Government or military fares. Basic Economy fares – only AAdvantage
®
status members can upgrade from Basic Economy fares. Fares
ineligible for mileage credit
(like award tickets)
Can you give 500 mile upgrades?
All AAdvantage elite members can upgrade a companion traveling with them using 500-mile upgrades
. The companion can either be booked in the same reservation as the elite member or can be in a separate record that is linked by an American reservations agent.
Why can't I use my 500 mile upgrades?
Further, as of January 2021, you can use 500-mile upgrades on basic economy tickets. One important restriction to keep in mind:
You must be a current elite member to use 500-mile upgrades
. If you've lost status and still have a few upgrades in your account, you must regain status to be able to use them.
How many miles do you need to upgrade on American Airlines?
| Elite status Type of ticket/upgrade | Executive Platinum 500-mile upgrades on award tickets |
|---|
How many miles do you need to upgrade to business class?
If you want to use points, going from most economy fares booked into in M, H or W booking classes to premium will require 47,000 points each way. If you want to go all the way to business, figure upon
90,000 miles
for a one-way upgrade between the USA and Asia.
Can I use SWU on award tickets?
Which fare classes are eligible for an SWU? A huge advantage of SWUs is that all published fare classes are eligible.
A few exceptions include award tickets
, military and government fares, charters, companion tickets, infant tickets, employee fares and now basic economy tickets.
Do American Airlines Systemwide Upgrades expire?
Systemwide upgrades on American Airlines do expire, traditionally 1 year after the date they're issued
. However, you are able to use an upgrade for a flight after this date, so long as you can confirm the upgrade before the certificate expires.
Can I upgrade American Airlines basic economy?
Can I upgrade from Basic Economy on American Airlines?
No, Basic Economy customers aren't typically eligible for upgrades
, though you might be if you have elite status.
What does 500 mile upgrade mean?
All elites receive complimentary upgrades on flights less than 500 miles. Golds and Platinums, though, must use 500 mile upgrade certificates for
upgrades on longer flights that they request to have processed during their upgrade window
.
How do I get gold status on American Airlines?
To requalify for Gold status, you need to
fly at least 30 qualifying segments or earn 25,000 qualifying miles or points during the calendar year
. It takes 60 qualifying segments or 50,000 qualifying miles or points during the calendar year to reach AAdvantage Platinum membership.
What are elite qualifying dollars on AA?
An Elite Qualifying Dollar (EQD) is
a dollar amount spent with AA or one of its partners that qualify for earning elite status with American Airlines
.
Do AA miles expire?
Per the AAdvantage program terms and conditions,
American Airlines miles expire after 24 months of no activity
. For the occasional flyer, that might not seem like a lot of time. But there are plenty of ways to keep your miles active beyond simply hopping on an American Airlines flight.
How do I get Platinum status on American Airlines?
When you reach 2 million miles flown on American Airlines
, you'll earn lifetime Platinum status and 4 one-way system upgrades. After that, you'll earn an additional 4 one-way system upgrades for each additional million miles flown.
Can you pay to upgrade to first class on American Airlines?
There is no single price option for upgrading to first class on an American Airlines flight as the price in cash or miles is based on the route you are flying and the fare class of the ticket you wish to upgrade. Upgrades are also subject to availability.
How much are upgrades on American Airlines?
You can buy 500-mile upgrades at a rate of
$40 USD per upgrade
. 500-mile upgrades can be purchased: On aa.com or on the American app. At the airport during check in.
Can you upgrade to first class with miles?
No matter how long your flight is,
it will cost exactly 15,000 miles to upgrade to first class
, worth $270 based on TPG's valuations. You can only upgrade cash tickets booked into one of the five most expensive economy fare classes Y, S, B, M or H, and you need “U” inventory for your upgrade to clear.
How can I get a free upgrade to first class?
The best way to get upgraded to first class for free is to
earn elite airline status
. Complimentary upgrades are offered to frequent fliers on all the major airlines, although not necessarily on every route.
How much does it cost to upgrade to first class AA?
For example, American Airlines charges
15,000 AAdvantage miles plus $75
to upgrade from discount economy to first-class within the contiguous U.S., Alaska and Canada.
Is it cheaper to book economy and then upgrade?
The cheapest way to get a business or first-class ticket is to buy an economy ticket then buy an upgrade
. You can either do this immediately after booking or look for last-minute upgrades as your travel date approaches. The price for premium cabin fares decreases as you get closer to departure.
How do you get a free upgrade on a flight?
- Earn airline elite status. …
- Fly with someone who has airline elite status. …
- Ask an elite member for their unused upgrades. …
- Volunteer for an oversold flight. …
- Purchase upgrades with the right credit card. …
- Use miles to upgrade. …
- Pay for a last-minute upgrade.
Can you upgrade to first class after purchase?
Post-purchase upgrades may be the same as, or sometimes more expensive than, purchasing in the shopping path as a fare. If I Purchase Basic Economy, Can I Upgrade To First Class?
Customers, regardless of elite status, who purchase Basic Economy cannot upgrade to First Class
.
How do I upgrade to priority boarding on American Airlines?
- Earn AAdvantage elite tier status. …
- Earn Oneworld elite tier status. …
- Purchase higher fare class. …
- Get an AAdvantage credit card. …
- Purchase AA AirPass. …
- Purchase priority boarding. …
- Are active duty US military. …
- Are a corporate traveler.
Will American Airlines Extend status through 2022?
Everyone is getting a status extension
To bridge the gap until the new program officially launches on March 1, 2022,
American will give all current elites a two-month status extension
. All currently valid elite status has already been extended to March 31, 2022.
Is American extending systemwide upgrades?
American is giving a six-month extension to all systemwide upgrade certificates that were slated to expire on Jan. 31, 2022
, as confirmed to TPG by a carrier spokesperson.
What does flagship mean on American Airlines?
A true First class experience.
Your Flagship
®
First ticket gives you access to our most exclusive, personalized amenities and services on international flights between the U.S. and Asia, Australia, Europe and South America
.*
