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
Oct 18, 2019, 11:56 pm
#275
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Alaska Gold 75K, AA EXP, United 1K
Posts: 472
Oct 20, 2019, 1:56 pm
#277
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA 1K, AA 2MM, Bonvoy LT Plt, Mets fan
Posts: 5,073
Probably a silly question: I'm PLT - travelling with a non-status companion who has 4 stickers from her days as elite. If we both clear, will they pull her stickers from her account, or from mine?
thx.
thx.
Oct 20, 2019, 2:04 pm
#278
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
They should pull stickers from her account. If she doesn’t have enough stickers they will pull it from your account
Oct 25, 2019, 7:28 pm
#279
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Newton Centre, MA, USA
Programs: DL 2MM Gold, AA Plat Pro; Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium (via SPG), IHG Plat
Posts: 2,192
Oct 26, 2019, 6:18 pm
#280
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA 1K, AA 2MM, Bonvoy LT Plt, Mets fan
Posts: 5,073
2 cabin (Eagle).
I had problems getting them to pull her stickers - does anyone know the magic word, or coding, to get this done? It will save me $120 on our return...
thx.
I had problems getting them to pull her stickers - does anyone know the magic word, or coding, to get this done? It will save me $120 on our return...
thx.
Oct 26, 2019, 9:25 pm
#281
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
Technically she is using ur status and the stickers should come out of ur account. Plus she didn’t have status so technically she cannot use her stickers
Oct 26, 2019, 9:46 pm
#282
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA 1K, AA 2MM, Bonvoy LT Plt, Mets fan
Posts: 5,073
Sigh. Oh, well. I got bad info from a Rez agent by phone then.
related question: what happens if (after we clear, and both check in to F) I split the PNR and change to AN earlier flight, Will the system catch her and downgrade her?
related question: what happens if (after we clear, and both check in to F) I split the PNR and change to AN earlier flight, Will the system catch her and downgrade her?
Oct 27, 2019, 8:24 am
#283
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: CLT
Programs: AA, Amex
Posts: 418
New to this whole thing... skimming through the thread here, seems like a lot of folks have an abundance of these 500 mile upgrades hanging around as they can be difficult to clear. I'm sure everyone's use strategy may vary - but would it be a fair statement that it's not a bad idea to try and use them as frequently as you can? (Maybe barring it being really wasteful like a crappy plane or burning 2 upgrades on a 501 mile flight).
Got my first 2 of these things that I can use on a flight next month. Still 30 days out but all 16 seats in J currently showing open and available. Maybe an opportunity...
Got my first 2 of these things that I can use on a flight next month. Still 30 days out but all 16 seats in J currently showing open and available. Maybe an opportunity...
Oct 28, 2019, 9:59 pm
#284
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,546
I suppose it depends on your priorities. As a gold, I always put in the request unless I don't want to be upgraded. For example, I hate F bulkheads because the legroom is much worse than the exit row in coach. If it's an A319 where 50% of the F seats are bulkhead I'll hold off. Otherwise I'll put in the request. If my upgrades clear often enough that I end up buying a couple stickers from time to time, that is fine with me.
Nov 2, 2019, 7:35 am
#285
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: DSM
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 110
The stickers themselves usually take up to several business days to show up on the website after the counter rolls over. It is my understanding from other posts that they are actually available to use immediately - it's just the website itself is behind. If others know this to be not correct, please chime in.
Yes, they made it non-obvious. It took me a few minutes to find it. When you go to "My account" There are three boxes - account summary (the default), promotions and wallet. You can find the info under wallet.
Where to find your remaining EQM's needed for more stickers.
Yes, they made it non-obvious. It took me a few minutes to find it. When you go to "My account" There are three boxes - account summary (the default), promotions and wallet. You can find the info under wallet.
Where to find your remaining EQM's needed for more stickers.