Any Ways / How to Upgrade Award Tickets? (master thread)
 

I understand AA's policy is that award tickets are not upgrade eligible, but has anyone had success in receiving an upgrade from Y to J/F on an award ticket where (1) you are an EXP (or other elite) (2) all normally wait listed upgrades have cleared and (3) there are many seats still left empty up front?
I was in this situation 2 weeks ago on a 2-class domestic flight with 10 empty seats in F after the list cleared... still no upgrade for me. It looks like I will be in a similar situation on a flight this weekend, and am wondering if anyone has had more success in this.

If not, I will sit in MCE and be happy with my free sandwich and cocktail, but it still seems strange to me that even DL will give upgrades in this situation. Seems unnecessarily stingy.

Thanks all!

DL is stingy in many other ways. I do not want AA to copy DL. AA set some rules and it sounds like they play by then. I am happy with that.

DL specifically allows its higher level elites upgrades on award tickets. AA specifically does not. So it is not "strange". It is also not "strange" that AA gives its top tier elites free food and drink in Y and DL does not. It is simply the mix of policies that each airline thinks works best for it. Overall I like AA's mix better.

That said, in the days before DL allowed such upgrades I was occasionally upgraded at the gate in situations like the OP described. I would have expected similar with AA, but perhaps the GAs don't have as much flexibility.

AA will not upgrade an EXP on an award unless it is in their interest to do so - e.g. oversold Y cabin and there's nobody else in the queue to boot up front. Just because there are empty seats up there will not get you an upgrade, though of course you can always "upgrade" by calling and spending more miles for riding up front.

And IMO this is as it should be.

Booking award (for friend - can friend upgrade?)
 

booking an award for a for a friend in economy. i'm exec plat on AA. can he get upgraded if there's availability?

No. You must spend the required miles for your friend to fly up front. Award tickets are not upgradable.

We've moved your query to the proper AA forum. /Moderator

1. Your friend doesn't get your benefits unless he is flying with you
2. You would even not get a free upgrade as an EXP on an award (except in the case of a oversold Y cabin that results in a roll forward)

Upgrade on domestic award ticket
 

Has anyone ever been able to pull off an upgrade on an award ticket (given that there is space available)?

I know it doesn't give us the option to request one when you book the award flight but I want to know if anyone has had luck securing one by talking to airport personnel.

Nope! Not going to happen. A few months ago, F was wide open and I was traveling coach on an award. Just thought I would ask one of the nicest GAs who I see every time I travel if it was possible and she said no. The system won't allow her unless it was an oversold situation, then maybe...just maybe. The flight went out with 3 people in F. :D

US reserves this as a benefit for the 85k PQM special dividend.

Edit: forgot what forum I was reading and now realize this is probably for AA. So nevermind!

Its happened to me twice. I did not ask for it, the GA just gave me a BP for F (J for a LAX/JFK flight). The last time flying MIA/LGA was placed on another flight due to a mechanical and the GA said you are EXP and handed me a BP in F. I of course just said thank you and left the podium very quickly.

Seems nuts to me butcan't be done. You'd think AA would want the sticker revenue. As an EXP, I'd gladly even pay for an upgrade! I would think that could be a win-win but apparently not to AA.... :confused:

Happened to me once. Flying DCA-DFW. My wife and I were traveling on Anytime tickets and when I asked the gate agent he bumped us both up. And didnt even take any stickers for my wife (no status). Only time I have had it work though.

Nice, what level of elite status are you?

I will be flying on an AAnytime award on a red eye from LAS to MIA and would really like to get the upgrade since it's a redeye. It's good to see that some of you guys have been able to pull it off. I however am Platinum and not EXP.

It's a very nice benefit that pmUS gives you at the 85k level under special dividends. They're offering it again this year, so it probably has a good shot at carrying over to the new program. If it does, the process is the same as domestic upgrades (i.e., you can't ask for it, but the upgrade gnome moves you just as if you were on a paid ticket).