trektheusa

It seems as an MVP, I either get the upgrade at the beginning of the window or not at all. I mean, if there's 6 seats open at the -48 window and none are assigned, does this mean there's more elites than seats so no one gets one right now? I'm sure the formula is super top secret but I don't want to go... back there (coach)

jinglish

Seats open on the map doesn't have anything to do with it, really--someone can be confirmed in F but not have a seat assignment. It's all a matter of U space and whether AS has any open. If they don't, either F is already full, or they think they can maybe sell a few more F seats before they start opening them up to elites for free again.

And for what it's worth, I've gotten plenty of just-before-boarding upgrades as an MVP.

Often1

There are all kinds of efforts to generate predictive algorithms for upgrades and other features of air travel. It doesn't work in this case.

Why?

AS has massively more data than you do and pays a fortune for RM/IM software to figure out at what point (if any point) it ought to release seats.

One thing not worth looking at is a seat map.

Legend717

As a relative noob to AS MVP, coming from over a decade of experience as an elite with CO/UA, I'm caught in the same confusion you are.
Sometimes, I'll get upgraded on time.
Sometimes, I'll get upgraded a full 24 hours BEFORE my MVP window opens. ?!?
Sometimes, I won't get upgraded at all, in spite of zero F seats assigned at check in.
Sometimes, I won't get auto upgraded, but I'll keep incessantly re-checking-in, and several hours later will be able to "BUY" an upgrade, which then prices at $0 due to my status. ?!?!?

Frankly, to me, AS's upgrade system is a big ol' ...?!?!?!
But, in spite of that, I still get a LOT more upgrades on AS than I was on UA for the past three years.
I've even been upgraded on the ANC-SEA run, as a lowly MVP!

And I'm fully aware that a seat map isn't an indication of F booking levels. Except it often is, because MOST people who buy tickets also choose seats. It was a good indicator at UniCont, anyway. It was at least something to start from.

Baze

And it seems to me that my upgrade success is inversely proportional to the fare I pay. The higher the fare the less likely I will get an upgrade. MVP Gold. I usually buy my tickets 5-9 days before I go. I have pretty good success at getting upgrades on my K, T, R fares but am 0% on my H, B and Y fares. On a Y fare this coming Tuesday SEA-IAH and no upgrade yet with them selling at least 2 F seats still. On my last H fare DFW-SEA 4 people were upgraded at the gate and I was #5 . And I've been stuck in more middle seats on the more expensive fares. At least they have been Premium Class or Exit row.

Terence.Hill

Same confusion here - came to AS as MVP Gold 75k through status match last year. YTD I have not cleared a single upgrade although having been #1 on the upgrade list each time. Two weeks ago on LAS-SFO the last free seat was given to a deadheading crew member instead, after the cabin door was closed. A few weeks earlier there were 4 seats free on a red eye going from west to east coast and I was asked to pay for the upgrade regardless of upgrade list...
Of course, this has been predictable but not in a helpful way.

chrisl137

Premium has consistently opened up for me at T-48, though the only time I took it was a few days ago on a VX plane, since I'm usually already in an exit row and don't need the free drinks. Of my two F upgrades so far since becoming MVP, I one came around T-38 and the other at T-26.

trektheusa

well, it's dead now. -18 hours. but i got a premium class window seat so I'm good. All I really want is the free booze anyways. ha!

channa

There could be a correlation in the fare you pay and how full the flight is. If it's an unpopular flight and it's wide open, you get a cheapie, and F is empty too, you get the upgrade. If the flight has a higher fare, it's likely fuller, has more elites, making it more competitive for upgrade.

If I'm on a higher fare, I try to use a GGU to confirm it if the flight is of any reasonable distance.

tatterdema

So a question, kind of in the same vein, so I will put it here....

I am MVP. I decided I want to pay to upgrade to Premium Class seat on a flight I booked months ago, and is still a month out. Plenty of Premium seats left on the flight. How do I do this? I have tried while logged in, does not have the option, shows all the seats in Premium unavailable. Same thing if I do not log in, and just use the "manage my flight" option.

Legend717

You do it through the seat map / change my seat. If the seats show unavailable, that's because they're full.
Come back at check in, when the elites in those seats have (hopefully) been upgraded to F, and you'll likely find at least one seat of your preference available.

tatterdema

If I go to buy new tickets, I can pick them, below is what I am seeing when buying new, or trying to change my already purchased ones. I have noticed it before, but it never really mattered to me. This is a long flight to Hawaii..... I don't want to hope for an upgrade.

i

DrAlex

I have noticed this same thing on a few future flights on pmVX planes - rows 3 & 10 show unavailable on the seat selection page, but the booking page and EF show open seats. I’m not sure what this means either. But I was less troubled because they are under 2 hours and I was willing to play upgrade roulette. Anyone else seen this?

Flying for Fun

Are you waitlisted for Premium/First? I don't think you can pay for Premium if you are waitlisted. Call AS and ask them to remove you from the Premium Upgrade list. They should be able to assist with the Premium seat selection and charges too.

James

tatterdema

Waitlisted for F, not Premium. On the return, not waitlisted on either, and same thing. They are booked as separate itineraries.