For some people, it's about lounge access. Clearing at the last minute doesn't really give you time to hang out at the business/first class lounge.

A domestic upgrade isn't going to give you lounge access (except maybe if you get an upgrade to J JFK-LAX/SFO or MIA-LAX and vice versa, but I am not sure if upgraders are eligible). The complaint seems to be meal selection (ho hum), seat (ho hum), or that AA isn't living up to their end of the bargain of the window (which they actually are, but that's been beaten to death).

The upgrade won't give you *access* to the AC, but knowing it cleared ahead of time will let you relax there until closer to departure when you already have access (membership or CC).

I guess, but upgrades at the gate are generally coming at T-30 and you have to be there by T-15 anyway, so at most you're missing out on 15 minutes.

Right, I was referring to international upgrades in terms of lounge access. For domestic upgrades, seat selection would be more of the issue especially when upgrading a companion together.

My point was that there is no window for international upgrades, a fact that has also been beaten to death in this thread.

In the past week, I've had three upgrades clear at 3.5 hours out. I thought anything under 4 hours was under gate control but there's obviously no one at the gate clearing them. Additionally, upgrades cleared by the gate have checkmarks. When I looked on the app at 4 hours out, my name was at the top of the list. Once the upgrade cleared, it disappeared, i.e., no checkmark.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Yes. I think there is one final sweep that occurs at ~3.5 hours out that we get.

Yes, on a handful of occasions recently.

I'm 36/36 (whoo) on SDF-DCA or DCA-SDF over the last 4 months or so, with ~1/2 at 72 hours, ~1/4 at 24 hours, and ~1/4 closer in, most just before the 4-hour window but some at 3.5, and a small number at the gate.

Also cleared SDF-DFW/DFW-SDF x2 at the gate on all four.

Missed a recent DCA-CLT but it was during irrops; made the subsequent CLT-SDF at T-3.5.

Bought F on LAX and a couple other runs to avoid the gamble; had to fly Y on some single-class CVG-DCA, DFW-ROW-DFW flights but overall very happy with success as a PLT and looking forward to nudging over to EXP next week.

Yes. It's quite common. I normally see it a little more than 4 hours out, and I assumed it was a final sweep prior to shifting the list over to airport control. Once the automated system clears you there is no reason for you to be on the airport list, which is what you see via the app. Only those cleared by an airport agent will get the check mark in the app.

Just speculation:p: beginning Jan. 2017, the ranking for dom, upgs. will be based on $ spent--but is there any reason to assume that AA will process (even those at the top of the queue) any faster?
After Jan. 2017, maybe FT should keep track of timing for upgs--it might provide interesting stats.:D

I don't think this new ranking starts until sometime "later" in 2017.

Aa 162 hnl-lax
 

My wife and I were upgraded after boarding on 12/20. Both GLDs. Talk about waiting till the last minute!

Wow, consider yourself very lucky as GLDs, to secure not one, but two upgrades on that route. I guess there really are unicorns!

Regards

I got my upgrade from Hong Kong to Dallas within the 72 hour window.