Jan 2, 2013, 4:01 am
Last edit by: Prospero
Glossary:
500 mile upgrades: earned by Gold and Platinum Elites, can be used to upgrade segments in 500 mile increments of North and Central America, Caribbean flights from Economy to the next class of service.. Read below.
e500: Occasional nickname used for 500 mile upgrades.
Electronic or 500 mile upgrades: non-expiring electronic instruments used for near Americas and Caribbean elite upgrades; please read below.
MTEU: Miles Toward Electronic Upgrades. The MTEU earning year zeroes February 28.
Stickers: Holdover name from when 500 mile upgrades were actual stickers applied to tickets when upgraded.
UDU: Unlimited Domestic Upgrades granted EXP and PRO members in lieu of earning or using 500 mile upgrades. (Consequently, they do not earn “stickers”.)
Related thread: End of Feb insufficient miles for 4 500 mile upgrade stickers (2017). (Requesting "stickers" for incremental MTEU threshold accomplishment.)
NOTE: CHANGES in effect as of 1 January 2017:
Upgrade priority:
Platinum Pro status holders join Executive Platinum members with complimentary "Unlimited Domestic Upgrades / UDU.
Companions:
ONE passenger traveling with you can “borrow” your status for upgrade purposes. They do not have to be on the same PNR. When this is done, you’ll not be upgraded unless sufficient upgrade seats become available to upgrade two (or more) people. This link often is broken when the flight control goes to the airport, and it can be reestablished there (e.g. at the gate). A good clue that the link has broken is if you’re #1 or 2 and your companion is significantly below that on the upgrade list, such as #11. Finally, because of IT flaws, the 500 mile upgrades for your traveling companion will by necessity come from your account, even if your companion has their own “stickers”. This has not been true for some time, if your companion has status, the system will try to pull the stickers from the companion's account. If there are not enough stickers, you will have to check-in at the airport to have stickers pulled from your account
For questions about whether to split or consolidate PNRs for itineraries involving multiple parties, please see this thread:
Companion upgrade issues including "link" / split PNR for status etc. (master thread)
Link to aa.com 500 mile upgrades (AKA "stickers") page.
Link to aa.com to "Upgrade your experience".
500 mile upgrades: earned by Gold and Platinum Elites, can be used to upgrade segments in 500 mile increments of North and Central America, Caribbean flights from Economy to the next class of service.. Read below.
e500: Occasional nickname used for 500 mile upgrades.
Electronic or 500 mile upgrades: non-expiring electronic instruments used for near Americas and Caribbean elite upgrades; please read below.
MTEU: Miles Toward Electronic Upgrades. The MTEU earning year zeroes February 28.
Stickers: Holdover name from when 500 mile upgrades were actual stickers applied to tickets when upgraded.
UDU: Unlimited Domestic Upgrades granted EXP and PRO members in lieu of earning or using 500 mile upgrades. (Consequently, they do not earn “stickers”.)
Related thread: End of Feb insufficient miles for 4 500 mile upgrade stickers (2017). (Requesting "stickers" for incremental MTEU threshold accomplishment.)
NOTE: CHANGES in effect as of 1 January 2017:
Upgrade priority:
- Elite tier
- Systemwide and Mileage award upgrades
- Business Extra and certain Agency upgrade certificates
- 500-mile / courtesy DODU / UDU upgrades on purchased tickets
- 500-mile upgrades on PRO, EXP award tickets
- Last 12 month rolling EAD spend
- Fare code
- Date if purchase
Platinum Pro status holders join Executive Platinum members with complimentary "Unlimited Domestic Upgrades / UDU.
- Usable to upgrade from Economy to next class of service (Not Business to First)
- Flights 500 miles or less: Unlimited, auto-requested complimentary upgrades*
- Flights over 500 miles: Complimentary "domestic" (North & Central America, Caribbean) upgrades
- Upgrade one companion traveling with you on the same flight with 500-mile upgrades*
Companions:
ONE passenger traveling with you can “borrow” your status for upgrade purposes. They do not have to be on the same PNR. When this is done, you’ll not be upgraded unless sufficient upgrade seats become available to upgrade two (or more) people. This link often is broken when the flight control goes to the airport, and it can be reestablished there (e.g. at the gate). A good clue that the link has broken is if you’re #1 or 2 and your companion is significantly below that on the upgrade list, such as #11. Finally, because of IT flaws, the 500 mile upgrades for your traveling companion will by necessity come from your account, even if your companion has their own “stickers”. This has not been true for some time, if your companion has status, the system will try to pull the stickers from the companion's account. If there are not enough stickers, you will have to check-in at the airport to have stickers pulled from your account
For questions about whether to split or consolidate PNRs for itineraries involving multiple parties, please see this thread:
Companion upgrade issues including "link" / split PNR for status etc. (master thread)
Link to aa.com 500 mile upgrades (AKA "stickers") page.
Link to aa.com to "Upgrade your experience".
AA "Sticker" / 500-mile & EXP "UDU" Complimentary Upgrade Policy / FAQ
Jul 31, 2019, 7:57 am
#243
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP/OWE, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 880
Upgrades are only available for those with elite status. That said, you basically need Platinum Pro to have a hope of an upgrade, or to even have a shot at one EP. Unless someone is flying from Cowhide, AR to Bumble Eff, OH.
Jul 31, 2019, 9:01 am
#244
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Chicago
Programs: AAdvantage EXP | United Silver | HH Diamond | Bonvoy Platinum | Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 718
You could pay for a gold status challenge with gold status during the challenge. It will cost you around $300. You also risk not getting upgraded, but depending on how many people there are on your reservation, you might be able to offset that cost with free MCE seats at check in.
Aug 7, 2019, 7:35 pm
#245
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: BHM
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 70
Does anyone know if there's been a change in policy for when 500-mile upgrades are deducted from your account? From past experience it's always been at departure. However, today I was upgraded for a flight tomorrow, and 2 upgrades seem to have already been deducted. It doesn't yet show in the "redeemed" section when I view the details, but my total number of upgrades available has decreased by 2.
Aug 7, 2019, 11:23 pm
#246
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: CMI, ORD, NYC
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 92
When you upgrade with 500mile upgrades, what fare class do you end up in and how do you earn miles?
recent trip from JFK to MIA booked in V.
EQM: 1090
Award miles, base: 620
Award miles bonus: 372
I understand the EQM , but how was the bonus award miles calculated? V fares get only 50% so where does the 620 come from? And how do they calculate the 372? I have platinum status so I’m not sure where the 40% bonus is coming from.
But back to my main question, I booked my flight through chase, which uses Expedia. When the upgrade cleared two days before, chase sent an email saying that the Fare code was now R. Shouldn’t I be expecting more award miles from the 500-mile upgrade?
recent trip from JFK to MIA booked in V.
EQM: 1090
Award miles, base: 620
Award miles bonus: 372
I understand the EQM , but how was the bonus award miles calculated? V fares get only 50% so where does the 620 come from? And how do they calculate the 372? I have platinum status so I’m not sure where the 40% bonus is coming from.
But back to my main question, I booked my flight through chase, which uses Expedia. When the upgrade cleared two days before, chase sent an email saying that the Fare code was now R. Shouldn’t I be expecting more award miles from the 500-mile upgrade?
Aug 8, 2019, 12:50 am
#247
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: OC, CA
Programs: AA EXP, 2MM, HH Diamond
Posts: 832
EQM: 1090
Award miles, base: 620
Award miles bonus: 372
I understand the EQM , but how was the bonus award miles calculated? V fares get only 50% so where does the 620 come from? And how do they calculate the 372? I have platinum status so I’m not sure where the 40% bonus is coming from.
Award miles, base: 620
Award miles bonus: 372
I understand the EQM , but how was the bonus award miles calculated? V fares get only 50% so where does the 620 come from? And how do they calculate the 372? I have platinum status so I’m not sure where the 40% bonus is coming from.
you don’t get any more miles - EQM or award miles - if the fare class changes based on an upgrade.
Aug 8, 2019, 5:45 am
#248
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
Does anyone know if there's been a change in policy for when 500-mile upgrades are deducted from your account? From past experience it's always been at departure. However, today I was upgraded for a flight tomorrow, and 2 upgrades seem to have already been deducted. It doesn't yet show in the "redeemed" section when I view the details, but my total number of upgrades available has decreased by 2.
Sep 6, 2019, 7:45 am
#249
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP; Avis PC; Hertz PC; Marriott LT Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,133
Does anyone know if there's been a change in policy for when 500-mile upgrades are deducted from your account? From past experience it's always been at departure. However, today I was upgraded for a flight tomorrow, and 2 upgrades seem to have already been deducted. It doesn't yet show in the "redeemed" section when I view the details, but my total number of upgrades available has decreased by 2.
Sep 6, 2019, 8:45 am
#250
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 255
I had a weird experience the other day which seems to indicate that they pull stickers when checking in, even if the upgrade hasn't occurred. I was traveling with my non-status wife on a domestic itinerary. After checking in and seeing that the upgrades might clear, I noticed that I only had 2 stickers left and the trip needed 3, so I purchased one more since I know they take time to process and become available. Turns out her upgrade didn't clear and this morning I now see 6 stickers in my account which leads me to believe they removed the stickers for her upgrade when checking in and then when the upgrade didn't occur, they redeposited them. Activity log on aa.com doesn't show the removal/redeposit, but I'm nearly 100% certain it occurred otherwise I wouldn't have purchased a sticker.
Sep 6, 2019, 8:56 am
#251
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
Kinda sounds like a credit card authorization at a hotel. A hold is put on for the required amount but not actually charged unless needed. If not needed, the hold's released and you get your money back.
Makes sense. AA "authorizes" the stickers so they know the upgrade will be covered if given. However, it appears as there's no "pending" status for the authorization to actually track it.
Good to know so folks can be aware of how many stickers they have ahead of time. I don't know if I would have noticed this as I typically travel by myself and would only know if i had the stickers to cover the request at booking. I wouldn't check again until after the trip to make sure everything was deducted correctly.
One issue I can see is if you request more upgrades than you have stickers on a trip. Will you run into trouble if the first leg doesn't clear but the second one does? Or will AA ask you to cover the missing stickers before upgrading?
Makes sense. AA "authorizes" the stickers so they know the upgrade will be covered if given. However, it appears as there's no "pending" status for the authorization to actually track it.
Good to know so folks can be aware of how many stickers they have ahead of time. I don't know if I would have noticed this as I typically travel by myself and would only know if i had the stickers to cover the request at booking. I wouldn't check again until after the trip to make sure everything was deducted correctly.
One issue I can see is if you request more upgrades than you have stickers on a trip. Will you run into trouble if the first leg doesn't clear but the second one does? Or will AA ask you to cover the missing stickers before upgrading?
Sep 8, 2019, 1:18 pm
#253
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Knoxville, TN
Programs: AA, DL
Posts: 14
Hello,
I'm a very new PP. I don't understand if I do the following can I upgrade my family member as a companion.
1. I am flying on a Main Cabin ticket BNA->DFW->LAS
2. I plan to purchase the same itinerary for family member as a Milesaaver award ticket.
3. I have plenty of stickers in my account, my family member has no elite status.
Can I link her trip to mine and upgrade her? I think if I had bought myself an award ticket I can't be upgraded, but I don't understand this situation with a companion award ticket.
Thanks
I'm a very new PP. I don't understand if I do the following can I upgrade my family member as a companion.
1. I am flying on a Main Cabin ticket BNA->DFW->LAS
2. I plan to purchase the same itinerary for family member as a Milesaaver award ticket.
3. I have plenty of stickers in my account, my family member has no elite status.
Can I link her trip to mine and upgrade her? I think if I had bought myself an award ticket I can't be upgraded, but I don't understand this situation with a companion award ticket.
Thanks
Sep 8, 2019, 1:36 pm
#254
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
Hello,
I'm a very new PP. I don't understand if I do the following can I upgrade my family member as a companion.
1. I am flying on a Main Cabin ticket BNA->DFW->LAS
2. I plan to purchase the same itinerary for family member as a Milesaaver award ticket.
3. I have plenty of stickers in my account, my family member has no elite status.
Can I link her trip to mine and upgrade her? I think if I had bought myself an award ticket I can't be upgraded, but I don't understand this situation with a companion award ticket.
Thanks
I'm a very new PP. I don't understand if I do the following can I upgrade my family member as a companion.
1. I am flying on a Main Cabin ticket BNA->DFW->LAS
2. I plan to purchase the same itinerary for family member as a Milesaaver award ticket.
3. I have plenty of stickers in my account, my family member has no elite status.
Can I link her trip to mine and upgrade her? I think if I had bought myself an award ticket I can't be upgraded, but I don't understand this situation with a companion award ticket.
Thanks
The only way to do this is to book a normal paid ticket for the family member. Then you can call AA and request an upgrade for them as your companion, based on your PP status and using your stickers.
Sep 9, 2019, 6:40 am
#255
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
One thing I've noticed as my last day of PLT. When you check in and have requested an upgrade AA will deduct those stickers from your account whether you clear or not. If you don't clear after flight the stickers show back in your account.
A favorable thing happened to me over the weekend when I had 3 flights. Flight one got me the 12.5K miles needed for 4 earned stickers while Flight two put me over the threshold for PP. By the next day I had the 4 stickers deposited, my status update as well as the status changed on my reservations and all future flights auto upgraded.
A favorable thing happened to me over the weekend when I had 3 flights. Flight one got me the 12.5K miles needed for 4 earned stickers while Flight two put me over the threshold for PP. By the next day I had the 4 stickers deposited, my status update as well as the status changed on my reservations and all future flights auto upgraded.