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 25, 2015, 7:40 am
#122
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Ex Platinum & 1MM, DL PLT, Marriott Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 2,490
Upgrade for my flight finally cleared @ T-4 yesterday (LAX-PHX in a CRJ, so 9 seats total). Like on Monday, never rec'd an e-mail notification of the upgrade going thru-just happened to notice my seat had changed on my phone. Never could see the upgrade list on my phone for either flight, btw.
At that time the upgrade cleared yesterday, the only other pax up front was, as I discovered later, a non-rev employee who was very well known to the FA's working the flight & who made his own announcement upon landing to the cabin...'ladies & gentlemen, your a**** are now on the ground'.
Flight went out w/3 deadheading uniformed crew up front (who boarded early & took up almost every inch of overhead bin space in the cabin
) along w/1 empty seat. No announcement from the GA while I was there about selling the final seat, though there was 1 unchecked name on the board for an upgrade when we boarded-?pax misconnected.
At that time the upgrade cleared yesterday, the only other pax up front was, as I discovered later, a non-rev employee who was very well known to the FA's working the flight & who made his own announcement upon landing to the cabin...'ladies & gentlemen, your a**** are now on the ground'.
Flight went out w/3 deadheading uniformed crew up front (who boarded early & took up almost every inch of overhead bin space in the cabin
) along w/1 empty seat. No announcement from the GA while I was there about selling the final seat, though there was 1 unchecked name on the board for an upgrade when we boarded-?pax misconnected.
May 25, 2015, 12:57 pm
#123
Join Date: Oct 2006
Programs: AA EP 4+ million miles, Ambassador+ Elite
Posts: 267
No more thru check ins for upgrade
I was told in MIA that since the merger, my upgrade would only clear for 1 flight, not my second until I landed at DFW and checked in. That is ridiculous, as I am not able to check in until I land on an AA flight. Seems absurd to me. Has anyone else experienced this?
May 25, 2015, 1:54 pm
#124
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW-In Plano & CDG-In the 11th
Programs: DL Diamond, AA revenue negative, Bonvoy Titanium +, Avis likes me
Posts: 3,209
There is a check-in feature at 24 hours prior to flight time, that should preserve your time stamp. I don't see any need for one to check-in for one's next leg when one arrives at the 2nd leg airport, when one checks in ahead.
May 25, 2015, 2:14 pm
#125
Join Date: Oct 2006
Programs: AA EP 4+ million miles, Ambassador+ Elite
Posts: 267
check in
I did check in on line 24 hours in advance. I am just telling you that I was told the upgrade for the second segment no longer clears then, but instead when you arrive at your first destination
May 25, 2015, 3:38 pm
#126
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: ONT/FRA
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 878
I've had a number of 2nd segment upgraded clear lately, usually at the same time as the 1st segment. Not all the time, but enough to be sure that what you were told is not true.
May 25, 2015, 5:16 pm
#127
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
Having just waded through many pages on this thread and some other similar threads, it appears AA's RM is spending more time crunching numbers before releasing upgrade inventory. I have no doubt they have much more success at predicting what's going to happen on any particular flight than any of us can have through prior experience (not to mention their desire to change things up). Unfortunately RM is a total black box to us and all we are going to see is anecdotal experience and guesses.
May 26, 2015, 8:08 am
#128
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: LAX, PHL, SAF
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 301
May 26, 2015, 10:58 am
#130
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold, Hertz PC, AMEX PLT
Posts: 314
Clearing late doesn't bother me as long as I clear 
FWIW, I just cleared RDU-LGA at T-100, which is a rarity in general but not on this route. Just depends where/when you fly. I think they hold it some too to give people who booked the code-share a fighting chance. Sometimes I have had to book mixed itineraries and my corp. travel generally has me book all in one ticket stock for the RT, so I appreciate this.
FWIW, I just cleared RDU-LGA at T-100, which is a rarity in general but not on this route. Just depends where/when you fly. I think they hold it some too to give people who booked the code-share a fighting chance. Sometimes I have had to book mixed itineraries and my corp. travel generally has me book all in one ticket stock for the RT, so I appreciate this.
May 26, 2015, 11:38 am
#131
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
Clearing late doesn't bother me as long as I clear FWIW, I just cleared RDU-LGA at T-100, which is a rarity in general but not on this route. Just depends where/when you fly. I think they hold it some too to give people who booked the code-share a fighting chance. Sometimes I have had to book mixed itineraries and my corp. travel generally has me book all in one ticket stock for the RT, so I appreciate this.
FWIW, I just cleared RDU-LGA at T-100, which is a rarity in general but not on this route. Just depends where/when you fly. I think they hold it some too to give people who booked the code-share a fighting chance. Sometimes I have had to book mixed itineraries and my corp. travel generally has me book all in one ticket stock for the RT, so I appreciate this.FYI, it's not the ticket stock that will determine when an upgrade is possible, it's the marketing/operating info. See if you can get them to book AA flight numbers for AA operated flights and vs and you should be good to go for early upgrades IF the inventory is released.
May 26, 2015, 12:12 pm
#132
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW-In Plano & CDG-In the 11th
Programs: DL Diamond, AA revenue negative, Bonvoy Titanium +, Avis likes me
Posts: 3,209
Yes, it does appear they are holding inventory a lot longer than in the past.
FYI, it's not the ticket stock that will determine when an upgrade is possible, it's the marketing/operating info. See if you can get them to book AA flight numbers for AA operated flights and vs and you should be good to go for early upgrades IF the inventory is released.
FYI, it's not the ticket stock that will determine when an upgrade is possible, it's the marketing/operating info. See if you can get them to book AA flight numbers for AA operated flights and vs and you should be good to go for early upgrades IF the inventory is released.
AFAIK-time stamp of request should be the ACE OF TRUMP/final arbiter. (Except at LAX and SFO, where staff will do or try to screw over all and any rev PAX to get non-rev PAX friends upfront).
That is why I lean over the desk at the gate at LAX and SFO, and watch every move the GA's in those stations make-They are looking out for their friends (and family), and not for their revenue PAX.
I have the truth (experience, evidence, et. al, ) on my side.
Yet I am still donning a flame proof suit.
Last edited by Dallas49er; May 26, 2015 at 12:30 pm
May 26, 2015, 1:25 pm
#133
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
No offence ...
AFAIK-time stamp of request should be the ACE OF TRUMP/final arbiter. (Except at LAX and SFO, where staff will do or try to screw over all and any rev PAX to get non-rev PAX friends upfront).
That is why I lean over the desk at the gate at LAX and SFO, and watch every move the GA's in those stations make-They are looking out for their friends (and family), and not for their revenue PAX.
I have the truth (experience, evidence, et. al, ) on my side.
Yet I am still donning a flame proof suit.
AFAIK-time stamp of request should be the ACE OF TRUMP/final arbiter. (Except at LAX and SFO, where staff will do or try to screw over all and any rev PAX to get non-rev PAX friends upfront).
That is why I lean over the desk at the gate at LAX and SFO, and watch every move the GA's in those stations make-They are looking out for their friends (and family), and not for their revenue PAX.
I have the truth (experience, evidence, et. al, ) on my side.
Yet I am still donning a flame proof suit.
May 26, 2015, 4:57 pm
#134
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW-In Plano & CDG-In the 11th
Programs: DL Diamond, AA revenue negative, Bonvoy Titanium +, Avis likes me
Posts: 3,209
I'm not sure I take your meaning.
My meaning is that GA's in LAX & SFO, based on my flying in and out of both since 1982, on UA, DL, AA, ... tend to take care of friends and family, at the expense of REV PAX. Maybe it is a union thing.
My meaning is that GA's in LAX & SFO, based on my flying in and out of both since 1982, on UA, DL, AA, ... tend to take care of friends and family, at the expense of REV PAX. Maybe it is a union thing.
May 26, 2015, 5:02 pm
#135
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
I'm not sure about AA but this is definitely how things work at DL. Lots of non-rev upgrade shenanigans.