ExpertFlyer Voice

As noted at the top of the AA Award & Upgrade search results:

tobikosan

I am looking to use my upgrades from SYD-LAX-HNL around dec 16th. PE and economy are same price. So if I buy PE I will get more AS miles but since I am flex on dates I guess the tick is to use EF to find date with upgrade availability before buying base ticket or can an AA agent guide me to what date to buy first. Sorry this is way out of my familiarity zone. Thx

Flying for Fun

I would suggest purchasing a ticket that best works for you. There is ZERO confirmable upgrades on SYD-LAX in December or January. You can call AA to be added to the waitlist but expect to fly in the cabin booked. While December 16th is the last day in the "shoulder season" as per the fare rules, it is high season for a December holiday.

Further reducing upgrade potential is the 789 operating the route. There are only 30J seats as oppsed to a 77W with 55J & 8F. Currently, 5 months before departue, the flight you desire is 25% full in J and 25% full in PE with another 51 seats accounted for in economy.

If Main & PE are the same price, PE is obviously the way to go. The LAX-HNL flight will be in Main. Depending on what fare class it books into, you may have access to MCE at booking. Of course, if you have AS 75K, 100K Elite status, that would grant MCE access and you would be eligible for a complimentary upgrade. That would be requested automatically.

James

tobikosan

Thank you. Not only was PE the same as econ but SYD-LAX-HNL was way less than just the first leg SYD-LAX. I second that if anyone in this thread has some routes that are likely to be upgradable I'd appreciate posting them. So non busy season, less flown routes(?) and biggest J sections on the AA metal flying are the best bets?

Flying for Fun

Yes, some very interesting fares lately with AA. Just remember that the SWU can only be applied to AA Prime flight numbers and up to three segments. If the fare rules permit a stopover, application to the onward flight after the stopover is possible.

A little off topic, but I was watching SYD-LAX-HNL a few months ago. There was wide-open availability via AA on AA & QF (AA codeshares) for USD $1317 return. You could even start in MEL & fly MEL-SYD in J to connect for the same price. An A330 lie-flat would be a nice start. The QF MEL-SYD flight would earn 150% EQM in MP with the AA Codeshare flight number. 21,588 EQM & 53,970 RDM for a 100K.

I purchased BA PE JNB-LHR-PHX via AA. I threw on a PE PHX-LHR-BUD next spring when I realized is was only $88 more.

James

oneworld_wanderer

problem solved. The only route I managed to find confirmed C is LAX - LHR.

2021 Alaska 100K mileage run well worth it, and with international travel on oneworld it's easy to maintain the status moving forward.

NWplatinum

I remember I got my AA SWU codes in the mail, but I’m not really sure how to use them. What’s the class of service that needs to be available for an upgrade? What AA Y classes are eligible for the upgrades? Forgive me if the rules are the same as the AA SWU’s, but I don’t know. I also lost my email giving me the numbers and rules surrounding it for AS 100K.

Has any 100K actually redeemed their AA SWU successfully without a problem?

VegasGambler

C class upgrades for business. There is also a C revenue class. You can see upgrade-C on expertflyer by searching for awards and upgrades (not flight availability; that will show revenue classes only). If you don't have an AA account with SWUs in them, there's no other way to see it.

There's also an upgrade class for F; I don't remember the code for it but it's obvious from the EF "upgrades and awards" page when you pick AA.

Also, when searching EF, you must search one segment at a time or the results are meaningless.

You can also waitlist them if there's no availability. At least one segment must clear before the expiration date (you can fly after the date)

Fredd

This recent post contains useful information in regard to ensuring your upgraded ticket is re-issued.

I was upgraded on an American international flight with certificate...NOT!

I called AA this morning, as the outbound domestic transcon leg of our flight showed UGs available on Expert Flyer. The agent first said no, and then said, "Oh, there are," and upgraded us. The inbound domestic midcon leg was still waitlisted but we saw a flight two hours later with availability and happily paid the $100 fare change in return for Flagship business class seats. FWIW it seems necessary to be proactive to snag UGs rather than relying on waitlists. The original agent some time ago had assured me the domestic UGs would clear within the next few days.

jimmygottfredson

I was searching for C inventory on EF and noticed that it was available on a married segment (SMF-DWF-MAD), but when searching for individual segments, no inventory was listed. I'm guessing by your comment that married segment logic is "meaningless" with EF AA C inventory searches?

Quail

How does anyone who doesn't read FT use these? Are we the intended audience, are they unaware how difficult this is, or are they just hoping they won't be used?

VegasGambler

The average person buys an economy ticket, calls to waitlist their upgrade, and hopes it clears. Maybe if they are a little flexible with dates they will ask the agent if any nearby date will clear immediately. Most people are not going to plan a trip around when upgrade space is available, and to what destination. The few who do are mostly "power users" who probably read FT or get similar information from somewhere else.

dayone

This.

NWplatinum

Doesnt look like many of us are going to get to use these SWU's, especially with the price of fuel and tickets expensive. Does AS offer the option to trade them in for BoardRoom passes?

VegasGambler

I don't see what the price of fuel or ticket pieces has to do with anything.

If anything higher fuel prices caused higher ticket costs should lead to lower premium cabin loads which increases upgrade availability. But that hasn't happened, even with reduced business travel, so clearly current prices are within people's willingness and ability to pay. Perhaps that will change once the "pent up demand" is used up. Or perhaps not.

What you see as "expensive" may just be the new normal. That's how inflation works.

SWUs are still usable though. You either need flexibility or the willingness to waitlist. The main issue is that you will be behind anyone using a "real" SWU or miles+copay on the list.