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?
Dec 21, 2016, 1:48 pm
#947
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
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).
Dec 21, 2016, 1:59 pm
#948
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Columbia, SC
Programs: AA Plat, SPG/Marriot Gold, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Expl
Posts: 2,363
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).
Dec 21, 2016, 2:36 pm
#949
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
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.
Dec 21, 2016, 4:12 pm
#950
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: DFW
Posts: 675
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).
Dec 21, 2016, 4:26 pm
#951
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
My point was that there is no window for international upgrades, a fact that has also been beaten to death in this thread.
Dec 21, 2016, 4:51 pm
#952
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
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?
Has anyone else had this experience?
Dec 21, 2016, 5:02 pm
#953
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
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?
Has anyone else had this experience?
Dec 22, 2016, 12:59 am
#954
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,676
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.
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.
Dec 22, 2016, 10:58 am
#955
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,981
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?
Has anyone else had this experience?
Dec 22, 2016, 11:34 am
#956
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
Just speculation
: 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.
: 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.
Dec 22, 2016, 11:41 am
#957
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA- EXP UA - Silver SPG- PLT Marriott- PLT
Posts: 761
Just speculation: 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.
: 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.
I don't think this new ranking starts until sometime "later" in 2017.
Dec 22, 2016, 12:11 pm
#959
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,044
Dec 22, 2016, 12:36 pm
#960
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: DFW
Posts: 675