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)
Jun 28, 2019, 9:56 am
#676
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,315
I would. They aren’t supposed to clear until T-30 but that doesn’t mean they won’t. If you are planning to arrive at T-20, they could move on to #2.
Jun 28, 2019, 9:57 am
#677
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Shouldn't they auto-clear me and update my BP in the app? Why should they expect me to leave the club and sit at the uncomfortable gate for a half hour?
Jun 28, 2019, 10:00 am
#678
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: TX
Programs: AA: EXP MR: Ti
Posts: 495
Theoretical - you're absolutely right
Reality - that's a recipe for #2 getting the upgrade when the gate agent can't find you. it's a long-standing gripe and issue, but I strongly advise against this even though that's "how it should be"... unless you're looking to make a scene as you board with Group 2.
Jun 28, 2019, 10:01 am
#679
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Theoretical - you're absolutely right
Reality - that's a recipe for #2 getting the upgrade when the gate agent can't find you. it's a long-standing gripe and issue, but I strongly advise against this even though that's "how it should be"... unless you're looking to make a scene as you board with Group 2.
Reality - that's a recipe for #2 getting the upgrade when the gate agent can't find you. it's a long-standing gripe and issue, but I strongly advise against this even though that's "how it should be"... unless you're looking to make a scene as you board with Group 2.
Jun 28, 2019, 10:02 am
#680
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
Jun 28, 2019, 10:03 am
#681
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
LOL, this year on upgrade eligible flights as an EXP with like $25k rolling EQD spend, I have cleared 33%, that is shameful and pathetic. None of these were transcons even. What's the point? Few upgrades and can't use the SWU.
Jun 28, 2019, 10:45 am
#682
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,315
Would like some input on a market I don't fly much - HNL-LAX.
Any material difference between odds of clearing on a Thursday or Wednesday at 2pm from HNL to LAX for a Ex Plat with under $12k EQD. If roughly equal, would prefer the extra day.
Any material difference between odds of clearing on a Thursday or Wednesday at 2pm from HNL to LAX for a Ex Plat with under $12k EQD. If roughly equal, would prefer the extra day.
Jun 28, 2019, 12:41 pm
#683
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Sun Prairie, WI
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, HH Diamond, National Executive
Posts: 1,786
Just curious for some general feedback here. I have to head to Bilbao, Spain in October for a conference (leaving from PHX). My dates are for the most part set. I'll have to depart PHX on October 6th and can leave Europe on either an afternoon flight on October 10th or anytime on the 11th. I've done my research looking for flight options. Basically I can fly into MAD, BCN, MUC, or FRA to get a connecting flight to BIO. Flying out is a little more open but I think I'm going to fly out of LHR on the direct flight to PHX.
When looking at options, I noticed that no SWUs were available on AA's site. Being so far out, it's not a surprise. I had an Expert Flyer subscription in the past but didn't continue it as I only do one flight to Europe per year which is the only time I really care about using an SWU. I was considering getting it to monitor it over the next few weeks before I book. Just curious, what would be the benefit? I suppose I could set up an alert on any flights I'm considering to see if C inventory pops up, but I'm sure that is a long shot so far out anyways. And at this point I'm sure most everything is J7 - I suppose I could use it to weed out any that aren't?
Right now I'm thinking of doing PHX - DFW - MAD on the outbound and LHR to PHX on the inbound. I can book PE and at least there are 37J seats versus other configurations that have 20.
When looking at options, I noticed that no SWUs were available on AA's site. Being so far out, it's not a surprise. I had an Expert Flyer subscription in the past but didn't continue it as I only do one flight to Europe per year which is the only time I really care about using an SWU. I was considering getting it to monitor it over the next few weeks before I book. Just curious, what would be the benefit? I suppose I could set up an alert on any flights I'm considering to see if C inventory pops up, but I'm sure that is a long shot so far out anyways. And at this point I'm sure most everything is J7 - I suppose I could use it to weed out any that aren't?
Right now I'm thinking of doing PHX - DFW - MAD on the outbound and LHR to PHX on the inbound. I can book PE and at least there are 37J seats versus other configurations that have 20.
Jun 28, 2019, 3:38 pm
#684
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
My flights this week:
1. DEN-ORD, A321, Saturday afternoon, cleared around 25 hours
2. ORD-DCA, A319, Saturday night, cleared at 100 hours
<VDBed off the above, rerouted through DFW, cleared DFW-DCA, 738, Saturday night, at the gate>
3. DCA-ORD, 738, Friday late-morning, cleared at 100 hours
4. ORD-DEN, 738, Friday mid-afternoon, cleared around 24 hours
Continue with a better than 80% success rate on domestic upgrades. Rolling EQD is probably around $21K or $22K (I don't really track it)
1. DEN-ORD, A321, Saturday afternoon, cleared around 25 hours
2. ORD-DCA, A319, Saturday night, cleared at 100 hours
<VDBed off the above, rerouted through DFW, cleared DFW-DCA, 738, Saturday night, at the gate>
3. DCA-ORD, 738, Friday late-morning, cleared at 100 hours
4. ORD-DEN, 738, Friday mid-afternoon, cleared around 24 hours
Continue with a better than 80% success rate on domestic upgrades. Rolling EQD is probably around $21K or $22K (I don't really track it)
Jul 2, 2019, 12:17 pm
#685
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Gold
Posts: 181
My wife and I are booked on AA136 LAX-LHR on Friday 6/21 and waitlisted for Y>J on miles + copay. I'm Plat Pro and she's Plat. Currently J7/C0 with 28 open business seats (not that surprising 7 weeks out). I'm assuming C space probably won't open up until a couple days beforehand based on earlier responses. Anyone have experience with the Friday night LAX-LHR flights and have a guess as to our chances?
Jul 2, 2019, 1:20 pm
#686
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ILM/STT
Programs: AA Exp, Admirals Club
Posts: 192
Update on flight upgrades
Good morning.
I have lurked on FT for a very long time. Many threads have been helpful to me. This one particularly so.
I thought I would let y’all follow along. I’m headed CLT-STT on Thursday AM. It’s currently sitting at J7 C0. I have requested upgrades with miles. I’m a lowly Gold Status. Coming up on 72 hours in a few. I didn’t see any other STT posts.
I will keep you posted.
I have lurked on FT for a very long time. Many threads have been helpful to me. This one particularly so.
I thought I would let y’all follow along. I’m headed CLT-STT on Thursday AM. It’s currently sitting at J7 C0. I have requested upgrades with miles. I’m a lowly Gold Status. Coming up on 72 hours in a few. I didn’t see any other STT posts.
I will keep you posted.
One of us us could have upgraded CLT to STT at the gate.
STT to CLT we both upgraded at the gate.
Thanks for the help!
Jul 2, 2019, 3:19 pm
#687
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: ORD (formerly SAN)
Programs: Hilton Diamond; IHG Platinum; Bonvoy Gold; AA Platinum Pro and United Premier Silver (DH = AA EXP)
Posts: 1,929
Did not end up clearing this one. Inventory was looking pretty good at J7 with 10+ open seats a few days before the flight, but dwindled down to J2 or so (don't remember exactly) the day before. No EF alert for C space, and I specifically checked around T-36. We ended up #11/12 out of 17 on the airport list and I have ~$16K trailing EQD so would think we were close to or at the top of the Platinum Pros. I only think 1 and 2 ended up clearing.
Jul 2, 2019, 4:47 pm
#688
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,968
AA 20 8/24 - DFW-LHR - SWU Upgrade Confirmed - Showed C4 on EF
AA 81 9/7 - LHR-DFW - Miles+Copay Confirmed - Showed C2 on EF
AA 81 9/7 - LHR-DFW - Miles+Copay Confirmed - Showed C2 on EF
Jul 2, 2019, 9:14 pm
#689
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 183
First time trying to use SWU's, and it was a no go. Tried for DFW-HKG on June 12, and the return on June 30 - didn't get either. Have an upcoming trip to London for work, guess I'll try again on for that! Anyone want to run some EF searches for me? 
Jul 3, 2019, 6:44 am
#690
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Mass
Programs: Independent
Posts: 4,829
I am going to be flying MIA to JFK on the 5th. I'm Executive Platinum. The flight shows C3 on Expert Flyer, but I still havn't gotten an upgrade. Do they normally wait this late to process upgrades?