Upgrades to MEX
 

i'm curious about MEX upgrades. Since it is degraded via lounge access for PP and EP, and it usually requires a SWU to get upgraded. Do they ever upgrade PP and EP elites as a matter of courtesy?

Flights from the US to Mexico qualify for complimentary upgrades. In my experience, it rarely requires an SWU to secure an upgrade from DFW to MEX, though its certainly tougher to secure one if the flight's operated by an A319 as those only have 8 F seats.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...y-upgrades.jsp

MEX is not a SWU destination, it's "domestic." The lounge access exception is separate. That said, upgrades to/from MEX can be very hard. I live here, and can often not even buy full J a week in advance. For whatever reason, the ~7pm DFW-MEX is probably your best bet at an upgrade. Since CLT/PHX/LAX are once per day with small J cabins, chances are very low. The new JFK flight is at such bad times, it might be a decent upgrade flight.

Thank you both.

Is MEX lounge access degraded? I thought it was given AC access, not FL. The AC access was an upgrade from other Mexico destinations.

It used to be FL eligible until a year or 2 ago. Then it became AC only along with the near south America routes (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela).

However, all international routes got AC access in April 2021 in J. So MEX is just like any other airport in Mexico, Caribbean etc.

Humphh. I flew to MEX a couple of times just before COVID and the access changes and used the AC instead of the FL not knowing any better.

So, to MEX:

• J, no status, AC
• EXP would be FL (because it's OW "non-North American itin")

I think that's right?

No, its AC either way. MEX is North America in the AA world.

Weird, they are more restrictive than the non-AA OW lounges, but I guess there's "consistency" there.

I’ve taken AA2995 (JFK-MEX) twice and I can confidently say nearly half the pax in the J cabin both times were non-revs, so I’d wager getting an upgrade on that route wouldn’t be too tough. I haven’t taken 2996, due to the god awful timing, but I’d imagine it to be even easier.

MEX is North America in general ;)

Agree!

AC or non-Flagship OW lounges (Alaska, Qantas, BA, etc), actually.

MEX is still considered an exception to AAdvantage North America OW lounge access rules. While Flagship lounges now exclude MEX, you can still access other non-Flagship OW lounges with your class of service or AAdvantage status.

From https://www.oneworld.com/airport-lounges
"American Airlines AAdvantage members, regardless of their tier status or class of travel, are not eligible for access to oneworld member airline lounge when travelling solely on North American flights between the U.S., Canada, Mexico (except Mexico City), the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Caribbean."

Perhaps I've just been lucky, but I've never missed an upgrade DFW-MEX-DFW as a platinum pro. All of my flights have been on 737. I've been in Platinum Pro since 2019, and I take three round trips per year.