anteater

Your time on waitlist will be reset to the time you execute the SDC. Also, AS recently added million miler status as tier 3 of criteria, so time on waitlist is #4.

Ford Fairlane

Ah, the old adage still holds true. Never assume. It might still be worth the relative "risk" in this case, though. Much obliged!

simonsuo

Just a word of caution using SDC, flights are filling up, even for LAX-SFO where there are many flights but SDC options are very limited, especially for peak travel days. For my past Hawaii routes out of LA or San Diego or transcon for the first half of the year, I have never seen an option in the app. Didn't bother to call.
I am glad flightpass saves me a ton by allowing me to select a time I like, otherwise, I will get stuck with a 6 am departure or 10/11 pm arrival.

anteater

100% agree here. I have switched to a 'book what I will survive with and hope for a better flight option', but on some of those days the flights have been 100% full. It's also been a little frustrating when my plans have changed and I need to leave later or earlier and I can't even buy a ticket (let alone SDC). Granted, I can attempt a SDC Standby, but I cannot wait for the peak season to be over. 🤙🏻🍹

PDXPremier

If you book at least a few month out you can pretty much guarantee a schedule change in which case you can switch to the flight you really want. I booked an evening flight from MFR-PDX in the Fall but they haven't been operating that flight on Saturdays so I'm hoping it will cancel and I can go through SEA

Ford Fairlane

We were able to SDC into the later flight, grab the last 2 adjacent PE seats, and went to #1and #2 on the waitlist. However, because an overnight change in metal cut the total number of FC seats by 4, there's just one left.

Still quite happy for the later flight in this case, which it sounds like we might have been lucky to get, so no real complaints.

Flying for Fun

If we are #1 & #2 on the waitlist on a PNR with a companion, I always speak to the gate agent and let them know we would be happy to split the PNR should only one F seat become available. We have never been skipped in that scenario even when traveling on a companion certificate.

AA has been proactive in splitting a PNR and upgrading only one of the passengers. Although, that may no be favourable for some who prefer to be together in either cabin.

On my last SDC, no companion, I purchased the first SEA-PHX flight of the day within 24 hours of departure, which I couldn't fly because I was still in JFK. The flight was significantly cheaper. Once purchased, I did OLCI and did the SDC during the check-in process. It allowed me to change to standby on a full flight. No seats to choose from. I was on the awaiting seats list. At the gate, there was one F seat still available. I was next to be upgraded even though I wasn't on the upgrade waitlist. Gate agent processed the upgrade, provided my F boarding pass and the awaiting seats list updated to reflect I had been assigned a seat with the F seat number.

I have also done a SDC and was upgraded on the way to the gate, never having appeared on the waitlist.

From those and other same day changes I have done as well as changes on the day of, I am not convinced time on the waitlist resets. Any changes prior to the day of travel do, in my experience, appear to reset.

James

Ford Fairlane

I do that for longer flights, like SEA/KOA, sometimes with success, but since this flight is less than 3 hours (my threshold for long vs. short flights), we might as well stay together.

While it's possible that there are no other 100Ks on our flight tomorrow, given the day and route (03 JUL, SEA/SAN), that would surprise me quite a bit. But for the record, FC filled completely within an hour of check-in for that flight. I didn't get a screenshot of the Waitlist before, so I don't know if #3 leapfrogged us or someone else bought into that last seat. All good by me. Just glad to be departing later. That means not having to wake so early and getting to have lunch instead of breakfast in the N lounge. And IIRC, I chose the earlier flight instead of the SDC flight because it cost less at the time. Nice start to my two-week birthday party. 29 again (and again and again ad infinitum ).

Ford Fairlane

RE: the aforementioned SDC flight: We got onboard/battlefield upgrades to FC. Nice early Bday present from AS.

Flying for Fun

Happy 29th! First Class for your First 29.....

James

Ford Fairlane

Not a SDC, but we got upgraded on our next segment too, on my actual bDay. UGd at checkin, #1 & 2 of 12 with 3 open seats at the time. Nonadjacent seats, so we weren't skipped over just because of that.

Now back to actual SDC discussions....

chrisl137

Any experience with getting them to do an SDC when it's J2/Y0? I've already been upgraded for the flight that I want to change out of, and am likely to jump to top of the upgrade list for the flight I want to SDC to, but right now it's showing Y0. It's been showing J2/Y0 for a couple days. My plan is to check in then call and ask if they can do that, and if not, ask for an SDC that adds a leg through SEA.

jrl767

I’d guess the techie answer is “if RM allows them to overbook” but a practical approach might be to wait until OLCI opens for the flight you want (when someone will be able to SDC off that flight)

anteater

Since it wasn’t a FC fare, it would be a SDC standby request.

Flying for Fun

I recently did a SDC to a flight that had zero seats available to select. It was offered as a SDC standby as anteater mentioned. Ultimately, I was upgraded to F. I would see if the flight you want is offered as a SDC option during OLCI as it was in my case. If so, change to that flight, you don't need to call in. I was #1 on the awaiting seats list and cleared into F from there. Don't expect to see yourself on the upgrade waitlist.

Changing to a connection isn't a SDC. You can change your itinerary online but it will be subject to a fare difference. AS may entertain doing a change to your itinerary on the same day for you without the fare difference but it isn't a SDC. The issue is that adding a segment adds a segment tax. If AS isn't collecting that, I am sure it is out of their pocket.

James