EXP companion upgrade when EXP already in Business?
 

Weird situation.. I'm already in J on a future flight thanks to a SWU upgrade. My partner is now thinking of booking the same flight. If he does, can I still put in for a companion upgrade, since I'm still on the same flight, just not also in economy?

I've been told by agents it is possible - but both times I've attempted it, my partner's name didn't show up at the 4 hr mark, gate agent had no record of it, upgrade didn't clear etc

Why not?

As I learned the hard way this past week, if you are on separate record locators, the companion will NOT inherit your status for an SWU upgrade. It will go by their elite status (if any) and time stamp.

Confirmed. My companions not in the same PNR have never gotten my status on the list when I'm on the flight.

The only time it has worked is when we all booked in the same record.

We are mixing issues here. The OP was asking about N. American 500 mile upgrades, not SWUs. For these upgrade instruments for purposes of priority on the upgrade waitlist the travel companion of an elite does get to coattail the elite member's status. Manual intervention might be necessary to ensure the records are properly noted, if on different PNRs and the companion has their own lesser AA status that the system could pick up on as a default.

I thought that if the EP member was upgrading , then another passenger could upgrade at same priority with the member at the same time, but that this does not apply if the EP member is already in the higher cabin

There's two questions- one can you upgrade someone not on your PNR-

Yes

Will they get your status-

no

The above answer only applies to SWUs, not stickers.

For stickers you do not have to be on the same PNR, and you can also choose split or no split at time of request. Split means you and companion will get upgraded separately as each seat opens up (companion will inherit status). No split means two seats need to open up or you get skipped.

As for the OP's question, yes, you can upgrade your companion using stickers even though you are already upgraded using a SWU. They will inherit your status.

That assumes you can find an agent who knows what they are doing. I can't tell you how many agents have told us that I cannot inherit husband's status on separates PNR's. Many just do not know how to do it. Hang up and call back. We are almost never on same PNR due to his usually being paid for by work, and mine not.

If you're already in Business (not First), does it mean that it's not a domestic (North American) flight? A lot of uncertainty could have been cleared out by being more specific about what kind of flight and upgrade we're talking about. In many cases granting your companion a SWU is good enough for his or her upgrade regardless of whether your companion "inherits" your status.

The use of the term "companion upgrade"- and reference to "same flight"- makes it clear what s/he is referring to.

500 mile upgrades are to business class on international destinations with AA's definition of N America.

No, why would it? This is a domestic three-class flight.

I don't want to spend an SWU on this upgrade if I can avoid it. (My SWU upgrade covered multiple segments, not just this one in question.)

That has not been my experience for domestic sticker upgrades. Even if on paid F ticket, my companion has received my status. At least prior to the PALL.

Companion upgrade issues including "link" / split PNR for status etc. (master thread)
 

I fly a lot with my wife. I am EXP and she has no elite status at the moment but was GLD last year.

The situation you describe has come up numerous times... only 1 upgrade seat available.

Here is what we have found by experience:

1) Upgrading is easier and less likely to get screwed up if you and your fiend are on the same PNR. If you are not on the same PNR, phone the EXP desk immediately and ask the records to be "linked".

(2) When you check in if you have not been upgraded already, ask the check-in agent to make sure they are still linked (this often get lost) and where you are in the upgrade list. This will give you some idea of what the likelihood of getting upgraded is but may not be accurate...

(3) Then after security go to the gate agent and ask the same questions. The gate agent is in charge of the upgrade list... Best advice is to arrive early enough that you can get to the gate agent as they are opening up and before that get occupied with the 25 people waiting for standby...

2) In our experience, if there is only seat available the gate agent will ask you if one of you wants the F seat (or J or F seat on international flights). At this point it is irrelevant whether you are on the same PNR. My wife and I prefer to sit together so often we decline. At this stage all may not be lost. For example once a party of three was offered two seats, that they declined and we were upgraded.