Last edit by: JDiver
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
Upgrade type
- Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades (SWU)
- 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets
- 500 mile upgrades on upgrade eligible awards)
Then, by
- Elite qualifying dollars in the past 12 months (rolling)
- Booking class
- Time of request
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
ARCHIVE: Chances of Upgrade Clearing and Availability (2019 master thread)
#166
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
Ticket purchased on 12.14.18, booked into Premium Economy. Hoping for upgrade to J.
Outbound 1.27.19, LAX-HKG #193 . SWU Waitlisted.
Return 1.29.19, HKG-LAX #192 . SWU Waitlisted.
Expert Flyer notifications set.
Outbound upgrade cleared 24 hours before flight. Mini-cabin available in J. ^
Return flight.......nothing. Was #3 on the upgrade list out of 6. As boarding commenced, #2 cleared. At least I had eaten at The Haven inside CX Wing lounge.
Twelve hours in Premium Economy not too bad. The overall seat comfort is fine, but my neck is killing me. Lack of storage at the seat and in overhead bins (compared to J) is significant. Very important to get on "the bus" early if you want your luggage to be near your seat during the flight. Saw lots of passengers "swimming upstream" as we deplaned. Never saw a line or significant wait for the toilet until 30 minutes before landing.
Outbound 1.27.19, LAX-HKG #193 . SWU Waitlisted.
Return 1.29.19, HKG-LAX #192 . SWU Waitlisted.
Expert Flyer notifications set.
Outbound upgrade cleared 24 hours before flight. Mini-cabin available in J. ^
Return flight.......nothing. Was #3 on the upgrade list out of 6. As boarding commenced, #2 cleared. At least I had eaten at The Haven inside CX Wing lounge.
Twelve hours in Premium Economy not too bad. The overall seat comfort is fine, but my neck is killing me. Lack of storage at the seat and in overhead bins (compared to J) is significant. Very important to get on "the bus" early if you want your luggage to be near your seat during the flight. Saw lots of passengers "swimming upstream" as we deplaned. Never saw a line or significant wait for the toilet until 30 minutes before landing.
Cheers!
#167
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
T-100 hr. upgrade cleared on SFO-JFK. They've been offering C space on the flight for the past three weeks too. Was tempted to use one, but glad I held out as well.
#168
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 222
In fact, I just switch last week to the HKG-DFW and DFW-HKG flights and in my limited observation AA125/AA126 are now easier to clear that HKG-LAX.
Again, not to sure exactly why but all fingers point to it having something to do with code-sharing or cross selling or competitive pricing to CX.
#169
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
Good luck with your upgrades.
#170
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
Actually since beginning of the year it's been par for the course with for me....esp on LAX-HKG. Something has definitely changed. Easily clearing LAX-HKG and HKG-LAX mid-week (Tue, Wed, Thu) which use to be relatively easy is no longer and not exactly sure why. I have heard several theories having to do with highly competitive last minute discounted business fares being offered by both AA and CX (as a code share) to AA accommodating oversold CX flights. In nearly all six of my LAX to or from HKG flights this year the flights were all J7 and open seat map until 5-7 days prior to flight and then J goes down to a few or zero and seat map fills up at T-48. In all the days I have missed it (I am EXP with around 25K last 12-month EQD) I have seen maybe one or two clear on the airport and the upgrade list at 20-30 strong.
In fact, I just switch last week to the HKG-DFW and DFW-HKG flights and in my limited observation AA125/AA126 are now easier to clear that HKG-LAX.
Again, not to sure exactly why but all fingers point to it having something to do with code-sharing or cross selling or competitive pricing to CX.
In fact, I just switch last week to the HKG-DFW and DFW-HKG flights and in my limited observation AA125/AA126 are now easier to clear that HKG-LAX.
Again, not to sure exactly why but all fingers point to it having something to do with code-sharing or cross selling or competitive pricing to CX.
#171
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
I've heard this exact sentiment as well. Too bad they don't have at least 2 FA that are just dedicated to PE. The pricing aa.com is asking for this fare class is insane at times. Especially for flights connecting to it as often the tickets are at full Y fare class. Sometime more expensive than J or F fares!
#172
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: South Florida, USA
Programs: AA PPRO (OW Emerarld), BA Silver, DL PM
Posts: 491
Flying DFW-HKG on Monday, 4 February with SWU waitlisted. Just checked EF and finally the flight is C7 (all of the flights this last week have been wide open and go to C7 48 hours in advance). Call exp desk and she says there is no availability. ...? Not really worried as the cabin is not even half full but just don't get the lack of logic.
#173
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
Flying DFW-HKG on Monday, 4 February with SWU waitlisted. Just checked EF and finally the flight is C7 (all of the flights this last week have been wide open and go to C7 48 hours in advance). Call exp desk and she says there is no availability. ...? Not really worried as the cabin is not even half full but just don't get the lack of logic.
Were you intending to me that the "Biz" cabin selection (J, R, D, and I) have been at 7's?
#174
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
I'm confused by your statement. I just checked EF and see that for your flight C0 is for the flight. What's available is: F2 A2 J7 R7 D7 I7 W7 P7 Y7 B0 H7 K7 M7 L7 G7 V7 S7 N7 Q7 O7 E7
Were you intending to me that the "Biz" cabin selection (J, R, D, and I) have been at 7's?
Were you intending to me that the "Biz" cabin selection (J, R, D, and I) have been at 7's?
#175
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,479
Flying DFW-HKG on Monday, 4 February with SWU waitlisted. Just checked EF and finally the flight is C7 (all of the flights this last week have been wide open and go to C7 48 hours in advance). Call exp desk and she says there is no availability. ...? Not really worried as the cabin is not even half full but just don't get the lack of logic.
Nevertheless DFW-HKG on Monday is now truly C7, so I would call AA back and get the upgrade processed.
#176
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: South Florida, USA
Programs: AA PPRO (OW Emerarld), BA Silver, DL PM
Posts: 491
I finally got my EF email at 3 AM and also woke up to see that the upgrade had cleared. I'm quite familiar with the married segment logic for revenue tickets but really never even thought that they would use the same illogical conditions for releasing upgrade inventory. I'm flying MIA-DFW-HKG and yes, last night the married segment search showed C7 availability on the DFW-HKG segment. Maybe we can address that issue with expert flyer that they are displaying available inventory on married segments but AA is only releasing seats based on their single segment inventory. Revenue management at its finest…
#177
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
I finally got my EF email at 3 AM and also woke up to see that the upgrade had cleared. I'm quite familiar with the married segment logic for revenue tickets but really never even thought that they would use the same illogical conditions for releasing upgrade inventory. I'm flying MIA-DFW-HKG and yes, last night the married segment search showed C7 availability on the DFW-HKG segment. Maybe we can address that issue with expert flyer that they are displaying available inventory on married segments but AA is only releasing seats based on their single segment inventory. Revenue management at its finest…
#178
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: L. A./ N. Y.
Programs: Exec Plat; 2.7 m miles
Posts: 44
Both Mrs. Vernon and I are EXP.
Jan 7 - AA 238 LAX to JFK, no upgrade.
Jan 22 - AA 341 JFK to LAX, both upgraded at 100 hours.
Feb 1 - AA 238 LAX to JFK, both upgraded at 100 hours and both upgraded to F at the gate. Not sure why we were picked for the gate upgrade instead of other passengers who paid full fare for J (not that we are complaining).
Jan 7 - AA 238 LAX to JFK, no upgrade.
Jan 22 - AA 341 JFK to LAX, both upgraded at 100 hours.
Feb 1 - AA 238 LAX to JFK, both upgraded at 100 hours and both upgraded to F at the gate. Not sure why we were picked for the gate upgrade instead of other passengers who paid full fare for J (not that we are complaining).
#179
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,479
I'm quite familiar with the married segment logic for revenue tickets but really never even thought that they would use the same illogical conditions for releasing upgrade inventory. I'm flying MIA-DFW-HKG and yes, last night the married segment search showed C7 availability on the DFW-HKG segment. Maybe we can address that issue with expert flyer that they are displaying available inventory on married segments but AA is only releasing seats based on their single segment inventory. Revenue management at its finest…
#180
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 394
Odds of clearing NRT out of ORD? Do those usually clear or what is the experience for that.