DCA-LGA this coming Friday cleared at T-72 (PPRO window) for me.

AA and DL have monetized everything. Including FF status, so is it worth chasing?

Thanks. The info in the thread supports my experience- Not getting added to the upgrade list if you standby
.... with the caveat that a nice gate agents may be able to do it, if they really wanted to. In my situation, the GA seemed to be having a bad day. Or just didn't like me. :(

I haven't read the other thread, all the airlines are understaffing all positions at the airport, and the #1 objective is to get all flights out on time, so if adding you to the upgrade list stops the flow it won't happen. If you are CK, I would write whoever your contact is and let them know.

Agreed- I am not CK, but was using to portray an extreme example. (I am Executive Platinum, with a pretty high rolling LP count, so I am generally very near the top of the list for the routes I take)

In this case, I cleared about 20 minutes before boarding started. I approached the GA at the counter, where there was no line, and exchanged my "standby" paper pass for my actual boarding pass. It is then that I asked the GA if I could be put on the upgrade list, and it was stated (paraphrased) "no- not for someone who got on the flight as a standby. The people already on the upgrade list have priority." Either the GA physically couldn't add me, or just didn't want to.

I’m #5 out of 18 for 2 seats to Charlotte today.

Yes if you go standby then you go to the bottom of the list behind all confirmed passengers. So if there's 28 names on the upgrade list it's senseless. Now if there's one name and two open seats then yes the GA should get you on the upgrade list because outside of something unusual happening last minute (paid first re-accommodated due to cancellation/misconnect) you would clear. Now if you're reticketed onto the flight you would enter the upgrade list with your status and 12 month rolling paid.

The agent handled this correctly, although the stated reason was BS. Generally first class upgrades are cleared before economy standbys in order to open up the seats for those standbys. You can't be on the upgrade list until confirmed for the flight, and you will usually not be confirmed on the flight until upgrades have cleared and F is already full. In the case of your crew timeout situation you should have tried to get them to confirm you on the flight in advance instead of just putting you on the standby list. Then you would have been set for the upgrade. If you show up at an earlier flight then you do that with the knowledge that you're likely riding in coach even if you are in F on the later flight.

The only exceptions are if you're standing by with an F ticket. In theory you should be prioritized for the F seat before any upgraders, but you often have to argue the point with the agent. And there is the rare case where F is not full even after the upgrade waitlist is cleared. Then you should get an F seat. Finally, I have had some luck waiting at the gate for everyone to board and then the agent hands me an F boarding pass if there is a no show even if there is someone already boarded still on the upgrade list. In that case I'm taking advantage of the agent's laziness.

What you say should've happened is exactly what did happen.
1) First flight I would've been confirmed (and assume added to the upgrade list) at the time IRROPS hit at my outbound city. But it was oversold, so I was added to flight standby list. By the time I cleared for the flight, First had already cleared, and were already seated
2) Second flight was my choice to go standby for an earlier flight. I guess my gripe is that I was cleared for this flight, assigned a seat and received a boarding pass, well before they started clearing First class upgrades. My thinking is now that I'm officially confirmed on the flight, I should be added to the list (where I assume the rolling LPs factor would've applied) getting me near the top. But since the GA refused to add me, I guess we will not know. Either way, I'm glad I got on the earlier flight... even though it departed 2:15 after its scheduled time, my original flight also left 2 hours late and didn't arrive at destination until 2am.

Here is another question-
If my flight is cancelled, and I have a seat in First because a complimentary upgrade cleared, and I am put on a later (or next day flight), will AA confirm me in First if a seat is available? Or will they only confirm me in coach, only to play the upgrade game again?
(I do have a data point from last year where I was confirmed in First on a flight the following morning, but am wondering if this is an exception, vs. a rule.... or perhaps a YMMV).

Usually you will not be put you in first and while you go on the list you will leapfrog others below your status and 12 month rolling spend. However, I've had times with the AC when it was clear that I would almost surely clear (number one with at least a couple open seats) has cleared me into an F seat. But that's the exception and I highly doubt you'd get a TA/GA to do this. Most of the time the AC will tell you the gate will need to clear the upgrade. Also, paid upgrades seem to work the same way. You'd go right back on the upgrade list although I'm told that if you don't clear you can ask for a refund.

When you volunteer to go standby all bets are off. You go to the bottom of the list and the only way you could get in F would be if all upgrades have cleared and there are still open seats, a rarity. Even then the GA needs to do some additional processing that they may or may not do, or know how to do.

And you were right! Started with 13 open seats in first (777) 100 hours out, and the upgrade offer stayed at $135-140 for all four days. I was never upgraded, there was so much availability the systemwide upgrade was available for all four days.

My three-year streak of no upgrades (PP, and EXP) continues. I know I could have paid for an upgrade (lie-flat seats) but I have a decent see in the Premium Econ section and it is not a long flight.

So, yes, in #2 if you were cleared into Y and had a seat assignment before any upgrades were processed then they should have added you to the upgrade list. The agent was either lazy or badly trained, or (I'm just guessing) there is an issue with how the PALL list is implemented and once you are tagged as cleared there may be no way to add you to the list a second time for an upgrade. Barring that technical challenge, if you had sufficient time you could have gone to an Admirals Club to get it done. I don't think a phone agent can do it.

If your upgraded flight is cancelled, or delayed to the point where you're likely to miss a connection, the automated rebooking system will put you in F if a seat is available. Similarly, if the app offers you alternative flights they will be in F if a seat is available. IME the best a live agent do is rebook you in Y and put you on the upgrade list. The SDC process works the same way. If you are already in F, the SDC confirmed options will put you in F on the other flight. But if you call, the agent can only put you in Y on the other flight.

Who did you piss off at AA? ;) Sorry about the bad luck, but I wouldn't pay $140 for that upgrade either and I'm not sure who does. Premium Econ is basically Domestic F and it's a short flight.

The streak has come to an end!!! Upgraded while onboard ..Lie flat for my first upgrade

$140 DFW/PHX/DFW is pretty standard for that route. I generally take it because I normally end up on a 321neo on that route where there's no row 11. Including waiting while boarding you're onboard for about 3 hours so I consider it worth the money. Now having PE on a 772 is a different story, essentially the F seat you get on a 321neo.