Feb 18, 2015, 8:16 pm
ARCHIVE: Sticker / 500-mile Electronic Upgrades Protocols / Questions (2009-2014)
Dec 3, 2010, 9:41 am
#121
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 121
Will upgrade clear at 72 hours if I only have 5 x 500-mile stickers? (need 6)
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Last edited by Sandra_D; Dec 3, 2010 at 1:38 pm
Dec 3, 2010, 9:43 am
#122
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
No. If the upgrade clears, you'll have to buy one more sticker online or at the airport before you board, but you don't have to have all the necessary stickers for the upgrade to clear.
Dec 3, 2010, 9:45 am
#123
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: los angeles
Programs: Hyatt Courtesy card. Delta 2MM Diamond. AA platinum pro
Posts: 1,898
The upgrade can clear without an adequate number of stickers. Just make certain to purchase them if it clears. I believe they are more expensive if not bought online. You will have to decide what to do if it does not clear until the airport list occurs. So it might be wisest to purchase one.
Dec 3, 2010, 9:52 am
#124
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 121
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Last edited by Sandra_D; Dec 3, 2010 at 1:38 pm
Dec 3, 2010, 10:00 am
#125
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,237
If it hasn't cleared by the time you get to the airport, I'm not 100% sure how it works these days. You used to have to request to get on the standby list and you needed the stickers in your account to do that. I think now the standby list is an automatic continuation of the advance upgrade process. I think your upgrade can still clear if you don't have the stickers but you'll have to purchase them from the gate agent (more expensive) if you want your boarding pass. And I'm not sure what happens if you decline in terms of losing your coach seat assignment.
FWIW, I couldn't find an explanation of this process in the FAQ...
Dec 3, 2010, 11:08 am
#126
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
If it hasn't cleared by the time you get to the airport, I'm not 100% sure how it works these days. You used to have to request to get on the standby list and you needed the stickers in your account to do that.
Dec 3, 2010, 11:16 am
#127
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,905
Correct.
Same process now. You cannot check in without the required number of stickers and ask to be put on the airport waitlist . If it hasn't cleared by the time you check in and you don't want to buy the stickers as a hedge, you'll need to resign yourself to flying coach for that day and ask not to be upgraded.
Same process now. You cannot check in without the required number of stickers and ask to be put on the airport waitlist . If it hasn't cleared by the time you check in and you don't want to buy the stickers as a hedge, you'll need to resign yourself to flying coach for that day and ask not to be upgraded.
Dec 3, 2010, 11:19 am
#128
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 121
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Last edited by Sandra_D; Dec 3, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Dec 3, 2010, 11:20 am
#129
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
OK, taking this one step further (and to the side), since purchasing excess/needed stickers at the airport is more pricey than pre-purchase online - can you purchase the stickers at the airport, but online from your smartphone/PDA/laptop/etc. for the cheaper price, and have them readily available for boarding pass pickup??
Dec 3, 2010, 11:21 am
#130
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
Note that this is all clearly covered on the FlyerGuide wiki, which is linked to from one of the stickies at the top of the AA forum. The relevant sentences:
You'll find a plethora of information on the wiki in a well-organized format; I encourage you to check it out!
You do not need to have sufficient stickers in your account to request an upgrade. However, if your upgrade clears prior to check-in, you will be required to purchase stickers in order to complete check-in. If your upgrade does not clear prior to check-in, you will be required to purchase stickers at check-in in order to remain on the upgrade waitlist at the airport.
Dec 3, 2010, 11:31 am
#131
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,905
Note that this is all clearly covered on the FlyerGuide wiki, which is linked to from one of the stickies at the top of the AA forum. The relevant sentences:
You'll find a plethora of information on the wiki in a well-organized format; I encourage you to check it out!
You'll find a plethora of information on the wiki in a well-organized format; I encourage you to check it out!
OK, taking this one step further (and to the side), since purchasing excess/needed stickers at the airport is more pricey than pre-purchase online - can you purchase the stickers at the airport, but online from your smartphone/PDA/laptop/etc. for the cheaper price, and have them readily available for boarding pass pickup??
IME, sticker purchases take a while to show up, so what I do is go through the online check-in process which will prompt you to buy the needed stickers in order to check in. By doing it that way, I am only charged $30 per sticker, and am allowed to check in and be placed on the airport list. You can even do this if you cannot print your BP, as it will still get you checked in and allow you to buy the stickers and get waitlisted, then you can just reprint them at the airport if you weren't able to print the BPs on your own.
Dec 3, 2010, 11:34 am
#132
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA 1.5 MM Exec Plat, WN A-List, DL Silver, UA nonrev
Posts: 2,593
OK, taking this one step further (and to the side), since purchasing excess/needed stickers at the airport is more pricey than pre-purchase online - can you purchase the stickers at the airport, but online from your smartphone/PDA/laptop/etc. for the cheaper price, and have them readily available for boarding pass pickup??
Dec 3, 2010, 11:59 am
#133
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: BLR
Programs: AA - EXP, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, UK - Gold
Posts: 1,224
after all this - i just hope your upgrade clears...have seen a lot of PLT's complain about upgrades not clearing this year due to the giant amount of EXP's (multiple promo's last year)...all the best!
Dec 3, 2010, 12:24 pm
#134
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
What's new? Why would buying online while at the airport be any different than buying online when not at the airport? AA.COM doesn't care. It's buying online, and previous FT discussions have gone over this, and AA warns you about the delay on the website. If you buy them, they don't expire. You might not know about the upgrade until just before boarding, so you may not even have the kiosk option, but then it is only $5 more.
Dec 3, 2010, 12:36 pm
#135
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Wenatchee, WA
Programs: Lifetime AA Gold-1MM
Posts: 4,909
OK, taking this one step further (and to the side), since purchasing excess/needed stickers at the airport is more pricey than pre-purchase online - can you purchase the stickers at the airport, but online from your smartphone/PDA/laptop/etc. for the cheaper price, and have them readily available for boarding pass pickup??