ARCHIVE: "Sticker" / 500-mile E-Upgrades & EXP "UDU" Upgrades (2015)
May 29, 2015, 8:12 am
#91
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: Starwood Gold, Hilton Gold, Mariott Gold, AMEX Plat, US CP
Posts: 273
Even better , take your EXP and do a status challenge to DL or UA and see how many times you get upgraded or better get your companion gets upgraded. My guess is you won't feel so entitled after that.
May 29, 2015, 8:18 am
#92
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
Been covered other times, but it still gripes me. I was EXP for a number of years when I started flying AA, so no stickers even though I flew >120,000 each year (almost all TPAC). Then, when I dropped to PLT last year, I had zero stickers in my account. If I had been PLAT all along, I would have had many. I even asked AA if there could be some way to back credit PLATs when they drop from EXP the number they would have had; of course, told no. And, as an aside, I got exactly three complementary domestic upgrades and lost all my global upgrades since I was never able to use them (I tried, but wasn't able to get even one flight where they could be used).
May 29, 2015, 1:34 pm
#93
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,625
Been covered other times, but it still gripes me. I was EXP for a number of years when I started flying AA, so no stickers even though I flew >120,000 each year (almost all TPAC). Then, when I dropped to PLT last year, I had zero stickers in my account. If I had been PLAT all along, I would have had many.
120,000 miles would earn 48 x 500 mile upgrades. During a year , how many upgrades did you have and how many 500 mile upgrades would that have used ?
May 29, 2015, 1:36 pm
#94
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: PBI/FLL/MIA
Programs: DL DM/2MM, MR Ambassador, National EE
Posts: 1,614
May 29, 2015, 4:14 pm
#96
Join Date: May 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 127
You also get a pack of SWUs that you can use on your companion.
May 30, 2015, 11:34 am
#97
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DL: Silver; AA: EX PLAT; UA: Silver; HY: DIA; HH: DIA; MR: TIT
Posts: 1,708
Been covered other times, but it still gripes me. I was EXP for a number of years when I started flying AA, so no stickers even though I flew >120,000 each year (almost all TPAC). Then, when I dropped to PLT last year, I had zero stickers in my account. If I had been PLAT all along, I would have had many. I even asked AA if there could be some way to back credit PLATs when they drop from EXP the number they would have had; of course, told no. And, as an aside, I got exactly three complementary domestic upgrades and lost all my global upgrades since I was never able to use them (I tried, but wasn't able to get even one flight where they could be used).
Jun 7, 2015, 3:26 pm
#98
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,774
any wiki on AA's 500-mile upgrade?
The information on AA.com is kind of hard to follow.
But it seems to me that for flights with less than 500 miles, elite members (gold, plat, exec) can request upgrade for free, but upgrades are not guaranteed as it depends on availability couple days before departure.
But for flights more than 500 miles, gold/plat will have to pay, on 500-mile increment, just to request upgrade (but not guaranteed one)? What if they don't get the upgrade in their upgrade window? Do they get the request fee back?
But it seems to me that for flights with less than 500 miles, elite members (gold, plat, exec) can request upgrade for free, but upgrades are not guaranteed as it depends on availability couple days before departure.
But for flights more than 500 miles, gold/plat will have to pay, on 500-mile increment, just to request upgrade (but not guaranteed one)? What if they don't get the upgrade in their upgrade window? Do they get the request fee back?
Jun 7, 2015, 3:39 pm
#99
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
You need to use the stickers (500 mile upgrades) to upgrade. 1 per 500 mile increment, as you said.
There are 2 ways to get stickers, you earn 4 for each 10000 miles flown or you can buy them online or at a kiosk for $30 ($35 if bought from an agent) a piece.
If you get the upgrade, the stickers are deducted from your account. If not they dont, and you can try to use them on another flight some other time, they do not expire. The stickers are not refundable.
(Note that EXP don't need stickers to upgrade, regardless of flight length.)
There are 2 ways to get stickers, you earn 4 for each 10000 miles flown or you can buy them online or at a kiosk for $30 ($35 if bought from an agent) a piece.
If you get the upgrade, the stickers are deducted from your account. If not they dont, and you can try to use them on another flight some other time, they do not expire. The stickers are not refundable.
(Note that EXP don't need stickers to upgrade, regardless of flight length.)
Jun 7, 2015, 3:41 pm
#100
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: AAdvantage Exec Platinum, Hertz #1 Club Gold Five Star, IHG Platinum, Marriott Gold, HHonors Silver
Posts: 2,039
If I'm travelling on the same itinerary as someone else, and we both have enough 500-mile upgrades in our accounts for the upgrade, will the system pull it from each of our AAdvantage accounts? Conversely, let's say my account has enough upgrades for both of us, but my companion does not...would it automatically pull the upgrades for both of us from my account?
Jun 7, 2015, 3:52 pm
#101
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
The information on AA.com is kind of hard to follow.
But it seems to me that for flights with less than 500 miles, elite members (gold, plat, exec) can request upgrade for free, but upgrades are not guaranteed as it depends on availability couple days before departure.
But for flights more than 500 miles, gold/plat will have to pay, on 500-mile increment, just to request upgrade (but not guaranteed one)? What if they don't get the upgrade in their upgrade window? Do they get the request fee back?
But it seems to me that for flights with less than 500 miles, elite members (gold, plat, exec) can request upgrade for free, but upgrades are not guaranteed as it depends on availability couple days before departure.
But for flights more than 500 miles, gold/plat will have to pay, on 500-mile increment, just to request upgrade (but not guaranteed one)? What if they don't get the upgrade in their upgrade window? Do they get the request fee back?
As a thumbnail:
The 500-mile upgrades are what used to be stickers. You earn them by flying (as non-EXP status member). You get 4 for each 10,000 miles BIS racked up. You can buy them for cash or miles. You can buy them online or at the airport. They do not expire. They can be used for other flyers. You can not return them once purchased. The 10,000 mile blocks run from March to March. Many have reported being able to get partial credit when not hitting 10,000 by the end of February.
They are not used until the upgrade is approved. They must be in your account before the BP is issued. If you should lose your upgrade (IRROPS) you can call in to get them returned to your account.
Search the other AA thread for more details.
Last edited by RogerD408; Jun 7, 2015 at 4:00 pm Reason: Djokison's post about a wiki... Thank you.
Jun 7, 2015, 3:54 pm
#102
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
Here's the wiki, btw: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
I believe it's automatically pulls them from the requester's account. If you want them to be pulled from the individual flyers' accounts, you have to call in and request that.
If I'm travelling on the same itinerary as someone else, and we both have enough 500-mile upgrades in our accounts for the upgrade, will the system pull it from each of our AAdvantage accounts? Conversely, let's say my account has enough upgrades for both of us, but my companion does not...would it automatically pull the upgrades for both of us from my account?
Jun 7, 2015, 3:54 pm
#103
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,774
You need to use the stickers (500 mile upgrades) to upgrade. 1 per 500 mile increment, as you said.
There are 2 ways to get stickers, you earn 4 for each 10000 miles flown or you can buy them online or at a kiosk for $30 ($35 if bought from an agent) a piece.
If you get the upgrade, the stickers are deducted from your account. If not they dont, and you can try to use them on another flight some other time, they do not expire. The stickers are not refundable.
(Note that EXP don't need stickers to upgrade, regardless of flight length.)
There are 2 ways to get stickers, you earn 4 for each 10000 miles flown or you can buy them online or at a kiosk for $30 ($35 if bought from an agent) a piece.
If you get the upgrade, the stickers are deducted from your account. If not they dont, and you can try to use them on another flight some other time, they do not expire. The stickers are not refundable.
(Note that EXP don't need stickers to upgrade, regardless of flight length.)
Delta (as bad as their skypesos program is) and United do not ask you to pay more to get upgraded.
You don't get refund on the certificate if you aren't upgraded.
If you check in when upgrade is not available, but the guy who checks in after you has the upgrade available but refuses to pay for the certificate, then you don't get the upgrade (but in theory, you should)....
I guess AA picks revenue at the expense of inconveniencing non-exec elite members.
Jun 7, 2015, 3:57 pm
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
If I'm travelling on the same itinerary as someone else, and we both have enough 500-mile upgrades in our accounts for the upgrade, will the system pull it from each of our AAdvantage accounts? Conversely, let's say my account has enough upgrades for both of us, but my companion does not...would it automatically pull the upgrades for both of us from my account?
Jun 7, 2015, 4:00 pm
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
I tried looking for an existing thread in the pre-consolidation thread and couldn't find one. However there are MANY individual threads.
As a thumbnail:
The 500-mile upgrades are what used to be stickers. You earn them by flying (as non-EXP status member). You get 4 for each 10,000 miles BIS racked up. You can buy them for cash or miles. You can buy them online or at the airport. They do not expire. They can be used for other flyers. You can not return them once purchased. The 10,000 mile blocks run from March to March. Many have reported being able to get partial credit when not hitting 10,000 by the end of February.
They are not used until the upgrade is approved. They must be in your account before the BP is issued. If you should lose your upgrade (IRROPS) you can call in to get them returned to your account.
Search the other AA thread for more details.
As a thumbnail:
The 500-mile upgrades are what used to be stickers. You earn them by flying (as non-EXP status member). You get 4 for each 10,000 miles BIS racked up. You can buy them for cash or miles. You can buy them online or at the airport. They do not expire. They can be used for other flyers. You can not return them once purchased. The 10,000 mile blocks run from March to March. Many have reported being able to get partial credit when not hitting 10,000 by the end of February.
They are not used until the upgrade is approved. They must be in your account before the BP is issued. If you should lose your upgrade (IRROPS) you can call in to get them returned to your account.
Search the other AA thread for more details.
You can't upgrade someone else if you aren't flying with them.