Originally Posted by JDiver
I may be way off, but I seem to recall (from FewMiles?) that R also covers upgrades from full Y, as well as another upgrade to Business as well... others will likely have a better answer. I do see the C0 - it means no seats remain allocated for VIP / mile upgrade from Coach to Business. It may be they never allocated any, and it may be they will allocate more, IF yield suggests it. But IMO, you are SOL on C for FCO... Try some other dates, since flexibility is often the key to using VIPs / miles to upgrade (as opposed to paying a few thousand more dollars...)
You likely know this, but if you click on a fare basis letter designator, a popup will give you an abbreviated list of the different fare first letter designator (because there are variations... I upgraded April and May flights bought in L, but the entire fare basis code is actually LLW30AR,) to C inventory using VIPs, after scoping it all out on ExpertFlyer. The C inventory showed as everything from C2 to C7 on the flights I booked.
Actually, made both my SIN Do and my Florence Do reservations about the same week, scrambling to beat the AA Copay deadline (aaah, Dec. 1st....). What you wisely suggest with trying other dates, times, flights, routes, etc. is EXACTLY what I did for both itineraries. I didn't know about ExpertFlyer.com back then....just playing around w/ flight schedules to see diff. routings, talking to several AA Res. reps on the phone, etc. AA Res. was able to find "upgrades CONFIRMED" flights/dates for me for SIN. But, after said playing around, not so for FCO. The AA Reps. I've talked to since then have said that it's likely that they'll release more seats for miles upgrades, and that I have a good chance---after they give all the EXP's theirs
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I'll just keep hoping....and I'll make sure I've got a couple of Ambiens left if that coach overnight doesn't change and I'll buy a nice small bottle of fine wine in Florence if the return doesn't either
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The "pop up" of the fare basis designators is how I discovered R availability on those flights.....nice thing to keep in mind.
[In fact, in the PNR for my SIN Do, I can trace quite a conversation across several notes by agents regarding why I wasn't charged the co-pay for my upgrades, as they learned that upgrade copays were waived when u/g was requested and waitlisted before 12/1 that cleared after 12/1....followed by all the possible fees they could charge since they handled it---fed. ex fee, paper ticket fee, res. agent (vs. free on aa.com) fee, etc]