Yes, generally I'm near the top of the list (if I even get that far...I clear before the list is available on more than half my flights), but I get the impression I'm flying a lot of routes with low competition; I consider LAX-DFW about as "difficult" a route as I ever fly. My rolling EQD stay pretty steady around 16-17k, so it's not like I have massive spend or anything. Won't ever be in the CK conversation, that's for sure.

For reference, I was 4th on the list the day before, going DFW-LAX; I didn't try messing with that since it was just an A321 and I had a good exit row seat.

ORD-LGA this week and I'm #2 for 1 available seat.......I know from history 1-2 extra seats can usually free up due to misconnects and people moving up to earlier flights or later ones.

I ask GA how it's looking for me and she says not a chance but we'll come get you if something opens up.

Sure enough she comes on-board with my FC BP and even two others, saving me from 12C (MCE only had middles when I did confirmed flight change).

I'm hovering around 18k rolling EQDs. I'm 2 for 2 in SWUs, but have considerably lower percentage for domestic upgrades (mostly SFO-JFK red-eye). I'm pretty much 100% for short-haul domestic.

This happens with a great deal of regularity on the ORD-LGA flights AFTER 5pm that I've traveled on. Congrats.

Ditto... Was #3 on the list for my flight 2 days ago and didn't really care about the upgrade. I had the mid-cabin "window" exit row seat near the restroom.

That’s exactly where I am writing this post. Seat 23A on my back home from lax. This 321 however doesn’t have the nice IFE screens nor any power. It’s circa 1998.

Yeah!! The FA were very nice... Tried resetting the power and were told that other seats had issues as well. But they noticed that power was working from the IFE USB port. Needless to say, that news were viral in the immediate sections around me upon the FA giving me an update.

Just noticed that my SWU cleared a week in advance (SCL-DFW). Not expecting to wind the SFO-DFW-SFO battles. Will gladly accept my spot (1-5 expected) on the upgrade lists accordingly. Having the mid-cabin exit row seat does come as a comfort at this point.

I once was 7 on the list LGA-ORD... and got it..

Do you remember the equipment? Seems like they fly like every type they have on those NYC-Hub routes. I don't have rigorous analysis but it feels like my upgrade success depends a lot on what they're flying.

(Edit: no matter the frame, making it at 7th on the list is crazytown! Nice luck on that one.)

That unexpected early clear is always so nice; congrats. As I said a ways upthread, my LAX-AKL rt next week cleared a month out for both ways, and man that was just like Christmas.

I don't have many bay area flights in my dataset (in sig). Since adding upgrade data only one rt DFW-SJC, which both cleared. But just guessing at it I would agree SFO-DFW is a really tough get.

That said, assuming there haven't been any AA list-order changes (per my post above about LAX-DFW on the 24th) I would still waitlist such a route if it was on the 789 or 321T (or any other lie-flat). It doesn't cost anything if you miss, and I'll pay $75+15k for that lie-flat every day and twice on Sundays.

I will say, as someone who has flown regularly to South America over the last couple years, SWUs clearing in advance on SA routes is not exactly unexpected. I have a GRU and an EZE in late November and December which cleared two weeks ago. Great for us. Not so great for the AA bean-counters, I assume.

I agree... It was like a Christmas to some degree.

The DFW-SCL leg had C space available when I booked so I was upgraded immediately. And now with the return (SCL-DFW) clearing in advance, I'm totally cool. I may not be as smug boarding when boarding SFO-DFW-SFO. But I will be as such for the DFW-SCL-DFW legs of the trip. Besides, booking in PE make me feel smug with the EQM/EQD I'll earn overall for the entire trip.

Any SWU that isn’t redeemable at booking for long haul flights are a totally useless benefit. At least in my opinion.

Yes, I've multiple "get me on board" upgrades on this route. With flights every hour, things change constantly (sometimes for the worse, as CKs switch over).