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)
#376
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
Flying CLT-SMF on Monday evening. Still several seats open. Here's to hoping?
If not, I have 10F so I should be good either way.
If not, I have 10F so I should be good either way.
#377
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,497
I've sat in 10F on many flights and would argue that it might actually be better than sitting in F. Just grab something to eat at CLT and be prepared to settle in; that seems to be a sure way to get upgraded.
#378
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Stilllwater OK (SWO)
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, World of Hyatt Globalist, plain "member" of Marriott, IHG, enterprise, etc.
Posts: 1,849
Flew three segments lately
Here are the upgrade stats:
Wednesday afternoon DFW-MSP. 1 out of 12 upgrades cleared. I was third as a relatively low EQD plat pro.
Friday morning MSP-ORD 1 out of 36 upgrades cleared. (and boy was the woman who got it a total mess -- held up loading for 5 minutes punching in a fat roller bag that just barely fit in overhead space after much hassle, was actually talking on the phone during take-off, was on the computer during landing, got more than 4 drinks during the ~1 hour flight). Friday afternoon ORD-DFW. 1 out of 34 upgrades cleared.
I was in paid J the last two flights so I don't know where I would have standed. But needless to say, the upgrade benefit for anything but maybe concierge key is more myth than fact.
Here are the upgrade stats:
Wednesday afternoon DFW-MSP. 1 out of 12 upgrades cleared. I was third as a relatively low EQD plat pro.
Friday morning MSP-ORD 1 out of 36 upgrades cleared. (and boy was the woman who got it a total mess -- held up loading for 5 minutes punching in a fat roller bag that just barely fit in overhead space after much hassle, was actually talking on the phone during take-off, was on the computer during landing, got more than 4 drinks during the ~1 hour flight). Friday afternoon ORD-DFW. 1 out of 34 upgrades cleared.
I was in paid J the last two flights so I don't know where I would have standed. But needless to say, the upgrade benefit for anything but maybe concierge key is more myth than fact.
#379
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,587
What is true is that upgrade experience is highly variable based on routes, days, and time of day.
#380
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,675
Flew three segments lately
Here are the upgrade stats:
Wednesday afternoon DFW-MSP. 1 out of 12 upgrades cleared. I was third as a relatively low EQD plat pro.
Friday morning MSP-ORD 1 out of 36 upgrades cleared. (and boy was the woman who got it a total mess -- held up loading for 5 minutes punching in a fat roller bag that just barely fit in overhead space after much hassle, was actually talking on the phone during take-off, was on the computer during landing, got more than 4 drinks during the ~1 hour flight). Friday afternoon ORD-DFW. 1 out of 34 upgrades cleared.
I was in paid J the last two flights so I don't know where I would have standed. But needless to say, the upgrade benefit for anything but maybe concierge key is more myth than fact.
Here are the upgrade stats:
Wednesday afternoon DFW-MSP. 1 out of 12 upgrades cleared. I was third as a relatively low EQD plat pro.
Friday morning MSP-ORD 1 out of 36 upgrades cleared. (and boy was the woman who got it a total mess -- held up loading for 5 minutes punching in a fat roller bag that just barely fit in overhead space after much hassle, was actually talking on the phone during take-off, was on the computer during landing, got more than 4 drinks during the ~1 hour flight). Friday afternoon ORD-DFW. 1 out of 34 upgrades cleared.
I was in paid J the last two flights so I don't know where I would have standed. But needless to say, the upgrade benefit for anything but maybe concierge key is more myth than fact.
#381
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Palm Beach/ New England
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, DL GM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,383
I am a $20K EQD ExecPlat, and my flights are running around 60% success for e500 eligible upgrades.
I fly Thursdays and Sundays. My rare midweek flights are more like 80%
I fly Thursdays and Sundays. My rare midweek flights are more like 80%
#382
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Tampa, FL
Programs: AAdantage EXP
Posts: 41
Wanted to reach out to the group to see the success rate of a SWU clearing from DFW-Hawaii (not sure if we will be going to Oahu or Maui). I’m going to be taking my wife in March-April timeframe. My plan is to use miles to have her in first and I was going to use a voucher I have to buy economy and use a SWU. Day of the week doesn’t matter to us I was just hoping the forum would have an idea of a SWU success rate.
Im an EXP with approximately $23k in annual spend.
Im an EXP with approximately $23k in annual spend.
#385
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,148
Also avoid flying close to spring break.
#386
Join Date: May 2013
Programs: N/A
Posts: 685
Regarding SFO-NYC-SFO on Thu. Would it be safer to assume the latest or last flights out of each evening have higher upgrade priority?
#387
Join Date: May 2013
Programs: N/A
Posts: 685
I just flew a DFW-FAR R/T on an E175. Outbound and return cleared at T24. When I cleared with my son, there were only 3 other F pax until T4 on both legs.
All that to say that sometimes AA just holds space before clearing thru the requests. Even on a lowly DFW-FAR route.
So expect to go to gate clearing on your flight to LAX, IMO.
#388
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Stilllwater OK (SWO)
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, World of Hyatt Globalist, plain "member" of Marriott, IHG, enterprise, etc.
Posts: 1,849
Originally Posted by SeattleDavid
Yes, I would like an upgrade, but if the seats can be sold and can keep the airline afloat, then thats a good thing.
I've only been platpro since my challenge period started in May, and since this last bout of extra unexpected travel came to pass, I will end up meeting the challenge and be Plat Pro until Jan 2020. My bet is that my upgrade % when all is said and done will come to 0-5%.
#389
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Kansas City, USA
Programs: AA Gold, Delta Platinum, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat, AVIS Preferred, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,066
DATA POINT: My MCI-PHL-BNA tomorrow and BNA-PHL-MCI on Wednesday morning both cleared close to T-72 (even with two segments on the dreaded A319) as a PlatPro. I've done 63 segments so far this year and been upgraded on 55 of them so about 87%.. Luckily, flying out of MCI helps a lot with that percentage. Also, I've done a lot of Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday morning travel which has also helped.