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?
May 21, 2015, 7:52 pm
#92
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Programs: AA - EXP 2.3 MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold, recovering UA Premier
Posts: 280
I was recently flying MIA-NYC. My original booking to LGA cleared at T-100. When I arrived at the airport 7 hours early (customer canceled a meeting on me), I did a CFC to an earlier flight. Although there was one seat and I was the only person on the upgrade list, it didn't clear until boarding started. So, I guess I had both experiences on the same trip!
May 21, 2015, 8:27 pm
#93
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Midwest
Programs: AA PLT AA 1MM
Posts: 727
I think it's just screwed up somehow.
(A very technical descriptor for the situation, I know.)
I usually fly out of COU, a little speck of an airport. We now have CR7s and First Class seats (so to speak). I always get upgraded to/from COU. For my flight tomorrow COU-DEN (5 F seats showing open), I have not been upgraded yet. However, for my DFW-DEN flight (3 F seats showing open prior) I was upgraded at T-24.
Exactly this kind of incongruous upgrade thing has been happening to me a lot lately, but without any discernable pattern. Maybe AA is so sophisticated that it's all on-target behind the scenes. Or maybe this, like a few other things, is an unintended hiccup that has occurred as things "evolve" (or whatever you call what is happening).
I usually fly out of COU, a little speck of an airport. We now have CR7s and First Class seats (so to speak). I always get upgraded to/from COU. For my flight tomorrow COU-DEN (5 F seats showing open), I have not been upgraded yet. However, for my DFW-DEN flight (3 F seats showing open prior) I was upgraded at T-24.
Exactly this kind of incongruous upgrade thing has been happening to me a lot lately, but without any discernable pattern. Maybe AA is so sophisticated that it's all on-target behind the scenes. Or maybe this, like a few other things, is an unintended hiccup that has occurred as things "evolve" (or whatever you call what is happening).
Last edited by dia1; May 22, 2015 at 6:34 am Reason: Typo
May 21, 2015, 8:30 pm
#94
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: ONT/FRA
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 878
May 21, 2015, 8:38 pm
#95
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Madison WI
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT - 2.9MM, Lifetime AC, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Hertz Precs Crcl
Posts: 2,213
).
May 21, 2015, 8:42 pm
#96
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boston, USA
Programs: AA EXP, TK Elite, HH Gold, SPG/Marriott Gold
Posts: 939
Update...
statement "squeezed me into it" and got me the upgrade in A space.
Very weird that the first two AA agents could not do it an hour back while
this one could !!! Still out of 24 hours window by the way...
Any ideas ?
F.A.
May 21, 2015, 8:46 pm
#97
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: ONT/FRA
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 878
Hard to say what the reference frame may have been at that point, but I'm 99.99% a huge percentage of F seats where NOT SOLD at T-2. Perhaps a group with reservations and no seats assignments checked-in, but without more info, I do not have the access to tell. (Some on here can - for a specified flight that happened within the last few days.)
May 21, 2015, 9:17 pm
#99
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA LT Plat, UA 1k/1mm+, National EE, IC Plat, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,605
Except that they don't even do that. UA sells TODs before upgrades clear, I'm not aware of AA doing the same. DL uses FCM to offer F deeply discounted, AA doesn't do this either. They're holding back upgrades in the event 14 people decide to buy full F tickets day of departure on flights like DFW-MCO.
May 21, 2015, 9:21 pm
#100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Same exact thing happened to me on DFW-MCO. I'm curious if it's just tons of non-revs or what the deal is.
May 21, 2015, 9:27 pm
#101
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SFO, SJC
Programs: AA - EXP 2MM+, Marriott PLT, UA, National Exec
Posts: 495
May 21, 2015, 9:30 pm
#102
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Based on EF, my flight was F7, A0, P0 at T-24, something I had never seen up until then.
May 21, 2015, 9:37 pm
#103
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: PHL and LAS
Programs: AA PLT Pro, Marriott Lifetime PLT
Posts: 144
On a somewhat related note, how can one check AA upgrade inventory in Expertflyer (if at all?) US has a selection for upgrade inventory class but I can only find AA awards...
May 21, 2015, 9:42 pm
#104
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SFO, SJC
Programs: AA - EXP 2MM+, Marriott PLT, UA, National Exec
Posts: 495
I did! In the words of Kevin McAllister's mom, you feel like a heel flying first class with all the kids back in coach
On a somewhat related note, how can one check AA upgrade inventory in Expertflyer (if at all?) US has a selection for upgrade inventory class but I can only find AA awards...
On a somewhat related note, how can one check AA upgrade inventory in Expertflyer (if at all?) US has a selection for upgrade inventory class but I can only find AA awards...
Cheers.
May 22, 2015, 2:35 am
#105
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: WFBF
Posts: 963
Well, the US side seems to work. Doing MCI-CLT-LHR on Tuesday (used the final CP certs to upgrade the TATL), and upgrade for MCI-CLT just cleared.
Of course, I'm going to try to switch to an earlier flight into CLT since I've got a tight connection, but at least the US side of the operation still seems to have an upgrade window.
Of course, I'm going to try to switch to an earlier flight into CLT since I've got a tight connection, but at least the US side of the operation still seems to have an upgrade window.