This is what will happen. I always waitlist only the primary leg. This applies to domestic trips, too. For example, if I want to use a SWU DCA-PHL-SEA, I'll only waitlist PHL-SEA. Multiple agents have recommended this.

 

Is there a way to search for upgrades on the AA website, or just expert flyer?

 

If you have SWU's in your account then you can see SWU availability during normal paid fare searches at aa.com (not including multi-city).

 

I do have 6 in my account now.
I looked on EF and found availability JFK-LHR both directions.
Did the same search on AA, and I don't see anything about upgrades with swu.
Is there an option to search for them?
If I choose the flights, it does offer me upgrade options for cash, but nothing about swus.
Am I doing something wrong?

 

Are you sure you're searching ExpertFlyer correctly?

If there is upgrade space available there will be a "Systemwide Upgrades" link right next to the "Details" and "Seats" links for each search result at aa.com.

 

I'm searching for C bucket on EF, Is that correct?
or should I be searching for A?

 

For business class, you should be searching for C - you do need, however, to be using the 'award and upgrade' availability search AND only be looking at non stop options.

If you use the regular availability search or look at connections in the award availability, it will show revenue C space which is very different to upgrade C space

For revenue bookings, C is a high booking class which will likely have availability but does not equate to upgrade availability

 

That's how I have been searching in EF.
Perhaps the AA, hasn't caught up with my having the swus in my account yet?
Everything at AA seems to lag..

 

If you're 100% sure youre searching EF correctly then I always trust EF over aa.com. Can you provide an example flight/date?

 

Yes, I just did a search on AA for domestic availability for next weekend from nyc-phx and the link is there.

 

Also to add that EF only works for AA metal flights. If you were searching JFK-LHR then disregard any C space you may see for the BA metal flights.

 

Got it. Thanks for your help.

 

I had another question/thought on SWU strategy. I am on a flight with 2 family members. I am EP. They have no status. Should I use SWU on their two tickets if/when things open up or should I also use on my ticket (strategy may be to get "upgraded" to next cabin based on my status (go to PE as example). THen have the other two tickets got SWU upgraded and we leave my daughter in PE whil emy wife and I go to business with SWU.
Or does SWU work based on status when it opens up and I risk not getting anything if the EP holder is not on SWU list with his ticket?

 

So if it's an International long-haul flight, then there's no complimentary upgrade for EP at all (unless you are going to Mexico or the Caribbean). You don't want to use SWUs on reservations for people with no status, that means they are the last in line to be cleared, someone else with a Gold status requesting an "upgrade with miles" will be ahead of your SWUs applied to none-status members.

In my experience (I'm EP), what I do when I travel to Europe or S. Am with my wife and kid is I book 1 reservation with 3 main cabin tickets, then call and apply 3 SWUs to the reservation (or you can also apply "upgrade with miles" or a combo of 2 SWU and 1 upgrade with mile, it works the same as SWU if the upgrade is waitlisted). Since I'm on the reservation, my EP status applies to all 3 tickets waitlisted to be upgraded, so all 3 people are first in line if any business class seats are unsold or no-show on the day of the flight. Sometimes there's only 1 or 2 seats open for waitlist, then AA will ask you if you want to split up and take the 1 or 2 seats. In that case one of the adult can go upfront, or go upfront with the kid. I've also had a scenario where there was no business upgrade available, but there was 2 premium economy seats, and they gave me the 2 premium economy, but didn't take the SWUs out of my account (since it wasn't a business upgrade). I don't think you are guaranteed to be given any open premium economy seats, it was a gate agent decision so it's worth saying hi nicely and ask what's going on with your waitlist when you get to the gate.

 

Thanks. An update on applying these rules to my latest trip last week:

- Was waitlisted for 3 tickets on GRU - MIA but ExpertFlyer showed C0 on my flight, also on AA site the business class are fully sold out, but saw that the same flight next day had 2 business class seats for sale (but C0 on ExpertFlyer). Called AA 2 days before the flight to see if they would let me change the flight to the next day and move the SWU to waitlist the next day, they said fare difference is $540 per ticket lol, I said no thank you. Called back the next day (1 day before original flight), they said they can move me to the day after for FREE and waitlist me for SWU upgrades on the new flight. I'm guessing coach is oversold on the original flight so they gave up trying to charge me the fare difference. So moved the flight to the day after, then about 36 hours before the new flight, there's only 1 business class seats for sale, but seat map shows 4 unclaimed seats. About 24 hours before, AA upgraded all 3 SWUs on my reservation!

Whatever the rules engine AA goes by is definitely super complicated and not easy to predict.