schistosomiasis

Does AA carry over status on reservations made for flight after your status expires? Specifically, will I lose my exit seat for an April flight if my gold expires in February?

What about using my upgrades? Will I still be able to use them in April, assuming I just booked my ticket? Thanks!

AAbuzzard

Your seat should be safe.

BLI-Flyer

aa.com has answers to many frequently asked questions, including the use of upgrades.

Upgrades Rules

* Upgrades are valid for Gold, Platinum and Executive Platinum AAdvantage members from any individual published coach ticket to the next class of service.
* Regular AAdvantage members, traveling on a published full fare Y or B coach ticket, may use purchased upgrades to the next class of service.

https://www.aa.com/apps/AAdvantage/P...Upgrades.jhtml

Since it sounds like you'll be a "regular" AAdvantage member when you travel in April, you must be on a full fare Y or B ticket to use your upgrades.

andrzej

AFAIK, the above is incorrect,

if I was the OP I would pick a different (good) seat now before it's too late.

bts09

At the same time, it's hit or miss. I've heard of people still getting to keep their exit row seats once their status expired. Haven't heard of anyone still being able to use upgrades once their status expired.

CloudCoder

I think you'll lose the seat assignment.

Not too long ago, i was flying with a non-status companion (in separate PNRs) and I got him into the exit row. I got upgraded at the 100-hour mark. (I did not upgrade companion.) When companion went to check in, the computer would not check him in. Companion ended up with a different non-exit-row seat assignment. I.e., companion was in exit row due to inheriting my status, but when I left the cabin, companion no longer had status and could no longer be in the exit row.

Only if full-fare. In other words, no. (Nobody really buys full-fare Y, do they?)

On the bright side, you do not "lose" your upgrades. They'll still be in your account to use on any fare, if and when you regain GLD status.

If you're flying with an elite companion, some AAgents know how to upgrade you based on the Elite's status but pulling upgrades from your own account. But this is rare.

Sometimes if you misconnect and the GA rebooks you, to save time they'll book you in full Y. In that case you can use one of your upgrades.

bts09

Very Rare. Definitely don't count on it as a way to use your upgrade certificates.

This happened to me a while back. But, I had no upgrades in my account, and I was afraid to ask about purchasing anyway--since I wasn't entitled to the Y ticket (it was a re-route and the GA just pulled the first fare she found), I figured if they started looking around, they might realize I didn't purchase one, and at that point, I needed the 1.5 EQPs that a Y ticket got me.

BLI-Flyer

Besides, if you're going to buy full-fare Y, why not buy a Yup fare and get an automatic upgrade? No need for upgrade certificates at all then.

schistosomiasis

Currently in 21D, my favorite seat on the MD80, for a few flights. So the concensus is that I should pick another aisle row seat somewhere else?

If I get booted out of the exit seat, will it be when I lose my status at the end of February? Maybe I'll just keep checking the seatmap and as long as there are decent seats available, I won't make any changes until March...

Anyone with other experience, please comment. I know with Star/US you can keep your seat even if your status expires- it carries over in their computers.

Not related, but when I flew CX earlier this year, my old one world status was still in their computer and I got good treatment! (there have been several other threads on this).

JustSayGrr

It's been years since I've gone downwards in status, but in Feb 2003 I coasted down from Platinum to Gold. Had an existing reservation booked 12/2002 for 03/2003 ORD-LHR and a couple days later onward LHR-MAN on BA. All AA BP's stated Platinum when printed, and BA gave me Terraces access as if I were PLT.

Not sure what would have happened if I were going from GLD to ADV. Just some more anectdotal evidence as a data point since you asked.

AAND

As everyone has said, the upgrades aren't going to work for you.

The exit row seat may be different - there is no rule that says a non-elite cannot be in an exit row. Agents do it all the time. The rule is that you cannot pre-reserve it unless you are elite or traveling with an elite, and this rule is implemented via aa.com and the phone system. My guess is that if you do not attempt to access your seat assignment as a non-elite, you will be ok. Once you pull it up, you will definitely be subject to the rules.

The only way I think you might get stopped otherwise is if something is implemented on the kiosk, which is totally possible since non-elites would not be able to select exit row there either. I would go to the counter. Of course that's a gamble too. Good luck

TrojanHorse

I believe that they keep rows 7 and 8 open for gate assignment on most domestic flights. What I would do is keep 21D, keep checking every day after you lose your status, if you are booted, obviously choose a new one, and also check in at the airport and be the first to get one of the first two rows and you should be able to get an aisle if you time it right.. i'd hold on to 21D

SAN-man

You shouldn't lose your seat assignments. They aren't going to seek them out on March 1 and take them away from you just because you lost your Gold status.

However, if your flights sked change to a different equipment, and the seat configuration is different, you *might* lose your exit row seat. It's quite possible this will happen between December and April. But as long as it happens before Feb 29, you'll be able to grab it back using your Gold status - just keep an eye on your flights. It's not likely that you'll have a sked change between March 1 when you lose status and April when you're flying.

trinity_in_texas

San-man is right. If something, even the slightest thing changes, you will lose that seat and you won't get it back unless the ATo gives it to you. How about using a 15k award and upgrading or doing the Yup like someone else suggested?

925

I haven't gone down in status in a LONG LONG time. But my best guess is that San-man is right.