Expanded / additional MileSAAver award & upgrade availability for EXP (consolidated)
 

Just to report more data points.

I called to ask about the upgrade chance for ORD-NRT and NRT-ORD. EF shows outbound ORD-NRT c0, but the agent told me that 2 seats were available for EXP. The return was shown by EF as c3, but the agents told me that 5 upgrade seats were available.

So, it looks like the expanded availability for EXP eVIP upgrades can be at least 2 above the current level.

Unlike some of the experiences I read about in this thread I made my first attempt to ask about this and found out there were these limitations on this benefit:

1. I cannot access any expanded availability for family or friends unless I am traveling on the exact same itinerary as them.
2. I have to pay a $25 telephone ticketing fee for any tickets I book from my account where I am not traveling on the exact same itinerary. (I was automatically charged this as an EP without being told so until I asked why the charge was larger than I expected).
3. On peak travel dates there will be no expanded award availability (whatever those are).

Anyone find out where this stuff is published?

I'm not sure if I've seen it explicitly written anywhere on AA.com, but #1 and #2 are widely known here.
Edit: Well, sort of. The "at least one segment" part posted below was not known by me :)

#1 certainly makes sense as this is a benefit for EXP and not "EXP and friends."

For #2, telephone fees are due when the EXP is not traveling, as always. One can put things on hold, call to have modifications done and put back on hold, then book online to avoid this. Doesn't always work.

As for #3, it certainly makes sense that they would not provide expanded inventory at peak times.

Cheers.

#2 isn't true. In my experience, an EXP does not need to travel on the exact same itinerary to have ticketing fee waived. All that matter is that they share at least one segment. You can have completely separate reservations and the fees will be waived, so long as an EXP is traveling on a shared segment.

OK,

#1 True, and expanded SAAver availability is limited to two seats.
#2 Not completely true. Agents are derelict in reading their updates. As long as the EXP and companion share at least one segment, there is no $25 ticketing fee for the companion.
#3 While the system may be programmed to not release expanded availability on peak dates (will try to confirm this info), a request can be made to Revenue Management. I've had success going this route.

I believe #1 is published, while #2 and #3 are not.

I had similar experience when booking JFK-LHR, when EF showing C2, yet the EXP agent was able to get me 3 seats in C. We are all EXP, though.

Everyone being EXP didn't really play a role. All the agent needs is one person's EXP number for the system to show the expanded availability.

Good to know that!

I was referring to booking tickets for someone out of my own account. I actually wouldn't have even thought of the idea to not allow me expanded availability for booking tickets with my miles for family friends except that I've already run into a similar policy with Delta (certainly never had such an issue in my years with NW). Still I was expecting AA to be better than Delta in this area (like they are in so many other areas of their program benefits), but alas I guess they aren't. To me it makes a lot of sense to have such a benefit because it makes most EXPs really happy to be able to book tickets for their family - they typically have a hard time using all of the miles they accumulate on their own travel.

Just booked a Dublin trip for late April/early May. Expert Flyer showed C2 DUB-ORD on the way home, but C0 for ORD-DUB on the way there. Called in to upgrade with systemwides and the agent immediately cleared both international flights, though I find myself waitlisted on one segment SFO-ORD which is unusual. Suspect that will clear over the coming weeks. It's not a weekend flight so hopefully I'm not competing with the mileage runners out there on the promo that runs through June for that route.

Since you're on a SWU you'll clear into a different inventory bucket (A I think) and not T-100>0 Hour X inventory. One time I've had a SWU not clear on a domestic route. Turns out First class was sold out and there were no cancellations. Happens but I bet you do OK on this one, lots of time.

I was able to obtain an expanded inventory seat today, 1st time ever, while calling in to apply a Citibank Reduced Mileage Award on a held itinerary. That itin wasn't an ideal routing (extra AE segment) so I explained my travel plans, that I've not had any luck before but since I had to call in for the Citibank booking anyway could she please take a look for expanded T inventory. Of the three more direct flights I'd hoped for the last one worked out and a T seat was there for me! EF shows all classes are at 7 or more on all three flights but the seat map for the one I was able to get on was the most open. I know, seat maps are not a great data point, just sharing it for what it's worth, not that much :p

EF showed T0 before and after the transaction on that flight.

Rules for Expanded EXP Availability
 

A discussion started in another thread about who gets Expanded EXP Award Availability.


Since that thread looks like a typical "My EXP upgrade /SWU has not cleared and there is J available" thread, I thought thought some of the more authoritative posters would not participate, so I am starting a separate thread.

(From EXP Guide)
Expanded Award Seating Availability
As an AAdvantage Executive Platinum member, you have exclusive access to additional MileSAAver® award seating availability through AAdvantage Reservations for travel on American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection flights for you and one companion. While this is not a guarantee of available seating, it does
provide more flexibility when you are traveling on a MileSAAver award.

Is EXP expanded award availability for 1 travelling companion, or one person from EXP's account?

Does it have to be same PNR?

THANKS

With C0 availability showing on Expert Flyer I called up the EXP desk for a business class upgrade to Europe for my wife using my eVIPs and was told there was one available for her (she was traveling alone) because the upgrade instrument was coming out of my EXP account.

In my experience, the expanded availability is not limited to one traveling companion, the recipient need not be the EXP nor is there any requirement that it be on the same PNR, as I posted there:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18357956-post15.html