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 17, 2020, 10:43 am
#391
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,989
Yes, you were able to use them on Y and B fares, although those fares were often more expensive than non-refundable first class tickets. My wife was able to use several during a non-status period when we were rebooked from DL to AA and the AA reservation was booked as a Y fare. They should also be useful to non-elites if traveling with a companion with status. And I believe at one point AA let you exchange them for something like 500 AAdvantage miles.
But these were/are pretty rare circumstances. I had four "stickers" that sat orphaned from 1999, when I was Gold for a year, until 2010 when I regained AA status.
But these were/are pretty rare circumstances. I had four "stickers" that sat orphaned from 1999, when I was Gold for a year, until 2010 when I regained AA status.
Sep 18, 2020, 12:22 pm
#392
Join Date: Dec 2019
Programs: AA: Exec Plat; AC: 75K; JX: Explorer; HH: Dia; Bonvoy: Gold; Wyndham: Dia
Posts: 300
I thought the traveling companion of an upgrading elite could use their (lower elite or non-elite companion) stickers instead of the elite's stickers to pay for an upgrade. It sounded like it was a pain to process it that way, but possible.
Jan 6, 2021, 5:14 pm
#393
Used to be 'Travelergcp'
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,827
Is it just me, or is the upgrade request dialogue still missing from aa.com despite them now allowing full elite benefits on basic economy bookings?
Jan 7, 2021, 7:39 am
#394
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 551
If the companion uses their own stickers then they are supposed to upgrade at their own status level as if they were on their own, which usually isn't what you want.
Jan 15, 2021, 7:21 pm
#395
Used to be 'Travelergcp'
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,827
Still missing for basic economy tickets, but staff are able to do it if you call or tweet them and ask. This was for one that required stickers. I guess AA.com hasn’t gotten around to updating after the rules change.
Last edited by TravelerMSY; Jan 17, 2021 at 3:38 pm
Feb 18, 2021, 6:17 am
#397
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,572
Feb 23, 2021, 7:47 pm
#399
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,483
However, AA is also letting me UG segments for my next trip using cash. So here is the question.
If I pay cash for an UG, do I get the increase in EQMs associated with the UG. If I pay $250 to F for a 1000 mile flight, will they give me 2000 EQM for that segment rather than the usual 1000 EQM?
TIA for an answer.
Feb 23, 2021, 8:55 pm
#400
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: AA,UA,AS
Posts: 319
I know that you can request a sticker UG using the boxes as described.
However, AA is also letting me UG segments for my next trip using cash. So here is the question.
If I pay cash for an UG, do I get the increase in EQMs associated with the UG. If I pay $250 to F for a 1000 mile flight, will they give me 2000 EQM for that segment rather than the usual 1000 EQM?
TIA for an answer.
However, AA is also letting me UG segments for my next trip using cash. So here is the question.
If I pay cash for an UG, do I get the increase in EQMs associated with the UG. If I pay $250 to F for a 1000 mile flight, will they give me 2000 EQM for that segment rather than the usual 1000 EQM?
TIA for an answer.
Edit: According to the terms and conditions it seems you will earn based off of the new fare:
- AAdvantage® benefits and mileage accrual will be based on the new ticket.
Feb 23, 2021, 9:53 pm
#401
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 5
Question about 500-mile upgrades
I now have Gold status for the first time. Flights under 500 miles receive auto-requested upgrades 24 hours before the flight, correct?
If yes, does this apply for a connecting flight?
For example, my purchased ticket is from Boston to Los Angeles with a connection in New York. On the Boston-New York segment, will the auto-request kick in?
Does it matter that the total trip length is greater than 500 miles?
If yes, does this apply for a connecting flight?
For example, my purchased ticket is from Boston to Los Angeles with a connection in New York. On the Boston-New York segment, will the auto-request kick in?
Does it matter that the total trip length is greater than 500 miles?
Feb 23, 2021, 10:21 pm
#402
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,695
I now have Gold status for the first time. Flights under 500 miles receive auto-requested upgrades 24 hours before the flight, correct?
If yes, does this apply for a connecting flight?
For example, my purchased ticket is from Boston to Los Angeles with a connection in New York. On the Boston-New York segment, will the auto-request kick in?
Does it matter that the total trip length is greater than 500 miles?
If yes, does this apply for a connecting flight?
For example, my purchased ticket is from Boston to Los Angeles with a connection in New York. On the Boston-New York segment, will the auto-request kick in?
Does it matter that the total trip length is greater than 500 miles?
Mar 28, 2021, 7:49 am
#403
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Chicago
Programs: Hyatt Glob, AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 23
Is this agent wrong?
Background, I’m an EP and my wife is GLD. The system wanted to take the stickers out of her account when checking in and forced us to buy more stickers when I had enough to cover hers. The check in agent didn’t help and directed us to the kiosk to purchase. Now customer relations are saying it only comes out of the sponsoring account when it’s an award flight. Am I going crazy or is the agent incorrect?
Mar 28, 2021, 8:13 am
#404
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,572
Background, I’m an EP and my wife is GLD. The system wanted to take the stickers out of her account when checking in and forced us to buy more stickers when I had enough to cover hers. The check in agent didn’t help and directed us to the kiosk to purchase. Now customer relations are saying it only comes out of the sponsoring account when it’s an award flight. Am I going crazy or is the agent incorrect?
But, if you were on the same PNR, and you didn't call AA before to do anything "special" with the request (see below), and the upgrades cleared before arriving at at airport, then the stickers would be pulled from her account (and the agent was correct).
The system is set up such that when both pax have status it will pull stickers from each individual account, as it will also separate you out on the waitlist by status, even when you're on the same PNR.
I found on a few occasions traveling with PLT gf we would get to the airport and I'd be #1 and she'd be say #6, same PNR. This doesn't make sense as if it was a no-status companion they'd be #2 right behind me, but because she has PLT the computer sees that and pushes her back with PLTs. Just the way the system is.
In order to get around this you have to call AA, remove her AA#, re-request the upgrade as a no-status companion, then add back her AA#. The request is then set up so that she inherits my EXP status on the waitlist, and any stickers necessary will be pulled from my account, not hers.
Clear as mud?