Rumor, Speculation: AAdvantage Program Devaluation 31 Jul 2019
Jul 3, 2019, 4:15 pm
#151
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Jul 3, 2019, 4:18 pm
#152
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
I’d speculate that this is going to largely focus on monetizing PE and selling awards into PE. The economy award outage earlier this month may have been a glitch but a glitch related to the preparation for that project.
Jul 3, 2019, 4:35 pm
#153
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,811
K would like your opinion on the alternate.
The only thing I could think of if it is not that black and white is that you could jump from Y -> J (bypassing W) if and only if your fare class is Y, H, K, or maybe M.
Caught myself....I almost wrote Y, B, H.....hard to wrap my mind around the fact that "B" is now the lowest of low paid fare classes whereas in the past it was the second most expensive.
The only thing I could think of if it is not that black and white is that you could jump from Y -> J (bypassing W) if and only if your fare class is Y, H, K, or maybe M.
Caught myself....I almost wrote Y, B, H.....hard to wrap my mind around the fact that "B" is now the lowest of low paid fare classes whereas in the past it was the second most expensive.
Jul 3, 2019, 5:50 pm
#154
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Austin, TX - AUS
Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 1,625
K would like your opinion on the alternate.
The only thing I could think of if it is not that black and white is that you could jump from Y -> J (bypassing W) if and only if your fare class is Y, H, K, or maybe M.
Caught myself....I almost wrote Y, B, H.....hard to wrap my mind around the fact that "B" is now the lowest of low paid fare classes whereas in the past it was the second most expensive.
The only thing I could think of if it is not that black and white is that you could jump from Y -> J (bypassing W) if and only if your fare class is Y, H, K, or maybe M.
Caught myself....I almost wrote Y, B, H.....hard to wrap my mind around the fact that "B" is now the lowest of low paid fare classes whereas in the past it was the second most expensive.
Jul 3, 2019, 10:11 pm
#155
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,263
K would like your opinion on the alternate.
The only thing I could think of if it is not that black and white is that you could jump from Y -> J (bypassing W) if and only if your fare class is Y, H, K, or maybe M.
Caught myself....I almost wrote Y, B, H.....hard to wrap my mind around the fact that "B" is now the lowest of low paid fare classes whereas in the past it was the second most expensive.
The only thing I could think of if it is not that black and white is that you could jump from Y -> J (bypassing W) if and only if your fare class is Y, H, K, or maybe M.
Caught myself....I almost wrote Y, B, H.....hard to wrap my mind around the fact that "B" is now the lowest of low paid fare classes whereas in the past it was the second most expensive.
Jul 4, 2019, 4:29 am
#156
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
A few years ago DL started allowing the use of Global Upgrade Certificates (GUC's....same as SWU) from virtually any fare class. But when that was implemented, DL also quietly changed the way that GUC's were processed. Previously, a GUC basically got you confirmed AT TIME OF BOOKING if there was a J seat available (and a spot on a waitlist on the rare occasions that a J seat wasn't available). Now, a GUC gets you onto a waitlist at time of booking. As travel date gets closer and DL has a handle on how many J seats will likely be unsold, DL starts releasing seats to thiose on the waitlist. It is pretty unheard of for GUC's to clear at time of booking anymore.
So in summary, GUC's went from heavily restricted but virtually guaranteed upgrades to a more widely accessible CHANCE of an upgrade into the leftover seats that DL hasn't sold. Each procedure s*cks, they just s*ck in different ways.
So in summary, GUC's went from heavily restricted but virtually guaranteed upgrades to a more widely accessible CHANCE of an upgrade into the leftover seats that DL hasn't sold. Each procedure s*cks, they just s*ck in different ways.
Jul 4, 2019, 5:27 am
#157
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
As technology is able to do more complex binary processing I think that fare code being introduced into the mix for all upgrades will be on the rise. AA will use status class and from there a mixture of your 12 month rolling EQDs and fare class of the individual flight.
Jul 4, 2019, 10:46 am
#159
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,223
they will probably cut it to just 2 SWUs or eliminate it to add insult to injury...don’t worry though...it’s an enhancement based on customer feedback.
Jul 4, 2019, 11:27 am
#160
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
I would be totally fine with that. Then again I'm not EXP nor will I ever be. So I couldn't care less about SWUs. In most cases I would be more than happy fo buy PE to better the chances of a miles+copay upgrade. AA could also still allow SWU use to upgrade Y-->J, but give PE customers priority.
Jul 4, 2019, 11:51 am
#161
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP MM, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Ti, UA Silver
Posts: 5,034
I could see them making a "New Systemwide" upgrade. Each NSWU would upgrade you one cabin and you could use multiple NSWUs to upgrade multiple levels:
Y to PE = 1 NSWU
Y to J = 2 NSWU
Y to 3 cabin F = 3 NSWU
PE to J = 1 NSWU
PE to 3 cabin F = 2 NSWU
J to 3 cabin F = 1 NSWU
In fairness, they would need to give 8 NSWUs per year to EXP members in order to keep overall upgrading capabilities similar.
I also think they should make the upgrade process a "jump" rather than a "step". IOW, you'd use (e.g.) 2 NSWUs to jump straight from Y to J, rather than having to first clear an upgrade Y to PE with 1 NSWU and then clear a second upgrade PE to J with a second NSWU.
Y to PE = 1 NSWU
Y to J = 2 NSWU
Y to 3 cabin F = 3 NSWU
PE to J = 1 NSWU
PE to 3 cabin F = 2 NSWU
J to 3 cabin F = 1 NSWU
In fairness, they would need to give 8 NSWUs per year to EXP members in order to keep overall upgrading capabilities similar.
I also think they should make the upgrade process a "jump" rather than a "step". IOW, you'd use (e.g.) 2 NSWUs to jump straight from Y to J, rather than having to first clear an upgrade Y to PE with 1 NSWU and then clear a second upgrade PE to J with a second NSWU.
Jul 4, 2019, 12:19 pm
#162
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Jul 4, 2019, 12:20 pm
#163
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Jul 4, 2019, 12:21 pm
#164
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
I could see them making a "New Systemwide" upgrade. Each NSWU would upgrade you one cabin and you could use multiple NSWUs to upgrade multiple levels:
Y to PE = 1 NSWU
Y to J = 2 NSWU
Y to 3 cabin F = 3 NSWU
PE to J = 1 NSWU
PE to 3 cabin F = 2 NSWU
J to 3 cabin F = 1 NSWU
In fairness, they would need to give 8 NSWUs per year to EXP members in order to keep overall upgrading capabilities similar.
I also think they should make the upgrade process a "jump" rather than a "step". IOW, you'd use (e.g.) 2 NSWUs to jump straight from Y to J, rather than having to first clear an upgrade Y to PE with 1 NSWU and then clear a second upgrade PE to J with a second NSWU.
Y to PE = 1 NSWU
Y to J = 2 NSWU
Y to 3 cabin F = 3 NSWU
PE to J = 1 NSWU
PE to 3 cabin F = 2 NSWU
J to 3 cabin F = 1 NSWU
In fairness, they would need to give 8 NSWUs per year to EXP members in order to keep overall upgrading capabilities similar.
I also think they should make the upgrade process a "jump" rather than a "step". IOW, you'd use (e.g.) 2 NSWUs to jump straight from Y to J, rather than having to first clear an upgrade Y to PE with 1 NSWU and then clear a second upgrade PE to J with a second NSWU.
Jul 4, 2019, 3:47 pm
#165
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K, F9 Elite, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,319
MY SWUs generally go to waste now. We all complained about the reduction from 8 to 4, but the fact that they are so difficult to use with the tiny J cabins AA has anyways makes it a mute point. They are completely worthless without AA releasing any upgrade space in advance, so I won't care nor be shocked if they change these. I mean, you can't devalue something if it holds no value already, in my opinion.
