I feel somewhat persuaded by this line of reasoning. :)

Well, technically.. pax may exercise SDC on multi-leg itineraries, especially when connecting through a hub (e.g. ANC-SEA-SFO) which could result in someone having taking one of those seats. For example, if one was on a ANC-SEA-SFO itinerary and when their ANC T-24 opened they requested to change their destination from SFO to SJC, that could produce the desired effect.

Even on a single leg itinerary, if the flight in question was departing from an airport in a co-terminal region which had a later flight time than the co-terminal airport, then those seats may be taken by those exercising a same day co-terminal change. For example, if the flight in question was a 7:00 AM flight from SNA-SFO and then a paid FC pax from the 6:30 AM LAX-SFO flight exercised the change, they would be able to do so and take one of the seats.

Other scenarios exist too, such as someone purchasing a last minute ticket. The best person to have asked for a definitive answer would have been the GA, not that they would be empowered to rectify an error (if one had occurred prior to the flight entering to gate control).

I'm all for berating the UG professor, but it isn't always broken. A certain percentage of the time it works every time. 🤙🏻🥃

^ I agree with this, and have done it myself.

There's also at least 2 other scenarios I can think of, both of which I've also done...self-upgrading, most often.

If a 100K is #1 on the list at T-23, how could they end up as #2 later on? Happened on a recent flight. My understanding was that within T-120, any 100Ks have their relative spot in the list fixed since any new 100K pax will go at the end of the 100K group (as opposed to ordering depending on fare code before that).

I'd be interested in the context of this understanding.

I'm ready to be corrected, but as I understood it if the ticket is issued before the elite upgrade window (T-120 for 100K/75K) upgrade order depends on tier then fare code then booking time. Then at the beginning of the upgrade window, order gets fixed within the tier group, and any new pax added later due to flight purchase, SDC, etc get added at the end of the corresponding elite tier. I can probably dig up some older posts detailing this.

A 100 K who is also 1 million miler would trump a standard 100 K. I am not sure of any other situation where this could happen.

out hunting ants currently so only my mobile but and some nuances but..

The waitlist is not static. In an example..

If a 100K, (pax 1) purchases a G class fare prior to T-120, they will be in the upgrade request queue. If prior to T-120 another 100K (pax 2) purchases a K class fare they will be on the upgrade waitlist as #1. If prior to T-120 another 100K (pax 3) purchases a Y class fare, they will be added to the waitlist and the WL will now be: pax 3, pax 2.

Now, at T-120, pax 1 is added to the WL and is in position #3. If a 1MM 100K (pax 4) purchases a Y fare at T-72, the WL is now pax: 4,3,2,1.

Now at T-18 a 2MM 100K (pax 5) purchases a K fare, the WL would then be: 4,3,5,2,1.

🤙🏻🥃

Are MM the only who can trump 100K already in the waitlist within T120? For example, if a non-MM 100K purchases a Y fare T24 do they go to the back of the 100K queue?

No, the waitlist is sorted by elite status, fare class, MM status, time of booking. So if pax 1-4 were all Golds and then pax 5 was a 75K and not MM then pax 5 would be #1.

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...ntary-upgrades

And it all falls apart if Shena Nigans is working that day. In that case, people not even of the UG list may get upgraded before anyone else. Shena is a former employee at DL from what some of my DL friends have told me. Heck, she may still work for AS & DL!!!

I found the (old) post that I had in mind: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19092283-post1.html

That has what I meant about top-tier pax purchasing after T-120 going behind other top-tier pax already in the list, regardless of fare bucket. Having slightly different ordering after T-120 was always a bit odd and felt like a technical limitation, and I remember this wasn't formally mentioned on their website. I checked in 2020 ish that still held iirc. Obviously there's been changes from 100K to MM being a factor, but what I'm trying to nail down is: does Alaska now have the same waitlist ordering logic regardless of whether it's T150 or T1?

Yes, until T - 1 hour, see below:

How sophisticated is the Upgrade Professor with respect to premium class?

Twice this past week I was bypassed for a premium class upgrade --- in both cases someone below me on the waitlist got an aisle seat in premium class. Both times I wasn't too unhappy because I had an empty middle seat next to me (and the premium class aisle didn't have an empty middle seat next to it.)

Thoughts? I'm in spot 15 and spot 18 got moved up.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...946b0189ef.jpg

While it’s possible an error occurred, this is how the system displays any premium seat selection - upgrade or otherwise.

If a pax selected premium class at booking it reflects as shown above, their original seat assignment.