SS255

jvel

If you book through a corporate travel agency, you always need to call Meeting Services for the upfare. Just google it and you'll get the phone # for their department. The $50 fee is hit or miss and I've had success with HUCA. Actually just last week, first time I called the upfare was $180, said no thanks, called about 10 mins later and it came through at $130.

wendyg

I was wondering about what EQD/EQM credit you get for the OLCI/at-airport upgrades. On my last flight PHL-LHR I was offered an upgrade from to business class (from economy) for Ł368, which seemed pretty modest, really. It was certainly a lot less than previous such offers.

I still didn't take it. But my question is: what EQDs and EQMs would taking the upgrade have added? They really don't (and should) make these things clear.

wg

USFlyerUS

It will be based on the purchased fare class and amount of the original ticket. What the kiosk offers is an "upgrade", not a sell up to a higher fare.

Dave Noble

True - but it was a lot later than 1992 when it brought it out - VS and BR were the innovators of the product - even if it took a while before it had a generic name of premium economy ;Also on AA's partners there are Qantas and Cathay at least too that had it for a long while before

ericcheung

What Delta did in conjunction with FCM was to increase the number of F seats. AA has been moving in the opposite direction, replacing 16F MD-80s with 8F 319s.

I wonder if AA would consider anothet A321 subfleet. Similar to the old US A321 configuration with F from Door 1 to Door 2. This is prior to the HP merger. The 321 is a good plane to do this on as the cabin break currently is less than ideal.

This subfleet can be used on high yielding routes where people will pay up, either shorter hops between business centers/hubs (LGA-CLT and LGA-ORD) and longer routes where you may get a larger mix of paid F (non flagship Transcons, MIA-LAX, DCA-LAX)

deeruck

Thank you! Never needed to rely on the glossary. Acronyms around these parts tend to be fora specific.

xliioper

With the DL system it's definitely about the marketing and ease of transaction (no need to deal with an agent), not reliably offering upgrades for less than the fare difference. Not saying it never happens, but it's certainly not reliable. Case in point, I have a RT for DTW-BWI that I paid $253 for and am getting a $74 each way upgrade offer. However, the FC price is $392 RT (so it would be cheaper to call and upfare). The $70 charge is pretty typical for short-haul routes and don't recall them dropping below that amount. Transcon upgrades tend to be $200+ and, again, I don't recall them dropping below this (they tend to go up as you get near the flight, not down). Not saying it makes me any more happy about upgrades being more challenging, but it's pretty clear they are not really undercutting FC fares in order to sell more upgrades.

DeepUnderground

^I hope this also means the comp upgrade window is reduced to 24 hours or so. It's damn near impossible to buy 4 first class tickets for my family at the last minute these days....

Spanish

rasheed

Remember, if you have any AA elite status, you never see LFBU offers, but they gladly come online assuming there is capacity at check-in. I am unaware if LFBUs are blocked to BE customers, I don't have evidence either way.

I find it odd that people think AA will promote primarily fare difference upsell via email. I expect demand-based flat rate pricing which will usually be cheaper for low-cost, advanced-booked fares than upfairing.

I totally agree that this fills a void for business travelers who are willing to spend part of their own money on upgrades. Yes, the corporate agency will get notified just like they do when upgrades at the window come through, but it won't be an issue.

Further, I expect that most CKs purchase premium classes anyway to get their spend thresholds, so I think EXPs and PPROs road warriors better start figuring out a budget for their upgrades otherwise. PLT and GLD already have a paid equivalent formula for upgrades, as rare as they might be.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

I agree the US3 are headed towards co pay upgrades, the amount likely depending upon elite class and clearing as they do now by elite status and 12 month rolling spend. In essence stickers will be required for upgrades. Possibly EXPs and PP like GLDs and PLTs might earn a certain number of complimentary stickers per "X" number of miles (or more likely a move towards dollars) flown. The day of the complimentary upgrade like the days of status by miles flown is coming to an end. Of course, the're be those FTers (and airline neters) that will swear AA will never move this way because it will "upset" their elites.

3Cforme

Absolutely. AA's DFW hub is (IIRC) the second-biggest airline hub by flight count in the world, behind DL@ATL. Yet there are ~60 destinations served non-stop from DFW by ~20 carriers not AA nor American Eagle, plus Southwest's 195 flight/64 city operation at DAL. If elite status has minimal value there's little reason to chase it - choose flights by your personal matrix of price/schedule/service/fare restrictions. (I'll let people argue their valuation of specific benefits elsewhere.)

beachfan

AlphaTango