May 16, 2017, 12:53 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
As of May 20, 2017 upgrade prioritization is:
Elite qualifying dollars* in the past 12 months
- Elite status
- Concierge Key
- Executive Platinum
- Platinum Pro
- Platinum
- Gold
- Upgrade type
- Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades, Business Extra? (SWU)
- 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets (including EXP complimentary UDU)
- 500 mile upgrades on upgrade eligible awards (including EXP complimentary UDU)
- BXP Business Extra upgrades
Elite qualifying dollars* in the past 12 months
- Booking class (in order, J, D, I, W, P, Y, H, K, M, L, V, G, S, N, Q, O, T)
Time of request
*Your 12-month Rolling EQD value is different from your Year-to-Date (YTD) EQDs, which is used to track your progress toward elite status. It includes your EQD earned from reaching qualifying spend thresholds on eligible AAdvantage® AviatorTM MasterCard® cards.
Link to EQD earning Help Desk thread on FlyerTalk.
No- or lower status companion and effect on upgrade position
WAIT LIST, SAME PNR: Prior to upgrade request going to airport list- SWU, Miles & Copay, Business Extra: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status. (BX is unsure, stated as least of priorities, likely to up D-24 only)
- 500 mile / UDU: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status
- Award travel: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status
- 500 mile / UDU: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status
WAIT LIST, SEPARATE PNR: Prior to upgrade request going to airport list- SWU, Miles & Copay: lower status passenger DOES NOT "borrow" higher status under any circumstance
- 500 mile / UDU: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status IF PNRs "linked"
- Business Extra upgrade instruments
- Award travel: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status IF PNRs "linked"
- Award travel: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status IF PNRs "linked"
- Business Extra upgrade instruments
- 500 mile / UDU: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status IF PNRs "linked"
AIRPORT LIST, SAME PNR:- SWU, Miles & Copay: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status. (BX is unsure, but is least of priorities, likely to up D-24 only)
- 500 mile / UDU: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status
- Business Extra upgrade instruments
- Award travel: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status
- Business Extra upgrade instruments
- 500 mile / UDU: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status
AIRPORT LIST, SEPARATE PNR:- SWU, Miles & Copay: lower status passenger DOES NOT "borrow" higher status under any circumstance
- 500 mile / UDU: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status IF PNRs "linked"
- Business Extra upgrade instruments
- Award travel: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status IF PNRs "linked"
- Business Extra upgrade instruments
- 500 mile / UDU: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status IF PNRs "linked"
NOTES:- Traveling companion 500 mile upgrades (even for those pax using UDU) "stickers" must pull from higher status passenger's account.
- Lower status passenger previously "borrowing" higher status may require human processing at the airport to re-establish "borrowed status" linkage
(Companion information thanks to DW)
- SWU, Miles & Copay, Business Extra: lower status passenger "borrows" higher status. (BX is unsure, stated as least of priorities, likely to up D-24 only)
Upgrade Priority: Status, Upgrade Type, Rolling 12 Month EQD Spend
Jan 17, 2018, 10:51 am
#361
Join Date: May 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AA, AS, AC, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG
Posts: 198
Happy to report out some upgrade statistics for my travels in 2017 as a EXP.
Traveled really light on AA this year as I'm switching business to AS/VX since award miles are given by $.
Complimentary Upgrades
Domestic AA: 5 of 6
Transcon (SFO,LAX-JFK): 4 of 5
Award Travel: 1 of 1 (Transcon JFK-SFO Flight)
SWU: Attempted on 6 itineraries, successful on 5.
Segments upgraded while SWU was applied: 9 of 10
SWU used on routes:
HKG-LAX-SEA // SEA-LAX-HKG
SFO-ORD-CDG // CDG-JFK-SFO
Traveled really light on AA this year as I'm switching business to AS/VX since award miles are given by $.
Complimentary Upgrades
Domestic AA: 5 of 6
Transcon (SFO,LAX-JFK): 4 of 5
Award Travel: 1 of 1 (Transcon JFK-SFO Flight)
SWU: Attempted on 6 itineraries, successful on 5.
Segments upgraded while SWU was applied: 9 of 10
SWU used on routes:
HKG-LAX-SEA // SEA-LAX-HKG
SFO-ORD-CDG // CDG-JFK-SFO
Jan 17, 2018, 11:34 am
#362
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
No I didn't!! The thought didn't occur to me to ask for a refund once I saw that I earned the correct mileage for the segment even though I wasn't in F. I also felt that the GA that walked me on to the plane to make sure I got the Exit seat said something to the FA that was on the jumpseat across from me (A321).
In the end it all worked out. I got from point B back to home safe and sound despite the delays.
Jan 18, 2018, 6:38 pm
#363
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP.
Posts: 1,325
Most GLD/PLT don't request UGs on every flight as it uses stickers/500 mile upgrades. As a result, the UG list is CK/EXP/PPRO and a handful of PLT and GLD.
That you are the bottom isn't that surprising. LAX-YVR and LAX-SEA are both > 500 miles, so that won't say much. If you do LAX-SAN and are at the bottom, then something might be up.
That you are the bottom isn't that surprising. LAX-YVR and LAX-SEA are both > 500 miles, so that won't say much. If you do LAX-SAN and are at the bottom, then something might be up.
edit now 19 out of 20 lol
Last edited by Amil; Jan 18, 2018 at 8:37 pm
Jan 18, 2018, 10:31 pm
#364
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SF + PHX
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1k, Marriott Gold, HH Gold, X Elite+
Posts: 262
Had two disparate upgrade experiences this week. One was upgraded 5/6 segments at 120 hours, trip ultimately cancelled by work last minute. Second trip I was #3 on both lists and cleared last minute on board DFW-IAH (I declined due to overhead space). Mid-range EQD but I’m sure it will be very variable throughout the year as spend both grows and falls off.
Jan 19, 2018, 9:05 pm
#365
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
One or two more years to 2-million-miler, and that "platinum-for-life" certificate gets framed and hung on my home-office wall.
Then, it's "want first, buy first" for the in-air comfort, and credit all flights to British Airways to get Oneworld status for access to the Flagship Lounge and other Oneworld lounges.
A great strategy, until all the rules and qualifications change again.
Jan 22, 2018, 8:19 am
#367
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 2
EXP w/ 21.2K EQDs for 2017. One RT from PHL-LAS so far this year - no luck and in the 10-15 range for both flights. This was during CES however.
Another trip PHL-LAS this week.. No upgrade before check in on the outbound. Will post with queue # and results after trip.
Another trip PHL-LAS this week.. No upgrade before check in on the outbound. Will post with queue # and results after trip.
Jan 22, 2018, 8:20 am
#368
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,043
Jan 22, 2018, 9:39 am
#369
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 148
Bought tickets 2 weeks ago for JFK - SFO for flight later today, got upgraded 56 hours before the flight (on Saturday). Saturday mid day I checked available seats and there were 5+ available in business class, now it only shows 1 remaining seat. I'm EXP with ~$26k EQD for 2017
Jan 23, 2018, 12:12 pm
#370
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
I've been lucky thus fare with upgrades thus far for 2018: 6/7
Upgrades: SFO-LAX-HKG-LAX-SFO, SFO-CLT-EWR
Pending: PHL-SFO (A332: 29 - January)
Upgrades: SFO-LAX-HKG-LAX-SFO, SFO-CLT-EWR
Pending: PHL-SFO (A332: 29 - January)
Jan 23, 2018, 2:04 pm
#371
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: WAS/NYC/LON
Programs: AA EXP, HH DIA, Hyatt DIA
Posts: 286
Doing pretty well so far:
- 2/4 on JFK-LAX/SFO transcons
- 100% on everything else (usually at T-100 or within an hour or so of booking if I'm buying the flight within the window already)
Jan 27, 2018, 10:49 am
#373
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: Double OWE (AA EXP, QF Plat), FI Gold
Posts: 1,887
Jan 27, 2018, 5:57 pm
#374
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,897
Most GLD/PLT don't request UGs on every flight as it uses stickers/500 mile upgrades. As a result, the UG list is CK/EXP/PPRO and a handful of PLT and GLD.
That you are the bottom isn't that surprising. LAX-YVR and LAX-SEA are both > 500 miles, so that won't say much. If you do LAX-SAN and are at the bottom, then something might be up.
That you are the bottom isn't that surprising. LAX-YVR and LAX-SEA are both > 500 miles, so that won't say much. If you do LAX-SAN and are at the bottom, then something might be up.
Jan 30, 2018, 5:01 am
#375
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: INT/GSO/CLT/RDU
Programs: AA EXP 1MM; HH Gold; Bonvoy Gold; Wynd Diamond
Posts: 228