doombuggy

I am not looking to use my points to upgrade from Economy to First. My question is do they still offer a "day of" upgrade for a nominal price? I think Us Air used to do this. The flight I am on is #1881 MCO-PHL on 12/18/18 and all seats in 1st are showing empty (I could swear yesterday it showed 3 booked). In the past I have upgraded to 1st for $50 day of. But I used to get an email asking if I was interested. Has this gone the way of the dodo bird? My booking code for this flight was N.

When I look on their website, it sounds like this is still done, but you need to use a 500 mile upgrade you have or buy one for $40. So if I purchase the 500 mile upgrade to apply to this flight, that isn't going to guarantee that I get upgraded - They will tell me when I get to the airport? I don't have any elite status as I only fly about once per year. Am I grasping at straws on not getting the entire picture since I have been up since 4 am for work? :-) Can someone explain the process to me? Thank you for your help.

HLCinCOU

Sadly, there's no cash-only option anymore. You can do miles+cash, which should be 15k+$75 for a domestic route. The good news is that flight currently is C3, meaning if you call and do that right now they should be able to confirm you for the seat. If you don't have the 15k miles they can sell them to you, don't know the rates off the top of my head.

autdi

The 500 miles stickers are only for gold and plat, so those don't apply. In the past, at check-in, if this was going to be offered, that was when it would be offered. Generally at the airport, so the timeframe for a walkup first purchase is about gone, and there is nobody left to upgrade on the upgrade request list. It's also not likely to be $40, and in the past it has been a seemingly random number.

Uncle Nonny

You would need (2) 500 mile upgrades.

Reetmafreen

dkc192

As a non-elite member you are not eligible for 500-mile upgrades. You instead want to look for load-factor based upgrades (LFBUs), which are cash upgrades offered at OLCI if there are no elites waiting to upgrade with 500-mile upgrades. In a way, they're similar to how the old US Air program worked (I think), except they don't e-mail you in advance; it's all handled at OLCI.

Check this thread for more info on LFBUs: DOD / DODU (LFBU) Space-available, counter, kiosk, and online upgrade (master thd)

HLCinCOU

You could upgrade this flight with 500-mile upgrades (stickers), but you'll need 2 of them (MCO-PHL is 861 miles; each upgrade covers 500 miles of flying in J). So that's $80, and you're correct that you won't clear immediately. Worse, these upgrades are lower in priority than the miles+copay upgrades within each elite tier...and without status you'll be behind all the EXP/PRO complimentary upgrades and any PLT/GLD members who asked to use stickers. So your chances with this method are drastically lower than if you call now while C space is open and do the miles+copay option.

Edit: I didn't realize you had to be GLD to even use these. So...disregard. Leaving it here cause it's otherwise good information.

Normally I would say a no-status passenger has a very low chance of getting an upgrade on AA. But your specific flight has the award space wide open at the moment, so if you're willing spend the money for the miles+copay I think it's there for the taking.

wetrat0

As others have mentioned, you could look for a LFBU at check in. But I'm curious why you say you don't want to use your points to upgrade. Why not? If your flight is currently C3 you could clear a mileage upgrade right away. As a non-status member, that's the only avenue for a cleared upgrade before check in. And it's pretty unusual to have the space available. If you have the 15k you should go for it...

Often1

AA's practice is not to offer cash upgrades until all on the UG list are accommodated. That would be all CK, EXP, and PLATPRO as well as those PLAT & GOLD who have requested an UG (which they would pay with stickers).

The UG is typically about (although not necessarily) $50 per 500 miles and would thus be $100.

As an aside, it is worth looking at F prices at the time of booking. Those are often little more than the above.

platbrownguy

The glitch is that it sounds like OP is looking for a tens-of-dollars upgrade. We don't know for sure, but a ticket bought today would be ~$216 in Y and ~$534 in F, and it doesn't sound like OP wants to spend the delta. Nor might OP want to spend 15,000 miles + $75... even if you value the miles at only 1.5 cents each, that's still a $300 upgrade cost ($225 + $75).

OP, odds are very slim that there will be seats available for upgrade by the time your flight is eligible for check-in. Very very slim. But try to check in online right at T-24 hours, and if there is availability, you'll be presented with an option to buy up for somewhere in the neighborhood of $90-110. It won't be $50, because this is two 500-mile segments or portions thereof.

ijgordon

wetrat0

Well as you note it's not going to be a tens-of-dollars upgrade no matter what. AA's revenue management for F has gotten a lot better. While I personally would not spend 15k + 75 on this upgrade, the OP cared enough to come make a FT thread about it. So if OP really wants the upgrade it's the only option that isn't highly uncertain.

IADCAflyer

Those early departures ex MCO are rarely full in first.

Often1

Value is subjective. As is the importance of being assured an F seat. I would say it's nice if you get it, but not worth much to me for a short flight. Others would shell out $100 or miles+$75 without a thought.

IADCAflyer

If you have to pay to check a bag, having first means the baggage fee now becomes part of the cost. So if the upgrade is $100 and you would have had to pay $25 for a checked bag, that upgrade is now effectively only $75. You get fed breakfast on MCO-PHL (typically yogurt/granola or egg/ham breakfast sandwich), a drinky or two and a better seat. With the cost of airport food, consider the upgrade to be effectively $60.