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)
Oct 25, 2018 | 1:35 pm
#676
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
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.
Oct 25, 2018 | 1:42 pm
#677
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
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 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).
Oct 25, 2018 | 3:04 pm
#678
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 181
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.
Oct 25, 2018 | 3:12 pm
#679
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP 1.0mm, not sure where I am with hotels these days
Posts: 2,822
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 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).
Oct 26, 2018 | 3:30 pm
#680
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,793
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.
Oct 26, 2018 | 3:40 pm
#681
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 31,464
Thats exactly where I am writing this post. Seat 23A on my back home from lax. This 321 however doesnt have the nice IFE screens nor any power. Its circa 1998.
Oct 26, 2018 | 3:46 pm
#682
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,793
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.
Oct 26, 2018 | 3:48 pm
#683
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,793
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.
Oct 26, 2018 | 4:13 pm
#684
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 122
I once was 7 on the list LGA-ORD... and got it..
Oct 26, 2018 | 7:04 pm
#685
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
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.)
(Edit: no matter the frame, making it at 7th on the list is crazytown! Nice luck on that one.)
Oct 26, 2018 | 7:32 pm
#686
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
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.
Oct 26, 2018 | 8:51 pm
#687
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,377
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.
Oct 26, 2018 | 9:00 pm
#688
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,793
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 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.
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.
Oct 26, 2018 | 9:49 pm
#689
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 31,464
Any SWU that isn’t redeemable at booking for long haul flights are a totally useless benefit. At least in my opinion.
Oct 27, 2018 | 10:03 am
#690
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA- EXP UA - Silver SPG- PLT Marriott- PLT
Posts: 868