JJeffrey

I just posted this last night in the SWU thread below but looking in February I found lots of C space on JFK-LHR pretty much every Mon-Wed for the entire month. Many flights were C7.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html

Coming from LAX you could just book LAX-JFK-LHR, confirm the SWUs on JFK-LHR, wait for a schedule change, then try to change to the LAX-LHR nonstop.

Also on the aa.com SWU availability link thing, I'm guessing you just misinterpreted the results, I just spot checked a flight with SWU availability and it still correctly shows both Y and PE going to business as it always has.

JBauer

Thank you. Your post is very helpful. I found exactly what you said.

KennyGoodboy

Hey guys. I want to unload so here I am. Longtime AA customer (over 25 years / 1mm miler), based in Miami and from time to time I qualify for Exec Plat status. Previously, it was like gold. My upgrades were north of 90% and rarely had issue with using a SWU for Europe or Asia for the flight I wanted. Now its a travesty. My upgrade clearance rate is about 50% and I literally cant use my SWU's. My flight to Athens? No. Portland? No. SF? No. LA? No. Since I never clear, I now have 5 SWU's about to expire this week and next, and AA wont extend and wont clear me for a trip I booked to LA on Oct (even though there are literally 25 open seats in Biz class). I think this is a terrible business decision. Why should I fly AA (75-125k miles annually last 12 years) and put all my credit card spend on my AA citi card (about $25k / month) when status literally does nothing for me? I am in Miami so sort of stuck flying AA from time to time but mileage runs? No way. Continue spending on my AA card? No way, I will use my Amex. Can anyone give me a valid reason to stick with them? Anyone else having these issues? end of rant.

Ken

VegasGambler

Goodbye, cruel airline, I guess. I used all my SWUs.

EXP100

With AA monetizing the premium cabins it's time to say goodbye to 90% upgrade success rates. As an EXP other than E175 and CR900s you shouldn't get your hopes up for an upgrade. Often the F/J cabin is already sold out at T-100. And doesn't seem like things are any different at DL.

enviroian

Yep. The old days.

C space is relatively non existent now. It's a personal choice but for me at least a SWU is worthless w/o confirming at booking. No way I would be able to wait until 24 hours before a trip knowing whether or not I'll be in 27A or 5J. Not for me, no thanks.

redtop43

I disagree. As I mentioned in another thread, I am flying PHL-LAS this Sunday and at T-144, there are 15 of 20 F seats unoccupied on the seat map and EF shows J7. And it shows "Systemwide Upgrades" although I'm already in F and so have no reason to care.

USFlyerUS

Yep. The old days of EPs almost always being upgraded are long gone and aren't coming back anytime soon. My family and friends are all seeing this. We all have status on various carriers (mix of AA, DL, and UA), and it's the same everywhere. Now, if we want F/J, we buy F/J. With the fares being reasonable compared to historical prices, upgrades simply aren't worth the hassle anymore anyway. I don't think you'll find any different on DL or UA.

enviroian

FWIW I only redeem for transatlantic flights.

aztimm

Your profile indicates you are in Chicago; you might want to update it, as others might be able to better help you.

If you have extra SWU's that will go unused, feel free to post in this thread, as there are always others who may benefit:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...onditions.html

PDXPremier

Anyone have any luck lately using a SWU on the HNL-DFW route? Thinking about using one to wait-list a 777 flight in March and although the J cabin looks wide open now, I realize it's supposedly one of the tougher upgrades in the system and wondered if I had much of a chance.

PHL

Hope you're not on my flight. :P

I'm also flying HNL-DFW in March in paid PE and using BXP1 (which is on the same waitlist as SWUs and mileage upgrades). I also expect to be PP by then, so hopefully that boosts my chances. From what I've read here, it seems that the HNL-USA wide body flights clear in the 24-48 hours prior to flight if there's a decent number of seats still left to sell. Otherwise, we'll be sweating it out at the gate. Luckily, all the e500 comp upgrades aren't a concern when using the instruments.

SFO_FT

If you’re PLT, don’t higher tier elites such as CK, EXP, and PRO on both instruments and the e500 comp upgrades clear first? For ex, a CK traveling on an award ticket will clear before an EXP using an instrument?

Antarius

Yes they do.

An EXP on an award ticket will out rank a PPro on a SWU request. That said, C and R inventory release differently, so a SWU could clear ahead, albeit in order of status.

PHL

I guess that's the nuance - how C and R open up in the days leading up to the flight. I realize that I would be behind higher elites upgrading with similar instruments. What anecdotal evidence/experiences have you seen - in particular on the wide body Hawaiian routes, when it comes to seeing comp upgrades clear vs. instrument upgrades that are waitlisted?