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ARCHIVE: Chances of Upgrade Clearing and Availability (2019 master thread)

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Old Jan 6, 2019, 6:09 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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
  1. Concierge Key
  2. Executive Platinum
  3. Platinum Pro
  4. Platinum
  5. Gold

Upgrade type
  1. Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades (SWU)
  2. 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets
  3. 500 mile upgrades on upgrade eligible awards)

Then, by
  1. Elite qualifying dollars in the past 12 months (rolling)
  2. Booking class
  3. 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



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ARCHIVE: Chances of Upgrade Clearing and Availability (2019 master thread)

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Old Nov 15, 2019, 2:30 pm
  #1051  
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 48
I'm Platinum (though probably low within the tier, because I got it through a challenge sent out over the summer and so have fewer than the usual number of EQDs) flying PHL - SFO (connecting from DCA) on AA 1742 on Thursday, Jan 9. I've got 500-mile upgrades to burn--any sense of my chances of getting to use them? Wondering whether it's worth shelling out for the cash ticket or if I should do it with miles.
wulflov is offline  
Old Nov 16, 2019, 3:20 am
  #1052  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Originally Posted by wulflov
I'm Platinum (though probably low within the tier, because I got it through a challenge sent out over the summer and so have fewer than the usual number of EQDs) flying PHL - SFO (connecting from DCA) on AA 1742 on Thursday, Jan 9. I've got 500-mile upgrades to burn--any sense of my chances of getting to use them? Wondering whether it's worth shelling out for the cash ticket or if I should do it with miles.
Unfortunately, I would say that the chances of clearing for PHL-SFO (or pretty much any transcontinental flight) are very, very low. I say this from years of experience across all levels of AA "elitism." I.e., for planning purposes, don't count on it. Not sure what your comparative miles vs. dollars prices are -- would you be using the miles to book yourself into First? I may not be following well, but I would suggest you find a flight in economy, whether via miles or cash, where you can get a good MCE seat. Then if lightning strikes (figuratively -- an upgrade clears), fantastic. Otherwise, not so bad (in like an exit aisle MCE).
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Biggie Fries is offline  
Old Nov 16, 2019, 5:59 am
  #1053  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,975
Originally Posted by wulflov
I'm Platinum (though probably low within the tier, because I got it through a challenge sent out over the summer and so have fewer than the usual number of EQDs) flying PHL - SFO (connecting from DCA) on AA 1742 on Thursday, Jan 9. I've got 500-mile upgrades to burn--any sense of my chances of getting to use them? Wondering whether it's worth shelling out for the cash ticket or if I should do it with miles.
PHL - SFO in winter is mostly the A321 so upgrade isn’t worth it. If you are in the A330 it would be nice lie flat seats so that could be but harder to clear. Less competition in winter too.
olouie is offline  
Old Nov 16, 2019, 7:37 am
  #1054  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium/Lifetime Platinum, AA EXP, UA Gold
Posts: 719
Flying DFW-LHR on Thursday (11/21). Requested upgrade for 2 pax in August. Should I split the reservation now in hopes of one of us clearing? Will it preserve the original request date? I'm feeling a little annoyed because our third pax (separate PNR) cleared without any status and much less EQD and EQM than I have and a later request, though she doesn't know when cleared.

Expert Flyer showing:
F1 A0 J6 R6 D6 I6 W2 P2 Y5 B5 H5 K5M5 L4 G5 V4 S3 N1 Q0 O0 E0
WalruSara is offline  
Old Nov 16, 2019, 7:44 am
  #1055  
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Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,498
Originally Posted by WalruSara
Flying DFW-LHR on Thursday (11/21). Requested upgrade for 2 pax in August. Should I split the reservation now in hopes of one of us clearing? Will it preserve the original request date? I'm feeling a little annoyed because our third pax (separate PNR) cleared without any status and much less EQD and EQM than I have and a later request, though she doesn't know when cleared.

Expert Flyer showing:
F1 A0 J6 R6 D6 I6 W2 P2 Y5 B5 H5 K5M5 L4 G5 V4 S3 N1 Q0 O0 E0
Request date has no bearing on the waitlist, just status and then rolling EQD.

If the other pax cleared with no status and less EQD, then AA most likely released 1 C space and it skipped you as you're looking for 2. Splitting your PNR would solve this, although there can then be issues with how your companion is sorted once you split. What status do you both have?
JJeffrey is offline  
Old Nov 16, 2019, 7:46 am
  #1056  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,043
Originally Posted by WalruSara
Flying DFW-LHR on Thursday (11/21). Requested upgrade for 2 pax in August. Should I split the reservation now in hopes of one of us clearing? Will it preserve the original request date? I'm feeling a little annoyed because our third pax (separate PNR) cleared without any status and much less EQD and EQM than I have and a later request, though she doesn't know when cleared.

Expert Flyer showing:
F1 A0 J6 R6 D6 I6 W2 P2 Y5 B5 H5 K5M5 L4 G5 V4 S3 N1 Q0 O0 E0
I'll defer to others more knowledge, but I recollect from past personal experience, that splitting the PNR at this point will in fact NOT preserve the original request date. Again, I could be wrong, but I distinctly recall getting bit by that one time.

In my experience, it's best to decide if you want split PNRs at the moment of purchase.

Regards
scubadu is offline  
Old Nov 16, 2019, 7:58 am
  #1057  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium/Lifetime Platinum, AA EXP, UA Gold
Posts: 719
Originally Posted by JJeffrey
Request date has no bearing on the waitlist, just status and then rolling EQD.

If the other pax cleared with no status and less EQD, then AA most likely released 1 C space and it skipped you as you're looking for 2. Splitting your PNR would solve this, although there can then be issues with how your companion is sorted once you split. What status do you both have?
I'm plat, companion has no status.
WalruSara is offline  
Old Nov 16, 2019, 8:10 am
  #1058  
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 48
Originally Posted by Biggie Fries
Unfortunately, I would say that the chances of clearing for PHL-SFO (or pretty much any transcontinental flight) are very, very low. I say this from years of experience across all levels of AA "elitism." I.e., for planning purposes, don't count on it. Not sure what your comparative miles vs. dollars prices are -- would you be using the miles to book yourself into First? I may not be following well, but I would suggest you find a flight in economy, whether via miles or cash, where you can get a good MCE seat. Then if lightning strikes (figuratively -- an upgrade clears), fantastic. Otherwise, not so bad (in like an exit aisle MCE).
Thanks for the guidance--I still have a hold on one of those 5K transcon economy award tickets from last week, so the choice is between getting that and giving up the chance of an upgrade, or shelling out cash for the economy ticket (~$240) in hopes of getting upgrades. Sounds like the latter's not worth it, so I'll just grab the award ticket and spend the extra cash on a nice meal and airline pillow.
wulflov is offline  
Old Nov 21, 2019, 7:46 pm
  #1059  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 120
I've had it now multiple times happen in the last weeks that the upgrade wait-list in the AA app differs from the gate display. Has anything changed in the system?
I.e. I'm listed #2 but arriving at the gate I'm shown as #5 . And the app still shows me on #2 till takeoff.
This is transcon so there's also J to F upgrades mixed in, but shouldn't that be consistent between both app and gate?
matt85 is offline  
Old Nov 21, 2019, 8:16 pm
  #1060  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
Originally Posted by matt85
I've had it now multiple times happen in the last weeks that the upgrade wait-list in the AA app differs from the gate display. Has anything changed in the system?
I.e. I'm listed #2 but arriving at the gate I'm shown as #5 . And the app still shows me on #2 till takeoff.
This is transcon so there's also J to F upgrades mixed in, but shouldn't that be consistent between both app and gate?
happens often on this route....I think it’s paid premium cabin (either F or J) trying to get on an earlier or later flight and they trump UPG list.
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AANYC1981 is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2019, 4:31 am
  #1061  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: DC
Programs: AA PPRO, HH Diamond, National EE
Posts: 603
Plat with $6500 spend. Just cleared ORD-PSP at gate and PHX-DCA 24hr window.
hawkfan7314 is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2019, 1:30 pm
  #1062  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: GCM, formerly DFW
Programs: AA Exp
Posts: 273
Originally Posted by FlyinMike
So I just purchased a multi city ticket in Concur all ticketed on BA:

PHX-LHR on AA - Discounted PE
LHR-DXB on BA - Discounted PE
DXB-PHX all on BA - Full fare PE

Any way to upgrade any of this with AA miles? I called twice and got 2 different answers.
I've tried to do this as well, and also gotten 2 (maybe even 3) different answers. I think the prevailing wisdom is that unless it's AA metal and ticketed on AA , you can't upgrade with AA miles.
bscooter26 is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2019, 3:11 pm
  #1063  
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 369
Originally Posted by bscooter26
I've tried to do this as well, and also gotten 2 (maybe even 3) different answers. I think the prevailing wisdom is that unless it's AA metal and ticketed on AA , you can't upgrade with AA miles.
This isn't true. There are restrictions on fare classes, but you can upgrade BA and IB-metal flights with AAdvantage miles if the flight has award availability in the next class of service: https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...r-airlines.jsp
potus18 is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2019, 6:08 pm
  #1064  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Valley of the Sun, AZ, USA
Programs: AA Dirt, HHonors Silver
Posts: 495
Re-booked on AA flights operated by BA. Expert flyer does not show AA flight numbers, so how do I search for upgrade space? Do I look for 'U' on the BA flight number?
FlyinMike is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2019, 6:48 pm
  #1065  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,148
Originally Posted by FlyinMike
Do I look for 'U' on the BA flight number?
Yes.
econometrics is offline  



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