Jan 6, 2019, 6:09 pm
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)
Oct 25, 2019, 6:47 pm
#1006
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 29
Oct 25, 2019, 10:33 pm
#1007
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: ORD, sadly...
Programs: AA Exec Plat
Posts: 599
Outstanding!
Oct 26, 2019, 12:34 am
#1008
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: OC, CA
Programs: AA EXP, 2MM, HH Diamond
Posts: 832
HI. I have no experience with this situation and was curious what the deal is (I'm an EXP). I booked a flight from RDU-DFW-SLC and return that leaves in something like 80 hours. I missed the 100 hr upgrade window (looks like lots of business seats available). Are my odds of being upgraded reduced a lot because I missed that window? I assume all the other EXPs have been upgraded. Would I be "next" when the 72hr PP window hits or does it not work like that? I called AA and they said there would be multiple additional sweeps but I wanted to see if anyone had first hand experience. Thanks!
Last year I booked a flight about 36 hrs out and it was upgraded almost immediately.
Oct 26, 2019, 8:05 pm
#1009
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 40
In my experience, once you are within the window associated with your status (in your case 100 hrs), upgrades can clear any time - it’s not like you have to wait for the 72 hr PPRO window. All you might lose is the availability from other EXPs who were below you in EQD spend but already cleared before you booked.
Last year I booked a flight about 36 hrs out and it was upgraded almost immediately.
Last year I booked a flight about 36 hrs out and it was upgraded almost immediately.
Oct 27, 2019, 6:58 am
#1010
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Phoenix/Columbus
Programs: Delta Silver Medallion, United Gold, US Airways silver
Posts: 1,718
Phx => tpa (aa 531)
Upgraded @ T = 5' 49" No seat selected, so I chose one of the two that were unassigned. Also, meal selected for me (Italian Ribbon Pasta with tomato ragu sauce), which is interesting since they usually say a meal cannot be selected within 24 hours of departure.
Oct 27, 2019, 6:23 pm
#1011
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 194
First upgrade in 10 months (a Tuesday night ORD-BOS in 12/2018)...
AA1151 PHL-DFW tomorrow (10/28) night...
PLT, 8,000ish rolling EQDs.
AA1151 PHL-DFW tomorrow (10/28) night...
PLT, 8,000ish rolling EQDs.
Oct 28, 2019, 6:47 am
#1012
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 40
Two legs cleared overnight. One at T-27 and one 4 hrs later for the return. It seems somewhat random in terms of the timing but I'll take it. 2.5 hrs in first is better than 2.5 in coach. Do that 4X in one day and it pays off being EXP (I qualified by 328 miles last year - hahaha).
Oct 29, 2019, 10:28 am
#1014
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Long Island, NY
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 732
JFK-LAX upgrade Y to J cleared at T-100 for 2 people (1 comp as EXP, 500 mile stickers for my partner). Nice surprise.
Nov 5, 2019, 10:57 am
#1015
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
LAX-HKG Upgrade Y->J (SWU) cleared 8 days in advance. Got EF notification alert, checked EF and saw that there was 1 C space available. Grabbed phone to called EXP and also logged into AA.com as well. But before dialing, I noted I had already been upgraded and just needed to select a seat. Wow!! Wasn't expecting the upgrade to be this far in advance, but I'll take it.
Let's see if the return is also upgraded at same time point. The HKG-LAX leg has even fewer seats occupied on the seat map. 18 more seat available in J for LAX-HKG.
Let's see if the return is also upgraded at same time point. The HKG-LAX leg has even fewer seats occupied on the seat map. 18 more seat available in J for LAX-HKG.
Nov 6, 2019, 8:57 am
#1016
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 183
Have an upcoming business trip where I will fly from AUS to LHR. I am 0 for 2 using my SWUs so this is probably my last chance for an international redemption before they expire in January.
Any tips for most likely flights I'd be able to use them on? I need to be in UK Tues-Thurs at a minimum but can add on a day or two on either end as needed. Is there more likely to be availability on certain days or through certain airports? I could fly through DFW, MIA, PHL, CLT.... prices all seem comparable at the moment.
Any tips for most likely flights I'd be able to use them on? I need to be in UK Tues-Thurs at a minimum but can add on a day or two on either end as needed. Is there more likely to be availability on certain days or through certain airports? I could fly through DFW, MIA, PHL, CLT.... prices all seem comparable at the moment.
Nov 6, 2019, 9:35 am
#1017
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
EWR-ORD-EWR both cleared at the EXP window. My experiment of choosing Newark over LGA seems to be working thus far. EWR-ORD had like 11-12 people on the airport upgrade list too with only one person clearing.
EWR was super easy.....no one in line for PreCheck and the AC there while dated, is pretty large for the station is supports.....bigger than those tiny PHX clubs I think.
EWR was super easy.....no one in line for PreCheck and the AC there while dated, is pretty large for the station is supports.....bigger than those tiny PHX clubs I think.
Nov 6, 2019, 10:04 am
#1018
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: DFW
Posts: 8,036
AA 2548 PHL-DFW on 11/9 is showing C3 on EF but EXP isn't auto-upgrading. Sup with that?
Nov 6, 2019, 10:12 am
#1019
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
Aside from the reported delay from when the inventory becomes available and the upgrader dameon runs, you might be looking at a "blocking" C inventory issue (i.e. you can't clear the entire way) in which case you can DSR the segments that don't have ability to get the ones that do.
Last edited by enpremiere; Nov 6, 2019 at 11:59 am Reason: Clarification