Stickboy46

So i have been looking around and trying to understand if I have any possibilities of getting an upgrade on an upcoming flight in April and if there is anything I can do now to help with that. Me and my wife booked an AA Economy Web Saver award flight from ICT->DFW->FCO in April (Fare code T). That is the flight I would like to try to get some form of upgrade on (well mainly the DFW->FCO and FCO->DFW Segments). I currently don't have elite status but have a flight coming up that will help with that. I do have the Citi AAdvantage card (not the executive) if that helps at all.

I have a business trip booked to Bangalore in January. The itinerary is this:
AA Flight ICT-ORD Economy Class (Y)
British Airways ORD-LHR First Class (A)
British Airways LHR-BLR Business (C)
British Airways BLR-LHR Business (R)
British Airways LHR-ORD Business (R)
AA ORD-ICT Economy Class (Y)
Cost ~$8000 before taxes

This was all booked through my company travel site, so I'm not for sure exactly how the different airlines have the flights booked but it was considered a British Airways purchase.

So by my calculations that should get me about ~37,000 EQM and ~4900 EQD which would put me at gold status if I understand it right. I also know you could do a status challenge and then that would qualify me for Platinium for ~$200 bucks.

I don't have any additional flights planned in the earnings or status periods.

So based on this info, what's my best opportunity to get upgraded on my flight in April? Is it even possible at all? Is doing the status challenge going to help me? Sorry for the barrage of questions, just been trying to digest everything and feel like I'm missing something. Thanks for any help

Beachfun71

I think your only real option is to earn/buy enough miles to change your current award tickets to business class or premium economy awards.

JDiver

Your award flights can only be upgraded by exchanging your Economy Saaver awards for higher class of service awards. If you have the miles, there’s no fee incurred.

For your January flights, it’s theoretically possible to upgrade the AA operate and marketed flights, assuming there are sufficient seats available to upgrade with miles + copay (but unless you have any status, you’ll be far back in priority), or unless an upgrade is offered for sale by email, online or at check in.

FAQ: Miles + Copay Upgrade / Upgrades (master thread)

DOD / DODU (LFBU) Space-available, counter, kiosk, and online upgrade (master thd)

Upgrade Priority: Status, Upgrade Type, Rolling 12 Month EQD Spend

For the BA upgrade possibilities, please check the BAEC forum, because with your flights and fare classes there’s not a pathway to upgrade through AA AFAIK.

If your calculations are correct, you’d be qualifying for Gold status good through 1 Jan 2021.

You could engage in a Platinum challenge, though the cost could be a bit more than $200 - particularly if you wanted to use the benefits of Sapphire / Platinum status (extended baggage allowance, etc.) but it would also last through 1 Jan 2021.

HELP DESK & FAQ: Gold and Platinum Status Challenge

SeattleDavid

C, J, D and R on BA flights are upgradeable with AA miles (35000-ish)

xliioper

To address this last part, AA does not provide complimentary upgrades on long-haul flights for status holders. Your status or a status challenge has no bearing there. AA Executive Platinum status members get 4 Systemwide Upgrades which can be used to upgrade long-haul flights. But these can't be used to upgrade award tickets. The first response answers your question. The only way to upgrade your award flights in April would be to exchange them for business class awards instead (at the cost of more miles).

Stickboy46

Thanks.. that helps! Sounds like I just need to not worry about doing anything on this first flight and accept economy on the one in April. The point difference was drastic (paid 33k round trip and business was like 140k round trip).

Thanks for all the help

wetrat0

It sounds like OP has economy web special awards, not milesaaver. I thought these were treated like basic economy, i.e., no changes whatsoever? Can they still be exchanged for a higher award type?

mvoight

Like BE for changes, as I understand it, but unlike BE for seat assignments I appreciate that because I got some really low ones from MCO-DFW in early March. I don't know about upgrading to a higher award.

wetrat0

Yes, BE is not a perfect analogy. Certainly it's good to be able to book MCE seats. I just booked my first web saver (5000 miles for Christmas eve-- very happy with this deal). But it says:

I would guess that if I wanted to rebook as a different kind of award they would probably require going through the reinstatement with the associated fee.

Stickboy46

Quick update ... I talked myself into doing the status challenge.

Reasoning in case anyone else is in a similar boat (unlikely, but hey who knows)

For ~200 bucks the status challenge gave me platinum. While its unlikely I'll get an actual upgrade out of it, it DID allow me to go ahead and choose MCE seats now. That savings was about ~500 bucks alone. While i might have been able to get good MCE seats at 24 hours out, it seemed worth it to me.

I went ahead and did the immediate upgrade for and extra ~300 bucks. In doing so, I'll get an extra ~12k award miles which could easily cover a round trip award somewhere in the US, and I'll get 12 x 500 mile upgrades all from this one flight.

Seemed worth it to me.

PHL

It will be especially worth it If you will still have Platinum in April when you travel since you will also be able to access the AA and BA lounges along your journey.

mvoight

The only upgrade possibility you have in April would be to get a higher priced award, if available.
As Gold or PLT you cannot pay for an upgrade from an award ticket in Economy to one in higher class, except with miles........or if they offer upgrades at check in

Stickboy46

This flight combined with the status challenge should put me at Platinum until Jan 31, 2021. So i should be ok for that.

PHL

Do you have other trips within 90 days of when you signed up for the challenge that will meet the requirements? Otherwise, by April you'll lose Platinum (but your MCE seats should remain in tact).

MikeShores

The January trip ICT-LHR in J/F should easily qualify him for the Platinum challenge