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
Nov 1, 2018, 3:35 pm
#406
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
EXP with 25K in EQD this year. I've been having trouble getting systemwides to clear this year even on what I think are off-peak flights. Is this the new normal?
What EQD is required these days to get regular upgrades? Do you have to be CK at this point? I'm ex-NYC on major routes. Systemwides that have cleared have been T-24.
What EQD is required these days to get regular upgrades? Do you have to be CK at this point? I'm ex-NYC on major routes. Systemwides that have cleared have been T-24.
Apr 6, 2019, 9:53 am
#409
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Chicago
Posts: 318
I’m platinum pro and my wife is gold and we’re on the same reservation. She uses the 500 coupons to request an upgrade and I get complimentary upgrades for a flight. Is there a way to make sure she is placed next time me on the upgrade list vs. at the bottom with the rest of the golds?
Last edited by Traveler56789; Apr 6, 2019 at 10:16 am
Apr 8, 2019, 11:10 am
#410
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: AA: EXP, 1MM Marriott: Ambassador, LTT
Posts: 407
How are upgrades for multiple intl companions processed?
I am an EXP traveling with 3 family members on single PNR in W from LAX-NRT. All 4 of us are on waiting list for C upgrade space using 15K mile upgrades. I know that under AA rules only 1 companion can inherent your status, so technically only 2 of the 4 of us would have benefit of my EXP status and thus be close to front of the line for any C upgrade space.
My question is: does anyone know how upgrades are actually processed in a situation like this? For example, if they have 2 C spots when they get to me will they upgrade 2 of the 4 on the PNR or will they just skip me because I have 4 and they don't have 4 spots and/or only 1 companion can get benefit of my status? Alternatively, if they have 4 C would they upgrade the entire party or skip it entirely because only 1 companion get's benefit of my status? Is it a "YMMV" situation that depends on whoever is processing the upgrades?
My presupposition in both situations is that AA would just skip me because they won't upgrade only 2 of 4 people on a PNR and they won't extend more than 1 person my status. Given this, I am thinking that the best course of action is just to split the PNR into 2 and 2 as that at least gives me a fighting chance of securing 2 upgrades. Does that sound right or am I missing something?
My question is: does anyone know how upgrades are actually processed in a situation like this? For example, if they have 2 C spots when they get to me will they upgrade 2 of the 4 on the PNR or will they just skip me because I have 4 and they don't have 4 spots and/or only 1 companion can get benefit of my status? Alternatively, if they have 4 C would they upgrade the entire party or skip it entirely because only 1 companion get's benefit of my status? Is it a "YMMV" situation that depends on whoever is processing the upgrades?
My presupposition in both situations is that AA would just skip me because they won't upgrade only 2 of 4 people on a PNR and they won't extend more than 1 person my status. Given this, I am thinking that the best course of action is just to split the PNR into 2 and 2 as that at least gives me a fighting chance of securing 2 upgrades. Does that sound right or am I missing something?
Apr 15, 2019, 5:49 am
#411
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,753
Some Miscellaneous Upgrade Questions
May I ask the AA FT community for some assistance, please? I have some questions about upgrades.
1. I've heard that within an elite level (I recently attained EXP), upgrade priority is determined by EQD. Is this correct?
2. Assuming that I am correct (#1 above), do people here have a feeling for how many EQDs it takes? (I know that it may be different on different routes.) For example, I currently have 24,017 EQDs for calendar 2019. Is this considered a lot? A little? About in the middle? I'm likely to continue accumulating them at roughly the same rate throughout the year.
3. Assuming that I am correct (#1 above), does this apply to SWU upgrades as well as "sticker" upgrades?
4. Internationally, I would be interested in using SWUs to upgrade J to F ex-HKG to LAX or DFW. (I understand that there's no more AA metal F service ex-NRT.) Any idea what my odds for success are?
Thank you all in advance for your assistance!
1. I've heard that within an elite level (I recently attained EXP), upgrade priority is determined by EQD. Is this correct?
2. Assuming that I am correct (#1 above), do people here have a feeling for how many EQDs it takes? (I know that it may be different on different routes.) For example, I currently have 24,017 EQDs for calendar 2019. Is this considered a lot? A little? About in the middle? I'm likely to continue accumulating them at roughly the same rate throughout the year.
3. Assuming that I am correct (#1 above), does this apply to SWU upgrades as well as "sticker" upgrades?
4. Internationally, I would be interested in using SWUs to upgrade J to F ex-HKG to LAX or DFW. (I understand that there's no more AA metal F service ex-NRT.) Any idea what my odds for success are?
Thank you all in advance for your assistance!
Apr 15, 2019, 5:56 am
#412
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Dallas/Orlando
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 2,716
Scroll down to “upgrade prioritization” for answers to some of your queries. (EQD is rolling based on prior 12 months, not calendar year.)
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...am-updates.jsp
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...am-updates.jsp
Apr 15, 2019, 6:49 am
#413
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
The pecking order for upgrades on domestic are upgrade instrument (miles plus cash), SWUs, then complimentary which is determined by elite level(CK through Gold), and within those levels previous 12 month spend. What spend levels are like is a closely held secret within AA so it's very hard to determine if your 12 month spend (unless it's totally off the charts) would trump you over other EXPs. If you are or will continue on a track of nearly $25K EQD per quarter for 2019 (or a 12 month spend for 2019 of nearly $100K) you likely will be near the top of the heap. SWU would work like domestic upgrades although I believe the SWU is attached to the original owner so if it's gifted to someone it would clear based upon the owner's status and 12 month rolling EQDs.
As far as International it's upgrade instrument (miles plus cash) and SWU.
As far as International it's upgrade instrument (miles plus cash) and SWU.
Apr 15, 2019, 7:09 am
#414
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
The pecking order for upgrades on domestic are upgrade instrument (miles plus cash), SWUs, then complimentary which is determined by elite level(CK through Gold), and within those levels previous 12 month spend. What spend levels are like is a closely held secret within AA so it's very hard to determine if your 12 month spend (unless it's totally off the charts) would trump you over other EXPs. If you are or will continue on a track of nearly $25K EQD per quarter for 2019 (or a 12 month spend for 2019 of nearly $100K) you likely will be near the top of the heap. SWU would work like domestic upgrades although I believe the SWU is attached to the original owner so if it's gifted to someone it would clear based upon the owner's status and 12 month rolling EQDs.
As far as International it's upgrade instrument (miles plus cash) and SWU.
As far as International it's upgrade instrument (miles plus cash) and SWU.
Apr 15, 2019, 7:19 am
#415
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,468
Generally speaking, upgrades from J to F are MUCH easier than Y to J (this goes for all AA longhaul routes, not just HKG). With a little flexibility you will have zero trouble using your SWU's for J to F. Also note that AA will offer F on LAX-HND starting this summer.
Apr 15, 2019, 10:45 am
#417
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: TX
Programs: AA: EXP MR: Ti
Posts: 495
Only within a status level. An EXP comp upgrade comes before a PPRO on an instrument (SWU / Cash+Miles). Status trumps all (unless confirmable instrument upgrade space [C inventory] is available).
Apr 15, 2019, 12:06 pm
#418
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,753
What spend levels are like is a closely held secret within AA so it's very hard to determine if your 12 month spend (unless it's totally off the charts) would trump you over other EXPs. If you are or will continue on a track of nearly $25K EQD per quarter for 2019 (or a 12 month spend for 2019 of nearly $100K) you likely will be near the top of the heap.
Apr 15, 2019, 1:44 pm
#420
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,246
IMO, AA F isnt worth the SWU, especially given how nice the 77W seats are. I'd use them for vacations or Y/W to J upgrades. Now, if you never fly Y and they would go to waste then definitely (DFW-HKG or LAX-HKG are the most bang for your buck), but that's the only case in my opinion.