How AA is taking EXP Executive Platinum members for granted
 

I have been an EXP member for 10+ years. Little did I know how I have been taken for granted and for a ride by AA all these time until a most recent incident. I have requested for an upgrade from main cabin to business class on an upcoming trip to London. AA EXP support desk told me it will take 12,500 miles and $375 for the upgrade, and I will likely not find out whether I will be upgraded until the day of travel which is September 31, 2022. Two days ago, my travel companion, who has no status with AA, was offered an upgrade to business for $315. I called EXP desk and I was told that I would not like the answer - it makes sense for AA to let random people try their business class than to upgrade an already loyal customer who is spending $15000+ per year with AA, AND would be charged MORE for the upgrade. Now I understand why my hard earned Systemwide upgrades would seldom ever yield any upgrade!!! It is cruel awakening and incredulous to know this is how AA operates - totally taking their most loyal customers for granted, and counting on us not knowing any better and will stay with AA. THEY ARE WRONG!!! I have endured the incompetent performances of AA for far too long compared to other airlines. This is the last straw that broke the camel's back. Delta treats their top tier customers far better. Their Systemwide upgrades are applied as long as there is a seat available when requested. Delta has far far better equipment and service delivery. I am looking for a match to Delta and will say goodbye to AA that has gone from a world class airline to a discounted mentality airline when Doug Parker took over with his fame to cut cost and operating a discount airline. I already knew nothing good will come out of Doug Parker when he was named. His hand picked successor Rober Isom will likely continue to sing the same tune.

Be careful about DL's upgrade rules. In most situations, specific upgrade inventory is required, and it's capacity controlled by revenue management.

its always greener on the other side.. until you go to the other side... me after 15yesrs plus of being EXP... have thought about a change..
but being based out of ATL.. the upgrades for DL would never happen...
I will stay with AA.... only because.. well actually I dont know..

Who do you think among AA, DL or UA has the most liberal SWU/GPU/ Etc upgrades from Y to J? Who has the most inventory to upgrade at booking?

If the OP's upcoming travel is really on September 31, he's got a lot bigger problems than whether he'll get upgraded. :D

If you want the J cabin pay for the J cabin. Seems weird that you only paid for a Y fare, but somehow feel AA owes you J. Consider the perk of EXP being the bonus miles you accrue.

I think you completely missed the point of the post. The point was that the it would cost the OP more to upgrade from Y-->J as an EXP than it would for a non-status member to do the same thing. The OP is complaining (and perhaps rightfully so) that AA is giving better pricing for the upgrade to a non-elite than an EXP.

IMHO, we're missing a critical data point -- that being the fare classes of the non-status member's ticket and the OP's ticket. It's possible they're the same but also possible they're not with the non-status member purchasing a higher fare class.

And, be careful about going to DL or UA. I have just as many friends who fly them with top tier status who complain about the very same things.

Yeah well thats the norm. 6 seats open in F on my trip to ORD day after tomorrow - upgrade has not cleared. Yet they're offering the seat for sale for $97 on the app.

Equally ridiculous is an EXP agent quoting 12.5k + $375 for an upgrade to business as such a thing doesn't exist.

25k + $350 maybe, but 12.5k + $375 no, where do they get this stuff.

If they're offering the premium cabin as a "good deal" buy-up offer on the app, chances are the cabin is wide open enough that your upgrade might eventually clear. The folks at RM are just trying to monetize the seats as much as possible before releasing them for upgrades, since upgrades bring in very little or zero additional revenue. (I do see how it's bizarre to be on the upgrade waitlist for miles+$ copay and then see an upgrade offer popping up in the app for less than that. But those are two different programs and ways of getting into J....completely separate from each other.)

It's just the name of the game these days. As noted above, if it's that important to you to fly in J, just pay for J.

Not defending AA at all, but it is way better that UA as far as limiting when it offers TOD upgrades. Also, go check out the UA forum for how many 1K's are disgruntled about their lack of upgrades. And good luck purchasing the expensive Y fares that DL makes you purchase to apply a SWU with them, only to be upgraded to an older, often inferior hard-product of their business class. Each airline has their issues and none are perfect among the big 3 in the US.

Currency of the realm > Scrip miles

In any event, upgrades have always been space available. Surely in whatever amount of years and spend, you've figured that out.

Based on my experience, AA.

Delta’s GUC changes were a big negative. Fortunately I have two left to use. The other drawback of the GUC policy changes was that it inherently restricted usage of the RUCs on Delta One Tcon flights. I’m not about to pay for PE for a shot at maybe clearing an international GUC in advance of one day out. The only viable use left when booking economy is on KLM as Air France (former sweet spot) now falls into the PE scope.

To the OP - sounds frustrating and it is annoying when C (or A) space is limited. That said, perhaps cancel the waitlist and take the upgrade?

A good example of their instant upgrade strategy / “taking from elite upgrades” in play is my upcoming trip this week from JFK-PHX. When I booked last week, the flight was J7 with 10 open seats; looked like an easy upgrade. The instant upgrade offer was $247. Sure enough, folks likely snapped the offer up as it went down to J3 six days out. I decided to do an up fare (marginally more than the instant upgrade) so that I don’t play gate upgrade roulette as I’d like the extra space for a 5+ hour flight. I could get annoyed about how they’re undercutting a benefit, but the flip side is that AA is looking to make money and in this instance it caused me to change my behavior. EP still provides very solid benefits beyond upgrades, such as getting superior treatment during IROPS (most recently for me this morning).

EXPs need to grow up and realize that monetization of the premium cabins will only intensify. The days of the complimentary upgrade are slowly going away.

And yes with AA (and other US based airlines) getting most of it's profit from retail partners, particularly cc, EXPs have become just another face in the crowd. Want recognition, spend enough to be invited to be a CK.