Mar 6, 2022, 1:17 pm
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
Upgrade type
Then, by
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
(Upgrades were prioritized by elite status and then time of request until 20 May 2017)
Elite status
- Concierge Key
- Executive Platinum
- Platinum Pro
- Platinum
- Gold
Upgrade type
- Miles and copay award upgrades and systemwide upgrades (SWU)
- 500 mile upgrades on purchased tickets
- 500 mile upgrades on upgrade eligible awards)
Then, by
- EQD earned, possibly changing to Loyalty Points earned, in the past 12 months (rolling) as far as we know today
- Booking class
- 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
Chances of Upgrade Clearing and Availability (2022 master thread)
Nov 21, 2022, 3:06 pm
#766
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,070
Can't tell if I'm the unluckiest EXP, or DEN has become a hotbed of EXPs or cheap buy-up offers. A flight I was certain to get an upgrade on, DEN-CLT red-eye on a weekday night, showing J4 with less than 4 days out is now zeroed out in the front and seat map is fully booked. Sometimes I wonder if I'm getting skipped over or people are buying up to F.
Nov 21, 2022, 3:10 pm
#767
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 256
Can't tell if I'm the unluckiest EXP, or DEN has become a hotbed of EXPs or cheap buy-up offers. A flight I was certain to get an upgrade on, DEN-CLT red-eye on a weekday night, showing J4 with less than 4 days out is now zeroed out in the front and seat map is fully booked. Sometimes I wonder if I'm getting skipped over or people are buying up to F.
Nov 21, 2022, 3:29 pm
#769
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,443
Can't tell if I'm the unluckiest EXP, or DEN has become a hotbed of EXPs or cheap buy-up offers. A flight I was certain to get an upgrade on, DEN-CLT red-eye on a weekday night, showing J4 with less than 4 days out is now zeroed out in the front and seat map is fully booked. Sometimes I wonder if I'm getting skipped over or people are buying up to F.
Nov 21, 2022, 3:36 pm
#770
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: ATL
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 113
Platpro 190k LP
SNA-ORD : was 6/21 for the original flight. Ended up delayed 7 hours and was 3/10 on the new flight. 1-5 were upgraded at the gate before the flight. (this was a Sunday afternoon flight)
ORD-SNA: upgraded at T-61. 19 on the list and 0 were upgraded at the gate. (this was a Sunday morning flight)
SNA-ORD : was 6/21 for the original flight. Ended up delayed 7 hours and was 3/10 on the new flight. 1-5 were upgraded at the gate before the flight. (this was a Sunday afternoon flight)
ORD-SNA: upgraded at T-61. 19 on the list and 0 were upgraded at the gate. (this was a Sunday morning flight)
Nov 21, 2022, 5:29 pm
#771
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,070
It was J7 a week before, that 3 C (award bucket) opened up. The same flight/routes the next day have J7 or J4 in the evening as well.
Nov 22, 2022, 12:00 am
#772
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,070
Nov 22, 2022, 6:34 pm
#773
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: LAX
Programs: AA CK; UA 1K
Posts: 42
CK 262k LP
LAX -PHL - Early AM Friday flight, nobody was upgraded, I was #1 on the list
PHL-LAX - Sun mid afternoon flight, wife and I both upgraded after boarding was completed, we were #1 and 2 on the list.
LAX -PHL - Early AM Friday flight, nobody was upgraded, I was #1 on the list
PHL-LAX - Sun mid afternoon flight, wife and I both upgraded after boarding was completed, we were #1 and 2 on the list.
Nov 22, 2022, 9:38 pm
#774
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 256
EXP 250K
11/28 CUN ORD was C0 until today, then C1 this morning. Was 1 F seat visible for months. Two seats 4E and 4F opened this morning.
I applied for a mileage upgrade for 2, months ago, but didn’t expect seats to open. 12 hours after those 2 seats opened for purchase, they processed my mileage upgrade.
Is it worth 30K and $150? I think so. When I fly solo I’m fine with Y.
Nice to see that status has value. Price for seats in F were $2500 more than Y, and I got upgraded both directions for 60K and $300.
Now hoping my Christmas upgrades process next!
Also snagged two paid upgrades for ORD MIA in mid February but they seated us 3A and 4C even tho 4A was open. Weird.
11/28 CUN ORD was C0 until today, then C1 this morning. Was 1 F seat visible for months. Two seats 4E and 4F opened this morning.
I applied for a mileage upgrade for 2, months ago, but didn’t expect seats to open. 12 hours after those 2 seats opened for purchase, they processed my mileage upgrade.
Is it worth 30K and $150? I think so. When I fly solo I’m fine with Y.
Nice to see that status has value. Price for seats in F were $2500 more than Y, and I got upgraded both directions for 60K and $300.
Now hoping my Christmas upgrades process next!
Also snagged two paid upgrades for ORD MIA in mid February but they seated us 3A and 4C even tho 4A was open. Weird.
Nov 23, 2022, 1:22 pm
#775
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 106
Currently Platinum, with enough LPs to drop to Gold next year.
Cleared 3/4 flights this week prior to departure. Sadly, didn't take any of these flights due to illness. Ugh. Happy Thanksgiving you all!
11/21, PHX-DCA, did not upgrade prior to switching flights
11/21, DCA-PIT, upgraded, ~T-48
11/23, PHX-DCA, upgraded, ~T-24
11/23, DCA-PIT, upgraded, ~T-48
Cleared 3/4 flights this week prior to departure. Sadly, didn't take any of these flights due to illness. Ugh. Happy Thanksgiving you all!
11/21, PHX-DCA, did not upgrade prior to switching flights
11/21, DCA-PIT, upgraded, ~T-48
11/23, PHX-DCA, upgraded, ~T-24
11/23, DCA-PIT, upgraded, ~T-48
Nov 25, 2022, 5:03 pm
#776
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Aeroplan 25k, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 194
Complimentary upgrades on award tickets are only for Exec Plat members, right? I'm Plat, and yet on this very much award ticket, my reservation shows a complimentary upgrade is requested, exactly how it shows on comparable paid tickets? This is for ORD > DCA on American metal, booked through AA.com. (So no, I don't need First Class on the 90 minute flight and won't be bothered if it turns out to be an IT fluke but was surprised to see that in the View Reservation page...)
Thoughts?
Nov 25, 2022, 6:09 pm
#777
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,443
I don't know what happened, y'all. I had the upgrade confirmation email at 47 hours and 50 minutes before departure. I triple checked and this was an award booking, albeit a Web Special, but that would make it even less logical to get the complimentary upgrade. My spouse was on the reservation with me and both our seats were upgraded. Just got home from this flight; didn't want to say anything in advance in case I jinxed it!
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Nov 25, 2022, 8:56 pm
#778
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: DTW/EYW
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, United 1K, Delta Platinum ,Hilton Diamond, Mariott Gold
Posts: 275
EP just re qualified following last flight
11/18 DTW-PHL crj900 cleared when I changed to flight about 3 days before
PHL-EYW A319 cleared t-24
Was originally booked on DTW-DFW-EYW and both flights were J1&J0 before ep window
11/28
EYW-MIA e175 cleared at window
MIA-CLT 772 cleared at window
CLT-DTW crj900 has not cleared yet
11/18 DTW-PHL crj900 cleared when I changed to flight about 3 days before
PHL-EYW A319 cleared t-24
Was originally booked on DTW-DFW-EYW and both flights were J1&J0 before ep window
11/28
EYW-MIA e175 cleared at window
MIA-CLT 772 cleared at window
CLT-DTW crj900 has not cleared yet
Nov 26, 2022, 7:55 pm
#779
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 5,508
LHR-PHX Mon 11/28 been showing J5-7 for the last week.
Waitlisted with 2 SWUs for this 772.
T-30 got an EF alert that C2 opened up.
Called into EXP line and they processed it.
PHX-PHL was wide open in F and we cleared that at the T-100 window the day before thanksgiving.
We missed PHL-CDG a few days ago….but they did upgrade us to W for free on the 787 due to my EXP status and my SWUs not clearing.
Waitlisted with 2 SWUs for this 772.
T-30 got an EF alert that C2 opened up.
Called into EXP line and they processed it.
PHX-PHL was wide open in F and we cleared that at the T-100 window the day before thanksgiving.
We missed PHL-CDG a few days ago….but they did upgrade us to W for free on the 787 due to my EXP status and my SWUs not clearing.
Nov 27, 2022, 7:33 am
#780
Join Date: Feb 2022
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 944
MIA/STL yesterday Saturday 11/26 upgraded at T-100. No one on the upgrade list but F was full. STL/DFW 1 for 42 on the upgrade list (so much for elites don't travel much over the holidays). Didn't clear. Friday I have a SNA/JFK flight on the A321T and so far J7 so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.