Jul 28, 2015, 12:06 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
Mileage and copayment upgrades on American Airlines
As of May 20, 2017 upgrade prioritization is:
Enjoy a higher cabin of service Link.
Use your AAdvantage miles to upgrade on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle for yourself or anyone you designate.
Upgrades are valid to the next cabin of service* and are valid for a single one-way trip with a maximum of three segments. Upgrades are subject to capacity controls. Excluding award tickets, the following eligible fare types can be upgraded:
*E.g. Economy to Business, Business to three class First. At this time Premium Economy is treated as Economy for upgrade purposes.
See the chart here for cost in miles and dollars.
NOTE: The most expensive fare classes, full fare Economy Y, full fare Premium Economy W, and full fare Business J, may be upgraded without copay and at a lower cost in miles. See here.
Taxes and carrier-imposed fees:
Co-payment is non-refundable and inclusive of U.S. excise tax where applicable.
Mileage upgrade award tickets are subject to applicable taxes and security fees and may incur additional taxes as a result of upgrading to a higher class cabin (includes higher U.K. Air Passenger Duty If Flight originates in the UK or is a connecting flight with a connection time of 24:00 or more)..)
NOTE:
Miles and copay upgrades are to the next available cabin of service, are based on inventory being available, usable on AA marketed and operated flights (not codeshares operated by other airlines, not on other airlines' prime flights - BA and IB allow miles upgrades with AA miles but are very different and therefore not treated here).
See AA Participating Airline Upgrade Award - BA, IB, including codeshares (master thd), and note “one class of service” means Y to PE, PE to J, J to F where available on BA.
If the required inventory exists, they can be booked positively (i.e. upgraded immediately); if not, the request is wait listed. Wait list clearance is by status (EXP highest, no status lowest), and within status priority is by rolling 12 month EQD spend. Elites can have one traveling companion on the same PNR "borrow" their status for upgrade wait list purposes, until the request goes to the airport list, where you may want to assure your travel companion continues to hold your “borrowed” status for upgrade purposes.
Copays are waived for CK on all flights.
Frequently Asked Questions / FAQ:
Q. It says the upgrade fees are nonrefundable. Do I lose my miles and money if I'm not upgraded?
If your upgrade request does not go through, miles and copay are in fact refunded.
Q. If I am waitlisted, in what priority order are upgrades processed?
Upgrades are processed first by AAdvantage status tier, secondarily by type of upgrade, thirdly by the previous rolling 12 month EQD spend.
Q. Which has higher priority if all other preceding factors are the same? An upgraded with miles + copay, or an upgraded with SWU?
They have equal priority. A few reports state copay + upgrade have been given priority at some overseas stations.
Q. How soon will I know if my upgrade came through?
It can happen anytime inventory opens, from the time you book until the time you board. (Your request, including date and time of request, should carry over automatically to the airport list.)
Q. How soon will I know if my upgrade came through?
It can happen anytime inventory opens, from the time you book until the time you board. (Your request, including date and time of request, should carry over automatically to the airport list.)
Q. What happens to my booked seat whilst I'm waitlisted? If my upgrade doesn't come through, do I lose my reserved seat?
You normally retain your booked seat until (if) your upgrade comes through.
Q. How many flights can I upgrade with a single miles plus copay upgrade?
You may (assuming available inventory) upgrade up to three segments on the same ticketed itinerary (e.g. LHR-ORD-MIA-EZE, as long as they are on the same PNR).
Q. Can I look at AAnytime or MileSAAver award space to determine upgrade availability?
No. MileSAAver availability may be a good indication upgrade space may become available, but SAAver and upgrade inventories are separate.
Q. What fare inventory do I need to upgrade?
You need available "C" inventory to upgrade to two class domestic First and three class Business, "A" to three class First. These are not shown on aa.com, but some services (e.g. ExpertFlyer) do show them. The only way to reliably search for upgrade space on Expertflyer or other services is segment by segment. The reason for this is that by rule if C is available on the stand alone segment then the upgrade is allowed.
Q. I'm Executive Platinum. If I purchase an upgrade for someone without status, will they "borrow" my status for upgrade purposes?
They will if they are flying as your single traveling companion on the same flights. Otherwise, their status will determine their position on the upgrade wait list. This "borrowed" status was previously lost once the flight has gone to airport control; it doesn’t now, but it pays to check and see if it has been mismanaged by software - it can be restored when it has passed to airport control.
Q. Which miles earning and fare conditions will apply to my upgraded flights?
You will earn miles (award miles -- RDM -- and EQM) and EQ Dollars credit as determined by your originally purchased fare, and the applicable fare rules will also be determined by your originally purchased fare.
Older posts can be read in ARCHIVE: FAQ: Miles + Copay Upgrade / Upgrades (consolidated)
As of May 20, 2017 upgrade prioritization is:
- Elite status
- Concierge Key
- Executive Platinum
- Platinum Pro
- Platinum
- Gold
- Platinum
- Platinum Pro
- Executive Platinum
- Upgrade type
- Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades (SWU)
- 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets (including EXP complimentary UDU)
- 500 mile upgrades on upgrade eligible awards (including EXP complimentary UDU)
- 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets (including EXP complimentary UDU)
- Elite qualifying dollars* in the past 12 months
- Booking class (in order, J, D, I, W, P, Y, H, K, M, L, V, G, S, N, Q, O, T)
- Time of request
- Booking class (in order, J, D, I, W, P, Y, H, K, M, L, V, G, S, N, Q, O, T)
- Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades (SWU)
- Concierge Key
Enjoy a higher cabin of service Link.
Use your AAdvantage miles to upgrade on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle for yourself or anyone you designate.
Upgrades are valid to the next cabin of service* and are valid for a single one-way trip with a maximum of three segments. Upgrades are subject to capacity controls. Excluding award tickets, the following eligible fare types can be upgraded:
- Discount Economy with published fares booked in H,K,M,L,W,V,G,Q,N,O,S and
- Military or Government fares booked in Y
- Full-Fare Economy with published fares booked in Y
- Discount Premium Economy with published fares booked in P
- Full-Fare Premium Economy with published fares booked in W
- Discount Business with published fares booked in I
- Full-Fare Business with published fares booked in J, D or R
- Basic Economy fares booked in B are not upgradable
- Full-Fare Business with published fares booked in J, D or R
- Discount Business with published fares booked in I
- Full-Fare Premium Economy with published fares booked in W
- Discount Premium Economy with published fares booked in P
- Full-Fare Economy with published fares booked in Y
- Military or Government fares booked in Y
*E.g. Economy to Business, Business to three class First. At this time Premium Economy is treated as Economy for upgrade purposes.
See the chart here for cost in miles and dollars.
NOTE: The most expensive fare classes, full fare Economy Y, full fare Premium Economy W, and full fare Business J, may be upgraded without copay and at a lower cost in miles. See here.
Taxes and carrier-imposed fees:
Co-payment is non-refundable and inclusive of U.S. excise tax where applicable.
Mileage upgrade award tickets are subject to applicable taxes and security fees and may incur additional taxes as a result of upgrading to a higher class cabin (includes higher U.K. Air Passenger Duty If Flight originates in the UK or is a connecting flight with a connection time of 24:00 or more)..)
- Upgrading from Economy Class to Business Class or First Class may result in additional premium cabin taxes and carrier-imposed fees, including but not limited to flights originating in Great Britain and France.
- If the ticket is priced in USD, the additional taxes and carrier-imposed fees will be converted to USD at the time of ticketing.
- Please contact American Airlines Reservations to obtain applicable taxes and carrier-imposed fees for specific itineraries.
- If the ticket is priced in USD, the additional taxes and carrier-imposed fees will be converted to USD at the time of ticketing.
NOTE:
Miles and copay upgrades are to the next available cabin of service, are based on inventory being available, usable on AA marketed and operated flights (not codeshares operated by other airlines, not on other airlines' prime flights - BA and IB allow miles upgrades with AA miles but are very different and therefore not treated here).
See AA Participating Airline Upgrade Award - BA, IB, including codeshares (master thd), and note “one class of service” means Y to PE, PE to J, J to F where available on BA.
If the required inventory exists, they can be booked positively (i.e. upgraded immediately); if not, the request is wait listed. Wait list clearance is by status (EXP highest, no status lowest), and within status priority is by rolling 12 month EQD spend. Elites can have one traveling companion on the same PNR "borrow" their status for upgrade wait list purposes, until the request goes to the airport list, where you may want to assure your travel companion continues to hold your “borrowed” status for upgrade purposes.
Copays are waived for CK on all flights.
Frequently Asked Questions / FAQ:
Q. It says the upgrade fees are nonrefundable. Do I lose my miles and money if I'm not upgraded?
If your upgrade request does not go through, miles and copay are in fact refunded.
Q. If I am waitlisted, in what priority order are upgrades processed?
Upgrades are processed first by AAdvantage status tier, secondarily by type of upgrade, thirdly by the previous rolling 12 month EQD spend.
Q. Which has higher priority if all other preceding factors are the same? An upgraded with miles + copay, or an upgraded with SWU?
They have equal priority. A few reports state copay + upgrade have been given priority at some overseas stations.
Q. How soon will I know if my upgrade came through?
It can happen anytime inventory opens, from the time you book until the time you board. (Your request, including date and time of request, should carry over automatically to the airport list.)
Q. How soon will I know if my upgrade came through?
It can happen anytime inventory opens, from the time you book until the time you board. (Your request, including date and time of request, should carry over automatically to the airport list.)
Q. What happens to my booked seat whilst I'm waitlisted? If my upgrade doesn't come through, do I lose my reserved seat?
You normally retain your booked seat until (if) your upgrade comes through.
Q. How many flights can I upgrade with a single miles plus copay upgrade?
You may (assuming available inventory) upgrade up to three segments on the same ticketed itinerary (e.g. LHR-ORD-MIA-EZE, as long as they are on the same PNR).
Q. Can I look at AAnytime or MileSAAver award space to determine upgrade availability?
No. MileSAAver availability may be a good indication upgrade space may become available, but SAAver and upgrade inventories are separate.
Q. What fare inventory do I need to upgrade?
You need available "C" inventory to upgrade to two class domestic First and three class Business, "A" to three class First. These are not shown on aa.com, but some services (e.g. ExpertFlyer) do show them. The only way to reliably search for upgrade space on Expertflyer or other services is segment by segment. The reason for this is that by rule if C is available on the stand alone segment then the upgrade is allowed.
Q. I'm Executive Platinum. If I purchase an upgrade for someone without status, will they "borrow" my status for upgrade purposes?
They will if they are flying as your single traveling companion on the same flights. Otherwise, their status will determine their position on the upgrade wait list. This "borrowed" status was previously lost once the flight has gone to airport control; it doesn’t now, but it pays to check and see if it has been mismanaged by software - it can be restored when it has passed to airport control.
Q. Which miles earning and fare conditions will apply to my upgraded flights?
You will earn miles (award miles -- RDM -- and EQM) and EQ Dollars credit as determined by your originally purchased fare, and the applicable fare rules will also be determined by your originally purchased fare.
Older posts can be read in ARCHIVE: FAQ: Miles + Copay Upgrade / Upgrades (consolidated)
FAQ: Miles + Copay Upgrade / Upgrades (master thread)
Feb 15, 2022, 12:28 pm
#826
Join Date: May 2006
Location: dfw
Programs: AA Plat/2 MM, Marriott Titanium, Admirals Club, Hilton Silver, Priority Club Platinum
Posts: 148
For clarification, it was stated earlier in the thread that the copay on an upgrade could be used for up to 1 year. Is that one year from the original booking? We are considering canceling a flight to Spain on AA scheduled for early March with a mileage upgrade. We booked the trip last spring and it was ticketed April 30, 2021. (We naively thought covid wouldn't affect us this spring!). We would only have two months to use the upgrade if it expires April 30, 2022. Must the upgrade copay be used in full? That is, on another trip from US to Europe? Any suggestions?
Would it help to have an alternative trip with upgrade space available when we call to cancel the reservation for March even if the trip is after April 30, 2022. Do you think there is any chance that they would use the upgrade copay?
Would it help to have an alternative trip with upgrade space available when we call to cancel the reservation for March even if the trip is after April 30, 2022. Do you think there is any chance that they would use the upgrade copay?
Feb 15, 2022, 12:49 pm
#827
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
For clarification, it was stated earlier in the thread that the copay on an upgrade could be used for up to 1 year. Is that one year from the original booking? We are considering canceling a flight to Spain on AA scheduled for early March with a mileage upgrade. We booked the trip last spring and it was ticketed April 30, 2021. (We naively thought covid wouldn't affect us this spring!). We would only have two months to use the upgrade if it expires April 30, 2022. Must the upgrade copay be used in full? That is, on another trip from US to Europe? Any suggestions?
Would it help to have an alternative trip with upgrade space available when we call to cancel the reservation for March even if the trip is after April 30, 2022. Do you think there is any chance that they would use the upgrade copay?
Would it help to have an alternative trip with upgrade space available when we call to cancel the reservation for March even if the trip is after April 30, 2022. Do you think there is any chance that they would use the upgrade copay?
Feb 15, 2022, 12:58 pm
#828
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 15
Is it possible to upgrade another traveler with my miles if I'm not also on the reservation? AA's website says " Use your AAdvantage®miles to upgrade on American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia flights for yourself or anyone you designate." I don't see any option on the person's reservation details to request an upgrade. Do I just call customer service and request an upgrade using my miles for this person? How do I tell what class of service he's in so I can see what the cost would be? All it says is "economy." Thanks!
Feb 15, 2022, 1:59 pm
#829
Join Date: May 2006
Location: dfw
Programs: AA Plat/2 MM, Marriott Titanium, Admirals Club, Hilton Silver, Priority Club Platinum
Posts: 148
Your upgrade will stay attached to your ticket as long as the ticket is still valid, which is typically 1 year from the date of issue. So if you are able to rebook this ticket for dates after April 30 then the upgrade should still be attached and able to be applied. I would just call AA and see exactly what dates you can rebook to or if all travel needs to be complete by April 30.
Feb 15, 2022, 2:31 pm
#830
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
Is it possible to upgrade another traveler with my miles if I'm not also on the reservation? AA's website says " Use your AAdvantage®miles to upgrade on American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia flights for yourself or anyone you designate." I don't see any option on the person's reservation details to request an upgrade. Do I just call customer service and request an upgrade using my miles for this person? How do I tell what class of service he's in so I can see what the cost would be? All it says is "economy." Thanks!
Feb 15, 2022, 2:42 pm
#831
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
At this point there really isn't much of a covid situation so I would not expect any further extensions, especially not anything new in the next few weeks. It's a personal decision obviously but I wouldn't cancel a well planned trip to Europe purely due to covid now. I'm heading to Spain at the end of March and can't wait.
Feb 15, 2022, 2:46 pm
#832
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 15
Thanks so much! I just hung up after being on hold for 1.5 hours. Maybe I'll try late at night and see if I can get through quicker.
Feb 15, 2022, 3:43 pm
#833
Join Date: May 2006
Location: dfw
Programs: AA Plat/2 MM, Marriott Titanium, Admirals Club, Hilton Silver, Priority Club Platinum
Posts: 148
Thanks for the reply and encouragement. Good information to help us make our decision since it's so hard to get through to AA on the phone. We do have our hotels booked. Just need to book our intercity travel assuming we go. Enjoy your trip!
Mar 6, 2022, 3:00 pm
#834
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Chesapeake, VA (ORF)
Posts: 15
Request upgrade for just one person on reservation
Hello,
I'm on a reservation with 7 other family members and don't see the option to request an upgrade like I normally do with only myself or one other person. How do I go about the request in this situation? Do I need to call to get on the request list? Thanks!
I'm on a reservation with 7 other family members and don't see the option to request an upgrade like I normally do with only myself or one other person. How do I go about the request in this situation? Do I need to call to get on the request list? Thanks!
Mar 6, 2022, 3:06 pm
#835
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: 16,275
The reservation will need to be split in order to accomplish this, with you and your companion on one reservation and everybody else on the other. It’s probably not worth requesting until a week or so before your travel date so you can stay together for seat assignments, schedule changes/rebooking, and so forth that may occur between now and your travel date.
Mar 6, 2022, 6:53 pm
#836
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AA EP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 636
Now do keep in mind, if you split yourself off from the reservation, the people traveling with you will technically lose the benefits of being on the same booking as an elite member such as luggage allowances and such. So you have to decide what’s more important possibly getting an upgrade or the other benefits that come with the status.
Mar 7, 2022, 8:48 am
#837
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Stilllwater OK (SWO)
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, World of Hyatt Globalist, plain "member" of Marriott, IHG, enterprise, etc.
Posts: 1,848
Now do keep in mind, if you split yourself off from the reservation, the people traveling with you will technically lose the benefits of being on the same booking as an elite member such as luggage allowances and such. So you have to decide what’s more important possibly getting an upgrade or the other benefits that come with the status.
Nothing in AA marketing tells you that in these cases you have to trade some benefits for other benefits.
Mar 8, 2022, 7:18 am
#838
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AA EP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 636
it’s also worth noting that at least Alaska Airlines and Delta have the same basic restrictions in this regard.
Mar 8, 2022, 7:27 am
#839
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,212
And, as others noted, it's documented on AA.com.
Mar 8, 2022, 11:39 am
#840
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Stilllwater OK (SWO)
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, World of Hyatt Globalist, plain "member" of Marriott, IHG, enterprise, etc.
Posts: 1,848
<redacted>
I really have no idea what point you are trying to make, but it doesn't seem to be a response to the point I am making. Of course seat benefits, baggage, boarding order etc is tied to the same reservation. What I am getting at is those benefits are forced to be dropped because to use the 500 mile benefits you can't have more than 2 people on your reservation.
Please point to me on this page where there is any indication that to use the 500 mile upgrade benefits you lose the extension of the other benefits (MCE, boarding, etc) for people on your reservation beyond 1 guest because you have to split the others off. https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...s-benefits.jsp It states several times about how benefits extend to others on your reservations, but nothing about how if more than 1 other person on a reservation you have to then forgo the clearly stated and advertised 500 mile benefits.
And on this page, please show me where it states that you have to split off all but you and 1 guest on a reservation to request upgrades. https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...e-upgrades.jsp
Worse, they state several times about how you can upgrade any guest on any reservation on your flight, just call and link them to make the request! And they have a section that states "more people are in your reservation", that again, fails to state anywhere anything about a policy that to request upgrades everyone beyond 1 guest has to be split into another reservation (that section, just talks about award tickets, btw, and not about 'more people on your reservation").
What benefits are you talking about? You CAN make a 500 mile upgrade for a business associate on the same flight who is on "the same or different reservation" Stated clearly here several times https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...e-upgrades.jsp What other benefits do you have that are devalued when other people are using another guests status (a few more people ahead of you in boarding?) ?
What I am talking about is when you have 7 people on the reservation, you have to give up your status benefits for 5 of them in order to take advantage of 500 mile upgrade benefits, because you have to split the reservation ( As javabytes correctly points out, you should do this last minute and cross your fingers that no equipment changes, IRROPs, etc happens that forces seat-reassignments; but they still lose boarding order, baggage allowances, etc. benefits tied to you)
What this hurts is families. I have a family of three. I have to forgo benefits for my wife in order to hope to upgrade for me and my kid (not even any guarantee, just to be in the game!). In the past, this has worked a few times as intended (i.e. her seat assignment in MCE held, while me and the kid were upgraded). Othertimes, this works terribly, where during an IRROPs my wife is rebooked either on an entirely different flight, or gets stuck in row 33 middle sea. I've lost the number of times I've had tiffs with a check in desk agent who after checking us all in tells us she has to charge for our bags, because the agent is still looking under my wife's reservation number, and I have to explicitly direct them to change the reservation they are checking bags under to me. Once, the agent was very nasty about telling us to pay and wouldn't listen for like 5 minutes of arguing about how I do indeed have free bags and she just needs to pull me back up in the system.
Anyways, back to my point, I find this aspect of AAdvantage to be VERY s**tty and deceptive. You should be able to have a reservation for your whole family and request you and 1 companion's upgrade within that, without splitting reservations.
Please point to me on this page where there is any indication that to use the 500 mile upgrade benefits you lose the extension of the other benefits (MCE, boarding, etc) for people on your reservation beyond 1 guest because you have to split the others off. https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...s-benefits.jsp It states several times about how benefits extend to others on your reservations, but nothing about how if more than 1 other person on a reservation you have to then forgo the clearly stated and advertised 500 mile benefits.
And on this page, please show me where it states that you have to split off all but you and 1 guest on a reservation to request upgrades. https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...e-upgrades.jsp
Worse, they state several times about how you can upgrade any guest on any reservation on your flight, just call and link them to make the request! And they have a section that states "more people are in your reservation", that again, fails to state anywhere anything about a policy that to request upgrades everyone beyond 1 guest has to be split into another reservation (that section, just talks about award tickets, btw, and not about 'more people on your reservation").
I actually think it's a benefit. Otherwise, you'd have co-workers using their status for other co-workers on the same flight with no or lower status, thereby devaluing it for those who earned it. Since, in most cases, family members and such would or could be on the same PNR while co-workers would not, this requirement makes sense to me.
And, as others noted, it's documented on AA.com.
And, as others noted, it's documented on AA.com.
What I am talking about is when you have 7 people on the reservation, you have to give up your status benefits for 5 of them in order to take advantage of 500 mile upgrade benefits, because you have to split the reservation ( As javabytes correctly points out, you should do this last minute and cross your fingers that no equipment changes, IRROPs, etc happens that forces seat-reassignments; but they still lose boarding order, baggage allowances, etc. benefits tied to you)
What this hurts is families. I have a family of three. I have to forgo benefits for my wife in order to hope to upgrade for me and my kid (not even any guarantee, just to be in the game!). In the past, this has worked a few times as intended (i.e. her seat assignment in MCE held, while me and the kid were upgraded). Othertimes, this works terribly, where during an IRROPs my wife is rebooked either on an entirely different flight, or gets stuck in row 33 middle sea. I've lost the number of times I've had tiffs with a check in desk agent who after checking us all in tells us she has to charge for our bags, because the agent is still looking under my wife's reservation number, and I have to explicitly direct them to change the reservation they are checking bags under to me. Once, the agent was very nasty about telling us to pay and wouldn't listen for like 5 minutes of arguing about how I do indeed have free bags and she just needs to pull me back up in the system.
Anyways, back to my point, I find this aspect of AAdvantage to be VERY s**tty and deceptive. You should be able to have a reservation for your whole family and request you and 1 companion's upgrade within that, without splitting reservations.
Last edited by JDiver; Mar 8, 2022 at 12:02 pm Reason: Redacted unacceptable ad hominem