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Airbus A321T / 321T “32B” Transcon JFK <--> LAX / SFO Upgrade Success / Help

Old Mar 5, 2015, 10:12 pm
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A321T / 321T / Transcontinental JFK to/from LAX & SFO: Upgrade Success & Assistance

American flies the transcontinental A321T with three classes including solo First and Business pairs that fully recline horizontally. (Note the "32B" designation applies to all Airbus A321-100 and -200 - aircraft with "Sharklets" blended winglets in accord with ICAO standards, including two and three class A321s used by AA.)

It appears demand in J is high, supply less so, making this a tricky upgrade from coach to business. First sometimes looks like there’s good availability until close to departure, and it’s common that this cabin is filled deadheading.

Upgrading is challenging, and Y to J SWU or miles + copay always trumps 500 mile or DODU / courtesy upgrades within an elite tier. (500 mile and courtesy upgrades from Business to First is not allowed).

Remember, upgrade priority for these flights is:
  • Elite status tier
  • SWU & miles and copay
  • Business Extra and “special corporate agency upgrade certificates”
  • 500 mile (“stickers”) and complimentary / DODU upgrades*
  • Award upgrades (CK, EXP, PRO)*
  • Last 12 months’ rolling EQD spend
  • Etc.

*Y to C/J only; C to F not allowed


Cabins will generally not be “rolled” forward (e.g. J to F) to accommodate upgrades.

Those confirmed in Flagship First on these (between JFK and LAX or SFO) can access Flagship Lounges as well as Flagship First Dining at JFK or LAX, or the Admirals Club at SFO (or the LAX TBIT Qantas First lounge).

Related threads:

Aircraft guide: Which Airbus A321? (including “321”, “32B”, A321neo)

A321 Transcon / A321T / "32B" 3 class began service Jan 2014 (consolidated)

Best Business / First seat on AA transcon Airbus A321 / A321T / "32B" (consolidated)

Best Economy / MCE seat on AA transcon Airbus A321 / A321T / 32B (consolidated)

Posts from 2014 through 2016 have been archived, and may be read here.

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Airbus A321T / 321T “32B” Transcon JFK <--> LAX / SFO Upgrade Success / Help

Old Feb 15, 2019, 10:55 am
  #301  
 
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Originally Posted by flexluthor
Thanks SDLFlyer. That's what I figured.

Still seems weird to me that they'll fly F cabin empty when there's revenue-generating options but c'est la vie!
F will most likely be non-rev mostly...However, FWIW I did experience op-up in the case of both Y and J oversold.
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Old Feb 15, 2019, 11:18 am
  #302  
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Originally Posted by flexluthor
Business class is filling up quickly but not a single First Class seat is occupied (10 seats empty). .
Seats (currently) allocated is not the same as seats sold for any class
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Old Feb 15, 2019, 11:58 am
  #303  
 
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F class on these 3 class trans-cons are Non-rev/commuter specials.

I fly it regularly and I would estimate 50% non-revs.
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Old Feb 15, 2019, 12:21 pm
  #304  
 
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I feel like a new thread on this topic appears about every 3 days...
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Old Feb 15, 2019, 12:41 pm
  #305  
 
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Originally Posted by nachosdelux
F class on these 3 class trans-cons are Non-rev/commuter specials.

I fly it regularly and I would estimate 50% non-revs.
+1

last time I flew LAX-JFK in F, I was the only rev pax... and the only seat allocated on the seat map in F despite reasonably full Y and J cabins. 9 nonrevs (confirmed by FAs) filled the cabin and proceeded to take galleries full of selfies. I promptly put the bed down and slept so it didn't bother me a bit.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 8:58 am
  #306  
PHL
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Originally Posted by PHL
Upfaring my deep discounted coach would be another $150. I did set an alert for C inventory opening up to use a BXP1, but EF now shows J4 F7, so unless some J's move up to F (currently no assigned seats), I'm pretty skeptical that I'll be moving up from 11C.
Approximately 15 hours before the 1040pm LAX-JFK flight, I got an EF alert for C inventory (mileage/BXP1 upgrade). The inventory showed F7 J2. I called to do the 15K points + $75 upgrade and got the dreaded "we'll call you back in 13-18 minutes" message. When they called me back, I did another query and confirmed "C" was still showing available(it was). I asked the agent for the upgrade and she said it wasn't available. I searched again and sure enough it was 0, just 30 seconds after my previous check showed it at 1.

Timing seems a bit too coincidental, but I guess it's possible someone else got the same kind of alert and called in and snagged it seconds before the agent tried for me.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 9:18 am
  #307  
 
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Originally Posted by PHL
Timing seems a bit too coincidental, but I guess it's possible someone else got the same kind of alert and called in and snagged it seconds before the agent tried for me.
There can be a lag between timing C inventory is released and when waitlists are cleared--pretty high chance a waitlisted pax was upgraded or another expert flyer user snagged the seat.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 9:45 am
  #308  
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So if I didn't have the 13-18 minute wait for a call back, I could have conceivably jumped the queue if there were previously waitlisted mileage upgraders?
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 10:52 am
  #309  
 
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Originally Posted by PHL
So if I didn't have the 13-18 minute wait for a call back, I could have conceivably jumped the queue if there were previously waitlisted mileage upgraders?
I think so. I have been waitlisted, on way to the airport, and checked inventory to see there is C1 available. Then called meeting services to check on my waitlist status and have them grab the C seat manually. Other passengers, potentially with higher waitlist priority, could be jumped over when this happens.

It's also conceivable that in the time I called and waited for a phone rep, a waitlist check could have been run by the system, and the seat would have been gone.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 2:08 pm
  #310  
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Originally Posted by NYC Flyer
I think so. I have been waitlisted, on way to the airport, and checked inventory to see there is C1 available. Then called meeting services to check on my waitlist status and have them grab the C seat manually. Other passengers, potentially with higher waitlist priority, could be jumped over when this happens.

It's also conceivable that in the time I called and waited for a phone rep, a waitlist check could have been run by the system, and the seat would have been gone.
meeting services? What’s that?
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 2:24 pm
  #311  
 
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981


meeting services? What’s that?
Perhaps I should have noted that I was using a Business Extra (BXP1) certificate for that upgrade. Books into same inventory as mileage upgrades, but requests are handled by AA's "Meeting Services Desk".
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 4:57 pm
  #312  
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Originally Posted by NYC Flyer
There can be a lag between timing C inventory is released and when waitlists are cleared--pretty high chance a waitlisted pax was upgraded or another expert flyer user snagged the seat.
the flight is tonight and after I missed out on the alerted C inventory, for what you suggest was another waitlister getting bumped up, I did ask to be waitlisted for an upgrade. I also set another EF alert for C inventory.

I never got an EF alert, but I did get an AA email with a $75 receipt for the copay. So I logged into my AA account and saw that I was upgraded. .

Anyone at the LAX flagship lounge tonight, PM me.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 5:03 pm
  #313  
 
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Originally Posted by PHL
...I did get an AA email with a $75 receipt for the copay. So I logged into my AA account and saw that I was upgraded. .
Nice! Enjoy.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 5:34 pm
  #314  
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15k + $75 upgrade x2 JFK to and from SFO cleared for March at time of booking (Jan) [C space].
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 7:47 pm
  #315  
 
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Originally Posted by PHL
So if I didn't have the 13-18 minute wait for a call back, I could have conceivably jumped the queue if there were previously waitlisted mileage upgraders?
There were reports here on FT confirming that!

When I received an EF alert, I Tweeted AA if they could HOLD that C space for me due to EXP desk phone would be able to return call more than 60 minutes (during bad weather). AA Tweet team did and I got UG'd. You have to give them Record Locator of course.
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