AA hard sells First upgrades to entire economy cabin
Apr 28, 2023, 1:01 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,690
AA hard sells First upgrades to entire economy cabin
I did not realize AA is selling upgrades to entire economy cabin prior to upgrade window by sending an email to everyone prior to the free upgrade window for all elites. This is an excellent reason just to buy First if you are buying early as you will get LPs
* At three days prior to departure AA now offers a lower price to others in the economy cabin. I am Exec Plat and now I see AA has offered people with lower or no status a cheaper price to upgrade to First on my domestic +4 hour flight. My Upgrade offer is $517 to First class and the other people on my flight who are lower elites have an offer of $217 to First class. This is offer was made 3 days prior to departure where there were at least 3 seats in First availalbe
* At three days prior to departure AA now offers a lower price to others in the economy cabin. I am Exec Plat and now I see AA has offered people with lower or no status a cheaper price to upgrade to First on my domestic +4 hour flight. My Upgrade offer is $517 to First class and the other people on my flight who are lower elites have an offer of $217 to First class. This is offer was made 3 days prior to departure where there were at least 3 seats in First availalbe
Last edited by Centurion; May 2, 2023 at 10:31 am
Apr 28, 2023, 1:29 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,219
Yes, AA has been pushing first upsells hard for several years now. That's why I changed my strategy to just buy first if the price is reasonable and only rely on complementary upgrades on shorter routes.
Apr 28, 2023, 1:36 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold but PlatPro thanks to LPs
Posts: 4,439
Personally, I think upgrades are not reliable. As my employer is now willing to pay outright for First/Business for me, I am now doing just that.
(I used to fly Coach all the time when I paid for my own tickets out of my pocket. Then I developed arthritis in my knees and was looking to stop traveling. My boss switched thing around and now pays for my premium tickets plus my regular consulting fee.)
(I used to fly Coach all the time when I paid for my own tickets out of my pocket. Then I developed arthritis in my knees and was looking to stop traveling. My boss switched thing around and now pays for my premium tickets plus my regular consulting fee.)
Apr 28, 2023, 1:43 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: AUS, LAX
Programs: AA EXP - 2.2 MM, Admirals Club, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Avis Presidents, National Exec
Posts: 1,581
I’ve never got an email, but I see it in the app. That said, I’ve flown AA for 14 weeks, and I’ve gotten comp upgrades on more flights than not. I also got PDBs on my last three flights!
Apr 28, 2023, 2:13 pm
#5
formerly DreAAmliner
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 419
I said it a while back in the TOD upgrade thread...
Hard sell the upgrade to J how ever you want until the EXP T-100 window begins.
After that, if someone is willing to pay for a J ticket then that is perfectly fine.
My loyalty should be worth more than $205 DFW-DEN at T-48.
Hard sell the upgrade to J how ever you want until the EXP T-100 window begins.
After that, if someone is willing to pay for a J ticket then that is perfectly fine.
My loyalty should be worth more than $205 DFW-DEN at T-48.
Apr 28, 2023, 2:45 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,268
Personally, I think upgrades are not reliable. As my employer is now willing to pay outright for First/Business for me, I am now doing just that.
(I used to fly Coach all the time when I paid for my own tickets out of my pocket. Then I developed arthritis in my knees and was looking to stop traveling. My boss switched thing around and now pays for my premium tickets plus my regular consulting fee.)
(I used to fly Coach all the time when I paid for my own tickets out of my pocket. Then I developed arthritis in my knees and was looking to stop traveling. My boss switched thing around and now pays for my premium tickets plus my regular consulting fee.)
Apr 28, 2023, 2:45 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,219
Apr 28, 2023, 3:10 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Personally, I think upgrades are not reliable. As my employer is now willing to pay outright for First/Business for me, I am now doing just that.
(I used to fly Coach all the time when I paid for my own tickets out of my pocket. Then I developed arthritis in my knees and was looking to stop traveling. My boss switched thing around and now pays for my premium tickets plus my regular consulting fee.)
(I used to fly Coach all the time when I paid for my own tickets out of my pocket. Then I developed arthritis in my knees and was looking to stop traveling. My boss switched thing around and now pays for my premium tickets plus my regular consulting fee.)
I'm not sure what it means for upgrades to be "reliable". They are space available. I get them more often than not despite usually being on award tickets (putting me at the bottom of the EXP pile). I don't think it's reasonable to expect them all the time and I have no problem with AA selling upgrades.
Apr 28, 2023, 3:20 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
Honestly, getting incremental revenue (hard cash) for F seats means something to AA's bottom line. And AA needs to pay down its debt!
Unfortunately, that does not bode well for complimentary upgrades.
Unfortunately, that does not bode well for complimentary upgrades.
Apr 28, 2023, 3:43 pm
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 2,094
On my 600-mile trip, first class is usually $100 to $150 more (above a $300 coach ticket).
Often it’s only $80 more; why everyone does NOT pay that (unless company travel policies don’t allow it) is beyond me.
In the app, the minimum up charge is $205 which seems a bit much, given the lower cost of just buying first class when booking the ticket.
Often it’s only $80 more; why everyone does NOT pay that (unless company travel policies don’t allow it) is beyond me.
In the app, the minimum up charge is $205 which seems a bit much, given the lower cost of just buying first class when booking the ticket.
Apr 28, 2023, 4:42 pm
#11
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,180
Personally, I think upgrades are not reliable. As my employer is now willing to pay outright for First/Business for me, I am now doing just that.
(I used to fly Coach all the time when I paid for my own tickets out of my pocket. Then I developed arthritis in my knees and was looking to stop traveling. My boss switched thing around and now pays for my premium tickets plus my regular consulting fee.)
(I used to fly Coach all the time when I paid for my own tickets out of my pocket. Then I developed arthritis in my knees and was looking to stop traveling. My boss switched thing around and now pays for my premium tickets plus my regular consulting fee.)
Apr 28, 2023, 5:47 pm
#12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,625
On my 600-mile trip, first class is usually $100 to $150 more (above a $300 coach ticket).
Often it’s only $80 more; why everyone does NOT pay that (unless company travel policies don’t allow it) is beyond me.
In the app, the minimum up charge is $205 which seems a bit much, given the lower cost of just buying first class when booking the ticket.
Often it’s only $80 more; why everyone does NOT pay that (unless company travel policies don’t allow it) is beyond me.
In the app, the minimum up charge is $205 which seems a bit much, given the lower cost of just buying first class when booking the ticket.
Apr 28, 2023, 6:43 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
If the F product was better I would be more likely to pay it, for sure.
Apr 28, 2023, 8:07 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: SE Wisconsin
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond for Life
Posts: 337
Yeah, I wouldn't pay that for such a short flight. I wouldn't even pay the $80. The F product doesn't warrant it. An exit row MCE seat is fine. A complimentary upgrade would be appreciated but if not it's no big deal.
If the F product was better I would be more likely to pay it, for sure.
If the F product was better I would be more likely to pay it, for sure.
e.g,, Let me buy a J ticket where the coach portion is paid initially, but within the same transaction, the fare difference to J is charged separately. Thus generating a coach receipt I can turn in to client/employer. The fare diff to is my own expense.
I know I can do this now, by purchasing the coach ticket and then “changing” up to J, but that’s a pain. Let me do it all in the initial transaction.
Apr 28, 2023, 9:23 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,690
What you are writing about is what America West Airlines sold. They sold you a Yup fare that you could give to an employer that showed a Y class ticket but it booked
immediately into First.
immediately into First.
Agreed, but that being said… if they added a function to more easily pay the difference in a simple transaction, I’d be more likely to buy First, right away.
e.g,, Let me buy a J ticket where the coach portion is paid initially, but within the same transaction, the fare difference to J is charged separately. Thus generating a coach receipt I can turn in to client/employer. The fare diff to is my own expense.
I know I can do this now, by purchasing the coach ticket and then “changing” up to J, but that’s a pain. Let me do it all in the initial transaction.
e.g,, Let me buy a J ticket where the coach portion is paid initially, but within the same transaction, the fare difference to J is charged separately. Thus generating a coach receipt I can turn in to client/employer. The fare diff to is my own expense.
I know I can do this now, by purchasing the coach ticket and then “changing” up to J, but that’s a pain. Let me do it all in the initial transaction.