Mar 5, 2015, 10:12 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
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 theres good availability until close to departure, and its 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:
*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Posts from 2014 through 2016 have been archived, and may be read here.
Signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost; wiki contents may be printed by using the
(lower right wiki corner)
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 theres good availability until close to departure, and its 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.
Signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost; wiki contents may be printed by using the
(lower right wiki corner)
Airbus A321T / 321T 32B Transcon JFK <--> LAX / SFO Upgrade Success / Help
Feb 28, 2019, 9:34 pm
#333
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 214
Appreciate the kind words. Your point is inaccurate though, there is no case where requesting SWU or miles+copay hurts you in the upgrade list. It can only help if C space opens up. If C space doesn't open up, you are no worse off than before requesting the upgrade with an instrument.
Mar 1, 2019, 8:21 am
#334
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
Appreciate the kind words. Your point is inaccurate though, there is no case where requesting SWU or miles+copay hurts you in the upgrade list. It can only help if C space opens up. If C space doesn't open up, you are no worse off than before requesting the upgrade with an instrument.
So, it is indeed very possible to request Miles or SWU upgrade and have a sticker upgrade request in and the one that comes available first is what you will get. Hence no harm from requesting a C upgrade as well.
Mar 1, 2019, 11:10 am
#335
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 214
This is exactly my experience. I was waitlisted with a SWU for LAX-JFK-LHR and I cleared LAX-JFK at about T-28 hours and never cleared JFK-LHR. I was very annoyed at having wasted a SWU on LAX-JFK. Two days later I noticed that I still had my SWU and that I had cleared as complementary sticker upgrade, not as SWU.
So, it is indeed very possible to request Miles or SWU upgrade and have a sticker upgrade request in and the one that comes available first is what you will get. Hence no harm from requesting a C upgrade as well.
So, it is indeed very possible to request Miles or SWU upgrade and have a sticker upgrade request in and the one that comes available first is what you will get. Hence no harm from requesting a C upgrade as well.
Mar 2, 2019, 2:16 pm
#336
Join Date: May 2018
Location: PHX
Programs: HH Diamond - Marriott Titanium- AA EP
Posts: 64
Roll the dice on complimentary upgrade or be wait listed on $75 & co pay?
Hi FT community,
Seeking your expertise on this route as it'll be my first time from LAX-JFK. Been to JFK many times from PHX but not on a 3 class cabin.
Just booked a flight for 3/18 on AA10 getting to JFK at 5:21 am. Since I'm EP w/ rolling EQD just north of $30k not sure if i should roll the dice on the comp upgrade or pay $75 and 15000 miles to be wait listed for upgrade. I still also have SWUs to burn but saving those for the 2 HKG trips later summer/fall. Anyone ever flew AA10 and what are the chances of complimentary upgrades clearing?
Mods - Apologies if this post should be in a different thread and feel free to move. Thanks all!
Seeking your expertise on this route as it'll be my first time from LAX-JFK. Been to JFK many times from PHX but not on a 3 class cabin.
Just booked a flight for 3/18 on AA10 getting to JFK at 5:21 am. Since I'm EP w/ rolling EQD just north of $30k not sure if i should roll the dice on the comp upgrade or pay $75 and 15000 miles to be wait listed for upgrade. I still also have SWUs to burn but saving those for the 2 HKG trips later summer/fall. Anyone ever flew AA10 and what are the chances of complimentary upgrades clearing?
Mods - Apologies if this post should be in a different thread and feel free to move. Thanks all!
Mar 2, 2019, 3:24 pm
#337
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,665
Hi FT community,
Seeking your expertise on this route as it'll be my first time from LAX-JFK. Been to JFK many times from PHX but not on a 3 class cabin.
Just booked a flight for 3/18 on AA10 getting to JFK at 5:21 am. Since I'm EP w/ rolling EQD just north of $30k not sure if i should roll the dice on the comp upgrade or pay $75 and 15000 miles to be wait listed for upgrade. I still also have SWUs to burn but saving those for the 2 HKG trips later summer/fall. Anyone ever flew AA10 and what are the chances of complimentary upgrades clearing?
Mods - Apologies if this post should be in a different thread and feel free to move. Thanks all!
Seeking your expertise on this route as it'll be my first time from LAX-JFK. Been to JFK many times from PHX but not on a 3 class cabin.
Just booked a flight for 3/18 on AA10 getting to JFK at 5:21 am. Since I'm EP w/ rolling EQD just north of $30k not sure if i should roll the dice on the comp upgrade or pay $75 and 15000 miles to be wait listed for upgrade. I still also have SWUs to burn but saving those for the 2 HKG trips later summer/fall. Anyone ever flew AA10 and what are the chances of complimentary upgrades clearing?
Mods - Apologies if this post should be in a different thread and feel free to move. Thanks all!
Mar 2, 2019, 11:20 pm
#338
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,665
Tonight's (Saturday night redeye) SFO-JFK has had zero people on the upgrade list since the list loaded on the app at T-4. Since then, the number of open seats on the seat map has gone from four to two, presumably to LFBU buyers paying for upgrades at check-in on the kiosk. (Which are presumably $300+?) SFO Admirals Club is vacant -- fewer than 5 people around.
Mar 11, 2019, 3:53 am
#339
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 1
Flew JFK > SFO (9pm) and was booked in discount Biz (code I). 5 min before departure, I was handed a ticket for First class. This is the first time Ive ever been upgraded to first without SWU, and rules say they dont upgrade to first. Anyone else had this happen?
Also, when I went up there were 2 squatters pretending they were in F class. Awkward.
Also, when I went up there were 2 squatters pretending they were in F class. Awkward.
Mar 11, 2019, 5:29 am
#340
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,222
Flew JFK > SFO (9pm) and was booked in discount Biz (code I). 5 min before departure, I was handed a ticket for First class. This is the first time Ive ever been upgraded to first without SWU, and rules say they dont upgrade to first. Anyone else had this happen?
Also, when I went up there were 2 squatters pretending they were in F class. Awkward.
Also, when I went up there were 2 squatters pretending they were in F class. Awkward.
the rules about not upgrading is in regular operations. They wont roll people to F in order to open seats in J for upgrades etc.
Mar 11, 2019, 10:41 am
#341
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 214
Flew JFK > SFO (9pm) and was booked in discount Biz (code I). 5 min before departure, I was handed a ticket for First class. This is the first time Ive ever been upgraded to first without SWU, and rules say they dont upgrade to first. Anyone else had this happen?
Also, when I went up there were 2 squatters pretending they were in F class. Awkward.
Also, when I went up there were 2 squatters pretending they were in F class. Awkward.
Mar 13, 2019, 4:32 pm
#342
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: LAX/MXP
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 560
Apologies I'm a bit of a newbie on AA. I'm booked in J on a LAX-JFK. Don't have status with AA (i'm a BA bronze which makes me I believe OW emerald),
do they offer any discount upgrade maybe at checkin? either online, or at the counter? Before check-in time, is there any way to upgrade, besides clicking on "change flight" and recalculating the fare?
thank you
do they offer any discount upgrade maybe at checkin? either online, or at the counter? Before check-in time, is there any way to upgrade, besides clicking on "change flight" and recalculating the fare?
thank you
Mar 13, 2019, 9:48 pm
#343
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,665
Apologies I'm a bit of a newbie on AA. I'm booked in J on a LAX-JFK. Don't have status with AA (i'm a BA bronze which makes me I believe OW emerald),
do they offer any discount upgrade maybe at checkin? either online, or at the counter? Before check-in time, is there any way to upgrade, besides clicking on "change flight" and recalculating the fare?
thank you
do they offer any discount upgrade maybe at checkin? either online, or at the counter? Before check-in time, is there any way to upgrade, besides clicking on "change flight" and recalculating the fare?
thank you
I have never seen any reports of an online or kiosk offer for J to F on this route. That said, it is usually quite easy to upgrade from J to F with $175 + 15,000 miles (see mileage upgrades: https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...with-miles.jsp). The $175 co-pay does not apply if you're actually in full "J" (as opposed to discounted business booked into I, D, or R; of course, if you're in full J, odds are that discounted first class -- "A" class -- will cost the same or less as your current ticket). You can use ExpertFlyer to search for "A" availability, which is also the inventory that needs to be available in order to upgrade from J to F. If you don't have the 15,000 miles, you can buy them for $477.50 from AA, so ~$650 for the upgrade.
Mar 13, 2019, 10:00 pm
#344
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: LAX/MXP
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 560
BA Bronze makes you OW ruby (bottom tier) not emerald (top tier).
I have never seen any reports of an online or kiosk offer for J to F on this route. That said, it is usually quite easy to upgrade from J to F with $175 + 15,000 miles (see mileage upgrades: https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...with-miles.jsp). The $175 co-pay does not apply if you're actually in full "J" (as opposed to discounted business booked into I, D, or R; of course, if you're in full J, odds are that discounted first class -- "A" class -- will cost the same or less as your current ticket). You can use ExpertFlyer to search for "A" availability, which is also the inventory that needs to be available in order to upgrade from J to F. If you don't have the 15,000 miles, you can buy them for $477.50 from AA, so ~$650 for the upgrade.
I have never seen any reports of an online or kiosk offer for J to F on this route. That said, it is usually quite easy to upgrade from J to F with $175 + 15,000 miles (see mileage upgrades: https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...with-miles.jsp). The $175 co-pay does not apply if you're actually in full "J" (as opposed to discounted business booked into I, D, or R; of course, if you're in full J, odds are that discounted first class -- "A" class -- will cost the same or less as your current ticket). You can use ExpertFlyer to search for "A" availability, which is also the inventory that needs to be available in order to upgrade from J to F. If you don't have the 15,000 miles, you can buy them for $477.50 from AA, so ~$650 for the upgrade.
once I purchase miles, can I proceed for the upgrade online from the reservation? Or has to be done via phone? Thank you
Mar 13, 2019, 10:12 pm
#345
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: NYC/PHX
Programs: IATA, Sabre, AvgeekAgent
Posts: 1,958
You'll need to call to use miles...but please don't! $650 o/w for an upgrade from J to F on this flight is an abysmal value proposition.