Is there really a method to the madness? (Upgrade priority) - mystery solved!
 

I have long suspected that the timing of upgrade request does not always control (even within the same tier, same connection status, and same fare basis), and now I'm sure of it.

My S.O. and I were required to attend the same conference in D.C. this week. I booked and ticketed my flight the night before she did (totally separate itins -- not linked). We are both EXP, had the exact same itinerary (LAX-ORD-DCA, and the same route on the way back), the same fare codes (L on the outbound, S inbound), and paid the very same price.

We both were upgraded on the ORD-DCA segment at around the 100 hour mark, but while I got the upgrade on the (763) LAX-ORD segment, she ultimately went to the airport list (where she was 2nd, and got the upgrade).

Last night, at the 100-hour mark for the return, she got her upgrade for the DCA-ORD segment, and I didn't.

I can't think of any explanation for the inconsistency other than that when all else is equal, upgrades at the 100, 72, and 24 hour marks are distributed at random rather than by upgrade request.

Simply not true.

I'm not entirely sure how to explain your situation but one hunch could be that the upgrade request buttons were hit in a different order than ticketing.

No. We both requested the upgrades when booking/purchasing. I most certainly did not check the outbound boxes, ignore the inbound, and return later to check them, as you suggest.

Ok. I'm not eliminating the possibility of an IT problem (AA has tons of them).

But the idea that you suddenly have uncovered that AA awards upgrades randomly when the entire FT community has experiences consistent with stated AA policy - that the time of request governs - is pretty far fetched.

Another idea: did one of you hit the upgrade requests buttons when holding the ticket (if applicable) and one of you hit when you purchased?

This does seem, well, screwy. Certainly AA's posted procedure does and has applied for all the flights I have been on (quite a few) that I know of. I don't know how specific the system is, but my understanding is that it goes all the way back to "minute" of booking when searching for the upgradeable peoples. Assuming both of you just bought the same ticket (no holding), and you bought first and requested first, I think we just have to boil this one down to an IT problem. That, of AA's system was smart enough to figure out that you would rather have your significant other upgraded in front of you anyway :).

Well, she held her ticket before buying, but both her hold and purchase came after my purchase.

I have gotten to the bottom of it, and the answer to the mystery is that I am an idiot. I mistakenly booked my return for this Sunday instead of Saturday.

Sorry for the clutter, mods.

Just out of curiousity -when you booked, you weren't looking at different dates and times with a few different AA windows open, were you?

This is one of the better one's in a while. That's a PIA to deal with but certainly provided all of us, and hopefully you, a good laugh.

Now, thank god for FT. If not, you would have been at the airport on Saturday sans avion.

I enjoyed this thread.....and I appreciate millions' honesty in admitting his mistake

so the OP isn't coming back with his SO? nice one!

I'm sure it was a mistake :p

I'm sure thats what the told the SO. "Honestly, I wanted to be on the same flight as you but it must have been a mistake that I decided to stay an extra day. Oh Well." :D (Yes, I'm just kidding, in case you missed the smiley)