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Posts from 2014 through 2016 have been archived, and may be read here.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
Mar 22, 2018, 7:19 pm
#211
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,485
Just a quick question guys. I'm flying out JFK to SFO in June with platinum status and looking at a Saturday 7 am flight. Just looking for some opinions on how often these clear. If I still had EXP status, I would just buy Y and wait to see if I upgrade. But platinum, I'm guessing the chances are pretty low even for a saturday am flight?
Mar 23, 2018, 11:10 am
#212
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: SJC (AA PLT 2MM - Marriott LTT - Avis Preferred)
Posts: 2,028
AA15 is usually easily to clear on Saturdays for Miles+Copay. EF just showed immediate C availability (> 2 seats) for the first 2 Saturdays in June if that's when you're going.
Mar 27, 2018, 1:47 pm
#214
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: LGA, JFK, LAX, SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 303
Was looking at LAX-JFK on 4/23...the flight I wanted was C2. I needed to confirm with work the time was ok...checked again the flight was now C7. Booked the flight and it ticketed only to check right before calling to confirm a miles + copay upgrade and the flight is now C0. ...! Nothing changed with the overall inventory (I.e. travel agent blocking out a chunk of flights, etc.) why would this happen literally 5 minutes after ticketing???
Mar 27, 2018, 2:18 pm
#215
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,447
Weird...same exact thing happened to me. Got an EF alert for C on a flight ~6 weeks out, saw C7 on EF (all other flights that day were C0), put the flight on hold with intent of ticketing later today, saw your post, refreshed EF, and went to C0, all in the span of about 15 minutes. I suspect it was a temporary "glitch" of some sort that caused C7 to be released...I never see C >3 released on JFK-LAX this far in advance.
Mar 29, 2018, 4:14 pm
#216
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SFO/OAK
Programs: AA EXP 3.4MM, BAEC, UAMP, Skyteam (<10k) HH Gold, IHG Plat, Hertz Gold, GE/TSA TT
Posts: 2,723
I've used that flight several times in years past (for MRs) and always found Y->J C inventory ahead of time. I usually used BE BXP1 or miles+copay. I've never wanted to risk trying for the complimentary upgrade on a redeye.
Mar 29, 2018, 5:11 pm
#217
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,447
AA 15 is not a redeye...it's the 8am-ish westbound JFK-SFO.
Mar 30, 2018, 11:19 am
#218
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
Postscript: my miles+copay upgrade did indeed clear at T-48. They also cleared 2 upgrades at the gate, and I happened to be sitting next to the guy who was 3rd on the list. He was EXP but had not used an instrument...also didn't know what his rolling EQD was or how the lists were ordered, so it's hard to say whether I'd have gotten the bump without the upgrade instrument. All in all I'm completely satisfied with the way it all went down.
Apr 17, 2018, 9:15 pm
#219
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,447
Any recent experiences with Tuesday late afternoon LAX-JFK flights (3:30 or 4:30)? Got one coming up; four weeks out, there are two J and seven MCE seats taken. J is emptier than I thought it would be this (relatively) close in, but thought I'd seek out any thoughts from the veterans over here.
Apr 17, 2018, 9:31 pm
#220
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 90
Any recent experiences with Tuesday late afternoon LAX-JFK flights (3:30 or 4:30)? Got one coming up; four weeks out, there are two J and seven MCE seats taken. J is emptier than I thought it would be this (relatively) close in, but thought I'd seek out any thoughts from the veterans over here.
Apr 30, 2018, 10:27 pm
#223
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,447
They will not hand out complimentary upgrades to F unless lower cabin(s) (J and/or Y) are oversold, creating an operational need to roll the cabins forward.