Dec 17, 2017, 12:15 pm
Last edit by: aztimm
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
- Platinum
- Platinum Pro
- Executive Platinum
- Upgrade type
- Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades (SWU)
- 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets
- 500 mile upgrades on upgrade eligible awards)
- 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets
- Elite qualifying dollars in the past 12 months
- Booking class
- Time of request"
- Booking class
- Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades (SWU)
- Concierge Key
See Upgrade Priority Changes to Status, Rolling 365 Day EQD Spend May 20 2017
Link to Gary Leff, View From the Wing 16 May 2017
Updated 17 Dec 2017 by aztimm
Chances of Upgrade Clearing and Availability (2018 master thread)
Mar 22, 2018, 7:49 pm
#166
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, Owner of 2,000 TWA shares
Posts: 812
I wouldn't burn your 500 mile upgrades on these quickies.
Mar 23, 2018, 5:07 am
#167
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 34
Just an update. My SWU confirmed yesterday on AA27 LAX-HND. There are 2 more C spaces available for anyone else who might be heading in the same direction. Still waiting on AA26.
Mar 23, 2018, 8:13 pm
#169
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 480
Normally I agree, but....
Agreed. These are kinda of use it or lose it sort of deal for me. Personal domestic travel is paid F, but this is an unusual work travel situation. Personal travel will be down this year, so I doubt I requalify for Gold.
Mar 24, 2018, 7:51 am
#170
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: DCA | DEN
Programs: AA EXP/2.9mm | Marriott LT Titanium 1.6k nights | NEXUS
Posts: 981
On a decent streak of my last six clearing. Was recently on DFW-DEN and cleared after boarding before we pushed back. EXP but 4/21 on the list, but they ended up clearing six seats after boarding. Assuming a family missed their original flight / or connection, since I noticed F was pretty empty when I boarded.
Haven’t commented on this thread yet this year. I am pretty impressed with upgrades clearing at or near T-100. Except for some reason DFW-DEN...I think it was convention traffic ‘buying up’ for these trips.
Mar 24, 2018, 1:17 pm
#172
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,236
You've posted this before and I still am shocked. I'm batting probably 90 something % and the ones I have missed are last minute IAH-DFW flights which seem to have 40 people on the waitlist and one DFW-DEN flight that was J0 when I booked it.
It may be worth dropping a note to AA to just have them check. I had a 3 month period a few years where I either wasn't on the UG list or was in some absolutely incorrect position (and I know because a PLT friend cleared at the gate before I did). Now, it may just be your husbands travel patterns and EQD thats causing this, but 3/18 seems shockingly low.
It may be worth dropping a note to AA to just have them check. I had a 3 month period a few years where I either wasn't on the UG list or was in some absolutely incorrect position (and I know because a PLT friend cleared at the gate before I did). Now, it may just be your husbands travel patterns and EQD thats causing this, but 3/18 seems shockingly low.
Mar 24, 2018, 1:20 pm
#173
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,236
I know that I cant upgrade from coach to first. I only mentioned the 2 first class was open if 2 business class seats upgraded to 1st, then there would have been 2 business class seat open and I would have been upgraded. But that didn't happen.
If I requested my upgraded earlier 3-4 weeks prior there were a ton of open seats similar to the LAX-HKG flight that I might have gotten a chance to upgrade.
I'm just trying reinforcing the notion that LAX-HKG-LAX is easier to upgrade if a gold with no EQD can upgrade putting a request 3 weeks before the flight.
If I requested my upgraded earlier 3-4 weeks prior there were a ton of open seats similar to the LAX-HKG flight that I might have gotten a chance to upgrade.
I'm just trying reinforcing the notion that LAX-HKG-LAX is easier to upgrade if a gold with no EQD can upgrade putting a request 3 weeks before the flight.
Why not?
Mar 24, 2018, 1:25 pm
#174
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SNA
Posts: 18,240
He was at about 14K EQD's last year. This week he was number 2 on the waitlist LAX-JFK. Number 9 and 10 were upgraded from Business to First after boarding, no one else. AA says "business went out full" but won't say what happened to those 2 business seats. I suspect non-rev as he said several did not board when groups 1-4 boarded. He was number 5 coming back JFK-LAX, one got upgraded.
But that's a pretty typical pattern for this year. He's anywhere from 2 to 5 on the list and 0 to 2 people get upgraded, but not him. So I think he is in the right spot on the list for his EQDs.
It is really discouraging though. He's even been talking about just not wanting to do his job anymore.
The year is 25% over. 18 domestic flights, 3 upgrades. 19.9% of the way to qualifying again as an EXP on EQD's, 30.7% on EQM's. This will be his 11th year as an EXP if he does requal.
But that's a pretty typical pattern for this year. He's anywhere from 2 to 5 on the list and 0 to 2 people get upgraded, but not him. So I think he is in the right spot on the list for his EQDs.
It is really discouraging though. He's even been talking about just not wanting to do his job anymore.
The year is 25% over. 18 domestic flights, 3 upgrades. 19.9% of the way to qualifying again as an EXP on EQD's, 30.7% on EQM's. This will be his 11th year as an EXP if he does requal.
Mar 24, 2018, 2:51 pm
#175
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: AA-EXP
Posts: 615
No offense, but 14k EQDs is very low. I am about 25k rolling EQDs and have missed quite a few upgrades this year, particularly hub to hub routes. Typically I am in the 5 or 6 position on any CLT or DFW flight, and many go out full F without clearing anyone off the list.
Mar 24, 2018, 3:38 pm
#176
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,313
I'm only 50% upgrading on LAX-MIA so far, and I'm using miles and copay - still usually 2 or 3 on the list, and they've been going out full ever since they cut out the 77W. Even now with the 772 back in the schedule for a few weeks, still often going out full. Of the 4 successes, two were upgrades confirmable in advance with miles/copay (before they clamped down on that) the other two were battlefield (but still SWUs). If I relied on my Exp Status for complimentary, I'd be 0 for 8.
Mar 24, 2018, 4:02 pm
#177
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,447
Yeah, 14k is on the lower end. I'm around there myself (somewhere in the 14-16k range), and found myself 23rd on the list last month for a Monday evening DFW-BOS! (It was a holiday weekend, so the date/time is comparable to a Sunday evening flight.)
Mar 24, 2018, 4:21 pm
#178
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SNA
Posts: 18,240
No offense taken, but after 10 years of 70 to 80 percent and not really changing domestic flying patterns it is tough to to have everything turned upside down.
Mar 24, 2018, 4:45 pm
#179
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,689
Cost Rica SJO>PHX flt 2803 elite upgrade sucess? (to merge)
Anyone here familiar with San Jose Costa Rica SJO>PHX in March and early April for elite upgrades for Plat and Exec Plats? Do you clear?
Mar 24, 2018, 4:57 pm
#180
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,236
I had a couple of 5k+ EQD flights in Jan and Feb 2017.. rest of 2017 was relatively quiet. Definitely noticed come end of Feb, I dropped from the 1-2 spot to 4-5 and then lower. Slowly climbing back up.