Empty seats showing on the seat map isn't a reliable indicator of actual loads/bookings.

Any yes, if you want the seat, then paying for it is always the best way to get it.

I had a couple interesting ones today (8/25). Executive Plat (low rolling LP's)

Morning ONT-DFW A321 - upgraded at T-97, Monday morning, into the LAST of 20 FC seats. I was shocked that they would close out FC so far in advance, I double checked by searching for a new ticket on AA.com and First was unavailable. I seriously wonder if it was some kind of glitch in the system? AA IT strikes again? Not that I was complaining...

Afternoon DFW-DSM A320 - upgraded at T-104. Of the 12 FC seats I think 4 were open when I was upgraded. I was automatically put in 3D, and a couple days ago I switched myself to 2C because 2A was also empty and might as well move up a row. When I checked in yesterday evening I think 3A was the only one still empty. When I boarded I noticed there were only two rows in First, and realized the plane had been switched from an A320 to A319. After confirming with the FA that we were indeed going to DSM, I asked if they changed planes but she didn't seem to understand the question. The Captain's initial announcement said they were updating their paperwork for the new plane and we would be underway shortly, so there was an equipment swap. When I booked a few weeks ago the Main Cabin seat map was pretty open, do they routinely switch planes if the load is light? Or did they just have an issue with the original plane and were able to swap to an A319 because of the light load? I wonder what would have happened if I had stayed in my original 3D. Would I have still been in 3D, behind the curtain? Or do they shuffle people so the highest ranks maintain their upgrade?

GF is a new PLT well on her way to EXP with her new VP job.

She cleared t-24 on MSN-PHX last week and T-24 PHL-PHX today (Friday).

She is having some good luck!!!

Just data points, but I got upgrades within 30 minutes of purchase on BTR-CLT flying last Thursday night and return CLT-BTR last night (Friday). Tickets purchased last Tuesday morning. Outbound was downgauged from CRJ9 to 700 day of but kept the upgrade. Last night we left on the 900 with two empty seats upfront.

Yesterday (Friday) Bought BTR-CLT and return flying this Sunday out and back next Tuesday. Got the upgrade for outbound within 30 minutes of purchase and the return upgraded this morning.

These are my fastest in a while.

So I did quite a test… I canceled our reservations for two people in the ward 1st and re-book in a word economy… I wanted to see if those seats with clear from the upgrade list with seven seats available in first class at T-45 hours.

After a few hours waiting on the upgrade list, these seats did not upgrade and so I decided to cancel the economy space and rebook back in first class.

At the same time I designated our third traveler as my upgrade companion, and she was put on the upgrade list.

Never cleared. First class on both segments BOS-ORD and ORD-STL left full. I was told she was 5th on the Waitlist ORD-STL, w 2 seats avail.

The conclusion is speed up to seven seats available in first class within 48 hours, they never cleared.

My conclusion is that there will almost always be 7+/- status elites ahead of me, now that domestic UGs are free and also avail on award tickets.

Bsck when stickers cost something per 500 mikes, people were judicious as to when and whether to upgrade. So there were fewer people on the list. No more.

It seems as if the summer travel rush is over. CMH-PHX-CMH used to be a very difficult upgrade this spring and summer; I was 1 out of 6 legs on a 3-trip stretch in April-May. Yesterday, I was upgraded both directions at exactly 100 hours out, and the return flight last night had 6 open F seats (and 126 open in Y).

This is a lot of effort to come to the rather obvious conclusion that "upgrades may be difficult for Platinums"

It might be over but AA is in no mood to issue comp upgrades. My flight tomorrow still has 6 open seats in F - nobody upgraded yet....

Lol the transcon waiting game is getting all manner of ridiculous - I'm on AA28 tomorrow LAX-JFK, which has been sitting at J7 right down to I7 all week, and still no upgrade. Fortunately plans changed such that I won't actually be needing to take this flight, but I'm kinda morbidly curious how long they intend to try to squeeze the in-app offers before throwing in the towel and processing comp upgrades.

T-18 seconds.

PPro w/ 66k LPs this cycle

8/7/23 DCA-BTR AA4215: Cleared at T-72, went out with 3 open seats
8/15/23 PHL-PBI AA471: Cleared at T-11, 15 on list for 0 seats when I cancelled
8/26/23 PBI-CLT AA2208: Cleared at T-70, 12 on list with no one clearing
8/26/23 CLT-ONT AA1819: Cleared at T-72, 2 on list with 1 clearing

oof I have AA28 booked for a Sunday night in September. Picked that for what I perceive to be higher odds as a PPro. Hopefully it'll be luckier for me

I ended up canceling a few hours ago so as to not risk messing up an upgrade for someone else (shouldn't work that way, but...) so I can't report back with any certainty. However, I suspect I would have easily scored the upgrade at some point prior to departure, and you're correct that this flight appears to stay open in J for longer than other frequencies on this route. I think you've got a fighting chance, just don't expect anything prior to a battleground upgrade :/

thanks! I'm monitoring the cash upgrade daily as well. But given hotel check out at 4pm, I'll have ~5 hours to kill before check in, and Flagship lounge time would be greatly welcome aha

I have 48 hours until my flight out of MIA-LAX 8 seats open last I checked and still no upgrade cleared . EXP.