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-   -   Book travel upgrades for 4 as plat pro or wait until EXP? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage/1965907-book-travel-upgrades-4-plat-pro-wait-until-exp.html)

trpltongue Apr 17, 2019 6:08 pm
Book travel upgrades for 4 as plat pro or wait until EXP?
 
Hi all,

perhaps a a silly question. I’m flying our family of 4 from IAH to CA (not sure where yet) this summer with miles. I’m platinum pro now, but will be Exec plat in a few weeks. I plan to upgrade the family for the trip.

Is is there any downside to booking now while there is availability vs waiting until I hit EXP? I presume I can book now and then upgrade everyone after I hit EXP right?

thanks for your help!

skunker Apr 17, 2019 6:16 pm
Originally Posted by trpltongue (Post 31012043)
Hi all,

perhaps a a silly question. I’m flying our family of 4 from IAH to CA (not sure where yet) this summer with miles. I’m platinum pro now, but will be Exec plat in a few weeks. I plan to upgrade the family for the trip.

Is is there any downside to booking now while there is availability vs waiting until I hit EXP? I presume I can book now and then upgrade everyone after I hit EXP right?

thanks for your help!
How do you plan to upgrade award travel for the family?

trpltongue Apr 17, 2019 6:48 pm
I thought I had read that as EXP you could upgrade travel companions booked on the same itinerary?

I have to admit I’m new to AA. Been flying QA for the last 6 years.

Often1 Apr 17, 2019 6:56 pm
Here is the benefits chart for each level of elite status, including EXP.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...e-upgrades.jsp

skunker Apr 17, 2019 6:57 pm
Originally Posted by trpltongue (Post 31012129)
I thought I had read that as EXP you could upgrade travel companions booked on the same itinerary?

I have to admit I’m new to AA. Been flying QA for the last 6 years.
You and one companion. Family of 4 you’ll be in the back; you can’t even request status upgrades with more than 2 people the itinerary.

Upgrades on award tickets

Executive Platinum members can use complimentary 500-mile upgrade benefits on AAdvantage award tickets for travel within North America on American.
  • If everyone in your reservation is eligible for a complimentary upgrade we'll automatically request it for you
  • If you need to request an upgrade on an award ticket, go to “Your Trips” on aa.com after you’ve booked your reservation or contact an American representative or your travel agent
Companion upgrade benefit

You can also upgrade 1 companion traveling on the same flight if 1 or both of you are traveling on an award ticket.

The number of upgrades needed for companions will be deducted from the sponsor member’s account, even if the companion is an elite status member and has their own 500-mile upgrade account.

Just like purchased tickets, the number of upgrades needed for companions will be based on their elite status level.

Centurion Apr 17, 2019 7:08 pm
Tough route for upgrades

ashill Apr 17, 2019 8:08 pm
Originally Posted by Centurion (Post 31012175)
Tough route for upgrades
IAH to CA? Wouldn't it depend on routing? Could go via DFW, PHX, LAX, or ORD, I'd think, depending on where in CA, and the upgrade odds would depend on the routing and other things, as always.

But four passengers with just one elite on an award reservation is a very tough upgrade regardless of route.

cova Apr 17, 2019 8:15 pm
No chance. Award upgrades for EXP for 2 (or even 1) are at the bottom of the EXP upgrade list. You would have to split the reservation but then might split all 4. Unless you are traveling late on a Saturday night - no way. As an EXP for several years, upgrades for EXP are almost non-existent, unless your are traveling at real off peak times. And I have seem as many of 20 EXPs on a flight (told that) on a peak flight - and non-upgraded.

AA reduced the price of F and sells the seats. Sometimes F came be a small difference more.

JJeffrey Apr 17, 2019 8:17 pm
But to answer the question, if there is award availability now, then by all means book it now. Once you hit EXP, call AA and have them refresh your status on the reservation. No reason at all to wait till you hit EXP to book it.

trpltongue Apr 19, 2019 5:29 am
Thanks all for the insight. It’s pretty disappointing that it’s so difficult to upgrade the group. I have been spoiled by the QA frequent traveler program which tend to offer a bit more flexibility in upgrade ability. Though even that has been reduced in the last year.

skunker Apr 19, 2019 12:05 pm
Originally Posted by trpltongue (Post 31016653)
Thanks all for the insight. It’s pretty disappointing that it’s so difficult to upgrade the group. I have been spoiled by the QA frequent traveler program which tend to offer a bit more flexibility in upgrade ability. Though even that has been reduced in the last year.
I assume you mean QR for Qatar Airways, right? How do they do domestic upgrades? ;)

flyingeph12 Apr 19, 2019 12:29 pm
Originally Posted by skunker (Post 31017622)
I assume you mean QR for Qatar Airways, right? How do they do domestic upgrades? ;)
I actually thought OP meant Qantas (although, of course, QF is the correct code).

In any event, if I were OP, I would book now when there is availability. The status that will ultimately matter is the status at the time you fly, not at the time you book. And as others have said, you can only upgrade 1 companion (using 500 mile stickers) anyways.

Mwenenzi Apr 19, 2019 1:12 pm
Originally Posted by skunker (Post 31017622)
I assume you mean QR for Qatar Airways, right? How do they do domestic upgrades? ;)
Originally Posted by flyingeph12 (Post 31017679)
I actually thought OP meant Qantas (although, of course, QF is the correct code).
From OP's other posts it look they have been flying Qatar QR
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sear...8003584&query=
Sample https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qata...-children.html

QF are not generous with upgrades

genotonda Apr 19, 2019 10:15 pm
Originally Posted by cova (Post 31012351)
No chance. Award upgrades for EXP for 2 (or even 1) are at the bottom of the EXP upgrade list. You would have to split the reservation but then might split all 4. Unless you are traveling late on a Saturday night - no way. As an EXP for several years, upgrades for EXP are almost non-existent, unless your are traveling at real off peak times. And I have seem as many of 20 EXPs on a flight (told that) on a peak flight - and non-upgraded.

AA reduced the price of F and sells the seats. Sometimes F came be a small difference more.
I don't see that here. Appears that EQD would come before booking class. So unless he was the lowest EQD, he would not be at the bottom of the EXP upgrade list. And if you want to wait until the gate, you don't have to split the PNR. You can request it then. Though you do of course miss the T-100 window, and so there may be no more upgrades available.

Upgrade Priority Change to Status, Upgrade Type, Rolling 12 Month EQD as of 20 May 2017

As of May 20, 2017 upgrade prioritization is:
  1. Elite status
    1. Concierge Key
    2. Executive Platinum
    3. Platinum Pro
    4. Platinum
    5. Gold
  2. Upgrade type
    1. Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades (SWU)
    2. 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets (including EXP complimentary UDU)
    3. 500 mile upgrades on upgrade eligible awards (including EXP complimentary UDU)
  3. Elite qualifying dollars* in the past 12 months
  4. Booking class (in order, J, D, I, W, P, Y, H, K, M, L, V, G, S, N, Q, O, T)
  5. Time of request

enviroian Apr 19, 2019 10:22 pm
Originally Posted by trpltongue (Post 31016653)
Thanks all for the insight. It’s pretty disappointing that it’s so difficult to upgrade the group. I have been spoiled by the QA frequent traveler program which tend to offer a bit more flexibility in upgrade ability. Though even that has been reduced in the last year.
Sorry you’ll all be in coach.

Zacnlinc Apr 20, 2019 5:37 am
Originally Posted by cova (Post 31012351)
No chance. Award upgrades for EXP for 2 (or even 1) are at the bottom of the EXP upgrade list. You would have to split the reservation but then might split all 4. Unless you are traveling late on a Saturday night - no way. As an EXP for several years, upgrades for EXP are almost non-existent, unless your are traveling at real off peak times. And I have seem as many of 20 EXPs on a flight (told that) on a peak flight - and non-upgraded.

AA reduced the price of F and sells the seats. Sometimes F came be a small difference more.

This has been where I've gotten the most "bang for my bucks". Book corporate flight and opt to upgrade on my own dime when I'm traveling on the premium routes or finding myself transferring at DFW especially.

ijgordon Apr 20, 2019 5:19 pm
Originally Posted by JJeffrey (Post 31012356)
But to answer the question, if there is award availability now, then by all means book it now. Once you hit EXP, call AA and have them refresh your status on the reservation. No reason at all to wait till you hit EXP to book it.
Well yeah, if he wants to use miles+copay assuming it’s available now, then he should book it now and confirm the upgrades. Status would be irrelevant.

If he waits until he’s EXP, then he’ll have 4 earned systemwide upgrade certificates he could use one-way to confirm, though obviously the value of doing that is debatable.

For the free elite upgrades + 1 companion, that’s wholly irrelevant until at most 100 hours before departure; there is no “availability” for those until that time.

ETA - oops, missed the booking “with miles” part of the OP, so most of this probably isn’t entirely relevant.

mcrw00 Apr 20, 2019 5:45 pm
Originally Posted by genotonda (Post 31019049)
I don't see that here. Appears that EQD would come before booking class. So unless he was the lowest EQD, he would not be at the bottom of the EXP upgrade list.
OP wants to upgrade an award ticket, which means they will be in the lowest of three EXP buckets (the first being SWU/miles upgrades, the second being comp upgrades on paid tickets).

It is definitely possible to split a 4-person PNR into 2 and 2 for the purposes of upgrading a companion, I have done so before.

OP, if you really want your whole family in F you should buy F tickets with either cash or miles. If you are willing to take on some risk of half the family flying coach you could book 2 F awards on one reservation and pay cash for 2 Y tickets on another.

cova Apr 20, 2019 8:33 pm
Originally Posted by genotonda (Post 31019049)
I don't see that here. Appears that EQD would come before booking class. So unless he was the lowest EQD, he would not be at the bottom of the EXP upgrade list. And if you want to wait until the gate, you don't have to split the PNR. You can request it then. Though you do of course miss the T-100 window, and so there may be no more upgrades available.

Upgrade Priority Change to Status, Upgrade Type, Rolling 12 Month EQD as of 20 May 2017

As of May 20, 2017 upgrade prioritization is:
  1. Elite status
    1. Concierge Key
    2. Executive Platinum
    3. Platinum Pro
    4. Platinum
    5. Gold
  2. Upgrade type
    1. Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades (SWU)
    2. 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets (including EXP complimentary UDU)
    3. 500 mile upgrades on upgrade eligible awards (including EXP complimentary UDU)
  3. Elite qualifying dollars* in the past 12 months
  4. Booking class (in order, J, D, I, W, P, Y, H, K, M, L, V, G, S, N, Q, O, T)
  5. Time of request
Maybe I am misunderstanding. But the OP says he is travelling on miles (ie getting coach reward tickets) and hopes to upgrade.
For item #2 Upgrade Type, he would be in 3rd grouping for award travel trying to upgrade as EXP. That is above EQD

ijgordon Apr 20, 2019 9:20 pm
Originally Posted by cova (Post 31021448)
Maybe I am misunderstanding. But the OP says he is travelling on miles (ie getting coach reward tickets) and hopes to upgrade.
For item #2 Upgrade Type, he would be in 3rd grouping for award travel trying to upgrade as EXP. That is above EQD
Right, the EQD will only come into play if there are any other EXPs on award tickets who requested the upgrade. Any and all EXPs on paid tickets will be upgraded first. But he will be ahead of any and all PPros.

trpltongue May 15, 2019 9:20 pm
Apologies for the absence all, I’ve been out of country for a while and not gotten back to booking.

Thank you all so much for the great detailed response. Yes, I meant QR for Qatar airways :). They obviously don’t do domestic upgrades, but they do make it easy to earn status and upgrades on all their international flights :)

I’m just going to book F tix for the whole group. It eats up a lot more miles, but we’ll all be assured to have first class seats.

Now the fun begins, trying to find a lie-flat product and hoping the equipment doesn’t change out :). Nothing would suck more than paying for first class anytime seats to get a lie flat product and then get stuck with a normal recliner :)

milesandmoremiles May 16, 2019 12:41 am
Originally Posted by trpltongue (Post 31106215)
Apologies for the absence all, I’ve been out of country for a while and not gotten back to booking.

Thank you all so much for the great detailed response. Yes, I meant QR for Qatar airways :). They obviously don’t do domestic upgrades, but they do make it easy to earn status and upgrades on all their international flights :)

I’m just going to book F tix for the whole group. It eats up a lot more miles, but we’ll all be assured to have first class seats.

Now the fun begins, trying to find a lie-flat product and hoping the equipment doesn’t change out :). Nothing would suck more than paying for first class anytime seats to get a lie flat product and then get stuck with a normal recliner :)
Your only potential lie flat option would be if you can find the very limited widebody service from DFW to LAX. Why though would you worry about lie flats on a route that involves less than 3 hours in the air?

LovePrunes May 17, 2019 10:54 am
Originally Posted by milesandmoremiles (Post 31106559)


Your only potential lie flat option would be if you can find the very limited widebody service from DFW to LAX. Why though would you worry about lie flats on a route that involves less than 3 hours in the air?
pretty much only 1x a day
https://www.aacargo.com/downloads/sc...S_Domestic.pdf
can't imagine redeeming 4x aanytime first for this, but to each his own


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