Mar 30, 2017, 4:57 pm
Last edit by: jay_dubya
AA Upgrade Window for AAdvantage Elites
The "upgrade window" is the time during which an upgrade may be granted to statusholders. The "upgrade window" for AAdvantage Elites varies upon elite status held. In 2017:
- ConciergeKey - 120 hours
- Executive Platinum - 100 hours
- Platinum Pro - 72 hours
- Platinum - 48 hours
- Gold - 24 hours
- Non-elite - no upgrade window
Conversely, higher load factors, Revenue Management predictions and actions, flight route, season, demand, supply and other factors all affect the availability of upgrade seats and when any seats might be made available to upgrade. AA has tightened upgrade availability over the recent years, but planning leading to significantly higher load factors has been undoubtedly been a major factor in upgrade "tightness" to the point even upper tier elites who get upgraded may do so airside at the gate counter.
Has AA eliminated the upgrade window for elites?
Nov 8, 2016, 6:47 am
#811
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: AA CK, SPG100 Platinum, Marriott Platinum Premier, Hilton Gold
Posts: 46
RogerD408 stated this earlier in the thread and I believe it answers your question:
I suspect there are some number crunchers out there that believe customers are easy to come by, especially if you buyout the competitors. It may be a few years before they get disgusted, but the bonuses will have been paid out by then and it will be someone else's problem.
I suspect there are some number crunchers out there that believe customers are easy to come by, especially if you buyout the competitors. It may be a few years before they get disgusted, but the bonuses will have been paid out by then and it will be someone else's problem.
Not very good for long term shareholders though. Seems to be the typical corporate mindset. Large short term gains (at the expense of future performance), take your bonus and leave. Perhaps the answer is the shy away from long term stock investments.
Nov 8, 2016, 8:18 am
#812
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
AHH, you where on the Priority Pass lounge, I was there this past Sunday. too bad that AA closed their lounge, those agent where very good and always assisted me. I fly a lot to SJU, and I can say that I've never witnesses any shenanigans in there.
Nov 8, 2016, 8:28 am
#814
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Nov 8, 2016, 8:41 am
#815
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
sorry hadn't had coffee yet.....just meant the airport is empty (as is the AC), but i'm on a packed flight (i think) and not even in the top 3 on the UPG list (for what seems like zero seats)....bummed there is not even a chance. i've gotten used to MCE on these transcons.
Nov 8, 2016, 9:03 am
#816
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
ORD-CLT flt at 1220 today. AC agent said I was #1 on the list and I cleared several minutes later at a bit under T-4.
I also cleared yesterday morning for this afternoon's CLT-TPA even though I had not requested it. aa.com claimed I had; I called weeks ago to correct this and they assured me then that they saw no such request. Right.
Called last night; first response was it was automatic. No, it's over 500 miles; so she checks. "OK, so it's 507 miles, but it's wide open, so apparently the system automatically gave it to you". No certs used, she assured me.
Why am I skeptical?
I also cleared yesterday morning for this afternoon's CLT-TPA even though I had not requested it. aa.com claimed I had; I called weeks ago to correct this and they assured me then that they saw no such request. Right.
Called last night; first response was it was automatic. No, it's over 500 miles; so she checks. "OK, so it's 507 miles, but it's wide open, so apparently the system automatically gave it to you". No certs used, she assured me.Why am I skeptical?
Nov 8, 2016, 10:09 am
#817
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
ORD-CLT flt at 1220 today. AC agent said I was #1 on the list and I cleared several minutes later at a bit under T-4.
I also cleared yesterday morning for this afternoon's CLT-TPA even though I had not requested it. aa.com claimed I had; I called weeks ago to correct this and they assured me then that they saw no such request. Right. Called last night; first response was it was automatic. No, it's over 500 miles; so she checks. "OK, so it's 507 miles, but it's wide open, so apparently the system automatically gave it to you". No certs used, she assured me.
Why am I skeptical?
I also cleared yesterday morning for this afternoon's CLT-TPA even though I had not requested it. aa.com claimed I had; I called weeks ago to correct this and they assured me then that they saw no such request. Right.
Called last night; first response was it was automatic. No, it's over 500 miles; so she checks. "OK, so it's 507 miles, but it's wide open, so apparently the system automatically gave it to you". No certs used, she assured me.Why am I skeptical?
Nov 8, 2016, 8:26 pm
#819
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,819
Couple interesting datapoints. Did a sort of last minute trip to AVL for a client engagement - booked 7 days before the trip began.
IAD-CLT did not clear at my 72 hour window but the return CLT-IAD (return the next day) cleared pretty much at 72 hours. The IAD-CLT segment cleared about 30 hours out.
Interestingly, owing to a mechanical oopsie on my AVL-CLT flight, AA protected me on a later CLT-IAD flight. I wound up not needing the protection, but apparently there was only 1 seat open on the protection flight and I cleared the upgrade list after being added to it by the agent at AVL. Cleared the list about 2.5 hours prior to departure.
IAD-CLT did not clear at my 72 hour window but the return CLT-IAD (return the next day) cleared pretty much at 72 hours. The IAD-CLT segment cleared about 30 hours out.
Interestingly, owing to a mechanical oopsie on my AVL-CLT flight, AA protected me on a later CLT-IAD flight. I wound up not needing the protection, but apparently there was only 1 seat open on the protection flight and I cleared the upgrade list after being added to it by the agent at AVL. Cleared the list about 2.5 hours prior to departure.
Nov 9, 2016, 8:08 am
#820
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SFO/STS
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond
Posts: 396
SFO-DFW this morning and got the upgrade @ T-4.5 which surprised me. I had checked the flight yesterday afternoon and 1F was the only opening (no EF, just used the web and it even said 1 seat left). Seatmap still shows 1 open with 7 on the list.
Nov 9, 2016, 8:13 am
#821
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,975
Some strange stuff going on. J had around 10 seats open until last night when it went to 8 (F around 4 open) Its now less than 10 hours to my fight and expertflyer sent me an alert for upgrade space (C). Upgrade box disappears from my mobile app and when I call in agents say no space.
Now J has 10 seats open again and F has 5. No upgrade yet. So space was released, no elites cleared and suddenly more space opens up in both F and J. Hmmm.....
Now J has 10 seats open again and F has 5. No upgrade yet. So space was released, no elites cleared and suddenly more space opens up in both F and J. Hmmm.....
Nov 9, 2016, 1:35 pm
#823
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP Marriott Titanium
Posts: 202
Another data point, my upcoming MCO-ORD this Friday is not cleared despite F7...P7 but my connection ORD-DEN on that day cleared before T100, how that could happen?
Also my return flight DEN-CLT on Saturday did not cleared at this point despite F7...P7 Y7...O7 but my connection CLT-MCO once again cleared before T100.
Also my return flight DEN-CLT on Saturday did not cleared at this point despite F7...P7 Y7...O7 but my connection CLT-MCO once again cleared before T100.
Nov 9, 2016, 2:49 pm
#824
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: AA, WN, UA, Bonvoy, Hertz
Posts: 2,491
Again, F7, P7, etc. do not matter. The only thing that actually matters for domestic non-transcon is X availability. There are some definite special methods being used to release X inventory that is swept during the windows by the system which are different than early 2016.
Further, I would argue that 1 or 2 seats get released per flight in the early windows which is based on your ranking order. So, you might have been in that top rank for one flight, but missed the early cut in another flight because of another person who bought earlier (with similar status).
This will become more dramatic in later 2017 when they will apparently try to re-rank lists based on the EQD aspect.
Rasheed
Further, I would argue that 1 or 2 seats get released per flight in the early windows which is based on your ranking order. So, you might have been in that top rank for one flight, but missed the early cut in another flight because of another person who bought earlier (with similar status).
This will become more dramatic in later 2017 when they will apparently try to re-rank lists based on the EQD aspect.
Rasheed
Nov 10, 2016, 12:10 am
#825
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,975
Again, F7, P7, etc. do not matter. The only thing that actually matters for domestic non-transcon is X availability. There are some definite special methods being used to release X inventory that is swept during the windows by the system which are different than early 2016.
Further, I would argue that 1 or 2 seats get released per flight in the early windows which is based on your ranking order. So, you might have been in that top rank for one flight, but missed the early cut in another flight because of another person who bought earlier (with similar status).
This will become more dramatic in later 2017 when they will apparently try to re-rank lists based on the EQD aspect.
Rasheed
Further, I would argue that 1 or 2 seats get released per flight in the early windows which is based on your ranking order. So, you might have been in that top rank for one flight, but missed the early cut in another flight because of another person who bought earlier (with similar status).
This will become more dramatic in later 2017 when they will apparently try to re-rank lists based on the EQD aspect.
Rasheed
My gut feeling is that holding upgrade on transcon helps reduce club access and expenses and need to provide special meals. I wouldn't have thought that before but given airlines need to milk elites for every last cent this makes sense to me.