waitlist vs. upgrade list
 

I was looking at the BF upgrade list for my flight today and I #1 on that list. Almost everyone else is also on the standbye list. Will I be upgraded before them if they clear stabndbye, or will they clear standbye and bypass me on upgrade? Do reward standbye's get priority over upgrade standbye's?

Also, I know this is my first post, but I will try to add value going foreward.

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

Standby just to get on the flight is different than standby for the upgrade. It is possible that they will clear folks onto the flight, at which point they would be eligible for upgrades and might move ahead of you on the list but the agent might also clear the upgrades first and then clear standby passengers on to the flight. In cases where coach is full they generally do upgrades first to make room in coach for the other standby passengers.

Thanks for the reply. But, if they are behind me on the upgrade list, once they clear standby, they can still leap me?

I guess one of the main questions is why are they on standby? If they are non-rev(A good indication is there is a standby list and the flight isn't full) then they probably wouldn't jump ahead of you. If the flight is full and they are displaced first customers, I think they would already be ahead of you. So it will depend on some other factors.

So many factors to consider. Are there any first class seats available?

Generally they wouldn't, but theoretically they could. I believe it goes.
Displaced paid first
Shenanigans
Elite level (So you have to worry about PPlats and GS)
Fare Class
Upgrade engine

Since GA can confirm a seat for someone on the waitlist and then change their fare class or put them in displaced first after the fact, it could. Plus if someone was on the list and it didn't have the correct elite level or any number of things that could change, anything is possible. Doesn't mean it is likely, just possible.

no, this is the correct order:
 

very close, but you left out two levels -

Displaced paid first
Shenanigans
Elite level (So you have to worry about PPlats and GS)
Shenanigans
Fare Class
Shenanigans
Upgrade engine

If they are listed on both the upgrade and the standby list then they are quite likely non-rev customers and they will not jump you in the upgrade list.