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)
Aug 23, 2018, 8:38 pm
#512
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
Last edited by bse118; Aug 23, 2018 at 8:39 pm Reason: removed silly FT hashtag autoformat
Aug 23, 2018, 8:43 pm
#513
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,009
I have only been EXP for two years now but I have been extremely pleased with my upgrade percentage. I didn't hold elite status back in the mid 2000's glory days of upgrades but it sure feels pretty close.
$18K rolling EQD so not a big spender by any means compared to other EXP's
80/82 on segments YTD
Two misses were A319's (CLT-BNA Wed evening & TPA-MIA Thurs morning). Most of my success comes from avoiding those whenever possible. I believe I'm still around 10/12 on A319 upgrades. 85% of flights going through CLT with 5% each split between MIA, PHL, and DFW. Wide mix of travel days but all during the week or Sunday PM and a wide range of cities (BOS, BWI, IAH, MIA) but very few transcons. Used a couple of BXP1's for CLT-LAS and return but otherwise everything else has been CPU. 90% or so come at 100hr mark and only 1 was at the gate. Biggest surprise so far was PHL-CLT on a Thursday evening. Received the upgrade at 100hrs and the flight left with 54 people on upgrade list.
For a comparison I ran a status challenge with Delta at the beginning of the year and was around 40% as a PM over 15 segments or so. Whenever I have any thought of switching I figure that a marginally lower on time percentage will only result in a headache every once in a while and it's certainly bearable to almost always get upgraded and enjoy a stronger mileage program.
$18K rolling EQD so not a big spender by any means compared to other EXP's
80/82 on segments YTD
Two misses were A319's (CLT-BNA Wed evening & TPA-MIA Thurs morning). Most of my success comes from avoiding those whenever possible. I believe I'm still around 10/12 on A319 upgrades. 85% of flights going through CLT with 5% each split between MIA, PHL, and DFW. Wide mix of travel days but all during the week or Sunday PM and a wide range of cities (BOS, BWI, IAH, MIA) but very few transcons. Used a couple of BXP1's for CLT-LAS and return but otherwise everything else has been CPU. 90% or so come at 100hr mark and only 1 was at the gate. Biggest surprise so far was PHL-CLT on a Thursday evening. Received the upgrade at 100hrs and the flight left with 54 people on upgrade list.
For a comparison I ran a status challenge with Delta at the beginning of the year and was around 40% as a PM over 15 segments or so. Whenever I have any thought of switching I figure that a marginally lower on time percentage will only result in a headache every once in a while and it's certainly bearable to almost always get upgraded and enjoy a stronger mileage program.
You'd be at 40% in DFW like I am.
Aug 24, 2018, 5:55 am
#514
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,191
Just cleared 2 seats J to F on AA 20 DFW to LHR for Nov 16
Pretty impressed..
Pretty impressed..
Aug 24, 2018, 12:11 pm
#515
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,507
Not sure why you are confused. You asked for advice on whether you should change your flight for the 14th or 15th. Up to you on what you want to do but if dates are not an issue, I would go with the day that you can get a better chance of upgrading.
Aug 24, 2018, 7:01 pm
#516
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Phoenix/Columbus
Programs: Delta Silver Medallion, United Gold, US Airways silver
Posts: 1,717
PHL => GLA
Upgraded @ <T24 hours with SWUs. AA 24, PHL => GLA, 8/25/2018, Mrs Remedy & me. Seats not together, but same row, window/aisle opposite sides. Hoping for the "dreaded switch" but happy to be up front.
Last edited by remedy; Aug 24, 2018 at 7:02 pm Reason: added content
Aug 25, 2018, 9:10 am
#517
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
LOL. OP is confused (as am I) because the question was which day has better odds of upgrading -- 14th, or 15th? Your response (twice now) has been to go with the day that has the better odds of upgrading... That was the question!
Aug 25, 2018, 1:22 pm
#518
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: JFK
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 29
Dfw-PVG
I cleared both directions for DFW-PVG, leaving on 8/29, with first flight clearing when I made the request in late July and return flight a week later clearing about three weeks ago. This is with a paid + miles upgrade from premium economy to business.
I am Platinum and will cross over to Platinum Pro during this trip.
I am Platinum and will cross over to Platinum Pro during this trip.
Aug 25, 2018, 2:31 pm
#519
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
This morning, booked award ticket for tomorrow, IAD-CLT-LAS. Cleared IAD-CLT before the ticket issued; cleared CLT-LAS at T-28 hours, just in time to special order a meal. Pretty good for a redemption ticket I thought.
Also booked award LAS-DFW-DCA for Tuesday, cleared LAS-DFW already.
Also booked award LAS-DFW-DCA for Tuesday, cleared LAS-DFW already.
Aug 26, 2018, 9:51 am
#520
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,009
For some reason unknown to man and all that is green on this earth, I cleared at #1 on the list (for one seat) out of 38 people on a Friday afternoon ORD-DFW flight.
Aug 27, 2018, 12:42 am
#521
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: QDF
Programs: AA EXP (2MM), Marriott Tit
Posts: 1,037
Missed my first miles/systemwide upgrade ever on Saturday's AA78 (7:15 pm DFW-LHR). Frustrating, because the 10:10 departure was C3. I did ask at the DFW "premium" lounge about changing to the later flight (which would have required changing my LHR-MUC segment); no way to do it other than to re-ticket.
Fortunately, I was in W, and I don't sleep on TATLs anyway, so really not a problem.
Fortunately, I was in W, and I don't sleep on TATLs anyway, so really not a problem.
Aug 27, 2018, 5:33 am
#522
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
edit to add: and zero of 27 cleared at the gate. Shocked to have cleared this one!
Last edited by platbrownguy; Aug 28, 2018 at 6:09 am
Aug 28, 2018, 7:34 pm
#523
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: BNA and FLL
Programs: National Executive Elite, IHG Diamond Elite, Hilton Gold, SW A List, Marriott Gold
Posts: 964
How are flights on Christmas (25th)? Is F typically full on this date or do I have a shot at an upgrade on the redeye from LAS to MIA?
Aug 29, 2018, 6:00 pm
#524
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA EXP (LT Plat 2MM), Marriott Plat, IHG Plat, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Plat, SPG Plat75, UA1K
Posts: 1,248
Flying PHL-CDG on 9/1. EXP+1, paid Premium Economy with rolling EQD in the mid-$8K range. Returning 9/9 AMS-DFW again in paid Premium Economy and now my EQD's should be in the $9K range. Thoughts?
Aug 29, 2018, 6:21 pm
#525
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Southern California
Programs: AA EXPlat, 2.4MM; HHonors Diamond
Posts: 580