Originally Posted by bundubasher

I've got a ticket from Panama back to California in Sept. In BE. The connection out of MIA is amazingly bad. So I was forced to overnight in MIA. The next day is the exact opposite. PHX and then CLD should go by quickly. Hence flying BE. My question is, what is this upgrade for cash to 1st class thing AA keeps pushing? Is it $100 per segment or for all 3 segments. My Elite status gives me choice of seats, all the way to the front of economy and I'll be visiting an AA lounge in between flights that are not very long. So what is the benefit? Passengers are not exactly fed well nowadays, and I'm led to believe that the lounges are not going to do any better.