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 31, 2017, 10:15 am
#1201
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
Just got upgraded for my Thursday evening flight from ORD-LGA....over two days in advance. Glad to see this issue fixed as it was extremely irritating.
Jan 31, 2017, 12:31 pm
#1202
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: UA 1K, AS MVPG, DL GM, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,266
Cleared early this morning for two upgrades on Saturday. Have been buying paid J/F a lot lately but was nice to finally see a 100 hour window upgrade 
My previous two upgrades were T-48 and at the gate so a nice change of pace.
My previous two upgrades were T-48 and at the gate so a nice change of pace.
Jan 31, 2017, 4:24 pm
#1203
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP (4 MM)
Posts: 15
I've noted 0 SWU availability on the 787-9 DFW-GRU and GRU-DFW for as far as the eye can see. I requested r/t SWU three months ago on AA962 and AA963 for my upcoming February flights (prior to premium economy sales). Amazingly, with 24 F seats available on AA962 and 15 F seats available on AA963, still SWU is not clearing. Anyone have any insight into what's so special about this particular routing on the new 787-9, why no upgrades?
Jan 31, 2017, 5:32 pm
#1204
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Upon reviewing some opinions and seeing some posts on the subject I guess I'm forming the opinion that, no, SWUs (and miles,) seem to have -not- been a part of this fixed technical issue.
Feb 1, 2017, 6:37 am
#1207
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,314
i was waitlisted for miles and copay, and then cleared at t-52. It seems like it was a complementary upgrade, no miles deducted. Not sure if that's the new way or just temporary since miles and copay not fixed.
Feb 1, 2017, 8:04 am
#1208
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: ORD and RSW
Programs: Former long time AA EXP and CK - 4 MM; Now LTPL; Hilton Diamond; UA Platinum
Posts: 380
However, it seems from comments down-thread that this problem may have been fixed a day or two ago. I will see. I have one last segment for a C upgrade waitlisted for a flight in April. Only 3 seats taken (one of which is my travel companion who I was able to upgrade by calling in when my alert from EF hit my email - and one of the times I was told that I have to call to apply C upgrades).
Feb 1, 2017, 8:12 am
#1209
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
I did - three times. Same explanation. They did not know what was going on.
However, it seems from comments down-thread that this problem may have been fixed a day or two ago. I will see. I have one last segment for a C upgrade waitlisted for a flight in April. Only 3 seats taken (one of which is my travel companion who I was able to upgrade by calling in when my alert from EF hit my email - and one of the times I was told that I have to call to apply C upgrades).
However, it seems from comments down-thread that this problem may have been fixed a day or two ago. I will see. I have one last segment for a C upgrade waitlisted for a flight in April. Only 3 seats taken (one of which is my travel companion who I was able to upgrade by calling in when my alert from EF hit my email - and one of the times I was told that I have to call to apply C upgrades).
Feb 1, 2017, 10:36 am
#1210
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 122
Do not assume miles will not be taken if you put in for an upgrade award on your reservation. Many times they are done after the fact during an audit. You should contact reservations to ask for certain what type of upgrade was used since they won't change the type once you've flown.
Feb 1, 2017, 11:10 am
#1211
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: BWI
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 82
Do not assume miles will not be taken if you put in for an upgrade award on your reservation. Many times they are done after the fact during an audit. You should contact reservations to ask for certain what type of upgrade was used since they won't change the type once you've flown.
Feb 1, 2017, 11:23 am
#1212
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 122
Couldn't you also open up your itinerary on aa.com and then go to the Print Receipt link and see if your Booking Code is C (SWU/Miles + Copay) or X (Stickers/UDU). I just checked a flight I have later this year with a confirmed SWU and it lists the booking code as C for the segments that cleared.
With all the computer glitches and errors happening I prefer to speak to an agent that will read me exactly what is documented in my reservation before I fly if there is any possibility of an error occurring- ie 2 upgrade options in the same reservation
Customer service won't change the upgrade type after the fact so rule of thumb is resolve prior to boarding with a simple call.
Feb 1, 2017, 12:44 pm
#1214
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Silicon Valley/Seattle/Vancouver
Programs: Hyatt Globalist; Aeroplan 35k; Alaska MVP Gold; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 86
I've flown SFO-JFK redeye over 20 times in the last year and while I cleared the upgrade every time it was always at the gate, much to my frustration as an EP/CK.
Scheduled for that flight tomorrow and for the first time ever my upgrade cleared this morning. I was shocked to see this. Obviously the new CK prioritization helps, but I've already done two SFO/JFK and SFO/ORD trips in January that didn't clear till the gate. So this is a welcomed change.
Scheduled for that flight tomorrow and for the first time ever my upgrade cleared this morning. I was shocked to see this. Obviously the new CK prioritization helps, but I've already done two SFO/JFK and SFO/ORD trips in January that didn't clear till the gate. So this is a welcomed change.
Feb 1, 2017, 2:33 pm
#1215
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: The Frozen Tundra
Programs: Former AA EXP, DL PM, BAEC Bronze, SPG GOLD, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 159
I am curious to know if there is any correlation between having SWU available for use and the time frame to free upgrade and/or 500 stickers available and getting the LBU offer? I noticed that as a PLT w/o 500 stickers available I consistently received the LBU offers. Once there was a 500 sticker available no LBU offer. Now as EXP seems I experience the same with SWU as well as time frame to upgrade processed. So does the system hold back for any SWU/500 use?
Discuss.....
Discuss.....
Last edited by token385; Feb 1, 2017 at 2:34 pm Reason: add a line