EPs and PlatPros: Preferred Domestic Companion Upgrade method?
Oct 31, 2019, 10:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Marriott Ambassador (LT Titanium)
Posts: 94
EPs and PlatPros: Preferred Domestic Companion Upgrade method?
Hi All, I’m wondering what strategies are out there if any for upgrading companions once you’ve hit EP or PlatPro and have burned through all 500-mile upgrades. Seems like the only options are burning a systemwide, Mileage+Copay award, or buying 500-mile upgrades @ $40/ea or 40k miles for 8.
Any other options out there or reasons to prefer one of the above? Bonus points if someone has figured out a way to leverage the 500-milers sitting in my companions account!
Any other options out there or reasons to prefer one of the above? Bonus points if someone has figured out a way to leverage the 500-milers sitting in my companions account!
Oct 31, 2019, 11:28 pm
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: AAdvantage EXPLAT, Hilton Diamond, SPG/Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Citi Exec MC, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,443
If I have at risk SWUs, I will try to use them on a longer route that requires 5+ e500s. Otherwise I’ll buy more e500s. Mileage upgrade award will be last resort.
Nov 1, 2019, 1:01 am
#3
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
Keep your 500 miler balance at zero. Check in at airport, ask agent to pull stickers from companion's account. Allow extra time. This has worked in 5 of 7 attempts for me since I zeroed out my stash. It has always taken a while at the airport, maybe 10 to 20 minutes. But it works. To be fair though, my companion had status of her own, YMMV even more with a non-status companion.
Nov 1, 2019, 8:50 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Marriott Ambassador (LT Titanium)
Posts: 94
Keep your 500 miler balance at zero. Check in at airport, ask agent to pull stickers from companion's account. Allow extra time. This has worked in 5 of 7 attempts for me since I zeroed out my stash. It has always taken a while at the airport, maybe 10 to 20 minutes. But it works. To be fair though, my companion had status of her own, YMMV even more with a non-status companion.
We’ve got several domestic widebody flights coming up but they’re all award tickets. $200/leg for the stickers might just be worth it if it’s the only option.
Nov 1, 2019, 8:55 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Marriott Ambassador (LT Titanium)
Posts: 94
1. At risk SWUs
2. Mileage+copay award
3. Buy 500-milers <—only option if award travel
Nov 1, 2019, 9:17 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
Only EXP can use 500 mile upgrades on award tickets not PlatinumPros
Nov 1, 2019, 11:30 am
#8
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
I was given a boatload of E500s when my US Airways Dividend Miles account switched over to AAdvantage. I don't think I'll need to worry about buying for several years.
Nov 1, 2019, 1:01 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
Have you had this work on an award tickets? I am probably 0 for 5 trying this, albeit 2 of those have been at the gate not at check in. I’m usually told that they would have to decouple us on the upgrade list to even try it and then that the system “doesn’t let them do it” because it’s an award ticket and my companion is AA Gold.
We’ve got several domestic widebody flights coming up but they’re all award tickets. $200/leg for the stickers might just be worth it if it’s the only option.
We’ve got several domestic widebody flights coming up but they’re all award tickets. $200/leg for the stickers might just be worth it if it’s the only option.
Nov 1, 2019, 1:06 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,314
If you're EXP and your companion is Gold, then that's the situation I've been 5 for 7 on -- including awards in the 5. Either or both of the EXP & companion can be on an award. But definitely do it at check in and not the gate. I have not been successful in getting gate or AC to do it. (When I had a stash of stickers, I tried this sort of thing all the time, but often it was too much hassle to try to get the companion to check in at the desk in person with me, etc. -- if we tried at AC or gate, it invariably failed).
Nov 1, 2019, 1:10 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
Officially 500 mile upgrades are pulled from the the status holder sponsoring the companion (regardless of the same or different PNR) even if the companion has sufficient 500 mile upgrades.
Nov 1, 2019, 2:02 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
Nov 1, 2019, 3:47 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Marriott Ambassador (LT Titanium)
Posts: 94
The above is all true, which is why the result should be that the companion is unable to check in on the app (it will want the sponsoring EXP to spend the sticker). All I am saying is that as recently as August (and hopefully again in about 2 weeks), the check in agents have more often than not been able to pull the companion's sticker for the upgrade, even though the upgrade cleared at my window. Prior to my emptying my stash of stickers, I had no way to prevent the system from using my, rather than my companion's, stickers. YMMV.
Nov 1, 2019, 5:05 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
How do you get around the "Unable to request upgrade" email when you don't have companion stickers? Or do simply request the upgrade for the first time when you actually check-in? Unless I'm missing something, using your strategy there still wouldn't be a way to clear before arriving at the airport, let alone at the EP 100-hour window.
In the situation we're discussing, I don't typically get any emails because I'm dealing with a companion on a separate PNR, so I my typical routine is to call and have the companion seated next to me in MCE (assuming I'm not already in F), and to ask the agent on the phone to list the passenger as my companion for a complimentary sticker upgrade. Then if I am concerned about it, I may call back or send a DM via twitter to make sure it's showing correctly.
Nov 2, 2019, 3:00 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Marriott Ambassador (LT Titanium)
Posts: 94
I get that email all the time and have never understood it. I can check, but I don't think I've gotten it in the situation we're discussing. Instead, I get it when I book for multiple people through Amex.
In the situation we're discussing, I don't typically get any emails because I'm dealing with a companion on a separate PNR, so I my typical routine is to call and have the companion seated next to me in MCE (assuming I'm not already in F), and to ask the agent on the phone to list the passenger as my companion for a complimentary sticker upgrade. Then if I am concerned about it, I may call back or send a DM via twitter to make sure it's showing correctly.
In the situation we're discussing, I don't typically get any emails because I'm dealing with a companion on a separate PNR, so I my typical routine is to call and have the companion seated next to me in MCE (assuming I'm not already in F), and to ask the agent on the phone to list the passenger as my companion for a complimentary sticker upgrade. Then if I am concerned about it, I may call back or send a DM via twitter to make sure it's showing correctly.