A321T

This is my first year as EXP. Compared to previous years, I find I'm upgraded on just about every one of my regular domestic flights without using SWUs. In the rare cases I fly internationally I usually end up on non-AA OW flights since they're significantly cheaper.

Speaking broadly, what do you guys find to be the most effective use of your 8 EXP SWUs? Use them on domestic flights "just in case"? Find a way to take 4 international vacations each year and pay more to fly on AA metal? Start bringing a bunch of friends or family members on vacation and convincing them to take AA?

tom911

Can't say I've noticed that I'm paying more on AA metal and I have four international trips this year including next week to Spain for $700. You don't need to take four trips if you bring others along with you and sponsor them.

SJC AA

International trips (even if AA is a little more expensive in coach than another airline, it's worth the premium in order to sit in Business via SWU... and even if the SWU doesn't clear, I'll be in MCE for no added cost).

Sometimes AA is cheap for international trips... found a $700 deal to South America for peak dates in February and used SWU for that.

Sometimes confirming transcons where it looks like stickers are unlikely to clear because Business is almost sold out. Especially red-eyes, when I really really want the flat seat.

worldiswide

Never used them for domestic travel. Glad some people do.

Bttc

If I have a strong indication an upgrade won't clear, I'll use them domestic.

Otherwise, friends and family tend to be appreciative.

mmjaysee

The best value for them is international, specifically 773. But if you don't have many int'l flights, then I guess domestic use is better than nothing. Lately I find transcon's clear only a few hours before even with SWU, so that could be a good use too.

cmd320

Use them on any intercon flight you can upgrade at booking with. Otherwise, burn them up on tough domestic flights. That was my strategy. I would never use them on a flight that you could not clear at booking, and be unsatisfied with sitting in Y on. For me, the perfect example of this would be DFW-HKG. I would never consider flying Y on this flight, and I would not envision a scenario wherein one could clear an SWU at booking on this flight.

I ended up using all of mine last year simply on domestics. This was primarily because I stopped using AA for anything outside of domestic flights mid-way through 2014, and prior to that I had booked intercon flights in J to begin with. In retrospect I should have used some for J-->F upgrades, but foolishly decided to hang on to them in the event I wanted them later. Bad decision.

Pucnit

Best use of a SWU, HKG-DFW-GRU/EZE/LHR.


The best use of a SWU I've ever redeemed was one for CDG-JFK-LAX-NRT.

Dr. HFH

All of my international flying (I commute between BOS and BKK) is in J or F. And I'd much rather JL or CX, though I lean towards JL this year due to the AA 2015 premium cabin promotion bonus which is valid on AA codeshares op by JL. So I rarely have occasion to use the SWUs. I frequently give them to my law partner who visits his son and family in SFO.

imapilotaz

Only you can answer what is valuable to you. Some on here would rather wait until the last minute in case another international trip pops up to use the last ones.... others will use them earlier on for domestic trips.

I've used mine for Asia and Europe, as well as DFW-PHX on Xmas day to upgrade my family of 4 to F. To me, the best use that I got the most out of was the Xmas day upgrade which my kids still talk about as a great Xmas present. Miles/SWUs are meant for making memories with my family... not to make me a little more comfy on a 10 hour flight. But as is everything in life, YMMV.

But whatever you do with them will be better than letter them expire.

AlphaTango

What booking code do SWUs clear out of? Is it possible to know in advance (via EF) that there's SWU-able inventory available for a given flight?

cmd320

For business class, SWUs require C inventory.

VickiSoCal

The husband flys enough to maintain EXP for the last 8 years. His company pays for business class if he's flying overseas and he usually has a couple of Qatar or Cathay trips each year. So no need ot use SWU's on those.

We have 2 teenagers and typically take 2 international leisure trips a year. I strategically book a mix of low cost paid travel with SWU's and award tickets. I always book the husband paid to maintain EXP, then the rest of us I just figure out the best deal.

We just used 8 SWUs (a mix of last years and this years) to fly LAX/LHR both ways for spring break. Tickets were 700 roundtrip with connecting BA flights to AMS (outbound) and BRU(inbound) so no taxes for SWU usage.

Using 4 more in fall for LAX/MIA/SCL for Thanksgiving, kids are on award tickets, we are paid with SWU's.

Expertflyer is invaluable and it is quite a lot of work to find the flights on school holidays that work. There's a lot of booking the award flights, putting them on hold, then booking the paid flights, then calling in for SWU's then confirming everything. But so worth it.

Domestic use- no way. If a complimentary upgrade doesn't clear, he sucks it up.

ktakahashi

Aside from the January/February expiring timeframe, the only time I have used it for domestic is for the A321T. The JFK<>SFO/LAX difference is worth it when I know I have no chance at a comp. Probably have done it twice since the roll out. Never would have done it on the 762s. EF plus the AA app showing your position is indeed your friend. I've seen C inventory open up 5 minutes before boarding.

Shareholder

Agree, AA overseas fares have been much lower than any other OW carrier on the same routes/to the same destinations so I've been able to use my SWUs to sit in J on 5 out of my 6 such flights this year, including 3 DFW-HKG-DFWs. Already confirmed on my JFK-GIG-JFK for later this summer too, processed in January with expiring 2015 SWUs. Seems to me that even paying a bit more to fly AA and upgrading would beat flying economy on any other OW carrier.