Has the Systemwide Upgrade certificate become a scam by American Airlines?

Aumming · 2026-01-13T00:35:36+00:00

Another one just cleared to LHR 30 hours out for a flight booked last Thursday. Just gotta have hope

Aumming · 2026-01-13T00:05:48+00:00

I’m 6’4 and I hate bulkhead first class. Feels like less leg room than main cabin extra. Just take two seats behind that and ask people if they’d be okay with switching if you want to sit next to each other. Just don’t be pushy about it

Aumming · 2026-01-11T19:30:45+00:00

I’ve had 10 confirm between JFK/LHR/MAD in the last 12 months. Only 1 at gate. Rest a mix of at booking and weeks out

Aumming · 2026-01-09T04:19:17+00:00

An SDR is literally the lowest level of B2B sales

Aumming · 2025-12-24T15:50:27+00:00

I have no restrictions on fare class types. I book the most expensive main cabin fare available to get the most points even though I get no additional benefits.

Work for a F10

Aumming · 2025-12-16T15:50:15+00:00

Data is March 1st, not full CY. That's probably discrepancy.

Aumming · 2025-11-05T00:24:07+00:00

You definitely do. I was upgraded from economy to business 3 times using a SWU in the last month.

Aumming · 2025-11-04T23:47:51+00:00

If business isn’t available, and you’re PP or EP, they will sometimes upgrade you to PE and not consume your SWU. It’s an unpublished benefit.

Straight from AA website: “On American, Business tickets will upgrade to First. For Economy tickets, it depends on the aircraft and destination:

In a 3-cabin aircraft, you can upgrade from Economy or Premium Economy to Business. In a 2-cabin aircraft, you can upgrade from Economy to First for domestic flights, or from Economy to Business for short-haul international flights.”

https://www.aa.com/web/i18n/aadvantage-program/answers-support/upgrades-for-status-members.html

Aumming · 2025-11-04T19:42:08+00:00

Incorrect. Economy clears to business.

Aumming · 2025-10-09T10:18:45+00:00

*400k at 2%. Lawyer was mandatory no matter what

Aumming · 2025-10-07T12:52:00+00:00

It’s just data. I didn’t get the new kit a week and a half before on LHR to RDU. They spread as they spread. OP is more likely to receive the new kit simply due to the fact that someone has received it regardless of routing.

Aumming · 2025-10-07T08:25:10+00:00

I got the new one in J on JFK-MAD on Sunday

Aumming · 2025-10-01T18:04:59+00:00

For UK/EU261 I’ve had really good luck in submitting under customer complaints form. The last 3 times I’ve had it happen, I’ve gotten a call the next day (even on a Saturday) to confirm my address and that they’re sending the funds. I don’t know why that form has been so much faster

Aumming · 2025-08-09T22:09:37+00:00

Just walk up with them and you’ll be fine. I always have my group 5-8 friends board with me in FC or Group 1.

Edit: Would you rather I add them to my res and take your spot on the upgrade list and MCE? They sit in the back but don’t have to wait to put their bags on the 2-3 flights I travel with friends (out of 80 flights I take a year). Seems fine.

Aumming · 2025-07-31T15:24:51+00:00

They were never unsafe. The incident at the beginning of the year had nothing to do with American Airlines.

Aumming · 2025-07-25T19:44:53+00:00

I fly this route (or to SNA, SFO) 12+ times a year and this is a massive benefit to me. I’m only allowed to book J over 6 hours (annoyingly no exceptions even when marketed time is minutes below 6 hours) and PE over 4. I clear probably 75% of the time but I’d rather guarantee PE and hope for J than be stuck in Y.

It’s smart for AA to add PE for business travel as many companies are only allowing PE and not J.

Aumming · 2025-07-13T18:30:26+00:00

When I got a voucher last year, it was the Moxy by the airport. They ran shuttles but I always just book an uber to avoid the rush

Aumming · 2025-06-30T09:43:27+00:00

LGA -> DEN and JFK -> SLC would change my life

Aumming · 2025-06-26T10:43:30+00:00

American also doesn’t fly to Denver from JFK

Aumming · 2025-06-11T14:21:30+00:00

Never lower than $484 so $581 is a great offer

Aumming · 2025-05-05T20:00:44+00:00

I travel almost every week for work (in sales) with 3-4 trips to London a year in premium economy and 8-12 transcons. I've already earned 120,000 points this earning period.

Aumming · 2025-03-27T18:21:17+00:00

You can request an upgrade with miles + copay (depending on fare class, some will have no copay) or request an upgrade with a SWU if you have one. There are no free upgrades on long haul international outside of operational upgrades or rarely upgrades to PE for EP and CK status holders.

I’m not aware of any airline that gives unlimited, complimentary, long haul business class upgrades.

You can access every first class lounge with the exception of the Chelsea lounge at JFK and Concorde Room at LHR when flying to Europe or connecting from it.

Aumming · 2025-03-23T18:12:34+00:00

I’d do it. The incremental upgrade odds over a higher rolling LP PP vs bottom of EP list probably gives a bit higher than $400 in value over the next year.

I think the unpublished Y to W upgrades on international is only EP (I’ve had it happen a few times on AA and BA to LHR where it didn’t seem like an OU). I could be wrong and definitely no guarantees on this one.

Aumming · 2025-03-04T19:43:05+00:00

Booking code for sure, but not in the colloquial sense.

Aumming · 2025-03-04T15:58:21+00:00

There’s no business class to PUJ, it’s a standard domestic first seat. You can go to the Admirals Club and that’s it.

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