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
Sep 12, 2019, 12:31 pm
#256
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: DTW and ORD
Posts: 667
500-mile upgrades as a non-elite member
I have 20 500-mile upgrades in my account but am no longer an elite member due to a lapse in travel.
I just booked a non-Basic Economy ticket, but don't see an option online to request an upgrade using my 500-mile upgrades.
Is that expected?
Also, are 500-mile upgrades requestable via the AA app?
Thanks!
I just booked a non-Basic Economy ticket, but don't see an option online to request an upgrade using my 500-mile upgrades.
Is that expected?
Also, are 500-mile upgrades requestable via the AA app?
Thanks!
Sep 12, 2019, 12:39 pm
#257
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
I have 20 500-mile upgrades in my account but am no longer an elite member due to a lapse in travel.
I just booked a non-Basic Economy ticket, but don't see an option online to request an upgrade using my 500-mile upgrades.
Is that expected?
Also, are 500-mile upgrades requestable via the AA app?
Thanks!
I just booked a non-Basic Economy ticket, but don't see an option online to request an upgrade using my 500-mile upgrades.
Is that expected?
Also, are 500-mile upgrades requestable via the AA app?
Thanks!
They never expire, so they will just sit in your account indefinitely. If you ever get status again then you can use them.
Sep 12, 2019, 12:45 pm
#258
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: DTW and ORD
Posts: 667
At least I'll earn Gold soon so I'll be able to use these for my future trips.
Will I be able to request them in the app? Not sure if the app has been enhanced to allow it.
Sep 12, 2019, 1:11 pm
#259
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: OKC
Programs: IHG Spire, National Exec, AA Plat
Posts: 2,274
Yes you can request in the app, very simple to do.
Sep 12, 2019, 2:02 pm
#260
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
I just now learned the option for non elites to upgrade B and Y fares ended 3 1/2 years ago.
Thankfully, I have lifetime status
Thankfully, I have lifetime status
Sep 12, 2019, 11:10 pm
#261
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYZ/MGA
Programs: AA 1MM Lifetime Gold, AA Platinum, WS Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 7,607
Maybe I will start asking gate agents to randomly upgrade people with my 500 milers.
Sep 13, 2019, 2:48 am
#262
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mundelein, Il
Programs: Executive Platinum
Posts: 482
Like the 121 I have earned and literally can never use, more useless since they got rid of the process where they would give you miles for them if they could see you only fly on J or F where they are not required or to places where they are not valid.
Maybe I will start asking gate agents to randomly upgrade people with my 500 milers.
Maybe I will start asking gate agents to randomly upgrade people with my 500 milers.
it is also my understanding that they cannot be gifted like miles.
Sep 13, 2019, 3:20 am
#263
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Nottingham, UK
Programs: HHonors - Diamond, AA - EXP
Posts: 150
You can use them for companion upgrades (if you have status). If I fly with non-status colleagues I will add them to the upgrade list using my 500 mile stickers.
Sep 13, 2019, 7:50 am
#264
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
Sep 13, 2019, 11:09 am
#265
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,277
If I am traveling with a non-status companion and sponsoring an upgrade for them on a sub-500 mile flight, is this complimentary for the companion like it would be for me, or will it cost me 1 500-mile sticker?
Sep 13, 2019, 11:13 am
#266
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 551
It will cost you one sticker, upgrades are not free for companions.
Oct 10, 2019, 6:03 pm
#267
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 552
Need advice on a flight tomorrow. Companion is platinum, I am gold. On different PNRs. We called AA several months ago and set this up to link the PNRs and have the companion use her 500 mile upgrades for me. AAgent said she knew how to do this.
We are now a T-24 hours. My companion has been upgraded, but I have not. Would this happen if our PNRs were properly linked for a companion upgrade? Or if there is only one seat released, does the sponsoring companion get upgraded on her own rather than waiting until two seats open?
We are now a T-24 hours. My companion has been upgraded, but I have not. Would this happen if our PNRs were properly linked for a companion upgrade? Or if there is only one seat released, does the sponsoring companion get upgraded on her own rather than waiting until two seats open?
Oct 11, 2019, 7:23 am
#268
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
Need advice on a flight tomorrow. Companion is platinum, I am gold. On different PNRs. We called AA several months ago and set this up to link the PNRs and have the companion use her 500 mile upgrades for me. AAgent said she knew how to do this.
We are now a T-24 hours. My companion has been upgraded, but I have not. Would this happen if our PNRs were properly linked for a companion upgrade? Or if there is only one seat released, does the sponsoring companion get upgraded on her own rather than waiting until two seats open?
We are now a T-24 hours. My companion has been upgraded, but I have not. Would this happen if our PNRs were properly linked for a companion upgrade? Or if there is only one seat released, does the sponsoring companion get upgraded on her own rather than waiting until two seats open?
Oct 11, 2019, 7:26 am
#269
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
That's all in how the request is set up, but it can get tricky when both pax have a different status. The agent can set up the request so that either you both get upgraded or none, or that separate is ok if only one seat opens up. Looks like it was the latter in this case.
