordered by status, then by LPs earned in the previous 12 months (with currently some sort of adjustment because LPs haven't existed that long). An SWU may clear at any time from booking up until the flight is closed, but the clearing process changes when the flight shifts to airport control. Before airport control, SWUs come from 'C' (or 'A' for business to first) inventory and can clear at any time the upgrade inventory becomes available. Before airport control, complimentary (segment) upgrades clear from 'R' inventory, which is not public and can't be searched. Complimentary (segment) upgrades can't clear until a set amount of time before departure (e.g., 100 hours for EXPs). So, before the complimentary upgrade window opens, if upgrade inventory becomes available it will be C. However, once in the upgrade window, the algorithms that release upgrade inventory are strange. Sometimes 'C' opens before 'R' but other times 'R' becomes available and no 'C'. There's no telling. Once a flight is under airport control, there's a single upgrade/standby list that everyone is on, ordered by status and type of upgrade. The gate agent (or a new automated system) processes this list to fill available seats. At that point, a no-status passenger with an SWU is below everyone with status.
Originally Posted by
VegasGambler
I have SWUs that will expire.
Suppose I book travel (say, PHX-DFW-ICN) for after the expiration date. DFW-ICN currently has no upgrade space, but PHX-DFW does.
Now, my upgrade has to clear before my SWU expires. Suppose I apply a SWU. PHX-DFW clears immediately. Does that prevent the SWU from expiring? Will I continue to be waitlisted on DFW-ICN right up to being at the gate, if necessary? Or does DFW-ICN also need to clear before the expiration date?
As soon as any one of the flights has SWU upgrade availability, you can clear. When calling to request an SWU upgrade, you should specify if you are willing to use the SWU on the domestic leg if that clears first. Most people want to reserve the SWU for the international flight so you should say if you want to use it. Once any flight clears, the SWU is deducted and the certificate for it is attached to the PNR, and will be used if further segments clear, which they can do right up to the gate.
Another option is to find flights for as far in the future as possible that have confirmable SWU space, regardless of where the flight go. Call to book the flight and apply the SWU at the same time. Since your SWU is deducted and the certificate is attached to the PNR, it won't expire. Then, cancel the flight out of the PNR but don't refund the ticket. The ticket will stay around, with the SWU certificate attached. Keep looking for flights you really want to take that have SWU space. When you find some, call and use the old ticket with the SWU for the new flight.