Comments on: How Each Airline Processes Complimentary Elite Upgrades https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/ Your Resource for Better Travel Thu, 07 Dec 2017 04:39:12 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2 By: Clayton https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-491514 Thu, 28 Jan 2016 18:29:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-491514 In reply to Scott Mackenzie.

Okay now I see it hidden. Interesting.

]]> By: Scott Mackenzie https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-491497 Thu, 28 Jan 2016 12:39:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-491497 In reply to Clayton.

I can confirm now that American gives priority to full fare passengers. There’s some detail on American’s page for 500-mile upgrades, hidden within one of those expandable bullets:

“Fares booked in Y and B are confirmed within each status level first, followed by all other fares.”

https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/eliteStatus/upgrades/500mileUpgradesContent.jsp

So, fare class is a factor, but it’s only used to give these travelers priority. It’s not quite the same as using fare class to rank all travelers.

]]> By: Clayton https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-491163 Mon, 25 Jan 2016 22:56:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-491163 In reply to Scott Mackenzie.

Yes. That is why I think American differs from the others since they don’t give fare class any bump in the priority line for their same slite status level. Regardless if you get a free complimentary upgrade on your full fare, pay for an upgrade, use stickers, or miles you still go into queue based on timestamp of when you were put into the ‘queue’ and your elite status. then i think the tie break is when you check in to your flight.

]]> By: Scott Mackenzie https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-490475 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 14:08:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-490475 In reply to W Brian Duncan (aka IPBrian).

Thanks. I’ll clarify the post.

]]> By: W Brian Duncan (aka IPBrian) https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-490467 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 11:59:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-490467 There is no tickbox for EXP’s domestic upgrade requests. It happens automatically (or at least it supposed to, I have heard a few EXP’s say they have had some not get applied properly, but that was back when they first changed the request to automatic at booking).

]]> By: Scott Mackenzie https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-490237 Wed, 20 Jan 2016 00:06:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-490237 In reply to David D.

Correct, codeshares are very tricky when it comes to upgrades. I have status with both American and Alaska and have to make sure I book each flight with the operating carrier (which is hell when I have a mixed carrier itinerary).

I was not aware that American could actually force the upgrade if asked. Thanks for sharing that detail.

]]> By: Scott Mackenzie https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-490236 Wed, 20 Jan 2016 00:05:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-490236 In reply to David D.

Connecting passengers no longer enjoy priority over those flying non-stop. This benefit was eliminated on March 11, 2015.

]]> By: Scott Mackenzie https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-490228 Wed, 20 Jan 2016 00:01:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-490228 In reply to Clayton.

I agree that status and time stamp are most important and that fare class isn’t really important in how most upgrades are ranked. However, my understanding is that full fare (Y and B) tickets clear first. All discount fares come next, and these are sorted by time stamp only.

I’ll see if I can find the page I was looking at and link to it, but you can see from this page that all elite members receive complimentary upgrades on full fare tickets:

https://www.aa.com/i18n/information/fareClassDefinitions.jsp

]]> By: David D https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-490226 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 23:05:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-490226 Clayton, you are right. However, let’s say I am traveling, who started my journey in Vegas and connecting to LAX and then onwards to Seattle (in one record locator with AA). MY lax segment will get moved on top of everyone else (who shares the same status level, regardless of timestamp) who purchased their ticket, originally in LAX, instead of my originally starting point of LAS.

]]> By: David D https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-490225 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 23:01:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-490225 I would like to note that AA who purchased AA metal but using either IB/BA stock cannot automatically be on the upgrade list who has status with AA. The gate agents or the check in counter can “force” the upgrade when you check in. Otherwise, when you see that it is on the standby list or on request on your aa app, it doesn’t show up on their end to be waitlisted to first/ or business. I had this happened this year, coming back from EU and also on the way into EU in 2013. I’m reaching my 2 million mile this year (with AA) and wished someone told me about it earlier instead of trying to resolve it over the phone with no confirmed answer. Both times, I was confirmed to fly in business/ first (but within the 24 mark) but who knows what lies ahead; I could have been stuck in coach. Also, I was told that 1 million gets prioritized as “VIP+” and get’s ahead of all the other EPs, standing by for an upgrade.

]]> By: Clayton https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-490220 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 22:24:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-490220 My understanding and what I have read from AA website is they don’t rank different fare classes higher in upgrade priority. Instead it is Status level and Time stamp of requesting the upgrade. So if two people are both Exec Platinum the person that purchased earlier and thus earlier timestamp for the upgrade request is upgraded first. Doesn’t matter what economy (Discount or Full fare) fare they have. Doesn’t factor in like other airlines. I think they use check-in time as a tie breaker if needed after that.

]]> By: Scott Mackenzie https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-490209 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 18:30:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-490209 In reply to Chris.

I agree, but in this case I just wanted to put something up that focuses on the complimentary upgrades, not upgrades using miles or SWUs. That level of detail probably requires a separate post for each carrier.

]]> By: Chris https://www.travelcodex.com/how-each-airline-processes-complimentary-upgrades/#comment-490208 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 18:18:00 +0000 https://www.travelcodex.com/?p=24892#comment-490208 Scott – I think there is an opportunity to share more of the details/nuances associated with the various upgrade schemes. For example: How are instruments prioritized vs. complimentary upgrades? Would an EXP on AA traveling international receive an SWU upgrade ahead of a GOLD using an instrument (miles + copay). On UA, could a PLAT use an RPU to trump a 1K CPU assuming both are in the same fare class.

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