... 4x this year on Intl. flights I was either called up to the gate clerk's desk and handed a new boarding pass or I was stopped at boarding and told that my seat assignment had changed. Once at the desk, the gate agents said, " your lucky day is today!"

Felt a little awkward as it was totally unexpected. I don't even "pay attention" to the upgrade display monitors as I figure with me being a last minute purchasing type this year, I'm for sure going to be near the bottom of the list and don't even bother trying to request upgrades with my e-stickers I've accumulated thus far.

Very disappointing - and a higher rate than a kiosk, which I believe from reports here would have offered $135 for a 1000-1499 mile flight. (I've never seen it myself.)

OTOH, I recall seeing elites post on here that when they didn't get their upgrade and LFBUs did (usually due to irrops), that they wanted to be offered the paid upgrade before non-elites. Perhaps AA just listened this time! :(

Did your comp upgrade finally clear?

We'll see, hopefully it will. I agree it is better to get the offer than not, if they are gonna sell them anyway, but it is expensive and certainly a harbinger of first class monetization and status devaluation. If I don't clear this I will be pretty pissed, given how empty first class is, my elite status, and this being an elite-light leisurely route...

With all the discussion about EXPs only getting upgraded at check-in (or the gate), are there any routes where GOLDs are still in the running to see an upgrade?

Happy wandering

Fred

For me I was op up'ed GRR-DFW and DEN-ORD once each. I wasn't gold very long so not many data points.

All anecdotal, of course, but FWIW, my husband was Gold for the first half of the year. He had a 100% upgrade rate LGA-BOS and LGA-ATL, and also fared pretty well LGA-CLT (about 50%). He cleared an LAX-JFK redeye once, but don't believe he ever cleared any flight through DFW.

I'm at 100% as GLD this year from DTW.

Also purely anecdotal - flying out of and back in to CLT as Gold for the entire year (just hit PLT) - I've been upgraded four times, only once prior to arriving at the gate. I must have picked the worst routes/timing ever for upgrades, apparently.

Circumstances next year will dictate that I spend a lot of time on Delta or its codeshares next year, and I'll earn gold there pretty quickly. So in 2018, I will have a big decision on which airline to give my company's dollars to.

Facts:

Though on high demand flights I've upgraded at the gate, I've also been upgraded even before my upgrade window opened up. And even these days, I'm reading (elsewhere) of EPs being upgraded anywhere from at the gate to even a week or ten days out.

No doubt, with fuller aircraft, elimination of three class F on many aircraft and reduction of J seats, lower J / F fares, more cash offers, there are fewer upgrades available and more people desiring upgrades. AA really wants fence sitters to buy the class they desire, and that began with the offers of -UP tickets.

I've seen upgrade queues of thirty routinely, and significantly higher on some flights.

Next year, the game changes.

GLD, PLT, PPRO, EP, CK status tiers, all with their own priority.

Sometime "later in 2017", priority within tiers will be by rolling 12 month EQD spend, not time of request.

Adding to scarcity for lower tiers, those travel companions with requested upgrades who,lose the "borrowed" status once the flight has gone to airport control will "stick" to the sponsoring passenger as reflected on the PALL list, iirc.

Informed speculation:

Sometime in 2017-18, I speculate (and am convinced) AA will become like all other oneworld airlines that offer Premium Economy: on aircraft where Premium Economy seating is offered (A350, 787, 772 and 77W at least) the upgrade path will be Economy / Main Cabin to PE, and PE to Business.

I fly in and out of Charlotte every trip, and even as EXP my upgrade percentage is shockingly low. This should change once EQD determine placement on the list, since most of my travel is booked less than a week out.

I was upgraded twice as GLD on ORD-LGA in October. Once on the last flight on a Sat evening that I missed due to a delay on BA, and the second time on the Sun morning flight which I was rebooked on. Around T-4 each time.

Maybe being in TPA is an advantage here? But half of mine involved CLT without TPA, so who knows.
1 SWU TPA-DFW-NRT
2 free upgrades MCO-CLT-MCO
7 cert upgrades DFW-TPA, CLT-ORD-CLT-TPA, CLT-PDX-PHX-TPA

Another day, another domestic upgrade clearing at T-100 or so. DEN-ORD for a flight on Monday morning.

I've noticed no change in my upgrade patterns this year - we'll see what happens when prioritization by EQD comes in to effect.

I cleared at T-4. Three people cleared at T-24, I think they were the paid upgrades or perhaps SWUs...it was getting unnerving there for a while...

New community member here. EXP last 3 years qualified for 2017 in September, early 2016 all 50 flights prior to 9/1 upgrade cleared within T-24. Since 9/1 everything is after T-24 or at gate. 85% of flights are JFK - SEA or LAX / SFO so tough routes. 12 flights since 9/1 upgraded 60% of time. Not complaining have enjoyed the upgrades AA, loyalty has shifted to $$$. As small business owner can set flights months in advance which helped but seems lost cause for 2017 onward.