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
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2017 Chances of Upgrade Clearing and Availability (consolidated)
Oct 24, 2017, 2:27 pm
#721
Join Date: Jul 2015
Programs: Hilton Honors Diamond, United 1K
Posts: 37
I am flying PHL-ATH this week and requested upgrade with miles/pay. Not that it is apples to apples but I will post back on if I succeeded. (government fare so no ability to use an SWU.)
Oct 24, 2017, 5:05 pm
#722
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
Great, though I wonder what is going on down there. I just had an UPG clear on my LAX-HKG for March. Just when I was getting so used to those last minute nail biters at the gate. Maybe they knew I status matched to UA 1K this month. Nah...
Oct 24, 2017, 7:49 pm
#723
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SMF
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 77
I wanted to see if anyone has ever requested a SWU/waitlist for travel - PHL-ATH and return in the past. I am planning on traveling 5/23/18 (PHL-ATH) and returning 6/03/18 (ATH-PHL) and I am going to wait list on both legs. Just wanted to see if anyone has had past success or any opinions and thoughts.
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
All the best and enjoy Greece!
Oct 24, 2017, 8:03 pm
#724
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SMF
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 77
I am an EXP and I have waitlisted myself on AA 193 for Wed 11/8. I don't have Expertflyer at the moment but looking at the seat map it shows 17 open seats in business (and 3 in first). Any input or previous experiences for such a mid-week flight in November?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Oct 24, 2017, 8:13 pm
#725
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP, SPG / Marriott GLD, HHonors GLD
Posts: 520
Just checked EF and looks like it's F5 J7. 7 is the max AA will show in EF so may be more seats for sale than that.
Oct 25, 2017, 6:09 pm
#726
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 124
AA193 ORD-HKG on 11/3. Expert flyer shows 0 upgrade availability, yet the seat maps shows 22 of the 52 business class seats available. I'm currently Plat Pro and am on the upgrade list for miles + $. Technically it's Thursday night late, the flight departs LAX at something like 12:45a - so, super early Friday morning. I don't do a ton of international travel and don't know the tricks on checking upgrade status, nor do I have the experience to determine whether an upgrade is possible. Any thoughts appreciated - mostly for my own satisfaction, as my butt is gonna be on that plane regardless of MCE or business. lol. Thanks, danbrew 
Oct 25, 2017, 6:33 pm
#727
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
AA193 ORD-HKG on 11/3. Expert flyer shows 0 upgrade availability, yet the seat maps shows 22 of the 52 business class seats available. I'm currently Plat Pro and am on the upgrade list for miles + $. Technically it's Thursday night late, the flight departs LAX at something like 12:45a - so, super early Friday morning. I don't do a ton of international travel and don't know the tricks on checking upgrade status, nor do I have the experience to determine whether an upgrade is possible. Any thoughts appreciated - mostly for my own satisfaction, as my butt is gonna be on that plane regardless of MCE or business. lol. Thanks, danbrew
You could call the PlatPro line and ask how many seats are still for sale on the J cabin.
Oct 25, 2017, 9:17 pm
#728
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,977
What's with the upgrade emails? Upgraded two days out for a flight on Friday. No email. Upgraded at the window (actually well before the window) for a Sunday evening flight and got three identical emails within about 10 minutes of each other.
Oct 25, 2017, 10:09 pm
#729
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
ORD is nice about clearing UPGs early....for the 2nd time I approached the GA around T45 and mentioned I was #1 on the list and asked if I had a chance and they cleared me right then.
Oct 26, 2017, 5:55 pm
#730
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,492
As an AA Plat I was a bit surprised to get an email yesterday that I was upgraded for tomorrow on LAX-LAS.
When I saw my email this morning, that I was upgraded for AUS-LAX...well I was completely shocked.
Not only that, but both flights are showing seats left in F on the seatmap. Of course they could be holding some for sale, there could be some unassigned, etc.
My EQD for the year is about $9k, so I am probably toward the top of the queue, after status. I'll jump up to EXP after a trip in Dec.
Now perhaps I should play roulette...and hope for upgrades on the Sunday return, through PHX.
When I saw my email this morning, that I was upgraded for AUS-LAX...well I was completely shocked.
Not only that, but both flights are showing seats left in F on the seatmap. Of course they could be holding some for sale, there could be some unassigned, etc.
My EQD for the year is about $9k, so I am probably toward the top of the queue, after status. I'll jump up to EXP after a trip in Dec.
Now perhaps I should play roulette...and hope for upgrades on the Sunday return, through PHX.
Oct 27, 2017, 1:40 am
#731
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco
Programs: DL DM, 1MM AA PLT 2MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, and...Smiles Diamante
Posts: 2,783
Just a random observation that I was floored and pleasantly surprised to clear ~26 hours out for AA2012 from SFO-CLT today (Friday). As a middling PLT with so-so revenue, I had prepared myself to be #2768 on the list. If only I wasn't stunned by this I would have moved proactively to pre-order my mediocre lunch selection. Anyway, it was a nice surprise.
Oct 27, 2017, 5:02 pm
#732
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: San Jose, CA USA
Programs: AA EXP/7.0MM
Posts: 265
When I cleared there were 26 J seats unassigned and my wife cleared with 25.
EF shows J7, U0, C0 and the seat map shows 8 unassigned J seats and 14 out of 30 MCE assigned.
Good luck!
Oct 30, 2017, 3:28 pm
#733
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 375
Partial upgrade
We have upgraded our R/T flights ORD-SCL via MIA. The international segments are listed as Business, but the domestic segments still list Economy with no C inventory available. Will we automatically get upgraded when/if C inventory appears, or do I have to do something to initiate it?
Oct 30, 2017, 5:43 pm
#734
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
Recently booked a trip to PEK in December... Any thoughts on the odds of LAX-PEK clearing on a Friday in early December?
I am hoping a new route plus with December being a slow month for business travel will help our odds of clearing into J.
788 with a small J cabin doesn't help much though.
I am hoping a new route plus with December being a slow month for business travel will help our odds of clearing into J.
788 with a small J cabin doesn't help much though.
Oct 30, 2017, 7:30 pm
#735
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 34
I'm on AA193 LAX-HKG on 11/16. I'm Exec Plat using 2 SWU for myself and my SO. Expertflyer shows Business cabin as (J5 R3 D1) but seatmap shows 25 seats available. MCE is completely full. Even Economy shows (Y3 B0 H3 K0 M0 L0 G0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 E0). I have a bad feeling in my gut that's telling me that we aren't going to clear.