Just as a comparison, my two flights on US metal, purchased from US, cleared at the 100 hr mark. One with F empty and the other completely full, at the time of upgrade.

I've noticed this as well. It seemed to have started during the snowstorms, and has snowballed (ha!) from there. Previously about 80% of my upgrade requests would clear during the traditional windows and 20% just before flight time; now it's reversed.

Wanted to start a discussion because that has been my experience. Seems like the process may be broken.

Watching a flight that shows F7 A7 P3 Y7 H7 B7 K7 M7 L7 W7 V7 G7 S7 N7 Q7 O7 with no weather, irrops, or oversold flights. It is > 4hours to departure and no upgrades.

I am an EXP Plat and I have a flight Monday that has full availability in F and still no upgrade or email. Thinking of calling to see what can be done.

For me, some routes clear at T-100 hours, and some clear any time after ward.

I have a couple of flights over the weekend; F5 and no upgrades yet.

I am experiencing the same issues. However, AA has not issue any kind of communication, but it seems like everyone is on the same boat. I am also EP.

Why does it matter when it clears? Your place in the queue remains the same (except if someone grabs an A space (miles or SWU) upgrade, but I think its fine if they do, and I like that they keep that option open).

It is nice to clear 24 hours before if it is a meal flight, but its hardly a disaster if it doesn't.

I like my upgrades, but I don't quite understand the sense of entitlement some folks have - you'll get it if the dice lands right and you won't if it doesn't.

Same experience here but I agree with SeattleDavid. I fly out of DFW and all of last year I missed 3 upgrades all year. This year I've missed one. I rarely clear at 100 hours out and I'm lucky if it is at 24 hours out. It's more like 4-5 hours out or at the gate. Personally AA is running a business here and if I were in their shoes I would also try and sell a couple of extra F class seats rather than giving them up free. It usually doesn't work, but it's worth a try!

No need to pontificate. It does matter. It matters for seat choice, meal choice and it is an integral part of the program.
It is becoming a pattern and it matters enough that I would choose UA over AA on the same route for the ability to upgrade.

I'm sorry, but to me, if seat choice and meal choice are that important, you pay for it up front for that guarantee. Just like at a hotel, if there is a certain room I want, I pay for the upgrade so I can assure myself the room. I never count on a freebie the day of arrival. We're entitled to upgrades on a space available basis. The upgrade window opens at 100 hours, but doesn't mean upgrades must start to clear at that point. Nothing in the guide to benefits sets limits as to how many seats are available vs. when upgrades should clear. Certain routes have a lot of last minute, day of departure sales for F class seats, so if there are still 7 open seats, I don't blame AA for holding back complimentary upgrades. This is a business folks and if you're not happy with AA practice on this, UA, DL and others are waiting in the wings.

I don't think it's broken- just got a Y to J e500 321 upgrade for Saturday right at 72 hrs as a Platinum! But even when I was EXP last year the busy flights would get held until ~t-24 or later even with F1 or F2. They're just not releasing the X and R till later.

I don't think anything is "broken" per se, but I do agree that AA 500 mile/EXP complimentary upgrades are clearing later than they did a few years ago. Most of my upgrades now seem to clear either at T-4.5h (just prior to everything going to the airport list) or at the gate. The only upgrades that seem to clear at T-100 are completely wide-open, non-elite heavy flights at non-peak times -- think MCO-MIA on a Saturday evening.

OTOH, I have an upcoming US metal flight that I booked directly through US as an AA EXP, and both segments (SAN-PHX and PHX-STL) cleared almost 5 days out (prior to T-100).

I suspect that when the airlines are fully merged, AA's seemingly more complex system of revenue management will prevail, and we'll continue to wait until the last minute for upgrades. The positives of that system are that there are last-minute revenue seats available and greater upgrade chances for high-level elites or those in paid premium cabins in the case of IRROPS, but I do miss the days when most of my upgrades seemed to clear closer to the beginning of the upgrade window. It was nice not having to sweat out the upgrade lottery, wondering whether I should burn a SWU (or miles/copay) or risk ending up in the back of the bus.

Overall, I suppose I can't complain, though -- still batting 1.000 on complimentary upgrades in 2015.

It would have been nice as a new AA Plat to have cleared prior to my one flight on a multi-destination trip where I was going on the road for 12 days and my bag was 48 lbs when I left home and then got company stuff at a meeting and then flew to my other destination and it was 52 lbs and got charged $100 for an overweight fee. I cleared F at the gate and now I'm out $100. I can see where it would be beneficial for some if the upgrades cleared prior to arriving to the airport.

Good luck! Let us know how you make out under TOD. ;)