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
Mar 11, 2022, 10:34 am
#601
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
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.
Mar 11, 2022, 7:21 pm
#602
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP / LT PLT / 3MM, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 35,389
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.
Mar 11, 2022, 10:28 pm
#603
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
If you look at current bookings or future bookings, you will see the upgrades are now auto requested and there is no info on any certificates being needed.
Last edited by mvoight; Mar 11, 2022 at 10:39 pm
Mar 31, 2022, 3:19 pm
#604
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 216
I booked an Alaska flight and it was canceled today. They put me on an AA flight tomorrow morning and I was told that since it was ticketed through partner then I am not eligible for 500 mile upgrade. Is that true? Once I populated my AAdvantage number onto the new record, it connected to my account on app and it shows the upgrade is requested. Anyone have experience?
Last edited by jamabam; Mar 31, 2022 at 3:20 pm Reason: clarity
Mar 31, 2022, 3:26 pm
#605
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
I booked an Alaska flight and it was canceled today. They put me on an AA flight tomorrow morning and I was told that since it was ticketed through partner then I am not eligible for 500 mile upgrade. Is that true? Once I populated my AAdvantage number onto the new record, it connected to my account on app and it shows the upgrade is requested. Anyone have experience?
Mar 31, 2022, 3:31 pm
#606
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 216
Awesome thanks.I'm wondering if the rep misunderstood and thought I was asking whether my upgrade on the Alaska flight carries through. Which is a shame that it doesn't, because it was a nice surprise to have gotten that AS upgrade in the first place!
Mar 31, 2022, 3:44 pm
#607
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: California
Programs: American, SWA, United, IHG,Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,843
I booked an Alaska flight and it was canceled today. They put me on an AA flight tomorrow morning and I was told that since it was ticketed through partner then I am not eligible for 500 mile upgrade. Is that true? Once I populated my AAdvantage number onto the new record, it connected to my account on app and it shows the upgrade is requested. Anyone have experience?
Mar 31, 2022, 10:02 pm
#608
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: District of Columbia
Programs: AA ExecPl, AT Gold, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Diamond, Hilton Diamond, National
Posts: 2,440
Apr 6, 2022, 12:36 pm
#609
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA - Silver, Hertz-5 star
Posts: 217
OK, so I booked a Main Cabin fare today for SFO-DFW-SBN on 09/14/22. I have 6 (500 mile awards in my wallet). Non Elite status so those will not be applies to my trip?
thanks,
Paul
thanks,
Paul
Apr 6, 2022, 12:42 pm
#610
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,546
No. If you gain elite status before 9/14 you will be eligible for complimentary upgrades, and if you do not, you’ll need to count on the chance of a paid upgrade being offered.
Apr 6, 2022, 4:26 pm
#612
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, WOH Globalist
Posts: 1,160
Apr 6, 2022, 5:04 pm
#613
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,349
Apr 7, 2022, 11:12 am
#615
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
Yes, domestic comp upgrades clear into R. But you cannot search this at EF. EF will show R fares but these are the revenue fare buckets and not valid for upgrades.