Dec 7, 2012, 7:35 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
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.
Older posts have been archived here.
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.
Older posts have been archived here.
DOD / DODU (LFBU) Space-available, counter, kiosk, and online upgrade (master thd)
May 8, 2017, 1:20 pm
#241
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Yeah, if the flight is at J6 more than 3 weeks out, it would seem a very unlikely situation to be offered a kiosk upgrade. I don't think they generally offer these for the last 1-3 seats or so on international, correct? Unless coach is looking like it'll be oversold I guess.
May 10, 2017, 3:45 pm
#242
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It's been a while since I checked, but that was still correct as of a few months ago. I think it capped out at about $500 and the formula was reliable for domestic and international travel.
May 10, 2017, 3:55 pm
#243
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I've only been offered TATL kiosk upgrades in the $700 range in the past, and I didn't bite. So my number is lower than that...although I was never coming from an unusually bad seat, and usually a short-ish TATL flight (6-8 hour range, not 10+).
$400-500 range, I'd probably bite. I still value a TATL upgrade at 25,000 miles, having redeemed many of them on AA in the pre-copay days. So...that's somewhere in the $400-500 range. However, since I don't actually see this offered at kiosks, I must assume that most fliers value it at $700. (Or enough to sell the seats, anyway.)
Domestic, I value a midcon at about $100. I've bought both MCI-PDX and MCI-SEA in this range in the past few weeks, actually. I'd be highly unlikely to buy a narrowbody domestic upgrade much higher than this. Maybe go $150 for a full transcon.
$400-500 range, I'd probably bite. I still value a TATL upgrade at 25,000 miles, having redeemed many of them on AA in the pre-copay days. So...that's somewhere in the $400-500 range. However, since I don't actually see this offered at kiosks, I must assume that most fliers value it at $700. (Or enough to sell the seats, anyway.)
Domestic, I value a midcon at about $100. I've bought both MCI-PDX and MCI-SEA in this range in the past few weeks, actually. I'd be highly unlikely to buy a narrowbody domestic upgrade much higher than this. Maybe go $150 for a full transcon.
May 30, 2017, 6:21 am
#246
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May 31, 2017, 9:12 am
#249
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Jun 6, 2017, 11:21 am
#251
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Jun 6, 2017, 2:31 pm
#252
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Follow-up to my OP.
Outbound JFK-ZRH (as Jon predicted) NO upg offered.
I am returning on June 7; I checked in at a kiosk at 9:30 pm ZRH time on June 6, I was offered an upg for $500, which I took. ZRH-JFK has a longer flying time than the outbound...so I'm getting more "bang for my bucks"
PS: I paid a little under $500 RT in Y.
Outbound JFK-ZRH (as Jon predicted) NO upg offered.
I am returning on June 7; I checked in at a kiosk at 9:30 pm ZRH time on June 6, I was offered an upg for $500, which I took. ZRH-JFK has a longer flying time than the outbound...so I'm getting more "bang for my bucks"
PS: I paid a little under $500 RT in Y.
Last edited by nrr; Jun 6, 2017 at 3:27 pm
Jun 6, 2017, 6:21 pm
#253
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Follow-up to my OP.
Outbound JFK-ZRH (as Jon predicted) NO upg offered.
I am returning on June 7; I checked in at a kiosk at 9:30 pm ZRH time on June 6, I was offered an upg for $500, which I took. ZRH-JFK has a longer flying time than the outbound...so I'm getting more "bang for my bucks"
PS: I paid a little under $500 RT in Y.
Outbound JFK-ZRH (as Jon predicted) NO upg offered.
I am returning on June 7; I checked in at a kiosk at 9:30 pm ZRH time on June 6, I was offered an upg for $500, which I took. ZRH-JFK has a longer flying time than the outbound...so I'm getting more "bang for my bucks"
PS: I paid a little under $500 RT in Y.
Jun 7, 2017, 7:48 am
#255
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