MSPeconomist

How short of requalifying for status will the OP be at the end of the year? It sounds like he/she is currently doing a decent amount of flying. Maybe a MR would make sense in this case and should be considered.

on-a-stick

I am in the exact same situation - same status, same airport, same lack of flying this year - and that is exactly what I'll be doing. In the absence of the soft landing policy I will get my Gold status this year. Just waiting for the right MR.

If the modest benefits of Gold (including the right to use stickers) are important to you, OP, it is in your interest to make sufficient MRs to hit Gold this year.

airinjay

I can't seem to find this anywhere online, nor do gate agents have a consistent answer...

I'm a Platinum. On American (Pre-merger), it used to be that you could show up to the airport and request directly from a gate agent to be put on the upgrade list. They would then simply add you to the list. Then, if you get cleared, you're golden. Nothing changed to your account.

Now, in seemingly random instances, if I do the same thing, my 500 mile upgrades are being deducted from my account (obviously only in cases when I'm upgraded). I'm getting inconsistent "rules" from different GAs saying even if I request to be put on the upgrade list at the gate itself, it will still eat my 500 mile balance, while other times the GA seems to use a code where I simply get upgraded the old way (not deducting the 500 mile upgrades).

What is going on? What's the rule? What code are they supposed to use for standby upgrades??

Also, I understand how 500 mile upgrades are earned and used so not asking about using them.

Thanks!

AtlanticX

It depends. Flights under 500 miles requires no "stickers", flights over 500 miles require 2 stickers + 1 more for each full 500 miles.

E.g.
200 miles is 0 stickers
499 miles is 0 stickers
501 miles is 2 stickers.
800 miles is 2 stickers
999 miles is 2 stickers.
1001 miles is 3 stickers.
etc.

Both pre-cleared requests and standby upgrade requests should be using the same amount (or lack thereof) of stickers.

[ed. to ask]
You mean on US Airways (Pre-merger), right?

dickinson

As stated in the post above, there is no such thing as an "airport standby upgrade" that does not require stickers (500 mile upgrades). The only exception to needing stickers is if the flight is less than 500 miles.
I never had the experience you cite in the second paragraph of your post, pre-merger.

UltraSean

Exactly what's going on. From my perspective I don't really like standby upgrade requests since it's way less likely to get upgraded as most elites get pre-cleared before the day of departure.

JDiver

Platinums and Golds have not been able to request complimentary upgrades at the gate on American Airlines; only recently did AA allow complimentary "domestic" upgrades for flights of 499 or fewer miles. Prior to that change, 500 mile stickers or other instruments were required.

Executive Platinums alone have (unlimited) complimentary upgrades on so-called domestic flights.

There is no such thing as an airport standby upgrade.

As 500 mile "sticker" upgrades are required for the upgrades you're discussing (other than under 500 mile flights), we have merged your query into this thread. Please read the wikipost for further information.

/Moderator

RogerD408

I believe what you've experienced before is what's called an OP-UP, for operational upgrade. This is where the GA has decided to upgrade your seat with the assumption they would be able to clear a standby into coach. This is a very last ditch effort to fill the plane and are few and far between for many people, if at all. AA is a company in the business to make money, providing transportation is secondary. So if they can "charge" either cash or other instrument, that goes to their bottom line. Good customer service no longer means anything to businesses.

355F1

I will make EXP next month.

I have switched to AA this year from DL.

Can I use 500-miles stickers on a trip from Phoenix/LAX-Hawaii in August to be placed ahead of any other EXPs hoping to get a free upgrade to First?

(Kinda like I can use a Delta RUC to hop in front of the upgrade queue if there are other Diamonds ahead of me on more expensive fares)

RogerD408

No, once you make EXP, you no longer earn 500-Mile upgrades, nor do you burn any to get upgraded. Your best bet is to book and request the upgrades as early as possible and get your rez refreshed after making EXP. That will put you behind those willing to burn an SWU, but inline with the EXPs based upon request date. Starting at about T-100 hours, AA will slowly release inventory for upgrades.

IrishAyes

you guys rock.

thank you for being so quick to respond.

i had no idea that the stickers never expired, and just became dormant when you didn't re-qualify.

thats really good news.

i likely won't be re-qualifying this year since my work travel has subsided greatly and ill be going back to school this fall. however, if i travel with my dad, who is lifetime Gold, im sure we might have some opportunities to burn them.

many thanks, yall

MSP_Monopoly

Do I have to buy stickers and have them in my "bank" before I can request an upgrade?

I have a situation where I have requested upgrades on three different flights this next week and I currently don't have enough stickers for all of them. I am almost certain flight #2 won't clear anyways, which is why I put in requests for all three flights.

So what if flight #1 and #2 DO both clear? Then I am short for flight #3. Will the upgrade still clear and then I will be notified that I need to purchase the stickers to keep the upgrade? Or how does that play out?

RogerD408

As stated upthread, you can request an upgrade regardless the balance in your account. Your upgrade may clear but you will not be able to check-in unless you have the required upgrades. Buying them online is the cheapest and they do not expire, so if you want the smoothest solution, buy the required upgrades before your window opens. Trying to drop one leg may be problematic and may have to be done at the airport.

MSP_Monopoly

If I'm cleared and don't have enough and buy them online, will they post immediately so I can check in right away?

MDWlvH8

Wife and I (both AA Plat) are traveling together from SFO-ORD, which requires 4 stickers each. But i purchased the tickets under my account under a single reservation, does this mean that I need 8 stickers to upgrade both of us? Or can I supply 4 of my stickers for me, and my wife can apply 4 of her stickers for her.