True story - upgraded on my first eligible flight as a Gold. DFW-CLL midweek, first flight. No idea what the odds were, but may have blown all my luck on that one short leg. I was number 15 on the return flight.

11/28 PHL-PHX AA499: Had not cleared when I purchased in-app offer ($242) at T-18. Went out with 40 on the list.
11/28 PHL-PHX AA474: Same day changed to the 8:38 on the 787 and the list is 45 deep.
11/28: PHX-BUR AA1271: Had not cleared when I SDFC’d to the 3:34 flight. 20 on the list.
11/28 PHX-BUR AA4961: Cleared immediately after switching to this flight. No suprises here on the -700

Was just browsing "Your activity" in the app and I see that this flight booked into Y fare class! Wild. I should book Web Specials more often :) (This is my first year having AA status so apologies if this is a known feature of Web Specials and I sound like a newbie)

OMA-CLT, 738, Monday mid-afternoon - cleared after boarding (agent did mention as I boarded that "we might have an upgrade for you"), moved up to 1F from 9D.

Just around 200K LPs.

JFK to LAX, basic economy fare, cleared from main to J, exec plat.

Curious though, the first cabin (3 cabin transcon) was mostly empty, with business and main cabin full. Does AA not complimentary auto-upgrade J to F or Y to F?

I've been double upgraded as an EXP, from Y to J on a complimentary upgrade and then a further operational upgrade into Flagship First (original Y ticket was $109 one way lol) because J was oversold by 4 seats. This was SFO-JFK. So yes it does happen, but it'll never happen if J is not oversold. And you cannot use a complimentary upgrade to go from J to F or Y to F. Only a Systemwide or mileage upgrade from paid J to F.

got it, thanks!

EXP at 185K LP Cleared DFW/SNA about 12 hours out. Presumably this is a difficult route for a low spend EXP to clear (on a Tuesday).

T-100 cleared SNA/JFK on the 321T (another shocker, Friday night on the only flight of the day)
T-105 JFK/MIA (738 Max)

PlatPro with about 100k LP
11/1 OKC-PHX CR7.
#1 on the list out of 9 ..nobody cleared. Upgrades offered on the app for $126 right up until t-24. First time I've ever missed an upgrade on this flight as a Plat or PPro.

11/1 PHX-SFO E175 cleared at the window! Wasn't expecting that.



11/8 SFO-PHX 737. #1 out of 12 on the list. Nobody cleared. Upgrades offered on the app for $146 right up until t-24

11/8. PHX-SLC A321 #2 on the list out 16 and 1 cleared. So I was the first loser on both flights on this day. Upgrades offered on the app for $97 right up until t-24


11/15. SLC-DFW A321 cleared at the window!

11/15 DFW-JAN CR9. #1 out of 8, and I was the only one who cleared at the gate. Upgrades offered for $76 right up until t-24


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11/22 JAN-DFW E175 #1 out of 11, and I was the only one that cleared at the gate. Upgrades being offered for $49! Right up until t-24
11/22 DFW-OKC A319. #10 out of 22; nobody cleared.



11/29 OKC-LAX E175. Cleared at the window.

11/29 LAX-LAS A321. Cleared at the window. Boarding this flight now.


Overall, a good upgrade percentage with all flights being on Tuesdays. A couple of flights where I was surprised to get an upgraded.....and a couple where I was uprised to be in MCE....so it all evened out. Some very cheap upgrade offers on the app on some of these flights well into the upgrade window.

I'm surprised to hear that folks are still getting in-app upgrade offers past their status window for upgrades opening. 100% of the time, my offers in the app disappear after T-100 hours.

New to this. Please bare with me.. Just got platinum pro and have an upcoming flight on Tues from MCO to ord. I'm in the 4pm flight. C had been sold out for long. And all seats as taken. I'm in the upgrade list with my y ticket. I do have exit row.
No more c for sale on the earlier 12.35 flight but seats not all taken.
I am thinking of doing a same day change to this earlier flight just to get to ord early. Risking I loose my exit row.
​​​​​Question. As I will be signing up within 24h for that flight will any possible upgrade has already been given to anyone else? Even aa gold is now before me? Or would they value my higher status and I still have a chance to get upgraded over golds and plats?

Once you are confirmed on the new flight then you will be added to the upgrade list based on your status and it will be resorted at that time. So as soon as you are added to the list as a PLT Pro you will be above any PLT's or Gold's who are also on the list.

Thank you. Makes sense. How likely are the chances in my scenario that if there were 1 or two upgrades that they already cleared ahead to gold or platinums? Or will updates not clear in a tight situation until take off?

AA will typically never clear all upgrades until right before the flight. So if there are only 2 seats left for sale in business, for example, those will not be given out to a Gold (or anyone) right at T-24. They will keep those seats available for sale for any last minute travelers, then if they're still available they will clear any upgrades at the gate right before the flight.

Yep that buy up offer in the app is available until the gate agent is closing the door. :D