Originally Posted by
travelingdrsuz
This is a welcome change. I mean, some won't think so since upgrades will vanish if they were left, but at the same time, I was never buying that upgrade--even the one offered last week for $55. Now, I would. And on non-hub routes, like the one I traveled today, upgrades still happen. Half of F was empty. Short haul, but still nice. PDB and all. It's nice to see this happen.
It will be interesting to see how the upgrade lists change. Most people I know still want the cheapest route from A-->B. Sure will make securing status easier than dealing with AA shopping, too. Also, this change actually rewards spending for BIS flying. Now there's a concept for airlines
It's my hunch that it's mostly elites that are going to regularly check for offers. Remember the offers up until a few weeks out can be outrageous. $1006 for MIA/DCA. Can't imagine there'd be many takers and an infrequent flyer probably wouldn't know that you have to keep on checking. Ultimately it will likely have some impact but not a huge amount. LPs and formerly miles were used to get status, specifically higher status, so that one could get upgraded therefore there might be a few more free agents.