Originally Posted by
metallo
I posted in another thread here recently that I'd never pay for a higher fare class on AS simply for the chance at an elite upgrade due to how broken the upgrade processor system is.
For different reasons, I think I'd say the same about AS elites paying up for a better fare class on AA to secure a higher waitlist position.
I think the integrity of the AA upgrade waitlist is pretty good, at least in my experience. For instance, there's no way to check in at a certain time and skip the list like you can with AS. However, as you mentioned, given how we don't really know how AS elites are listed on AA (whether 100k gets any priority over 75k is a good example), it's enough of a black box that I wouldn't take the chance of spending unnecessary extra funds just for a higher fare class.
I wouldn't recommend it just for that reason either.
However, Premium economy is a significantly better experience than economy (even MCE) and so that might be worth paying for on a long flight. The increased chance of an upgrade would just be a bonus.
I will not do real longhauls (10+ hr) in economy but I have done many 10-14 hr flights in premium economy and while you are not going to mistake it for "real" lie-flat business class, it's fine IMO. Overall I prefer it to domestic (non-lie-flat) J or F. In fact for a westbound flight I would probably not pay much for the upgrade from PE to lie-flat J. Eastbound is another story; PE is still fine IMO but I would (and have) paid for upgrades to J in that situation.