On a recent domestic trip, I was offered upgrades on American Airlines. However, when re-pricing the trip, I found it was cheaper than upgrading the segments.
It wasn’t incredibly expensive, and I already had my complimentary upgrades requested but this would allow me to guarantee a little more space with a little more comfort rather than chance it at the gate. All status members are allowed to request complimentary upgrades (in fact, it’s done automatically) but higher statuses are prioritized. Depending on how many outrank a traveler will determine who gets the remaining free seats and in what order. Most of these are awarded to either Platinum Pro status holders or Executive Platinums, but they are also sold on the open market for tens of dollars or some miles.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
