At least on paper, one of the biggest perks of having elite status with an airline in the United States is being eligible for complimentary, space available first class upgrades. Admittedly these aren’t nearly as useful as they used to be, given that airlines have gotten much better at monetizing first class, meaning there are fewer seats available for upgrades.
Nonetheless, in this post I’d like to take a look at American Airlines’ system for complimentary upgrades, to reflect the current reality.
In this post:
Upgrades are valid on both revenue and award tickets for all elite members, so you don’t need to book a ticket with cash to be eligible for an upgrade. Note that award tickets issued by partner airlines aren’t eligible for upgrades, so the reservation has to be ticketed by American.
How are complimentary upgrades prioritized?
How are American Airlines complimentary first class upgrades prioritized?
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
Your source for the travel news. This is crafted specifically to exhibit the use of the theme as a travel site.