Jan 14, 2024, 11:43 am
Last edit by: JY1024
When upgrade space becomes available, the available seats are given in order of tier, type of upgrade and rolling 12 month loyalty point count. In cases of a tie breaker, then the booking code and time of upgrade request are considered.
The process applies to flights eligible for complimentary upgrades (domestic, Caribbean, Mexico) as well as flights offering upgrades using only instruments.
Elite status
1. Loyalty Points earned in prior 12 months at the time the upgrade is processed.
2. Booking class
3. Time of request
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...y-upgrades.jsp
What order are upgrades confirmed?
As soon as your upgrade window opens, we'll attempt to confirm in this order:
General observations have been flights TO a hub, even with multiple seats open/for sale J7+, will not be upgraded until closer to T-27.
Link to 2020-2021 archived thread.
Link to the 2023 archived thread.
For previous changes, see Upgrade Priority Changes to Status, Rolling 365 Day EQD Spend May 20 2017
Link to Gary Leff, View From the Wing 16 May 2017
The process applies to flights eligible for complimentary upgrades (domestic, Caribbean, Mexico) as well as flights offering upgrades using only instruments.
Elite status
- Concierge Key
- Executive Platinum
- Platinum Pro
- Platinum
- Gold
- Instrument based upgrade: Mileage upgrade award(with or without copay), systemwide upgrade (SWU) and business Extra upgrades (BXP1/BXP3) available to any AA customer with or without elite status for any AA flight in the world based on availability
- Complimentary upgrades on purchased tickets within North America for AAdvantage elite members and one flying companion
- Complimentary upgrades on award tickets within North America for AAdvantage elite members and one flying companion
1. Loyalty Points earned in prior 12 months at the time the upgrade is processed.
2. Booking class
3. Time of request
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...y-upgrades.jsp
What order are upgrades confirmed?
As soon as your upgrade window opens, we'll attempt to confirm in this order:
- AAdvantage status level (ConciergeKey members are first, followed by AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum Pro, AAdvantage Platinum and then AAdvantage Gold members)
- Upgrades on purchased tickets first, followed by upgrades on award tickets
- 12-month rolling Loyalty Points
General observations have been flights TO a hub, even with multiple seats open/for sale J7+, will not be upgraded until closer to T-27.
Link to 2020-2021 archived thread.
Link to the 2023 archived thread.
For previous changes, see Upgrade Priority Changes to Status, Rolling 365 Day EQD Spend May 20 2017
Link to Gary Leff, View From the Wing 16 May 2017
Chance of Upgrade Clearing and Availability (2024 Master Thread)
Jan 28, 2024, 10:28 am
#91
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Programs: AA EP, Marriott Gold
Posts: 116
EP, ~200k rolling LPs. Some recent trips the last couple of weeks:
- PHX to LAX 6:05p Friday departure (A321), 3/36, zero seats available. settled in MCE.
- LAX to PHX 9:20a Monday departure (A321), 4/29, zero seats available, settled in MCE.
- PHX to ORD 6:19p Friday departure (A321), 3/32 (app showed 2 available seats). Boarded, settled in MCE seat. Once boarding was complete GA came on board and upgraded myself and #4. 2 additional open seats in FC.
- ORD to DFW 3:15p Saturday departure (787-9). 4 out of 28 (app showing 4 available seats). Upgraded when boarding started. #5 was also upgraded.
- DFW to PHX 7:45p Saturday departure (A321), upgraded at 100 hr window. Upgrade list was 34 deep, zero seats available.
Last edited by markiedawg; Jan 28, 2024 at 10:29 am Reason: additional details
Jan 28, 2024, 7:05 pm
#92
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: stl
Programs: AA LT Plat/8.1mm now with 1350 miles left in my account and proud of it.. SPG LT Titanium.
Posts: 3,099
Slightly off thread but I received an upgrade on PBI to CLT Friday for Saturday's flight. Probably the 2nd upgrade I've received in years only to be woken up Saturday morning by AA calling to say the equipment was changed from a 321 to a 319 which reduced first class to 8. What I found interesting is that I was in 2D and In the past you would keep your seat if the new aircraft had that seat. Anyone have any experience with that. Anyway, they offered me an exit row and $300 which I took ( ticket was $258).
Jan 29, 2024, 7:45 am
#93
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,170
Taking advantage of a companion fare from my company (instead of an F seat for myself) PHL-SAN and LAX-PHL in June. Was thinking of using miles + copay to upgrade us to F, but sounds like that clearing might be a long shot, even as a Platinum Pro? I guess look to see what the cash upgrade offers are instead?
Jan 29, 2024, 7:58 am
#94
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 726
Taking advantage of a companion fare from my company (instead of an F seat for myself) PHL-SAN and LAX-PHL in June. Was thinking of using miles + copay to upgrade us to F, but sounds like that clearing might be a long shot, even as a Platinum Pro? I guess look to see what the cash upgrade offers are instead?
Jan 29, 2024, 9:59 am
#95
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,170
Put myself on the wait list with the points upgrade because cash upgrades were $2,500 per person round trip, which I think is more than booking first class in the first place would have been.
Jan 29, 2024, 11:17 am
#96
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 726
Today PHL-DFW - EXP ~300k LPs - #3 of 53 w/ 0 available at T-2.
I wasn’t expecting it and will settle into my exit row and get my free Pringles (hopefully). Who knows what AA offers as BOB anymore.
Have a 4 hr layover and then a 14 hr long-haul after this, so I’m not worried about eating on the PHL-DFW leg.
I wasn’t expecting it and will settle into my exit row and get my free Pringles (hopefully). Who knows what AA offers as BOB anymore.
Have a 4 hr layover and then a 14 hr long-haul after this, so I’m not worried about eating on the PHL-DFW leg.
Last edited by CMTinPHL; Jan 29, 2024 at 11:19 am Reason: Added info about long-haul.
Jan 29, 2024, 12:21 pm
#97
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 54
I have a wedding in Rome in October and 4 SWU burning a hole in my pocket. I fly out of Miami so need to connect. I was hoping someone could advise which of the available X to FCO flights would be best for a possible upgrade.
EXP 450K LP
CLT - FCO
JFK - FCO
PHL - FCO
DFW - FCO
Thanks!
EXP 450K LP
CLT - FCO
JFK - FCO
PHL - FCO
DFW - FCO
Thanks!
Jan 29, 2024, 12:59 pm
#98
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NYC
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,088
Feb 1, 2024, 7:22 am
#99
Join Date: Feb 2022
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 1,006
Last Saturday MIA/DFW over 100 on the upgrade list, 772. I (around 260K LP 12 month trailing) was number 12. One cleared I think. DFW/TUS paid for an upgrade ($140) 2 weeks out. Over 50 on the list, 321 ceo, no one cleared. Yesterday (Wednesday) LAX/MIA on the 788 paid $242 for an upgrade. Over 150 on the list, no one cleared.
Feb 5, 2024, 5:35 pm
#103
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: So Cal
Programs: AA Platinum, DL Silver
Posts: 2,900
If you book a ticket while having status I assume the system will catch it if you lose status and remove the comp upgrade possibility from the app? What about your MC seat? Will that also go away if you were to lose status between time of selecting seat and the flight?
Feb 5, 2024, 6:04 pm
#104
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 726
If you book a ticket while having status I assume the system will catch it if you lose status and remove the comp upgrade possibility from the app? What about your MC seat? Will that also go away if you were to lose status between time of selecting seat and the flight?
Feb 5, 2024, 9:05 pm
#105
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Bergen County NJ
Programs: AA EXP, UA1K B6 Mosaic 1, Amtrak Select, Marriott Plat , AMEX Plat (noted for club access reference)
Posts: 801
EXP 250K rolling
Within the last couple weeks.
(MON) DFW-ONT Cleared at T-27
(MON) EWR-ORD Cleared at T-27
(MON) ORD-SAN Cleared at T-27
(MON) EWR-DFW Cleared at T-10
MON)LGA-DFW 4/32 ended up bailing at T-2 (as the flight was delayed 12 hours, it then opened wide up)
(MON) LGA-DFW 3/16 (following flight after the 12 hour delayed flight) ended up bailing on that as it was delayed as well.
(TUE) EWR-CLT Cleared at T-18
(SAT) JFK-DFW Cleared at T-27
(SAT) JFK-LAX Cleared at T-27
Alaska Upgrade
EWR-LAX Booked at T-6 (4 open seats in F no one on the list ) soon as done checking in would only let me select Econ Regular or pay to upgrade to J for $212 (logged out of it to go back to my seat reservation as I know this triggers the ability to select Premium class seats) by the time I did this I was auto-upgraded to First. Flight ended up going out with 1 seat empty in J.
Within the last couple weeks.
(MON) DFW-ONT Cleared at T-27
(MON) EWR-ORD Cleared at T-27
(MON) ORD-SAN Cleared at T-27
(MON) EWR-DFW Cleared at T-10
MON)LGA-DFW 4/32 ended up bailing at T-2 (as the flight was delayed 12 hours, it then opened wide up)
(MON) LGA-DFW 3/16 (following flight after the 12 hour delayed flight) ended up bailing on that as it was delayed as well.
(TUE) EWR-CLT Cleared at T-18
(SAT) JFK-DFW Cleared at T-27
(SAT) JFK-LAX Cleared at T-27
Alaska Upgrade
EWR-LAX Booked at T-6 (4 open seats in F no one on the list ) soon as done checking in would only let me select Econ Regular or pay to upgrade to J for $212 (logged out of it to go back to my seat reservation as I know this triggers the ability to select Premium class seats) by the time I did this I was auto-upgraded to First. Flight ended up going out with 1 seat empty in J.