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Chances of Upgrade Clearing and Availability (2022 master thread)

Old Mar 6, 2022, 1:17 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JDiver
Chances of Upgrade Request Clearing (Be aware of possible upgrade priority changes as of Loyalty Points becoming the qualifier for rewards)

(Upgrades were prioritized by elite status and then time of request until 20 May 2017)

Elite status
  1. Concierge Key
  2. Executive Platinum
  3. Platinum Pro
  4. Platinum
  5. Gold


Upgrade type
  1. Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades (SWU)
  2. 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets
  3. 500 mile upgrades on upgrade eligible awards)


Then, by
  1. EQD earned, possibly changing to Loyalty Points earned, in the past 12 months (rolling) as far as we know today
  2. Booking class
  3. Time of request


Link to 2020-2021 archived thread.

For previous changes, see Upgrade Priority Changes to Status, Rolling 365 Day EQD Spend May 20 2017





Link to Gary Leff, View From the Wing 16 May 2017
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Chances of Upgrade Clearing and Availability (2022 master thread)

Old Jun 24, 2022, 10:50 pm
  #391  
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Programs: $9 Fare Club
Posts: 1,465
LGA-DCA: T-48 on the dot for the last flight out on Sunday,

Platinum with 71k LPs YTD
ChurnieEls is offline  
Old Jun 25, 2022, 7:23 am
  #392  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA EXP, DL Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Ambassador (RIP SPG), Aeroplan 75K
Posts: 1,136
Originally Posted by wanderingjock
BA GGL (exec plat with CK) : can i ask to be waitlisted on an internal US flight for upgrade? any experience of my chances? Bos-LAX or JFK - LAX? thanks all.

EDIT:: 001- flights
Are OWEs (outside of AS) eligible for complimentary upgrades? I didnt think that was the case. I know Sky Team has some sort of arrangement, but I dont think there is the same for OW.
ryanbriar is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2022, 10:38 pm
  #393  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,546
I'm EXP flying LAS-LAX on AS four days from now. Have been upgraded, although F is wide open on the flight.
redtop43 is offline  
Old Jun 29, 2022, 10:57 am
  #394  
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: CP-ASEL,AMEL,G-IA in Tucson, Arizona, United States
Posts: 1,124
Did TUS-PHX-EUG-PHX-TUS recently. Since EUG was hosting the national track and field championships there was an increased demand for air travel. Plat with only 7-8K LPs before the trip.

TUS-PHX upgraded 48 hours before the flight
PHX-EUG upgraded 12.5 hours before the flight
EUG-PHX upgraded 12 hours before the flight (I noticed just #1 on the standby list was upgraded-there were several)
PHX-TUS was #2 where 7 out of 9 were upgraded following an equipment change to an A321 with 20 F seats
tlglenn is offline  
Old Jun 29, 2022, 12:53 pm
  #395  
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Long Island, NY
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 717
JFK-LHR or LHR-JFK is still pretty easy to clear.

AA141 on Sunday 6/26: upgrade to J using SWU cleared at boarding (but missed the flight #anotherstory)
AA107 on Monday 6/27: upgrade cleared before boarding
AA 104 (JFK-LHR) on 8/17: received the notification on EF on 6/29, and the AA exp agent promptly handled it over the phone.
zip10001 is offline  
Old Jun 29, 2022, 2:03 pm
  #396  
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Between ORD and MKE
Programs: AA ExecPlat; UA 1K
Posts: 145
6/15: YYC to ORD: both upgraded T48, one Platinum with 110k LP and the other (Lifetime) Gold with <10k LP.
6/23: ORD to LAX: One upgraded at gate. By now was PPRO with 129K LP, 5th on list with no seats 2 hrs before, then third on list but somehow got last upgrade during boarding. Last flight of evening at 830pm.
3 for 3 in month of June.
McTigerFan is offline  
Old Jun 29, 2022, 6:07 pm
  #397  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA EXP, DL Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Ambassador (RIP SPG), Aeroplan 75K
Posts: 1,136
BOS-ORD #4010 (E175) on 6/27: Cleared at the EP window with 14 on the list at pushback. #2 cleared / looked like a couple that split.

ORD-BOS #1172 (73M) on 6/29: Cleared at the EP window. 12 on the list with three clearing. That included one who was upgraded by the agent right before we closed up despite us being right up on pushback time.

I also cleared the 7:30 am ORD-LGA flight at the window on 6/29, but ended up calling an audible to the Boston flight.
ryanbriar is offline  
Old Jul 1, 2022, 8:34 pm
  #398  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA EXP, DL Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Ambassador (RIP SPG), Aeroplan 75K
Posts: 1,136
BOS-ORD 7/1 2269 (evening 738) - cleared with an SWU at booking, but was pretty open up to 24 hours out and a few people on the list at pushback.

ORD-DUB 7/1 (788) - cleared an SWU at booking. 8 on the list with one clearing at the gate. Has been nearly sold out for about a month.
madmanshoney likes this.
ryanbriar is offline  
Old Jul 2, 2022, 7:56 am
  #399  
 
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: PHL/LAX
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, AmEx Membership Rewards
Posts: 853
Platinum with 75141 LPs

Had to cancel these segments because the 1 day trip fell through but data points from 6/27:
-Phl-Ord 12:39 flight on 737-800. Was not going to clear when I cancelled at T-30.
-Ord-Clt 4:07 flight. Had not cleared yet but it was looking promising with several F seats open at cancellation.
-Clt-Fll 8:45pm flight. Cleared at T-48.

6/28:
Ord-Phl 4:26 flight on A321. Very light F load and cleared at T-48. Seems to consistently be a very light elite load seeing as there are only 4 people on the waitlist for today's flight.
Phl-bos 737 9:08pm flight. Cleared at T-48.

7/4:
Phl-Bos A321 9:41Am flight. Cleared at T-48. F cabin seat map showing 12 seats remaining so clearly a lighter elite load on the holiday
ryanbriar likes this.

Last edited by FlyFreakquently; Jul 2, 2022 at 8:10 am
FlyFreakquently is offline  
Old Jul 2, 2022, 1:52 pm
  #400  
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 550
Well this is a first. I am EXP flying with two companions who are both Platinum using a Barclaycard companion certificate for each of them. All three of us were upgraded at 120 hours out on the PHX-ACV leg of our trip.
platbrownguy and EncFlyer like this.
dc10forlife is offline  
Old Jul 3, 2022, 1:39 pm
  #401  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: AA-EXP
Posts: 606
Originally Posted by dc10forlife
Well this is a first. I am EXP flying with two companions who are both Platinum using a Barclaycard companion certificate for each of them. All three of us were upgraded at 120 hours out on the PHX-ACV leg of our trip.
Wow, I was under the impression that companion certificates were not eligible for complimentary upgrades, nice to know that it is possible!
Uzzar is offline  
Old Jul 3, 2022, 3:02 pm
  #402  
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Malibu, CA
Programs: AA CK / Marriott Worthless Ambassador
Posts: 1,158
Great success

Thought Id share a success story.

CK with wife and 3 kids and no status.

LHR to BOS - Purchased Basic Economy tickets

First call AA told me you cant use SWU on basic economy. Second call applied the certs but they had to reference some strange rule.

Months pass with no availability. Which is normal these days. Day before the flight they are no longer selling J and economy is overbooked and asking for volunteers. Oy. Economy seats.

LHR is a nightmare this weekend. BA wont allow us in their lounge. Kind AA rep at closed AA lounge says we are #s 1-5 on upgrade list.

We board late and at the gate all 5 of us are upgraded with SWU to J none of the PE nonsense Ive been hearing. I should have landed and bought lottery tickets.
VFR and madmanshoney like this.
JBauer is offline  
Old Jul 4, 2022, 12:31 am
  #403  
VFR
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: BOS
Programs: AA PP, DL PM
Posts: 2,085
Originally Posted by JBauer
Thought Id share a success story.

CK with wife and 3 kids and no status.

LHR to BOS - Purchased Basic Economy tickets

First call AA told me you cant use SWU on basic economy. Second call applied the certs but they had to reference some strange rule.

Months pass with no availability. Which is normal these days. Day before the flight they are no longer selling J and economy is overbooked and asking for volunteers. Oy. Economy seats.

LHR is a nightmare this weekend. BA wont allow us in their lounge. Kind AA rep at closed AA lounge says we are #s 1-5 on upgrade list.

We board late and at the gate all 5 of us are upgraded with SWU to J none of the PE nonsense Ive been hearing. I should have landed and bought lottery tickets.
If they forgot to charge you the APD difference, buy twice as many lottery tickets.
JBauer likes this.
VFR is online now  
Old Jul 4, 2022, 7:55 am
  #404  
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 194
Small world

Originally Posted by ryanbriar
BOS-ORD 7/1 2269 (evening 738) - cleared with an SWU at booking, but was pretty open up to 24 hours out and a few people on the list at pushback.
.
Dude! I was on that flight too. My comp UG came through around T-48 and F was full when I boarded around group 5.
ryanbriar likes this.
madmanshoney is offline  
Old Jul 4, 2022, 1:08 pm
  #405  
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SFO/LAX/SAN/LAS/DFW/JFK/LGA/EWR/MIA
Posts: 1,073
Originally Posted by dc10forlife
Well this is a first. I am EXP flying with two companions who are both Platinum using a Barclaycard companion certificate for each of them. All three of us were upgraded at 120 hours out on the PHX-ACV leg of our trip.
Originally Posted by Uzzar
Wow, I was under the impression that companion certificates were not eligible for complimentary upgrades, nice to know that it is possible!
just to confirm, ACV is the small regional humboldt airport right? i assume the upgrade was for 2 cabin F on CRJ700? thats still nice but i bet that route had nobody in F. i have been reluctant to use my certs from barclays because the T&Cs were very clear, no upgrades allowed like a basic Y fare. but did you do anything special? were they on the upgrade request list? i guess its not hardcoded and anything is possible.

also, were you upgraded before checking in online? im wondering if check in time matters for AA in terms of upgrade priority. do many upgrades clear without checking in online?
GundamWing01 is offline  

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