fmkgb

I've noticed the same T48 timing to/from JFK-MXP for the past 6 months.

FlyerBeek

You haven't been upgraded yet because AA isn't realeasing C inventory until 24-48hrs before departure. It's been this way for quite some time, as has been discussed here often. If you really want, purchase an EF membership (if you don't already have one) and setup a flight alert for C inventory. I suspect if there really are 15 open J seats, then some amount of C inventory will open up sometime in the next two days.

-FlyerBeek

michaelpop

Was able to clear an SWU at the gate for AA 109 LHR - LAX yesterday. Booked 9/15. Had checked odds at JFK AC on the outbound and was told 51/52 seats were sold (even though EF showed 12 seats still; I just assumed those seats just weren't assigned yet)

I was traveling with my wife and we had split the PNR to increase our upgrade odds so we snagged what I believe was the last seat. Of course I gave my wife the seat in J while I sat in the window in row 18.

A thing that I still don't understand, is how to re-link PNRs so my wife can have my status on the upgrade list. Agent in the AC said re-linking can only be done for domestic itineraries, not for international?

melrowgo

Waitlisted with spouse on a LHR-ORD flight in May using miles+copay. I am Plat; spouse has no status. I know it's still way too far out to be concerned about UG inventory, but my question is this: will we likely be upgraded together or just me (if it happens at all)? I thought we'd either be moved together or not at all, but there was a post in the 2016 version of this thread that implied otherwise.

sam2k2002

Has anyone managed to clear an SWU on this route prior to the gate? I'm T-50 or so and haven't had much luck clearing on this route.. probably 1/8 cleared and 0/8 prior to gate. I'm wondering if there's a hard rule on this high-traffic route. Anybody know?

michaelpop

Not prior, no. My wife & I had SWUs wait-listed for this flight on 12/23 (SWU requested 9/15) and I cleared at the gate and gave the seat in J to the missus.

BigErn

My girlfriend and I are flying PHX-PHL tomorrow on the 332. Currently looks like 11 F open - I am platinum and requested sticker upgrades for us both.

Any idea the likelyhood of this? I will gladly burn miles if it is too risky, I'd really like to fly this aircraft in F!

ACA321

I'd say chances look decent, but obviously not guaranteed. If you really want it, I'd try calling and see if there are mileage upgrades available. I'm not sure if they still come out of the "A" bucket until the 11th of January, but if they do, the flight is currently A7, meaning it'd be instantly confirmed. The 332 is a nice ride up front, one of the few domestic flights I'd consider to be worth burning miles on...

spycygrl

UPDATE:
I called American Platinum desk this morning and got a very RUDE rep who said, "I don't know why the other rep told you she could upgrade a BA flight -- we can't even do that." I mentioned that, yesterday, the rep offered it to me and also told me I had 24 hours to decide whether I wanted to change to the BA flights. She said, "That's not true. It would cost you $300 to change the flights AND you would have to call BA directly for an upgrade -- we don't do that." While I was trying to clarify, she actually HUNG UP ON ME, so I had to call back.

Thankfully, I got a rep who has worked the desk for 6 years and explained everything. He said that BA requires American to ONLY upgrade Y class Economy fares, so in order to even get the upgrade, I would have to convert my discount economy ticket to FF Econ. I think I'm just going to leave my flights "as is" and hope for the upgrade on the 777ER.

Would still love to know any success stories of Platinum upgrades on the LAH-LHR route. Thanks.

************************************************** ***************


I flew the 777ER both ways LAX-LHR, recently. I had SWUs from an Exec Plat friend I was using for both legs, but, at the time, was only Gold & didn't clear on the way over (too many folks with higher status ahead of me, apparently), but did on the way back (YAY!) at the last minute, just before the door closed.

I requested the upgrades 2 months prior to the flight and was waitlisted.

I'm going back at the end of April and just reserved the same LAX-LHR RT flights on the 777ER. I'm Platinum now and requested a mileage/cash upgrade and was told no upgrade availability (of course -- even though plenty of seats left), but was once again waitlisted for both legs.

I, honestly, don't know how far behind upgrade I was on my previous LAX-LHR flight to know how close I was to upgrade (the list disappeared off of my app once I was on the plane in my coach seat), so I don't have a good judgment on how long the lists by priority for the overnight LAX-LHR usually are.

HERE'S THE QUESTION:
I have read all of the threads about the 777ER being far superior to the A380, but, according to American Platinum Desk, I can confirm today the upgrade on the BA A380 that leaves a few hours earlier. As a person who cannot sleep on planes, is it better to have a confirmed upgrade on the A380? Or hope for the best on the 777?

I'm leaning toward swapping flights for the confirmed seat, but the seat config on the A380 looks annoying. I have not yet flown at all on the A380 & would rather stay on the original flights, if I can. But, I'd also always rather be in Biz over Main Cabin Extra any day!

Any Platinums recently fly the LAX-LHR #108 on a Thursday? Would it be better or worse than a Saturday (my last flight)?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Thank you.

no2chem

Back in July I cleared T-24, booked SFO-JFK-MAD, used SWU, agent cleared and reissued tickets approx 24 hours before SFO-JFK.

Also I've cleared LAX-JFK/JFK-LAX on 500mile upgrades many times, as recently as early December. The flights you pick matters - some flights are more likely to feed in international traffic due to connections at JFK/LAX, and also convenience so check EF!

dkc192

Yes, for flights before January 11th, instrument upgrades come out of the A bucket. Which means, OP, that you can instantly confirm two miles + copay upgrades, assuming that A7 inventory still holds.

Personally, I think that 15k + $75 for transcon upgrades with flatbed equipment (mostly the A321T, but I'd say the 332 in your case applies as well) is one of the best uses of miles following the 2016 devaluation.

Edit: since the cabin seems so wide open (A7 and 11 empty seats), you could chance it a little and wait till we get to T-4 and you can view the upgrade list on the AA.com app to assess your odds of the sticker upgrade. If you don't like those odds, call and apply the mileage upgrade, assuming inventory is still available.

tphuang

apologize if this has been answered before. I was thinking of using SWU for some summer time travelling from JFK to Italy. Just wondering if anyone had experience with upgrading on JFK to MXP or JFK to FCO flights? For example, would flying out on Friday or Saturday or Sunday be better for getting upgrade processed? And would using SWU be the same as miles + copay in terms of chances?

BigErn

You think exactly like me. I've noticed that AA seems to be holding at least 2 F seats until gate boarding in many cases (at least in my experience), so I had planned to watch the upgrade list and see where I stood this morning.

I had been keeping an eye on what cleared on KVS all week to see when the EXP cleared, but none had so it was beginning to worry me.

At 7:28am today I received the upgrade notification and there appear to still be 6 F seats available. Looking forward to the flight!

spycygrl

p.s. The rep also told me that, in the last 6 months, American has started waitlisting EVERYONE who requests a mileage or instrument upgrade more than 30 days out from the flight, regardless of the availability in the cabin. He said, it will be rare to find an availability on these flights beyond that, even using Expert Flyer.

ACA321

That may be true, but in the past month I found two seats in C class on ORD-NRT, and was able to instantly upgrade both my parents on their itinerary in May...