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DOD / DODU (LFBU) Space-available, counter, kiosk, and online upgrade (master thd)

Old Dec 7, 2012, 7:35 pm
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Load Factor Based Upgrades (LFBU) and Day Of Departure Upgrades (DODU)
These generally relate to Non-elite, space-available, kiosk, online and counter upgrades which may be available close to departure if there is unused (after sales and pending upgrades) inventory once the flight has passed to airport control; these are available for payment (normally, credit card).

On line check in offers may be made at the time of check-in, including with the AA app.

Kiosk-based LFBUs may be offered at the Self-Service (Check-in) Machines ("kiosk") (and occasionally with online check-in) if there are seats available - as per the AA wording and the FAQ (see first post). One may be offered a LFBU on an award ticket.

Counter Upgrades may be offered at the ticket counter or Admirals Club in the USA or at non-stateside locations on occasion, usually announced by a small sign visible to passengers checking in at the ticket counter or Club. They may be offered (or not) and may cost as much as $750 (or more) for a longhaul transocean flight.

As per other upgrades, one earns miles / points at the level of the originally purchased fare.



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DOD / DODU (LFBU) Space-available, counter, kiosk, and online upgrade (master thd)

Old Jul 4, 2015, 4:50 pm
  #16  
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
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Originally Posted by drvannostren
Bought a trip upcoming with a lengthy red eye SEA-MIA in early Sep. Any thoughts on what that might cost if available? Tuesday night FWIW, and Sep is relatively low season, so I'm thinking traffic up front would likely be kinda slim. I'll probably accept anything <$200, but I'm more just curious if you guys had any kind of ballpark idea .
To the best of my recollection, two summers ago, the cost at the check-in kiosk for an upgrade on the red-eye from ANC to DFW, a distance of ~3,000 miles compared to the ~2,700 miles between MIA and SEA, was in the range of $300.

My educated guess is that after the elite AAdvantage members are upgraded, F will be full and no LFBU will be offered for sale.
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Old Jul 4, 2015, 11:16 pm
  #17  
 
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Thanks for the reply, fair enough, I kinda don't think there'd be too many elites on that flight at that time of year and mid week, but I could be wrong. I know flying on UA the J cabin never seems to fly un-full. They go deep on the elite list and there seems to be about a million elites. AA could very well be the same, I don't have the experience flying them.

I'm a Y guy though, so if I gotta do it, I gotta do it no biggie
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Old Jul 7, 2015, 1:05 am
  #18  
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
 
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Another data point to add: DUB-ORD on 767, 455 Euro to upgrade to business class
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Old Jul 15, 2015, 1:14 pm
  #19  
 
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Will this $500 transatlantic upgrade still be offered to me at airport?

Flying from JFK to Europe this evening. Three of us on the same PNR. When I tried checking in online for all of us I was offered to opportunity for the three of us to upgrade to Business Class for $500 pp. Unfortunately I didn't have the necessary passport info for all of us and after entering it incorrectly three times you are than forced to check-in at the airport. What are the chances that the upgrade offer will still be available? The seat map shows the cabin wide open, however $500 is a great deal for us. Thank you for your help.
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Old Jul 15, 2015, 1:36 pm
  #20  
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Originally Posted by flyer121
Flying from JFK to Europe this evening. Three of us on the same PNR. When I tried checking in online for all of us I was offered to opportunity for the three of us to upgrade to Business Class for $500 pp. Unfortunately I didn't have the necessary passport info for all of us and after entering it incorrectly three times you are than forced to check-in at the airport. What are the chances that the upgrade offer will still be available? The seat map shows the cabin wide open, however $500 is a great deal for us. Thank you for your help.
Really no telling, as a lot of things can still happen (e.g., disruption on a previous flight causes the cabin to fill-up, a big group suddenly upgrades or buys J seats). But if the cabin really is wide-open, I'm guessing you'll still have a shot to upgrade at least a few people when you get to the airport. Remember, the upgrade offer is generally only offered at the kiosk. (I don't think I've seen any reports of counter upgrades on ex-US flights.)
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Old Jul 15, 2015, 4:26 pm
  #21  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
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Originally Posted by flyer121
Flying from JFK to Europe this evening. Three of us on the same PNR. When I tried checking in online for all of us I was offered to opportunity for the three of us to upgrade to Business Class for $500 pp. Unfortunately I didn't have the necessary passport info for all of us and after entering it incorrectly three times you are than forced to check-in at the airport. What are the chances that the upgrade offer will still be available? The seat map shows the cabin wide open, however $500 is a great deal for us. Thank you for your help.
Something similar happened to me recently but on a transcon. I checked in for a friend and saw the offer at $259. My partner and I had already secured elite upgrades so I thought it'd be cool to upgrade our friend too. The system had some error but the cabin was wide open. At the kiosk in the morning the offer was still there but was $315 instead. Odd that is would go UP.
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Old Jul 16, 2015, 6:27 am
  #22  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
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Originally Posted by sosfo
I checked in for a friend and saw the offer at $259...At the kiosk in the morning the offer was still there but was $315 instead. Odd that is would go UP.
Why is this odd? This is basic conditioning of the customer. Your experience was "I waited and the price went up." Next time, you see the offer and think "Last time I waited and the price went up, so I need to buy it NOW." And then AA has the sale in the bag, rather than risking a chance that they give away the seat as an upgrade in the interim or don't sell it at the kiosk.

Consider the converse - if people think prices will go down close to departure, then everyone will sit on purchasing decisions until the last minute and the airline has no ability to predict who will be flying. The objective, then, is to scare the customer into locking in their seat, which also means less uncertainty for the airline to consider in its operations. This is part of why there are rarely good last-minute deals on airfare.
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Old Aug 24, 2015, 9:08 am
  #23  
 
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AA international upgrade at check in?

So first of all - sorry for posting what must be a repeat question. I know I even commented on that topic myself before - but after searching for about 30 minutes I decided I am clearly not smart enough to find this again.

I am out of eVIPs and haven't requalified this year yet - and I am flying MIA-FRA this Thursday. I recall having seen paid upgrade offers when checking in online for like $300 when flying MIA-LHR a couple of times. I can't recall what those upgrades where called - but you would only get them I think at the Kiosk and on the app - maybe online.

Anyhow, the flight on Thursday is pretty empty up front - and I was wondering if AA still does those kind of upgrades - and if so - if there is any experience when to best get them (IE - right at the 24 hours or closer to departure).

Also, does anyone know what the minimum time for a miles + $ upgrade is - IE, could I see if I get offered a $300 check in upgrade online and if not, is there time to call AA and try to do miles+$?

Thanks - and sorry for not finding the answer myself. I am pretty sure I had seen it in the forum before
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Old Aug 24, 2015, 11:16 am
  #24  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
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Load factor based upgrades (LFBU) do still exist. AFAIK, they pull from the same instrument upgrade inventory bucket (A/C) and aren't offered until all requested/wait listed upgrades clear. Then, if there are still seats, revenue management MIGHT offer some for sale. I'd recommend checking actual upgrade inventory on expertflyer.

Also, for your reading pleasure:

https://www.aa.com/i18n/fragments/merchandising/upgrades/LFBUTerms.jsp

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage-pre-consolidation/1702228-does-aa-offer-day-departure-paid-upgrades-international-j.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage-pre-consolidation/1676716-aa-new-cash-upgrade-offer-reservation-details-page.html
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Old Aug 24, 2015, 11:35 am
  #25  
 
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Thanks for the links. Currently J7/C7 - the number of open seats is probably way higher though
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Old Aug 24, 2015, 3:10 pm
  #26  
 
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Just as a point of reference, I was offered ORD to LAX for $180. Work has a lowest-available coach policy and won't pay for upgrades, so had to let that one go. Seems fair at $45/sticker price.
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Old Aug 25, 2015, 10:08 am
  #27  
 
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Another point of reference: Was offered +- $410 for upgrade ORD-LHR today on a 772. Since I had seat 31H, and it's old-style angled seats, I skipped it.
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Old Aug 28, 2015, 2:23 am
  #28  
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Smile UG Offer to J at OLCI - LHR-ORD

Hi All,

Upon doing OLCI this morning for my flight to ORD tomorrow, I received an offer to upgrade to J for $520. For the lie flat seat, it's a great offer, I just cannot justify the $$ this week.



I'm in a respectable economy seat (exit) and the flight looks pretty wide open so I declined...besides, I can get to NYC and back for not much more...and I'm working on getting back to EP.

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Old Aug 29, 2015, 9:30 pm
  #29  
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Has any one ever seen any upgrade offers for MIA-BOG (and the reverse) ?
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Old Aug 31, 2015, 9:06 am
  #30  
 
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Are LFBU offered on smartphone app check ins?
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