Jul 10, 2013, 4:13 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
SIZE="4"]AA "instant upgrade" (-UP) fare
Click here for the current thread.
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These are often referred to as "instant upgrade" fares; they upgrade into the class of service P, A or I internationally with positive space; OSO / schedule disruptions mean unless the P, A, D, I etc. fare is offered on the new flight they "downgrade" to Coach on the next available flight. (One can wait for the next flight with P, A, D, I available, but this might require overnights etc. at one's expense.)
Purchasers should carefully read the Detailed Fare Rules, as many of these are, as essentially "instant upgrades", punitive in effect during IROPS / OSO", "change of gauge" aircraft substitutions, cancellations and missed connections because if the necessary fare inventory isn't available one is generally given the option to fly now, in Economy, or wait until such inventory becomes available (which may entail hours or days at the passenger's own expense).
The detailed fare codes for these flights might look like (international) GNE7C0Z1/CRUP or SNE7C0Z1/CRUP, Lxxxx, etc. Reaccommodation in Coach: these particular sample fates will be treated like an N class fare. As well: "The most restrictive set of fare rules applies to the entire itinerary. In addition other fare rules may apply."
In the detailed fare rules, instant upgrade fares may include something like this:
E.G. During irregular operations or missed connections, one may continue in that class of service if A, P, D, I etc. as applicable is available, or the passenger can take a voluntary downgrade to the lower class of service / Y on an earlier flight. Some may do this if waiting for A, P or I requires one or more overnights.
Refunds may be limited to $0.50 per mile to a maximum of $50 per downgraded segment, and are limited to vouchers good for future travel on AA.
Link to compensation offered for an involuntary downgrade of "instant upgrade" fares:
One explanatory post (15 Apr 2015) might be:
Click here for the current thread.
[/SIZE]
These are often referred to as "instant upgrade" fares; they upgrade into the class of service P, A or I internationally with positive space; OSO / schedule disruptions mean unless the P, A, D, I etc. fare is offered on the new flight they "downgrade" to Coach on the next available flight. (One can wait for the next flight with P, A, D, I available, but this might require overnights etc. at one's expense.)
Purchasers should carefully read the Detailed Fare Rules, as many of these are, as essentially "instant upgrades", punitive in effect during IROPS / OSO", "change of gauge" aircraft substitutions, cancellations and missed connections because if the necessary fare inventory isn't available one is generally given the option to fly now, in Economy, or wait until such inventory becomes available (which may entail hours or days at the passenger's own expense).
The detailed fare codes for these flights might look like (international) GNE7C0Z1/CRUP or SNE7C0Z1/CRUP, Lxxxx, etc. Reaccommodation in Coach: these particular sample fates will be treated like an N class fare. As well: "The most restrictive set of fare rules applies to the entire itinerary. In addition other fare rules may apply."
In the detailed fare rules, instant upgrade fares may include something like this:
ECONOMY FARE WITH AN INSTANT ONE-CLASS UPGRADE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE TO FIRST/BUSINESS. APPLICATION CLASS OF SERVICE THESE FARES APPLY FOR ECONOMY CLASS SERVICE. CAPACITY LIMITATIONS SEATS ARE LIMITED BOTH ECONOMY AND FIRST CLASS BOOKING INVENTORIES MUST BE AVAILABLE AT TIME OF BOOKING. THESE FARES PERMIT A ONE-CLASS UPGRADE AT THE TIME OF BOOKING.
Refunds may be limited to $0.50 per mile to a maximum of $50 per downgraded segment, and are limited to vouchers good for future travel on AA.
Link to compensation offered for an involuntary downgrade of "instant upgrade" fares:
Instant Upgrade tickets are booked in the Main Cabin. However, Instant upgrade ticketholders who travel in the Main Cabin due to an involuntary seat change, equipment change, routing change, flight cancellation, or missed connection as a result of a late incoming flight may request a travel voucher. The voucher value shall be equal to $0.10 per mile, or $50, whichever is greater, for each flight segment flown in the downgraded cabin. Refunds will be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount, and can be requested at www.aa.com/refunds.
...
Just moments ago, I priced out a trip from LAX to DFW, and two different discounted First Class ticket options were presented, the fare class of one was SA00ZNI1 (books into P) and the other was MA00ZRI1 (books into A).
At the bottom of the purchase summary screen, AA provides this warning:
The fare rules for both tickets provide the following as the last entry:
Why does this matter? Because if I buy either of these tickets and then I decide that I want to fly an earlier or later flight, these fares will not permit me to walk up to the counter and claim a last-minute F seat if my capacity-controlled inventory is not available. For instance, if that last F seat is in F (not P or A), then I'd have to pay the fare difference in order to confirm a change to that seat.
We can (and have for years and years) argued around here that these fare practices are misleading - and I agree. Nevertheless, AA is most certainly still selling what it considers to be "instant upgrade" fares, and savvy travelers should read the fare rules* and plan accordingly.
*Or at least download them to your hard drive as a pdf at the time of reservation/purchase so that others might help decipher them when things go inverted. So often around here, people post questions where reading the fare rules is vital to an accurate answer, and they respond "who reads/saves those when buying a ticket?"
Back to the OP's question: How to find instant upgrade tickets? Nearly every domestic first class fare I've seen on aa.com is an instant upgrade ticket. Finding a domestic first class fare that isn't an instant upgrade fare is quite a chore. The OP can rest assured that if their fare books in P, A or F, they're going to earn their hoped-for tier points. As Microwave pointed out, the best/correct place for that discussion is in the British Airways forum where there are numerous BAEC members with experience in buying and flying on AA's instant upgrade F tickets.
Just moments ago, I priced out a trip from LAX to DFW, and two different discounted First Class ticket options were presented, the fare class of one was SA00ZNI1 (books into P) and the other was MA00ZRI1 (books into A).
At the bottom of the purchase summary screen, AA provides this warning:
■ First/Business Fares may be an Instant Upgrade and therefore subject to restrictions.
Rule Application
and Other Conditions
NOTE THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS INFORMATIONAL AND NOT VALIDATED FOR AUTOPRICING. ECONOMY FARE WITH AN INSTANT ONECLASS UPGRADE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE TO FIRST/BUSINESS. APPLICATION CLASS OF SERVICE THESE FARES APPLY FOR ECONOMY CLASS SERVICE. CAPACITY LIMITATIONS SEATS ARE LIMITED BOTH ECONOMY AND FIRST CLASS BOOKING INVENTORIES MUST BE AVAILABLE AT TIME OF BOOKING. THESE FARES PERMIT A ONECLASS UPGRADE AT THE TIME OF BOOKING.
and Other Conditions
NOTE THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS INFORMATIONAL AND NOT VALIDATED FOR AUTOPRICING. ECONOMY FARE WITH AN INSTANT ONECLASS UPGRADE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE TO FIRST/BUSINESS. APPLICATION CLASS OF SERVICE THESE FARES APPLY FOR ECONOMY CLASS SERVICE. CAPACITY LIMITATIONS SEATS ARE LIMITED BOTH ECONOMY AND FIRST CLASS BOOKING INVENTORIES MUST BE AVAILABLE AT TIME OF BOOKING. THESE FARES PERMIT A ONECLASS UPGRADE AT THE TIME OF BOOKING.
We can (and have for years and years) argued around here that these fare practices are misleading - and I agree. Nevertheless, AA is most certainly still selling what it considers to be "instant upgrade" fares, and savvy travelers should read the fare rules* and plan accordingly.
*Or at least download them to your hard drive as a pdf at the time of reservation/purchase so that others might help decipher them when things go inverted. So often around here, people post questions where reading the fare rules is vital to an accurate answer, and they respond "who reads/saves those when buying a ticket?"
Back to the OP's question: How to find instant upgrade tickets? Nearly every domestic first class fare I've seen on aa.com is an instant upgrade ticket. Finding a domestic first class fare that isn't an instant upgrade fare is quite a chore. The OP can rest assured that if their fare books in P, A or F, they're going to earn their hoped-for tier points. As Microwave pointed out, the best/correct place for that discussion is in the British Airways forum where there are numerous BAEC members with experience in buying and flying on AA's instant upgrade F tickets.
ARCHIVE: AA "instant upgrade" (-UP, YUP) fare discount First (master thd)
Jun 15, 2016, 6:33 pm
#556
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,639
So just a follow-up on this post of mine from yesterday. I emailed AA back to basically let them know I thought they were wrong (in that I clearly had an A class ticket, and their website clearly shows A class fare code = double EQM, etc.). I received the following email from AA admitting the mistake.
###
Hello David,
I'm so sorry. In the previous message you received, it looks like we
made a mistake. Thanks for writing back so I can correct the error.
I have posted the activity with the correct booking code. You may view
this adjustment online when you login to your AAdvantage account.
Please note that you will also receive a separate email confirmation of
this posting, which is a system-generated message confirming the mileage
credit has been added to your account.
We appreciate your bringing this error to our attention and apologize
for your inconvenience. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to resolve
this matter for you.
###
Hello David,
I'm so sorry. In the previous message you received, it looks like we
made a mistake. Thanks for writing back so I can correct the error.
I have posted the activity with the correct booking code. You may view
this adjustment online when you login to your AAdvantage account.
Please note that you will also receive a separate email confirmation of
this posting, which is a system-generated message confirming the mileage
credit has been added to your account.
We appreciate your bringing this error to our attention and apologize
for your inconvenience. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to resolve
this matter for you.
Jun 15, 2016, 6:51 pm
#558
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: RDU
Posts: 2,264
No problem... my agency booked an A fare, as far as I can tell. All of my documentation from the agency and in my fare receipt shows 'A' as the fare class.
Aug 1, 2016, 1:31 pm
#562
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: YVR, ORD, LAS
Programs: AA CK, DL Diamond, AC SE100K, Marriott Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist, Accor Platinum
Posts: 44
Has anyone else had a lot more hassles lately with getting up fares to post properly as first class fares? It has happened to me 8 times in the past two months, a lot more than usual. And with no discernable pattern except that the P fares seem to post fine but the A fares have more problems.
Calling in used to fix it but in last week I was refused for the first time by an agent who insisted that it was credited correctly, that I only was entitled to credit for an economy class fare because I had been given a "complimentary upgrade." A supervisor backed her up and then she looked at my account, seeing how many times they had fixed this for me lately and decided to tell me that going forward they would no longer do me "favors" and give me credit for first class when I by these upgrade fares. HUACA doesn't work because she also put a note on my account telling agents down the line not to fix these fares for me. A complaint to customer service just got shrugs and 7,500 miles to try to make me go away.
Calling in used to fix it but in last week I was refused for the first time by an agent who insisted that it was credited correctly, that I only was entitled to credit for an economy class fare because I had been given a "complimentary upgrade." A supervisor backed her up and then she looked at my account, seeing how many times they had fixed this for me lately and decided to tell me that going forward they would no longer do me "favors" and give me credit for first class when I by these upgrade fares. HUACA doesn't work because she also put a note on my account telling agents down the line not to fix these fares for me. A complaint to customer service just got shrugs and 7,500 miles to try to make me go away.
Aug 1, 2016, 1:35 pm
#563
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
Has anyone else had a lot more hassles lately with getting up fares to post properly as first class fares? It has happened to me 8 times in the past two months, a lot more than usual. And with no discernable pattern except that the P fares seem to post fine but the A fares have more problems.
Calling in used to fix it but in last week I was refused for the first time by an agent who insisted that it was credited correctly, that I only was entitled to credit for an economy class fare because I had been given a "complimentary upgrade." A supervisor backed her up and then she looked at my account, seeing how many times they had fixed this for me lately and decided to tell me that going forward they would no longer do me "favors" and give me credit for first class when I by these upgrade fares. HUACA doesn't work because she also put a note on my account telling agents down the line not to fix these fares for me. A complaint to customer service just got shrugs and 7,500 miles to try to make me go away.
Calling in used to fix it but in last week I was refused for the first time by an agent who insisted that it was credited correctly, that I only was entitled to credit for an economy class fare because I had been given a "complimentary upgrade." A supervisor backed her up and then she looked at my account, seeing how many times they had fixed this for me lately and decided to tell me that going forward they would no longer do me "favors" and give me credit for first class when I by these upgrade fares. HUACA doesn't work because she also put a note on my account telling agents down the line not to fix these fares for me. A complaint to customer service just got shrugs and 7,500 miles to try to make me go away.
Jan 11, 2017, 12:03 pm
#564
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: St. Louis, MO, USA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Gold Elite, Lowly kettle across every other loyalty program.
Posts: 778
Does the "instant upgrade" language have to be in the fare rules for your seat to be prone to IVDG during IRROPS? I just bought a fare that has no reference to instant upgrade; I want to know if they downgauge to a 319 from a 738 that I won't be stuck in the last row of cramped Y on a 4 hour flight.
Jan 11, 2017, 1:54 pm
#565
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,046
Does the "instant upgrade" language have to be in the fare rules for your seat to be prone to IVDG during IRROPS? I just bought a fare that has no reference to instant upgrade; I want to know if they downgauge to a 319 from a 738 that I won't be stuck in the last row of cramped Y on a 4 hour flight.
Jan 12, 2017, 3:01 am
#566
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: Double OWE (AA EXP, QF Plat), FI Gold
Posts: 1,887
Does the "instant upgrade" language have to be in the fare rules for your seat to be prone to IVDG during IRROPS? I just bought a fare that has no reference to instant upgrade; I want to know if they downgauge to a 319 from a 738 that I won't be stuck in the last row of cramped Y on a 4 hour flight.
Jan 12, 2017, 2:55 pm
#567
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: SNA LAX
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 116
Has anyone else had a lot more hassles lately with getting up fares to post properly as first class fares? It has happened to me 8 times in the past two months, a lot more than usual. And with no discernable pattern except that the P fares seem to post fine but the A fares have more problems.
Calling in used to fix it but in last week I was refused for the first time by an agent who insisted that it was credited correctly, that I only was entitled to credit for an economy class fare because I had been given a "complimentary upgrade." A supervisor backed her up and then she looked at my account, seeing how many times they had fixed this for me lately and decided to tell me that going forward they would no longer do me "favors" and give me credit for first class when I by these upgrade fares. HUACA doesn't work because she also put a note on my account telling agents down the line not to fix these fares for me. A complaint to customer service just got shrugs and 7,500 miles to try to make me go away.
Calling in used to fix it but in last week I was refused for the first time by an agent who insisted that it was credited correctly, that I only was entitled to credit for an economy class fare because I had been given a "complimentary upgrade." A supervisor backed her up and then she looked at my account, seeing how many times they had fixed this for me lately and decided to tell me that going forward they would no longer do me "favors" and give me credit for first class when I by these upgrade fares. HUACA doesn't work because she also put a note on my account telling agents down the line not to fix these fares for me. A complaint to customer service just got shrugs and 7,500 miles to try to make me go away.
Please see the current thread: AA "instant upgrade" / discount First fare (master thd)
Last edited by JDiver; Jan 8, 2020 at 11:47 am Reason: Add moderator referral note