May 22, 2017, 6:21 am
Last edit by: JDiver
Chances of Upgrade Request Clearing
NOTE: Be aware of recent (20 May 2017) upgrade priority changes.
"New Upgrade Priority as of 20 May 2017
(Upgrades were prioritized by elite status and then time of request until 20 May 2017)
- Elite status
- Concierge Key
- Executive Platinum
- Platinum Pro
- Platinum
- Gold
- Upgrade type
- Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades (SWU)
- 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets
- 500 mile upgrades on upgrade eligible awards)
- Elite qualifying dollars in the past 12 months
- Booking class
- Time of request"
See Upgrade Priority Changes to Status, Rolling 365 Day EQD Spend May 20 2017
U]Link[/U] to Gary Leff, View From the Wing 16 May 2017
Updated 22 May 2017 by JDiver
[/COLOR]
2017 Chances of Upgrade Clearing and Availability (consolidated)
Sep 27, 2017, 9:36 am
#661
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SIN
Posts: 1,098
Hi All,
I'm booked on a round-trip JFK-LAX in November. At the time of my reservation a couple months ago, I requested to be put on the mileage upgrade list (I'm platinum). I have 4 500-mile upgrades in my account, however, and it looks like I'm not going to make status for the next year. I'd like to use them before I lose status (and buy a fifth for the 2500 mile flight). If I call and request to use my 500-mile upgrades on one leg of the trip instead of mileage, will I "lose my place in line" and have less chance of actually getting an upgrade?
I'm booked on a round-trip JFK-LAX in November. At the time of my reservation a couple months ago, I requested to be put on the mileage upgrade list (I'm platinum). I have 4 500-mile upgrades in my account, however, and it looks like I'm not going to make status for the next year. I'd like to use them before I lose status (and buy a fifth for the 2500 mile flight). If I call and request to use my 500-mile upgrades on one leg of the trip instead of mileage, will I "lose my place in line" and have less chance of actually getting an upgrade?
Sep 27, 2017, 1:48 pm
#662
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: TK Elite+, DL Plat, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Spire, IC Ambassador, Hilton Gold
Posts: 186
I see. So I'd drop slightly in priority if using 500 mile upgrades as opposed to mileage upgrades. Still probably worth it to use those 500 mile vouchers. Wish there was a way for the system to apply the lower priority method first, and if that fails to secure the upgrade, switch to the higher priority upgrade.
Oct 1, 2017, 1:35 am
#663
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
Programs: AA CK MM, AC SE100K, BA Gold, UA 1K, DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,989
Oct 2, 2017, 10:24 am
#664
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Cote d'Ivoire
Programs: OW Emerald - HH Diamond
Posts: 3,418
Surprised to see Systemwide opportunity on AA86, ORD-LHR, in December. Called in and grabbed an immediate upgrade to J. Agent was surprised, too.
Oct 4, 2017, 2:59 pm
#665
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: ORD (formerly SAN)
Programs: Hilton Diamond; IHG Platinum; Bonvoy Gold; AA Platinum Pro and United Premier Silver (DH = AA EXP)
Posts: 1,929
Has anyone ever cleared NRT to ORD on AA 154 on a Wednesday (or midweek)? Looks like a really large plane with a tiny biz class and the biz cabin is already 1/2 full for my flight in 2 months. We're on separate PNR's EXP + PLAT.
Oct 4, 2017, 7:05 pm
#666
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 1
Help with Upgrades
Hello everyone,
I am writing to ask about my chances of getting 2 people upgraded either using miles or 500 mile upgrades. I am very new to this, so forgive my naivety/ignorance of how this works. I am trying to decide whether I need to upgrade with miles now or whether I should wait and see if we are upgraded automatically.
I'm AAdvantage Platinum and flying PHL to CUN:
Expert Flyer is showing J-7, U-0, C-2 for the outbound flight and J-4, U-1, C-3.
I am completely new to expert flyer and am assuming I should be looking at the C availability.
Thanks
I am writing to ask about my chances of getting 2 people upgraded either using miles or 500 mile upgrades. I am very new to this, so forgive my naivety/ignorance of how this works. I am trying to decide whether I need to upgrade with miles now or whether I should wait and see if we are upgraded automatically.
I'm AAdvantage Platinum and flying PHL to CUN:
Expert Flyer is showing J-7, U-0, C-2 for the outbound flight and J-4, U-1, C-3.
I am completely new to expert flyer and am assuming I should be looking at the C availability.
Thanks
Oct 4, 2017, 7:12 pm
#667
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: AA, United, Alaska, Virgin America
Posts: 15
Dont mess with 500 mile upgrades and guessing and hoping - just take the confirmed C inventory now with a miles + copay upgrade - it’s so rare I’d take advantage of it.
Hello everyone,
I am writing to ask about my chances of getting 2 people upgraded either using miles or 500 mile upgrades. I am very new to this, so forgive my naivety/ignorance of how this works. I am trying to decide whether I need to upgrade with miles now or whether I should wait and see if we are upgraded automatically.
I'm AAdvantage Platinum and flying PHL to CUN:
Expert Flyer is showing J-7, U-0, C-2 for the outbound flight and J-4, U-1, C-3.
I am completely new to expert flyer and am assuming I should be looking at the C availability.
Thanks
I am writing to ask about my chances of getting 2 people upgraded either using miles or 500 mile upgrades. I am very new to this, so forgive my naivety/ignorance of how this works. I am trying to decide whether I need to upgrade with miles now or whether I should wait and see if we are upgraded automatically.
I'm AAdvantage Platinum and flying PHL to CUN:
Expert Flyer is showing J-7, U-0, C-2 for the outbound flight and J-4, U-1, C-3.
I am completely new to expert flyer and am assuming I should be looking at the C availability.
Thanks
Oct 5, 2017, 3:59 am
#668
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
Like most other AA long haul flights these days, you likely won't clear till 1 or 2 days before if the current space holds up.
Oct 5, 2017, 7:50 am
#669
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 181
I'm flying JFK-DCA Y on 11/22, Gold with a requested upgrade to J, request went in about 2 weeks ago. EF shows J7, only 2 seats taken so far in the cabin. Given it's a holiday weekend flight are my odds pretty good or pretty bad?
Oct 5, 2017, 8:04 am
#670
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
What we don't know is whether the system has any mechanism for releasing C ahead of X - my experience would make me think that it does, if only by a few hours. Once it goes to airport control then I presume C and X no longer matter, and that that is really why upgrade instrument comes into play.
Or have I got it all wrong?
Oct 5, 2017, 8:55 am
#671
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: AY Plat, LH FTL
Posts: 7,374
I'm flying DFW-SFO on Saturday night and availability was sitting at C4 U4 and 7 empty seats in F. I'm a Plat and thought I had a pretty good shot at 500 milers clearing, but then I counted 15+ elite seats occupied in Y.
My luck kinda sucks, so I pulled the trigger on miles/copay...I figure DFW-SFO is so elite heavy, any little irrop earlier in the day could royally mess up my odds.
Maybe I sold myself short...
My luck kinda sucks, so I pulled the trigger on miles/copay...I figure DFW-SFO is so elite heavy, any little irrop earlier in the day could royally mess up my odds.
Maybe I sold myself short...
Oct 5, 2017, 9:12 am
#672
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DFW or Somewhere Else
Programs: UA Plt /Delta DM/ Marriott Platinum Prem./Hilton Diamond / Hyatt Globalist /Hertz PS / National EE
Posts: 1,107
I'm flying DFW-SFO on Saturday night and availability was sitting at C4 U4 and 7 empty seats in F. I'm a Plat and thought I had a pretty good shot at 500 milers clearing, but then I counted 15+ elite seats occupied in Y.
My luck kinda sucks, so I pulled the trigger on miles/copay...I figure DFW-SFO is so elite heavy, any little irrop earlier in the day could royally mess up my odds.
Maybe I sold myself short...
My luck kinda sucks, so I pulled the trigger on miles/copay...I figure DFW-SFO is so elite heavy, any little irrop earlier in the day could royally mess up my odds.
Maybe I sold myself short...
Oct 5, 2017, 9:26 am
#673
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: AY Plat, LH FTL
Posts: 7,374
In my opinion, First Class is borderline worthless. Its a 15% wider seat with a few more inches of legroom. Food is garbage. Its nice to have but if I can get an aisle in MCE imperfectly happy. Upgrades are awesome! But 15,000 miles PLUS $75 for a 3.5 hour flight is not a good value. Putting a low 1.5 cent per mile value on the miles means you paid $300 in addittion to your fare. If someone came up to me while boarding and said they would offer me $300 to take their aisle seat in the back... I would jump! Domestic 1st is not worth $100 per hour to sit in!
However, I only paid $85 for the RT ticket and I was recently awarded 15K miles for customer service issue.
I was thinking the upgrade was basically free
My circumstances are admittedly an anomaly...I was more curious about the odds of an upgrade clearing vs. the economics of the cost.
Oct 5, 2017, 10:13 am
#674
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 9
I'm flying on Tuesday (10/10) from LAX-HKG and on Saturday (10/28) from HKG-LAX. Im EXP - what do you think the odds of my systemwide clearing from Y to J are? This is my first time trying to use them, so not sure what to expect...
Here's the expert flyer space...
10/10 - F5 A4 J6 R5 D4 I2 Y1 B0 H1 K1 M0 L0 G0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 E0
10/28 - F6 A0 J7 R7 D3 I0 Y7 B0 H7 K7 M7 L7 G7 V7 S7 N7 Q7 O7 E7
Here's the expert flyer space...
10/10 - F5 A4 J6 R5 D4 I2 Y1 B0 H1 K1 M0 L0 G0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 E0
10/28 - F6 A0 J7 R7 D3 I0 Y7 B0 H7 K7 M7 L7 G7 V7 S7 N7 Q7 O7 E7
Last edited by wildabeast4; Oct 5, 2017 at 10:56 am
Oct 5, 2017, 11:09 am
#675
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SIN
Posts: 1,098
I'm flying on Tuesday (10/10) from LAX-HKG and on Saturday (10/28) from HKG-LAX. Im EXP - what do you think the odds of my systemwide clearing from Y to J are? This is my first time trying to use them, so not sure what to expect...
Here's the expert flyer space...
10/10 - F5 A4 J6 R5 D4 I2 Y1 B0 H1 K1 M0 L0 G0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 E0
10/28 - F6 A0 J7 R7 D3 I0 Y7 B0 H7 K7 M7 L7 G7 V7 S7 N7 Q7 O7 E7
Here's the expert flyer space...
10/10 - F5 A4 J6 R5 D4 I2 Y1 B0 H1 K1 M0 L0 G0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 E0
10/28 - F6 A0 J7 R7 D3 I0 Y7 B0 H7 K7 M7 L7 G7 V7 S7 N7 Q7 O7 E7
10/28 Might be slightly tougher. What does the MCE occupancy look like? Empty? Full?