EXP: Same Day Flight Change & Upgrade List?
 

Had a flight this week where I decided to exercise a same day flight change. I was on a 7p flight and there was a 4p flight. I wasn't sure I'd make the airport before 4p so I didn't call ahead, figured I'd just do it at the gate if I made it to the airport in time. It was pretty close, but I arrived at the desk shortly before boarding began.

They had not begun to distribute the upgrades to 1st when I arrived at the gate but they were printing them out. I pretty much always get upgraded on that particular flight so I asked the gate agent if she'd process my flight change and put me on the upgrade list before she handed out the upgrades. Why not, right?

Let me tell you - this gate agent had some serious attitude - she told me that if I changed flights I would NOT be eligible for the upgrade list. Now I wasn't gonna sit there and fight with her, but I'm pretty sure she was wrong. I wasn't doing a same day standby - I was doing a same day flight change, which is complimentary for EXP. Things might have been different if they haven't already begun printing out the boarding passes for those that they had just decided to upgrade - hey, I get it, I could have gotten there ten minutes earlier or I could have just called the EXP desk and had them made the change earlier in the day. I didn't want to do that because I knew the timing was gonna be super close (and because I had a confirmed upgrade on the 7p flight) - I didn't want to give that up, not make the flight, and then maybe not get it later.

Anyway, was the GA right? Does executing a SDFC preclude you from getting on the upgrade list? I get last minute expectations and all that, but if I do a SDFC in the future with plenty of time, must I forgo the potential of an upgrade?

thx, danbrew

She was wrong.
You are right.
I did this a couple years ago no problem.

You were misinformed. You are certainly eligible for an upgrade even if you did same day confirmed change. However, I have had some issues with getting put on the upgrade list automatically when I do a same day confirmed change. You can call AA or send a message on Twitter (I believe it needs to be at least 2 hours before departure) and ask them to add you to the upgrade list. If within 2 hours, then you need to see an agent at the airport and have them add you to the list.

Just yesterday, I did a same day flight change using the app. Then I called the EXP line but they couldn't put me on the upgrade list because it's too close to the departure time. The agent at the ticket counter was able to put me on the list when I arrived at the airport. Got upgrade during boarding.

Not sure if this is an exact replication of the facts, but last Friday I arrived at the airport a bit early for a 4pm flight that had an EXP upgrade confirmed seat. That 4pm flight already had about a 1 hour delay. The earlier (2pm) flight to my destination was also delayed about an hour, so they asked if I wanted to take that flight instead. I said "well I am already in F for the 4pm flight, but I will take the 2 (now 3) pm flight if you there is F available." The ticket agent said "yes, there is 1 seat still available in F" and then started typing into her computer.

I'm sure most of you know what boarding pass she gave me...it was not in F. She said "don't worry, you are at the top of the list." I checked the app after I cleared security, and I was #1 on the list. By the time i got to the gate, i could see that #2 had cleared, and there my name was at #1 with no checkmark.
So the gate agent had cleared #2 because I was not at the gate, even though I was on the way and the Ticket agent had just checked me in as #1 about 10 minutes before.

Bottom Line = don't trust the Ticket counter to be in-step with the gate agents when you are changing flights.

This improper upgrade clearing is so frustrating. This past week, however, I was pleasantly surprised by a positive experience, contrary to yours. I was booked on the noon LGA-BOS shuttle but arrived at LGA at 9:26am or so. The ticket counter agent was able to confirm me on the 10am in Y, and while she was doing so she made a discreet phone call. I only heard my last name being spelled out, by I suspect she might have been talking to the gate agent for my new flight, informing them that they had a new #1 on the upgrade list who was still at the ticket counter and asking them to clear the list properly. Regardless of whether the ticket counter and gate agents conversed, I got to the gate at 9:45am and was handed a new BP for F. So, credit where credit is due, at least to the gate agent for following proper upgrade procedures, and maybe to the ticket counter agent for helping her colleague at the gate do so!

My experience is first your flight change must take place and you get an assigned coach seat. Then you can be put on the upgrade list and of course if other EXP who already had a place on that flight are ahead of you, they get preference. If no one is before you and an upgrade can clear the agent can print your upgrade boarding pass immediately. But in all honesty it sounds like you only made it to the gate 30 minutes prior as boarding was beginning, if they were already in the process of "printing" out the upgrades already. I've done this quite often during connections and usually chose to sit in coach to get home earlier rather than wait 3 or 4 hours for my confirmed upgrade on the original flight.