Upgrade for One World Elites?
 

I searched the forum, and it seems that JAL tends to upgrade some economy to business NRT-JFK, if the passenger is one world elite (back in 2005).

I am flying SFO-NRT-HKG AA code share with the last segment on JAL. As AA's systemwide upgrade can't be applied to NRT-HKG, any idea how good is the chance to get upgraded to business with JAL?

Back in 2005, was JAL a part of oneworld?

Even JAL does not upgrade JAL Diamond members from economy to business unless economy is fully packed and business is open.
I was upgraded just once during my 5 year JAL elite member(almost 500,000 miles).
Therefore, in your case, it is highly unlikely.

However, JAL sometimes use 3 class equipment even though JAL sells only as a 2 class service. In that case, JAL's elite members can get first class if the members buy business class. This is not actually upgrade because all services/meals are business, not first. We just get better seat.

If you're thinking about op-ups on JL....It's not going to happen. It is very very rare for OW elites and I'm a OW Emerald. I was lucky enough to get a bulkhead in Y on my last flight to NRT. Love their current F lounge, which is a big improvement over their previous one.

I got 2 op-ups within 2 years. One from CGK-NRT and on a separate trip NRT-LAX. I was only AA Plat before too.

You must be very lucky.
I wished JAL op-upgraded me much more easily, but now days I do not expect it.

However, JAL give us more award/upgrade seats than ANA, when we use miles/certificates.
Therefore, I do not take a chance for op-up, just use miles/certificate for upgrade in advance.
This might be a reason I have not experienced op-up often.

I snagged Row 5 on the 773ER for my flights this coming week. I'm quite happy with that.

I'm booked in row 5 for jfk-nrt in April. Any notes/comments/pictures would be nice if you have time... :)

There won't be pictures, but I will most definatley provide comments.

Oh, well, I have to take my words back!:p

I just went to Korea last week.
HNL-NRT roundtrip was preupgraded using certificates.
Haneda-Gimpo and ICN-NRT were the short flights so I did not upgrade.

However, I was upgraded both flights.:D
Maybe, those flights were more budget oriented customers' flights so economy was sold well, but not business.
Since korean currency is getting weaker, there are a lot of Japanese going Korea for shopping.
So this particukar flights or shorter flights could be a chance to be upgraded if you are One World Elite members.

However, longer business oriented flights such as NRT-USA or NRT-Europe are almost impossible to be upgraded.:(

Without a doubt the best seats in the J cabin. Much more legroom, such that you can easily get out from the window seat if the aisle seat is fully reclined. Service in the mini cabin was very personalized.

I fly almost every week to Seoul (ICN or GMP) and you are right, these days Japanese are flooding Seoul for shopping. Moreover, tour fares out of Tokyo start below 20,000 yen (USD 200) some of them with htl included! A couple of times they upgraded me (no status at JL) but paying expensive fare.

SEOUL - TOKYO route must be one of the highest yield routes for all airlines (and of all routes around the world). It's not just JL that gets their planes full... OZ, KE, NH, UA, etc. all of them usually come and leave with full planes and lots of op-ups are given.

I fly this route quite often and now have flown with JL, NH, OZ, UA, KE, NW, etc... and I have received at least one op-up on this route with each carrier (except ... JL since I just started flying ... but my J cabine three weeks ago was completely full - as matter of fact, all four flights out of ICN on that day was oversold and their op-upping Y pax).

The most likely upgrade is with UA (maybe because I am 1K), but again this leaves from inconvenient NRT and schedule is not very nice. As for HND ups they are more difficult, but not impossible. NH & JL seem to be the most difficult for getting op-ups.

Maybe you already know this, but the systemwide upgrades can't be applied to SFO-NRT either, as that is JL metal. Unless you're connecting somewhere else in the US and taking AA across the Pacific, of course, but since you wrote SFO-NRT I thought I'd warn you just in case.

Thank you for the kind notice. I do plan to route via LAX to stay on AA medal.

I checked the seat availability these two days. It seems that the same NRT-TPE flight that I will be on by the end of March are sold out in Y for the next couple days according to seatcounter.com.

I would really like to know whether anyone got op-up on the same route.

Even if no op-up it wouldn't be too bad, as it's a relatively shorter flight.