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
Jan 24, 2019, 4:01 am
#137
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
No, those cannot be used to upgrade on another carrier. They can only be used on AA to upgrade domestic flights (so you couldn't use them to upgrade if you flew AA LAX-LHR either).
If it is a W fare, then you can use your AA miles to upgrade. But a true W fare would cost more than a discounted business class fare.
BA often will let you upgrade, in advance, using Avios, if you have any. And if there are still seats available on departure date, they will often have upgrades available for a fee. I'd suspect SFO-LHR would be $800-1000. There is a thread in the BA forum with offers. Here is the 2018 version:
Airport Upgrades (AUP) promotion 2018 thread
If it is a W fare, then you can use your AA miles to upgrade. But a true W fare would cost more than a discounted business class fare.
BA often will let you upgrade, in advance, using Avios, if you have any. And if there are still seats available on departure date, they will often have upgrades available for a fee. I'd suspect SFO-LHR would be $800-1000. There is a thread in the BA forum with offers. Here is the 2018 version:
Airport Upgrades (AUP) promotion 2018 thread
Jan 24, 2019, 4:35 am
#138
Join Date: May 2003
Location: TLL
Programs: OZ Diamond, BA Gold, Bonvoy Ambassador, HH Gold
Posts: 4,411
BA also do "Pro-active Online Upgrades" or POUG - when you check your booking on the BA website, sometimes offers for upgrades will appear. More information here:
Pro-active Online Upgrade (POUG) tracking and discussion | 2019 thread
Pro-active Online Upgrade (POUG) tracking and discussion | 2019 thread
Jan 25, 2019, 3:33 pm
#140
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AA LT Plat - 2MM;HH Diamond
Posts: 239
I have searched through this thread (but maybe my search skills are lacking). Does the MTEU reset Jan 31 now with the membership year, or Feb 28th? The Wiki still says Feb 28, but I thought this was the year that the membership year changed.
EDIT - Looks like it is Jan 31 now. I am not a heavy poster here, but should the wiki be updated? https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...rs-2018-a.html
EDIT - Looks like it is Jan 31 now. I am not a heavy poster here, but should the wiki be updated? https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...rs-2018-a.html
Last edited by danorum; Jan 25, 2019 at 3:35 pm Reason: I think I found the answer
Jan 26, 2019, 8:52 pm
#141
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: 16,273
What’s the key to getting companion upgrades to work properly when on separate PNRs?
I am EXP and my wife is Gold. I requested an upgrade for both of us, asking her to be listed as my companion since my priority is higher than hers, and I wanted to use my stickers. The flight was super empty at the window - an E75 with not a single seat occupied up front, and we were the only people in 5 rows of MCE. We didn’t get upgraded at 100 hours out. A couple seats filled at the EXP and PP upgrade windows, but we stayed where we were. I’m no stranger to “subject to availability”, but it was pretty clear lower tier elites were clearing rather than seats being purchased.
The upgrade request box wasn’t checked on her PNR. Which I suppose could be normal if I requested the upgrade for her as my companion, but I used that opportunity to ask two agents to check and make sure the requests were in properly and hadn’t gotten stuck. They both said it looked good. After a couple more seats filled at the Plat window, I asked them to remove the upgrade requests. Then I requested an upgrade only for me - cleared right away. Then I immediately requested a companion upgrade for her - also cleared right away.
I’m lucky the flight was so empty and the front cabin slow to fill, so it worked out in the end, but is there a trick to getting these to work properly? Separate PNRs always seem to cause issues, and if I had trusted what the agents were telling me, we would have continued to sit in the back despite availability clearly being there,
I am EXP and my wife is Gold. I requested an upgrade for both of us, asking her to be listed as my companion since my priority is higher than hers, and I wanted to use my stickers. The flight was super empty at the window - an E75 with not a single seat occupied up front, and we were the only people in 5 rows of MCE. We didn’t get upgraded at 100 hours out. A couple seats filled at the EXP and PP upgrade windows, but we stayed where we were. I’m no stranger to “subject to availability”, but it was pretty clear lower tier elites were clearing rather than seats being purchased.
The upgrade request box wasn’t checked on her PNR. Which I suppose could be normal if I requested the upgrade for her as my companion, but I used that opportunity to ask two agents to check and make sure the requests were in properly and hadn’t gotten stuck. They both said it looked good. After a couple more seats filled at the Plat window, I asked them to remove the upgrade requests. Then I requested an upgrade only for me - cleared right away. Then I immediately requested a companion upgrade for her - also cleared right away.
I’m lucky the flight was so empty and the front cabin slow to fill, so it worked out in the end, but is there a trick to getting these to work properly? Separate PNRs always seem to cause issues, and if I had trusted what the agents were telling me, we would have continued to sit in the back despite availability clearly being there,
Feb 1, 2019, 3:29 pm
#142
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA Plat Pro, HH Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 124
Has anyone had any luck getting pro-rated stickers today after the counter reset?
I was about halfway to 4 more and just called in asking if they would do so, but was shot down.
I was about halfway to 4 more and just called in asking if they would do so, but was shot down.
Feb 4, 2019, 10:07 am
#143
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,207
I just made the call and I was sitting at 1266 shy of getting 4. They gave me two. Better than zero, but not like I've been able to redeem any of these anyway. AACS rep said that as long as you're over half, then they can give you something.
Feb 4, 2019, 12:17 pm
#144
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA Plat/2MM, DL Silver, UA Silver (via Marr), Marr LTT, HH Gold (via cc), Hyatt Disc
Posts: 1,039
iirc, AA moved to “over halfway, get 2” approach a couple of years ago.
Feb 4, 2019, 12:29 pm
#145
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,207
Feb 4, 2019, 4:47 pm
#146
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, National EE
Posts: 1,204
Is there a mechanism to upgrade from J to F with EXP UDUs if I purchased an "instant upgrade" (-UP) fare for a domestic transcon with flagship 3-class service? When looking at my reservation, there is no place to request an upgrade on AA.com or on the AA app.
Feb 4, 2019, 5:39 pm
#147
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: NYC/PHX
Programs: IATA, Sabre, AvgeekAgent
Posts: 1,958
No sticker/UDU upgrades are permitted to Flagship First. Certificates (BXP1 or SWU) will work, though. UA allowed it when it flew 3-class aircraft, but AA never has.
Feb 5, 2019, 2:12 pm
#148
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP; Avis PC; Hertz PC; Marriott LT Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,133
The "no 50 mile grace period" really irks me. Traveling MIA-PHL with my MIL. Requested upgrades and she needs 3 stickers - 1,013 miles. Ugh!!!!
Upgrades cleared (right at 100 hours for a flight with J3, interestingly), but it really sucks to burn a sticker for 13 miles. Too bad the direct FLL-PHL have bad times for us.
/rantover
Upgrades cleared (right at 100 hours for a flight with J3, interestingly), but it really sucks to burn a sticker for 13 miles. Too bad the direct FLL-PHL have bad times for us.
/rantover
Last edited by HofstraJet; Feb 5, 2019 at 3:12 pm
Feb 5, 2019, 3:38 pm
#149
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
are EXP upgrades no longer clearing at 100hrs? I am 60-65 hours away from a flight with a half empty F cabin and C=4 but my UG hasn't processed. Connecting to another wide open F cabin and that hasn't processed either.
Feb 5, 2019, 4:09 pm
#150
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP; Avis PC; Hertz PC; Marriott LT Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,133
You may want to call for the C4 flight and see if they can remove and re-add you to see if that gets it processed.