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
Feb 2, 2022, 9:01 am
#586
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,039
I suppose that would make some sense given the new program and status qualification not being calendar year anymore.
Feb 2, 2022, 9:16 am
#587
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 228
A flight I took on AS last Thursday should have pushed me over the 12,500 EQM threshold. While the award miles from that trip posted today, and under my activity I can see how many EQM/EQD that trip generated, I have yet to see the four new 500-mile upgrades appear in my account. It still says I'm 777 EQM short, exactly as it did yesterday before the AS trip posted.
Feb 2, 2022, 12:46 pm
#588
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,039
Well both mine and my wife's counter has NOT been reset as of today (Feb 2nd), so perhaps it HAS been extended to end of March this year? Or at least Feb 28th?
I suppose that would make some sense given the new program and status qualification not being calendar year anymore.
I suppose that would make some sense given the new program and status qualification not being calendar year anymore.
Hello XXXXXXXXXX,
We're so glad you contacted us. It's always our pleasure to assist our
valued AAdvantage members.
Because we extended the membership year an extra two months, the 500
mile counter will not reset until March 31, 2022. Because of that we
will have to wait until then to look at your account. Hope that helps.
Stay safe and have a great day.
Regards,
XXXXXXXXXX
AAdvantage Customer Service
American Airlines
We're so glad you contacted us. It's always our pleasure to assist our
valued AAdvantage members.
Because we extended the membership year an extra two months, the 500
mile counter will not reset until March 31, 2022. Because of that we
will have to wait until then to look at your account. Hope that helps.
Stay safe and have a great day.
Regards,
XXXXXXXXXX
AAdvantage Customer Service
American Airlines
Feb 4, 2022, 12:26 pm
#589
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: DL Plat, BA Silver
Posts: 235
I have been having trouble finding an answer to the following - if you previously had no status on AA and achieved Gold, are you supposed to get 500-mile certificates for each 12.5k threshold in that same year you initially qualified? (nb: if the answer is no, that's kind of a sucky system, no? congrats for qualifying, your prize is no upgrades until you fly a bunch more)
I qualified last year for Gold and have no certs at all. Sorry - as a DL Plat this certificate business is totally foreign to me and I've read up on it but can't find the answer to the above...
I qualified last year for Gold and have no certs at all. Sorry - as a DL Plat this certificate business is totally foreign to me and I've read up on it but can't find the answer to the above...
Feb 4, 2022, 1:47 pm
#590
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP / LT PLT / 3MM, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 35,389
I have been having trouble finding an answer to the following - if you previously had no status on AA and achieved Gold, are you supposed to get 500-mile certificates for each 12.5k threshold in that same year you initially qualified? (nb: if the answer is no, that's kind of a sucky system, no? congrats for qualifying, your prize is no upgrades until you fly a bunch more)
I qualified last year for Gold and have no certs at all. Sorry - as a DL Plat this certificate business is totally foreign to me and I've read up on it but can't find the answer to the above...
I qualified last year for Gold and have no certs at all. Sorry - as a DL Plat this certificate business is totally foreign to me and I've read up on it but can't find the answer to the above...
Feb 4, 2022, 2:20 pm
#591
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: DL Plat, BA Silver
Posts: 235
Thank you for the fast and clear answer... I guess it is working as it should be. Although I would imagine they'd at least throw you a bone when you first qualify for any status, to try to incentivize future travel plans? As it is, I'm looking at flying this year on DL with pretty good UG probability if I pick my dates right vs. paying for stickers on AA to have any shot at upgrading... kinda makes it not so attractive to go with AA...
Feb 4, 2022, 2:34 pm
#592
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP / LT PLT / 3MM, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 35,389
Thank you for the fast and clear answer... I guess it is working as it should be. Although I would imagine they'd at least throw you a bone when you first qualify for any status, to try to incentivize future travel plans? As it is, I'm looking at flying this year on DL with pretty good UG probability if I pick my dates right vs. paying for stickers on AA to have any shot at upgrading... kinda makes it not so attractive to go with AA...
Feb 4, 2022, 4:11 pm
#593
Join Date: Dec 2018
Programs: $9 Fare Club
Posts: 1,480
Feb 4, 2022, 6:18 pm
#594
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: 6,670
Co-pays generally help allocate resources to those who value them. I would heartily favor:
-stickers (though perhaps discounted) for PPRO ($20) and EXP ($10) --
-small fee ($10) to bring your full-sized carry on (though I like DL's idea of offering to check carry-on sized bags for free)
-small co-pay per guest at the AC
Feb 22, 2022, 5:56 am
#595
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 2,506
Probably going to be told this is how it always has been, but wanted to post the data point after a quick search: As a Gold, my sticker upgrade for my 2nd connecting flight today cleared at T-23:56 before my first flight and about T-35 before the flight I was upgraded on. I thought upgrade timings were based on the flight upgraded, but given it's rare for me to be on an AA connection (usually fly out of a hub) AND have the 2nd flight so empty that it upgrades a Gold 24 hours out, I may be mistaken.
Feb 22, 2022, 8:10 am
#596
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP / LT PLT / 3MM, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 35,389
Probably going to be told this is how it always has been, but wanted to post the data point after a quick search: As a Gold, my sticker upgrade for my 2nd connecting flight today cleared at T-23:56 before my first flight and about T-35 before the flight I was upgraded on. I thought upgrade timings were based on the flight upgraded, but given it's rare for me to be on an AA connection (usually fly out of a hub) AND have the 2nd flight so empty that it upgrades a Gold 24 hours out, I may be mistaken.
Feb 27, 2022, 2:45 pm
#598
Join Date: Mar 2019
Programs: AA EXP and Marriott Titanium
Posts: 776
Feb 27, 2022, 2:53 pm
#599
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: 6,670
Rather than buying the 2 extra stickers, of course, wait to see if the first upgrade clears...
Mar 11, 2022, 10:02 am
#600
Join Date: Mar 2022
Posts: 17
Non Elite Upgrade Coupons
I got 20 500 mile upgrade coupons from AA a year ago. They just randomly gave them to me because a booking agent changed my flight from a connection to a nonstop and changed my fare class to full fare F (it was an award ticket). AA's system must have thought I purchased a full fare F class ticket from LAX to JFK.
Do I need to gain elite status before I can use these? Also, what now that AA doesn't use the Upgrade Certificates anymore? Thanks.
Do I need to gain elite status before I can use these? Also, what now that AA doesn't use the Upgrade Certificates anymore? Thanks.