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?
Jan 17, 2017, 7:48 pm
#1097
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors LTDia, Marriott Plat
Posts: 639
I care. I often look to catch up on sleep in-flight, so prefer a window seat for an uninterrupted nap. Also, prefer to steer clear of bulkhead. The 100-hr EXP window is very accommodating of a decent seat selection. At the gate, choice is limited (although today the list was cleared in pairs, with first clearances given a seating choice ... first time I've encountered this).
Jan 17, 2017, 8:06 pm
#1098
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DL: Silver; AA: EX PLAT; UA: Silver; HY: DIA; HH: DIA; MR: TIT
Posts: 1,708
Frankly, its disgusting. People can post all they want to the contrary, but obviously the idea of any window is a bad joke.
And don't even get me started on the timing of SWU clearing! Its like there is no window at all- just keep people waiting and praying.
I think AA should just come clean in its marketing. At this point, I'm going free agent and buying deeply discounted F whenever possible.
And don't even get me started on the timing of SWU clearing! Its like there is no window at all- just keep people waiting and praying.
I think AA should just come clean in its marketing. At this point, I'm going free agent and buying deeply discounted F whenever possible.
Jan 17, 2017, 8:20 pm
#1099
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
Dont be mad, that's the right answer - I did that all last year and it's the right way to go. These days discounted F is typically (not always) only a bit more than Y. I still ended up with 150k eqms on AA but also had a good chunk on DL, AS and international airlines. Gone are the days of taking extra connections or creative routings to stay loyal. None of the airlines (seriously none of them) are going to treat top tier as they did in the past it's only smart to adapt.
Jan 17, 2017, 8:57 pm
#1100
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: SNA LAX
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 116
Dont be mad, that's the right answer - I did that all last year and it's the right way to go. These days discounted F is typically (not always) only a bit more than Y. Gone are the days of taking extra connections or creative routings to stay loyal. None of the airlines (seriously none of them) are going to treat top tier as they did in the past it's only smart to adapt.
Jan 18, 2017, 5:45 am
#1101
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
Yep. Read this thread, you will see reports of 100 hour upgrades. I cleared one on my last trip, though not on the trip I am currently on.
Are 100HR upgrades less common than they used to be? Maybe/possibly.
Are they gone/nonexistent? Simply not true.
remember this thread is full of folks with an axe to grind, it is not a meaningful sample.
Yep. Read this thread, you will see reports of 100 hour upgrades. I cleared one on my last trip, though not on the trip I am currently on.
Are 100HR upgrades less common than they used to be? Maybe/possibly.
Are they gone/nonexistent? Simply not true.
remember this thread is full of folks with an axe to grind, it is not a meaningful sample.
Jan 18, 2017, 5:57 am
#1102
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
Don't mistake the probable situation of little advance C space, for a reduction of a window which never existed.
Jan 18, 2017, 6:32 am
#1103
Join Date: Jun 2009
Programs: AA EXP. HH DIAMOND.
Posts: 224
Few added data points
1/7 - ORD/LGA w/ Plat companion - 5 hours in adv
1/10 - LGA/ORD w/ Plat companion - @ the gate
1/16 - ORD/MDT - F7 T-96, F6 T-24, F6 T-4, UG @ the gate
1/18 - MDT/CLT - F7 T-96, F7 T-24, F7 T-4, UG @ the gate
1/18 - CLT/CHA - F7 T-96, F6 T-24, F6 T-4, UG @ the gate
1/20 - CHA/CLT - F7 currently.
this year nothing has been confirmed earlier than 6 hours, even shocked a couple of club agents but they too weren't able to confirm the UG.
Good news cleared them all even w/ a companion. Picking seats and such it a pain last minute, and having to wait at the gate constantly watching the screen of my phone.
EXP - 130k EQP in 2016, generally book 40 days out.
1/10 - LGA/ORD w/ Plat companion - @ the gate
1/16 - ORD/MDT - F7 T-96, F6 T-24, F6 T-4, UG @ the gate
1/18 - MDT/CLT - F7 T-96, F7 T-24, F7 T-4, UG @ the gate
1/18 - CLT/CHA - F7 T-96, F6 T-24, F6 T-4, UG @ the gate
1/20 - CHA/CLT - F7 currently.
this year nothing has been confirmed earlier than 6 hours, even shocked a couple of club agents but they too weren't able to confirm the UG.
Good news cleared them all even w/ a companion. Picking seats and such it a pain last minute, and having to wait at the gate constantly watching the screen of my phone.
EXP - 130k EQP in 2016, generally book 40 days out.
Jan 18, 2017, 7:17 am
#1104
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 3,698
However, I agree with your previous point that it's silly to say that there's no window. My most recent trip cleared at 100 hours, albeit on a route in which literally everyone who requested an upgrade got it (DCA->JFK).
Jan 18, 2017, 10:34 am
#1105
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
I used a soon expiring SWU for MIA/ORD this morning. It cleared right after T-24. Today at the gate a bunch of upgrades for the CIP 763 cleared just as boarding commenced. There were still several empty seats.
Jan 18, 2017, 11:22 am
#1106
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP 1 MM, Hertz PC, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 192
Haven't been upgraded at 100 hour window in I can't remember how long. Have a flight from PHX-SEA less than four hours away and there are 12 open seats in F and 13 total people on the upgrade list. It's crazy to me that they haven't cleared at least half of those people prior to now, but I'm seeing more and more of this.
Jan 18, 2017, 12:09 pm
#1108
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Columbia, SC
Programs: AAdvantage Gold, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 32
I find the late upgrade issue frustrating, as a few times my checked bag has come in 2-3 lbs. overweight. (I travel with materials for work and often store them my checked bag.) The ticket agent reminds me I'm not in first and tells me to get rid of the extra items. I grub around, pull out some extra items, and stuff them in my carry-on computer bag. And then I get upgraded at the gate, where I would have been allowed to have up to 75 lbs. of items in my checked bag. *sigh* It's a little thing, I know, but it's still frustrating, and the little things add up when one travels a lot. It was much easier when we were upgraded in the advertised window.
Jan 18, 2017, 12:37 pm
#1109
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: OMA/LNK
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 210
OMA-DFW this year, so far this year I have cleared at t-48 once (14 unoccupied F seats at 100 on seat map, F7 on EF) and t-3 twice (12 and 10 open seats at t-100, both F7). I haven't cleared for my return tomorrow (30 hours out or so)
So it continues.
So it continues.
Jan 18, 2017, 2:04 pm
#1110
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,507
I'm on a J9 CR7 flight tomorrow morning, F is completely unassigned and we're about 27 hours from boarding. Too early in the day for European feed, so I'm not sure what they're waiting for.
By comparison, DL has already cleared my Monday 6AM RDU-LGA as a lowly non-Reserve Platinum, five full days out.
By comparison, DL has already cleared my Monday 6AM RDU-LGA as a lowly non-Reserve Platinum, five full days out.