I sometimes put my seat on "seat alert" in EF, so when I'm upgraded, I can change seats if desired.

EXP with approx 30k 12 -month EQD

Booked on Aug 2, AA 912 SCL-MIA, Sept 16, on Y
Called EXP line, no C inventory available, put on waitlist.
On Aug 4, I got an EF alert of C inventory available at 9:32 AM Chile time (missed the alert, busy not checking emails)
Later that day, at 12:30 PM Chile time, I got an email from AA with the rebooked ticket, upgraded into J.

EXP, traveling with my wife (on a separate reservation, but normally having also inherited my status).

For the outbound (GRU-LAX-HKG - fantastic use of the SWUs), we both cleared at time of booking for GRU-LAX; but for LAX-HKG, only one seat in C was available. I gave it to the wife, and wait-listed myself. About 2 weeks later - and about 2 months before the trip - I also cleared into business on the LAX-HKG. So far, so good.

For our return (PEK-DFW-MIA-GRU, with stopover in Miami) - we've both wait-listed on all sectors. When requesting the upgrades, I asked that we be allowed to clear one at a time, so that piece-meal release of seats wouldn't doom us to being constantly skipped on the list. My question is: since we both have the identical status (EXP with identical EQD, namely, mine) - if only one seat is available at a time, will the system clear her, or me first? Does it make any difference? If so, how can we influence this?

For now, the J seat-maps look pretty empty on PEK-DFW (AA262, 4-Oct) and MIA-GRU (AA995, 7-Oct) seem fairly open... but this is no indication of actual inventory still for sale, so who knows what sort of chances we actually have.

UPDATE: Just one day after posting the question above, my upgrade cleared into "C" for PEK-DFW, while my wife's did not. I called in to the EXP desk to ask if we could switch, and two separate agents told me this wasn't possible. Presumably, since I cleared, and she was supposed to have identical status to my own, she'd be next in line. But contrary to the policy posted here, these agents both told me that my wife's priority on the upgrade waitlist would only be based on her own status (none), not on mine. I have a hard time believing them, but if true, it's not cool. Until day of travel, I have no way to know where she is on the list - and if she hasn't cleared by then, if she's not listed correctly, I suppose it will too late to do anything about it. For something that's supposed to be a treat (SWU), this is much more annoying a process than it should be!

That's a great idea - does it release the seat though for mileage or SWU's right away - I noticed normally you have to call in. Great way to tell if a 500 mile/comp upgrade cleared

The issue is, EF caps out at 7 on the fare buckets. So the flight could have been J15 R7 D7 in reality. They sold 7 out of the R/D buckets, 1 J and ended up with J7 R0 D0.

I probably won't make elite anymore for sometime. Yet I have 2 stickers (not even 3) in my account.
Are these basically useless or can I gift them to another Advantage member?

On Tuesday pm - DEN-DFW, CK boarding call had 12 line up! Seriously. I think only 3 were in J. 48 hrs out EF showed 0/0/0 up front. I with 13k rolling was #8 on the upgrade list.

Next to me in exit was a guy, also EP that did AUS-DFW-DEN on Sunday and was returning Tuesday afternoon. He had gone 0 for 4 on this trip.

I was upgraded for the DFW-DCA leg that evening. at T-72. Usually that’s tight.

DEN in the past was unpredictable in and out of DFW, in ski season sometimes it’s pretty bad, even midweek. But it has been increasingly tight year round now. Not to/from ORD, mostly DFW in my experience. No theory on this disparity.

Chances of clearing with stickers?

9/20 (Thurs) AA 2215 ORD-PHL
9/20 (Thurs) AA 845 PHL-PUJ

Currently Gold with <$2k EQD & flying with a companion

In theory you could use them if an elite got you a domestic upgrade as a companion. A non-elite used to be able to get a sticker upgrade on a full Y fare, but that appears to be no longer the case. However, as a practical matter they are useless until you get elite status again. You cannot transfer stickers to another member. I had four that I earned as a Gold in 1999 that sat in my account until 2010 when I got elite status again. Of course, if current trends continue they will be very difficult to use even if you do find yourself a Gold or Platinum again. Upgrades for those folks are increasingly elusive, and if you are a higher level elite you won't need the stickers.

I don't think that's true, everytime I try to use my wife's stickers for her when she gets upgraded with me, I'm told they have to come from my account.

PIT to SIN, best routing for upgrade chance?
 

Impossible to say without knowing more details, however historically flights to the Caribbean in the off season are not too difficult to clear for any elite level.