Best Chance Of Upgrading American Flight To London?

I've been flying between LHR and PHL / CLT repeatedly for the last year or so and haven't missed an upgrade yet, despite not really optimizing my days of travel. In my experience, AA tends to open up all J availability to C 24 hours out, so I just have to be ready to call the day before the flight.

MIA-LHR and LAX-LHR are the hardest upgrades by far in my experience. Calling such a premium heavy route like Miami-London and easy upgrade isn't good advice, IMO.

Hey Ben

Im booked AA ord-lhr for June 2016 on 777-200. Do you have any idea or opinion on if AA will have the new hard product on those aircraft by that time? Is the old hard product at least lie-flat?

Thanks!

You guys are nuts to consider a flight with a connection in lieu of a direct flight in an angle flat seat. Go for ORD-LHR and use your extra 2-3 hours to take a nap when you arrive.

You neglect to mention that the daytime PHL-LHR and the early return are in the old 757 business class which isn't even angled flat, it's a recliner. Avoid that one if possible.

In 6 years of flying as an EXP to London 3 times a year from DFW, LAX, JFK, ORD, BOS (when it existed) and PHL, I've only missed the upgrade once, on LHR-LAX. So you're probably safe regardless of which option you choose.

There's also a JFK-BHX flight which can be convenient depending on your destination in England

To add to what Tom said, I would prefer to fly BA premium economy from the west coast rather than connect at JFK just so I can get a flat bed. Upgrades may be easiest out of JFK but connecting at JFK can easily add 5 hours to each leg of the trip. A nonstop 9.5 hour flight in premium economy is a lot easier on me than 5 hours in domestic F, followed by 3 hours connecting at the mess that is JFK, followed by 6 hours in a flat bed.

Excellent advice here. Not feeling good about my situation. Booked DFW to LHR on 77W in mid November and return approx. 2 weeks later. AA hasn't confirmed anything. Losing hope quite frankly.

Thanks for all the great advice! We will actually be flying out of DEN, so will shoot for DEN/CLT/LHR, DEN/PHL/LHR (avoiding the AM flight) or DEN/ORD/LHR. Wish us luck. Worst case, we will be in MCE, which isn't actually too bad, but I'm hoping for the upgrade. Coloradomom

Lucky,

Just used an EVIP today when Expert Flyer notified me at 4:51am that AA80 dfw to LHR opened 7 seats of the 25 they were holding for departure on 10/20/15. Love EF

@Lucky:
Sometime in December AA is replacing two of its three 777-300 flights between JFK and LHR with the new version of the 777-200. No first and the J product is not the same as the -300 version; it's the forward backward mix of seats similar to that on the 787. You might want to make your readers aware of that

I agree fly Tuesday/Wednesday and you probably won't miss to many Ex Platinum system wide upgrades.

I also tend to think pick routes where the upgrade is less important. For example shorter routes like JFK-LHR its often less time in the air then my JFK-SEA flight. Also daytime flights and flights that leave early in the morning where people are not wanting the added comfort of a flat (or even angled flat) surface.

Yesterday I called to apply a SWU on my next April LAX-LHR flight in J that I purchased during this week's promo. It cleared immediately to F.

Last month my SWU request for economy LAX-LHR cleared one day before. My request was made three weeks in advance.

Both were Tuesday flights. The seat maps looked great as mentioned by Benny.

JFK LHR will soon be Boeing 777-200ER on 2 of the 3 daily flights, while AA100/101 will stay on the 77W. However, if I'm not wrong, the same day that happens, a new daily AA141/142 flight will be available, with a daytime departure from JFK to arrive in LHR at night (around 10pm) and it's afaik the last flight before the redeye bank.

Some data points from an EXP:

Weds, Oct 2015 - missed LHRORD
Sun, Oct 2015 - cleared JFKLHR
Thurs, Sep 2015 - cleared LHRORD
Sun, Sep 2015 - cleared DFWLHR
Thurs, Sep 2015 - missed LHRORD
Mon, Step 2015 - cleared ORDLHR

My worst luck is on the ORD route. Of 5-6 DFWLHR and 3 JFKLHR in Aug/earlier Sep, they all cleared.

AM flight from PHL has been cancelled, and won't be an option soon. Which is good because of the crappy recliner seats.

In my experience, MIA/LAX-LHR are the worst for upgrades. ORD is meh. If you can get the refurb 767 on ORD-LHR or go through CLT, which has two AA-operated flights to London.

Hi Lucky - I am an EP trying to use a SWU on a LHRORD flight next week (booked on J, trying to move up to F) but when I called the EP desk, they mentioned that they needed my credit card for luxury tax fees. Now I am well aware of the horrendous taxes when flying out of Heathrow, but was NOT aware that there are taxes associated when using a SWU. What do you know about this, and more importantly do you know what the costs associated with it are? - the lady at the other end of the phone said she did not knpw them which I found kind of odd.