Scored an upgrade JFK-SFO w/500's as a Gold - common?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Under the Cone of Silence
Programs: UA Gold; AA Dirt; HH Diamond; National Emerald; CONTROL SecretAgent Platinum; KAOS EvilFlyer Gold
Posts: 1,497
Scored an upgrade JFK-SFO w/500's as a Gold - common?
In the last week of August, I flew JFK-SFO, and my upgrade from Y to C cleared right at T-24 hours when I did online checkin. Since I can count on 1 finger the number of >500 mile mainline upgrades I've gotten in the past 2 years (it was SEA-PHX, while I was boarding), I was pleasantly shocked.
This was a Monday afternoon 4 PM departure, which I assumed would have been a high-demand flight.
As a Gold, and who will probably just barely requalify for Gold based on both miles and dollars, I'm just curious, did I get extremely lucky, possibly due to the week before Labor Day, or is this perhaps more common than I imagine, given the large number of business class seats? (If the latter, I may try to route through JFK rather than CLT or PHL in the future.)
[Aside- unfortunately the service this time around was woefully poor, compared to one past JFK-SFO flight on AA (which was awesome), and several earlier JFK-LAX/SFO on UA. But still worth the upgrade over Y!]
This was a Monday afternoon 4 PM departure, which I assumed would have been a high-demand flight.
As a Gold, and who will probably just barely requalify for Gold based on both miles and dollars, I'm just curious, did I get extremely lucky, possibly due to the week before Labor Day, or is this perhaps more common than I imagine, given the large number of business class seats? (If the latter, I may try to route through JFK rather than CLT or PHL in the future.)
[Aside- unfortunately the service this time around was woefully poor, compared to one past JFK-SFO flight on AA (which was awesome), and several earlier JFK-LAX/SFO on UA. But still worth the upgrade over Y!]
#4
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
In the last week of August, I flew JFK-SFO, and my upgrade from Y to C cleared right at T-24 hours when I did online checkin. Since I can count on 1 finger the number of >500 mile mainline upgrades I've gotten in the past 2 years (it was SEA-PHX, while I was boarding), I was pleasantly shocked.
This was a Monday afternoon 4 PM departure, which I assumed would have been a high-demand flight.
As a Gold, and who will probably just barely requalify for Gold based on both miles and dollars, I'm just curious, did I get extremely lucky, possibly due to the week before Labor Day, or is this perhaps more common than I imagine, given the large number of business class seats? (If the latter, I may try to route through JFK rather than CLT or PHL in the future.)
[Aside- unfortunately the service this time around was woefully poor, compared to one past JFK-SFO flight on AA (which was awesome), and several earlier JFK-LAX/SFO on UA. But still worth the upgrade over Y!]
This was a Monday afternoon 4 PM departure, which I assumed would have been a high-demand flight.
As a Gold, and who will probably just barely requalify for Gold based on both miles and dollars, I'm just curious, did I get extremely lucky, possibly due to the week before Labor Day, or is this perhaps more common than I imagine, given the large number of business class seats? (If the latter, I may try to route through JFK rather than CLT or PHL in the future.)
[Aside- unfortunately the service this time around was woefully poor, compared to one past JFK-SFO flight on AA (which was awesome), and several earlier JFK-LAX/SFO on UA. But still worth the upgrade over Y!]
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SFO or OAK
Programs: AA 1MM GLD, Hertz #1 Gold, bunch of other programs w/no status
Posts: 1,445
My wife and I are both Gold. Traveling with our 2 kids, we once scored sticker upgrades for all 4 of us, SFO-JFK. But it was a Saturday flight before the Xmas holidays, so light on business travelers.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,215
I was on the SFO -> JFK 3:15PM transcon last Tuesday as Plat and put in for a stickers upgrade. I didn't clear and was 8/14 on the list. I think one person had their upgrade clear.
#9
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,863
1) AA continues to lose market share on NYC-originating flights; as a result, upgrades as a lower level elite can be had, especially on off-peak times
2) AA has cut back on its JFK to SFO service in favor of JFK to LAX, indicating it is losing even more share on this route
Overall, if your objective is to use stickers to upgrade, NYC is probably one of the best places in the AA system to do it. Just figure out the flights with the lowest elite load.
2) AA has cut back on its JFK to SFO service in favor of JFK to LAX, indicating it is losing even more share on this route
Overall, if your objective is to use stickers to upgrade, NYC is probably one of the best places in the AA system to do it. Just figure out the flights with the lowest elite load.
#10
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYZ/MGA
Programs: AA 1MM Lifetime Gold, AA Platinum, WS Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 7,607
Taking into account the flight, day of week and time of day the odds are/were 0.886% of happening.
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Under the Cone of Silence
Programs: UA Gold; AA Dirt; HH Diamond; National Emerald; CONTROL SecretAgent Platinum; KAOS EvilFlyer Gold
Posts: 1,497
Sounds like I should be happy to have bagged a unicorn on this one, but will keep JFK in mind if I can travel off-peak for transcons.
I was thinking in terms of people spending part of Monday at work then heading to SFO for the remainder of the week, but perhaps that's not as prevalent as I had imagined.
I did. Apparently I used up all my luck getting the upgrade.
Since I cleared at T-24, it was one of the few times I didn't pay attention to the list, though I think I remember it was pretty long.
As a former United 1K I've had plenty of upgrades in the past, and recognize that it can be hit or miss on any given flight.
Nice to be considered a one-percenter!
I did. Apparently I used up all my luck getting the upgrade.
Nice to be considered a one-percenter!
#12
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 134
In the last week of August, I flew JFK-SFO, and my upgrade from Y to C cleared right at T-24 hours when I did online checkin. Since I can count on 1 finger the number of >500 mile mainline upgrades I've gotten in the past 2 years (it was SEA-PHX, while I was boarding), I was pleasantly shocked.
This was a Monday afternoon 4 PM departure, which I assumed would have been a high-demand flight.
As a Gold, and who will probably just barely requalify for Gold based on both miles and dollars, I'm just curious, did I get extremely lucky, possibly due to the week before Labor Day, or is this perhaps more common than I imagine, given the large number of business class seats? (If the latter, I may try to route through JFK rather than CLT or PHL in the future.)
[Aside- unfortunately the service this time around was woefully poor, compared to one past JFK-SFO flight on AA (which was awesome), and several earlier JFK-LAX/SFO on UA. But still worth the upgrade over Y!]
This was a Monday afternoon 4 PM departure, which I assumed would have been a high-demand flight.
As a Gold, and who will probably just barely requalify for Gold based on both miles and dollars, I'm just curious, did I get extremely lucky, possibly due to the week before Labor Day, or is this perhaps more common than I imagine, given the large number of business class seats? (If the latter, I may try to route through JFK rather than CLT or PHL in the future.)
[Aside- unfortunately the service this time around was woefully poor, compared to one past JFK-SFO flight on AA (which was awesome), and several earlier JFK-LAX/SFO on UA. But still worth the upgrade over Y!]
#14
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA Gold, Marriott Plat
Posts: 456
Rare, but can happen. I had a JFK-LAX clear on a Saturday evening depart in March. AND the seat in business next to me went empty! 500 mile upgrades are becoming more and more rare now - to all most impossible. The joys of being gold.