EXP and CK now eligible for domestic upgrade (UDU) on award ticket
Mar 31, 2017, 10:26 pm
#1
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
EXP and CK now eligible for domestic upgrade (UDU) on award ticket
Reports have been read of Executive Platinum members (and ConciergeKey members, who also have EP status) who have been offered and been able to successfully request and receive upgrades whilst flying on "domestic" award tickets. (Not applicable to Platinum Pro.)
The conditions have been the same as required for Unlimited Domestic Upgrades / UDU for EP (or 500 mile e-upgrade "stickers" for members using those). Link to 500 mile upgrade rules on aa.com.
"Upgrades on Award tickets link
Executive Platinum members will be able to use their complimentary 500-mile upgrade benefits on AAdvantage® award tickets for travel on American from Main Cabin to the next class."
NOTE: JonNYC states below this policy has not yet been implemented on AA. These are upgrades that have recently been granted somehow without being enabled by policy.
The conditions have been the same as required for Unlimited Domestic Upgrades / UDU for EP (or 500 mile e-upgrade "stickers" for members using those). Link to 500 mile upgrade rules on aa.com.
"Upgrades on Award tickets link
Executive Platinum members will be able to use their complimentary 500-mile upgrade benefits on AAdvantage® award tickets for travel on American from Main Cabin to the next class."
NOTE: JonNYC states below this policy has not yet been implemented on AA. These are upgrades that have recently been granted somehow without being enabled by policy.
Last edited by JDiver; Apr 1, 2017 at 1:33 pm Reason: Added NOTE
Mar 31, 2017, 11:17 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
Very interesting, mostly because this benefit which I think is 'nice' but also going to be rather infrequently used given I'd guess most EXPs if they were to redeem would have the miles to do so for F, is under the same heading as the change I really want: Upgrade prioritization
Any idea if that both those changes are under "Later in 2017" means that the prioritization has also changed or if its just for award upgrades?
Any idea if that both those changes are under "Later in 2017" means that the prioritization has also changed or if its just for award upgrades?
Apr 1, 2017, 7:51 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2007
Programs: AA EXP, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,017
Knew this was coming. Nice to see it implemented. Anyone know if this will eventually extend to SWUs on int'l awards....or if it already is in place and I didn't know? 
@ryan182: IMO, biggest waste of RDM is premium domestic, so while I have the miles to do it, I don't. Would not be surprised to find I'm not alone there.
@ryan182: IMO, biggest waste of RDM is premium domestic, so while I have the miles to do it, I don't. Would not be surprised to find I'm not alone there.
Apr 1, 2017, 8:00 am
#9
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Very interesting, mostly because this benefit which I think is 'nice' but also going to be rather infrequently used given I'd guess most EXPs if they were to redeem would have the miles to do so for F, is under the same heading as the change I really want: Upgrade prioritization
Any idea if that both those changes are under "Later in 2017" means that the prioritization has also changed or if its just for award upgrades?
Any idea if that both those changes are under "Later in 2017" means that the prioritization has also changed or if its just for award upgrades?
The EP UDU upgrades on "domestic" (North and Central America, Caribbean iirc) has been in place for at least a few days from what I'm seeing reported, but as there was no report or thread here, I thought I'd start this one.
Apr 1, 2017, 9:05 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Silver
Posts: 88
How do you request upgrade in this situation? I'm EXP and have award ticket to MSY in Y in June. There is no "upgrade" link to click for this itinerary (at least on the AA app). Do you have to call in to request an upgrade? I have 14 "left over" 500-mile stickers to use.
Apr 1, 2017, 9:11 am
#11
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No I mean I'm confused on the whole thread; are eligible people seeing the checkbox, etc., available to them for domestic award tickets? And/or able to do it with EP agents on the phone?
Apr 1, 2017, 9:29 am
#12
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In other words; are we just seeing people report this:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27807902-post1220.html
Which has been "possible" for a long time (albeit not officially allowed) and has been reported with some frequency.
(note this rather bizarre incident from January as well:
)
OR is the claim that the "switch has been flicked" officially?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27807902-post1220.html
I just upgraded an award ticket with 500 mile stickers. Was told by two separate agents that it was not possible but when I pulled up my record it allowed me to check the upgrade box and they cleared interestingly enough after checkin but before being added to the airport list. This is relevant because I had no stickers and once the upgrade cleared I bought them and had to re checkin for that leg of my trip.
(note this rather bizarre incident from January as well:
OR is the claim that the "switch has been flicked" officially?
Apr 1, 2017, 9:30 am
#13
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
Programs: AA EXP, 6MM; BA GLD
Posts: 17,224
Case 1: Traveling LGA-MEM in T inventory with a companion. Flight was showing F7 with no one on the upgrade list at boarding time. Went up to the GA and said that I know I'm not supposed to be able to upgrade an award ticket, but since the F cabin is empty and no one is on the upgrade list, would it be possible to upgrade. The only thing the agent asked was how I wanted to upgrade my companion (stickers, I said), and it was done.
Case 2: Traveling MIA-BOS-LGA on a Y inventory award ticket. (I needed to fly this route and was able to force this into a single 20,000-mile award ticket rather than pay $1,000 for it.) I was traveling with a companion MIA-BOS and didn't even inquire about an upgrade (no way would it have cleared for two people in any event), but at the AC in BOS I asked and was added to the upgrade list for BOS-LGA and cleared easily.
Apr 1, 2017, 9:35 am
#14
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Apr 1, 2017, 9:36 am
#15
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: MIA
Programs: AAdvantage Exec Plat SPG Platinum
Posts: 308
