American Airlines has been getting increasingly aggressive about selling upgrades for cash after booking, including to elite members who are on the upgrade waitlist. In this post I wanted to go over the details of how exactly this program works, and what I’ve been noticing. The truth is that there’s a lot of variability, so everyone’s experience may be a bit different.
In this post:
American Airlines’ paid upgrade program details
There are many ways to upgrade American Airlines flights, ranging from redeeming AAdvantage miles, to taking advantage of complimentary elite upgrades, to using systemwide upgrades. Another way that you can often upgrade flights is with cash.
Understandably there are a lot of questions about this — when and how can you upgrade, how much does it cost, and is it worth it? Let’s discuss those points in a bit more detail.
When & where does American offer paid upgrades?
In many cases, American Airlines will have upgrade offers for cash anytime between when you book your ticket, up until a few hours before departure. This is not at all consistent, so in some cases you may not see an upgrade offer at all for a flight, while in other cases you may see an upgrade offer on the same itinerary for months.
There are two ways you can see the upgrade offers available to you:
- You can log into the American Airlines app and open your itinerary; refresh the itinerary and then wait about 15 seconds, and you may see an upgrade offer pop up at the top of the screen, where it will say “upgrade your flight starting from $X”
- You can log into your reservation on aa.com, and at the bottom of the screen you may see a section with upgrade offers; again, it can take a short while for an upgrade offer to populate, so you’ll want to keep the page open for a bit
Sometimes American will also email people upgrade offers, but it’s totally possible to have an upgrade offer available to you without getting an email.
Note that the initial pricing displayed is typically the lowest price for upgrading any segment of your itinerary. So if you have a multiple segment itinerary, you’ll have to click through to see the details of how much upgrading each segment would cost.
How expensive are American paid upgrades?
American Airlines’ upgrade prices with cash are all over the place. The pricing for upgrading a particular segment can vary wildly based on your elite status, the fare class you book, and when you look at the upgrade offer.
It’s possible that the upgrade cost for a particular flight will change significantly day-to-day, so don’t expect the pricing to be static. Furthermore, it’s possible that one person may see an upgrade offer for a particular flight, but another person won’t.
A few things to note:
- In some cases, the upgrade price will be the difference between the fare you paid, and the fare for the premium cabin you’re trying to upgrade to
- In other cases, the upgrade price will represent a massive discount over the fare difference between the two cabins, even if you upgrade minutes after booking your ticket
- Pricing does seem to be tied to elite status, how many seats are left for sale, and what fare classes are left for sale, so often upgrade prices will drop as more premium seats become available in lower fare buckets
- In some cases you’ll also see upgrade offers on fares that have already been upgraded; in other words, I’m talking about aircraft with a “proper” first class, where you upgrade from economy class to business class, and are then eligible for a paid upgrade to first class
Do you earn miles & Loyalty Points for American paid upgrades?
As of August 14, 2024, the money that you spend on paid upgrades with American Airlines does earn you redeemable AAdvantage miles, and also earns you Loyalty Points. You’ll be rewarded at the same rate that you are for purchasing tickets:
- AAdvantage non-elite members earn 5x AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points per dollar spent
- AAdvantage Gold status earn 7x AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points per dollar spent
- AAdvantage Platinum status earn 8x AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points per dollar spent
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro status earn 9x AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points per dollar spent
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum status earn 11x AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points per dollar spent
Are American paid upgrade offers refundable?
If you accept a paid upgrade with American, is that refundable? There are a few things to understand:
- If you cancel or change your trip, you can request a refund for the upgrade cost on aa.com, in the form of a trip credit for the value of your upgrade
- If you paid for bags or Mileage Multiplier, you can request a refund on aa.com for that
- If you paid for Main Cabin Extra or a Preferred seat on a segment you end up upgrading, you’ll automatically be refunded for that to the original form of payment
American paid upgrade offers are getting aggressive
This is purely anecdotal, but it feels to me like recently, paid upgrade offers are getting a bit more attractive in terms of pricing. This won’t be the case across the board, but between my own experiences and reports I’m seeing from others, I think American is intentionally trying to price upgrades lower.
It also seems like the higher your elite status, the better the upgrade pricing is. I get the logic of that — those customers are most likely to receive complimentary upgrades, so the question is how American can get those people to buy-up and guarantee themselves premium seats, rather than gambling on an upgrade.
I’m seeing transcon upgrades for around $200, and I’m also seeing reports of long haul upgrades for around $400. Of course this won’t always be the case, as there are a lot of factors, but in many situations prices seem to be getting better.
Everyone will of course value first and business class upgrades differently. In the past I’ve written how much I value first class, and how much of a premium I’m willing to pay for it.
These paid upgrades are controversial with elites
In fairness to American, the airline has historically been much less aggressive than Delta and United when it comes to selling upgrades. However, it seems like that’s a trend that has slowly been changing over time.
As you’d expect, the whole paid upgrade concept leaves a bad taste in the mouth of many elite members. For example, many people work hard to earn AAdvantage Executive Platinum member, which is supposed to entitle you to space available upgrades starting 100 hours before departure.
Many elite members find that their upgrades aren’t clearing in advance, but instead they’re being offered cheap buy-up deals in the days prior to departure. As you’d expect, upgrades are a zero-sum game, and a particular plane only has so many premium seats.
So rather than offering elite members the space available upgrades that they hope for, airlines are instead doing what they can to get those people to buy upgrades instead. It of course makes one wonder why they should even bother being loyal, since upgrades are one of the main perks of elite status…
Bottom line
American Airlines has a paid upgrade program, whereby select customers are targeted for cash upgrades after booking. The pricing and availability of this varies significantly, but in many cases I’m noticing pricing that’s more attractive than ever before.
While being able to guarantee an upgrade could be a good deal, this is a double-edged sword, as it makes it tougher to score a complimentary upgrade.
What do you make of American’s paid upgrade program? Have you noticed a change in pricing?
Can someone confirm my suspicion that in-app upgrade offers are not offered to non-US residents (i.e. itineraries booked in non-USD currencies)?
I travel extensively (ExPlat) and have never, not once, seen an in-app upgrade offer despite traveling on AA tickets on AA metal 40+ legs a year. My hunch would be that the system cannot do the currency conversion or accept non-USD payments.
Any international travelers been successful with this? Seems we're at...
Can someone confirm my suspicion that in-app upgrade offers are not offered to non-US residents (i.e. itineraries booked in non-USD currencies)?
I travel extensively (ExPlat) and have never, not once, seen an in-app upgrade offer despite traveling on AA tickets on AA metal 40+ legs a year. My hunch would be that the system cannot do the currency conversion or accept non-USD payments.
Any international travelers been successful with this? Seems we're at a distinct disadvantage.
if you purchase an upgrade on the outgoing segment but not the return will you still see offers for the return in the future?
depends on the situation, but I have seen it happen to me that way.
I just noticed in the last month or two that AA is adding a $20 per person segment tax to take the paid upgrade. You only find out about it after tapping through a few screens. Another insult to injury….
Is it possible to upgrade just one person on a multi-person ticket itinerary? I can’t see how to do that on the app.
i am curious about this question, might be a call to AA. if you can't they maybe able to split the reservation.
Great news! (well, for me, I suppose... )
My upgrade offer came back up for the JFK-LAX 321T first on teh return leg of my ticket.
Price to buy up was $527.94 . ($472.50 + taxes & carrier imposed fees $55.44)
.
And now, presto-chango, I purchased it with my Chase Ritz-Calton Visa, which means that with one phone call Chase will credit me back $300. and I get to say that...
Great news! (well, for me, I suppose... )
My upgrade offer came back up for the JFK-LAX 321T first on teh return leg of my ticket.
Price to buy up was $527.94 . ($472.50 + taxes & carrier imposed fees $55.44)
.
And now, presto-chango, I purchased it with my Chase Ritz-Calton Visa, which means that with one phone call Chase will credit me back $300. and I get to say that I have flown Flagship First. 31,000 AA miles (den-ord-jfk-lax-den), and a couple hundred is a nice deal.
Another not-so-humble brag: Yesterday, I had the pleasure of seeing two Concorde SSTs. The first was BA's Concorde parked in LHT, the second was Air France's Concorde in CDG. That would have been wonderful to fly them, with those 1970's jet setters.
So a lot of mixed feelings here.
I'm one of the people (AA EP) that finagled a BA status match (AA to DL to BA). So, in the very very near future, I'm taking a J trip JFK-LHR-CDG flight. Overpriced, but I've got to meet the Oct 19th deadline.
But... I don't live in JFK, I'm in DEN. So, I was able to do a DEN-ORD-JFK-LAX-DEN deal on AA for only 31K miles....
So a lot of mixed feelings here.
I'm one of the people (AA EP) that finagled a BA status match (AA to DL to BA). So, in the very very near future, I'm taking a J trip JFK-LHR-CDG flight. Overpriced, but I've got to meet the Oct 19th deadline.
But... I don't live in JFK, I'm in DEN. So, I was able to do a DEN-ORD-JFK-LAX-DEN deal on AA for only 31K miles. Which is more than fair.
Now that JFK-LAX flight is a 321T, which means the possibility of Flagship First.
Sadly, no S-Up available on that flight, and even if I did get an upgrade, it would be to J and not F.
I had a chance to fly several BA 747 J upper deck fights, which was great that I got to experience that. And I feel that way about a 321T Flagship First flight. Do it before it's gone.
Right now, I'm looking at $780 to up that 321T Coach to First.
What would I get?
* Flagship check-in (meh) and Chelsea Loung access in JFK (definitely a plus).
* Sitting in the pointy part, with few others. Likely the same food as J.
* Likely Flagship or Quantas lounge access in LAX with my BA Gold. (Also a plus)
* EP 11X - 8,580 Loyalty Points. (Nice, still want to hit AA EP this year too)
* $200 statement credit from AmEx Plat (reducing cost to $580)
* Mild bragging rights for having experienced Flagship First. (Let me tell you about my DC3 flight sometime)
.
The thing that drives me to distraction is having no insight into AA's Algorithm. Clearly, I don't want to spend $500 if I could spend $300 in a few days. So I watch the price several times a day and look at the available seats.
In the end I feel as confident as betting red, black, or 00 in Vegas.
Update: Today is 18th, flight is 28th. Price yesterday: 780, day before: 680. Today: $829.
This is not going in the right direction.
Clearly, the algorithm is trying to make me purchase by making me think the price will continue going up.
And it could... unless people don't buy.
Hmmm.
Update: Disappointing event.
Today is the 20th. Yesterday, the upgrade cost dropped to $770.
Today, I no longer see an upgrade offer.
Why: The flight that I have been wanting to upgrade is the first leg of the return flight. My outbound flights are on the 24th. I received an EP complimentary upgrade on the second leg of the outbound flights.
And (I think, as a result of that upgrade) no...
Update: Disappointing event.
Today is the 20th. Yesterday, the upgrade cost dropped to $770.
Today, I no longer see an upgrade offer.
Why: The flight that I have been wanting to upgrade is the first leg of the return flight. My outbound flights are on the 24th. I received an EP complimentary upgrade on the second leg of the outbound flights.
And (I think, as a result of that upgrade) no longer do I see the upgrade purchase offers in either the app or online.
-------------------------
I'll keep checking but likely I won't see an opportunity to purchase an upgrade for that return leg until the outbound is complete. And even then, maybe not.
If this is part of the algorithm design, I don't like it.
Flying JFK-DEL and currently have an offer for 735 for F was 700 last night. There’s 3 seats open. I’m wondering if it’s good value. Can I drink my weight in premium champagne at their lounge? I know their catering is more or less the same in J and F. Should I wait closer to check in?
From Y to F for $700? That is a bargain, but it is AA, not CX or QF or JL.
I was just asking american today if I have a better chance getting upgraded as an executive platinum member using a systemwide upgrade or mileage plus copay but the rep could not answer this.
AA PP here. I've seen some reasonable upgrade offers from AA but one offer that AA has for me now is ridiculous.
I have an upcoming CLT-PHL RT in coach. As of today, RT tickets on the same flights are priced about $400 more in first than coach. Today's upgrade offer is $129 for the return flight (not bad but not good enough) and $590 for the outbound flight!!!! I could cancel my ticket...
AA PP here. I've seen some reasonable upgrade offers from AA but one offer that AA has for me now is ridiculous.
I have an upcoming CLT-PHL RT in coach. As of today, RT tickets on the same flights are priced about $400 more in first than coach. Today's upgrade offer is $129 for the return flight (not bad but not good enough) and $590 for the outbound flight!!!! I could cancel my ticket and rebook RT in first class and save almost $200 on this one-way upgrade offer.
Can anyone explain AA's thinking with this offer? Are they just trolling for people who are really bad at math?
Im exp. I saw the same on a clt dtw flight in January. A $600 upgrade on top of the points I used for the flight. I check the paid F fare and it was $486. This is not just insane it's theft.
I understand the anxiety for elite members (I have lowly Gold status myself) but to be honest I don't think it's having a real impact and I actually see it as a net positive. The only time I've pulled the trigger on a paid upgrade has been for international flights as they're priced very well and aren't eligible for complimentary upgrades anyways (this is where I see the benefit). Meanwhile for domestic flights that are...
I understand the anxiety for elite members (I have lowly Gold status myself) but to be honest I don't think it's having a real impact and I actually see it as a net positive. The only time I've pulled the trigger on a paid upgrade has been for international flights as they're priced very well and aren't eligible for complimentary upgrades anyways (this is where I see the benefit). Meanwhile for domestic flights that are eligible for upgrades the pricing has never been compelling enough to even think about it, and is often priced way higher (talking $800 for DFW to LGA??). I haven't flown transcon though, I could see that potentially getting caught in the crossfire.
i wonder why we are framing this policy as a loss for entitled elites who expect free upgrades, and not as offering functional discounts to all elites?
if it is indeed the case that elites are offered pricing that is less than the fare difference, and that the price tends to be more attractive the higher up you are, then it follows that elites are basically given the ability to purchase premium seats at a...
i wonder why we are framing this policy as a loss for entitled elites who expect free upgrades, and not as offering functional discounts to all elites?
if it is indeed the case that elites are offered pricing that is less than the fare difference, and that the price tends to be more attractive the higher up you are, then it follows that elites are basically given the ability to purchase premium seats at a (sometimes significant) discount.
as a personal example, i paid 143 for JFK-SFO in Y, and then I paid 581 for a double upgrade to F (I believe the single upgrade to J was around 430) - in total, $724. Meanwhile, buying F outright would have been minimum $1200, so my price represents a 40% discount. If such attractive pricing was really because I was a platinum, then I celebrate that fact, because there was no shot of me being double upgraded to F for free, and even a free upgrade to J was dicey given that I'm 4th on the prio list (after CK, EXP, and PP) on a premium transcon route.
I suppose psychologically it feels better to score a free upgrade occasionally, instead of having consistent access to cheaper prices year round. i think the people who recognize the advantages of this will stick with AA, and those who are just looking for the sugar rush of a free upgrade will move elsewhere.
I have a current offer of a $300 upgrade from LGA-RDU, which is robbery for an hour and 10 minute flight. I wish I knew the algorithm for this. Free upgrades are long gone, but then again, the programs have been so devalued anyway. Just wait for the next downturn.
Generally I have found the offers are outrageous 1-2 months out ($1017 for a DCA/MIA flight I recently booked) but as the departure date nears they come down in price. Again that's been my experience. You just have to check repeatedly. AA will not notify if the price decreases.
I would never waste $50-60 on upgrades I frequently see on short haul regional flights under 2 hours, especially if I have a MCE seat, which entitles you to a free drink. The seats are slightly bigger but it doesn’t matter much for a short flight and free cocktails are included. On flights where I got the upgrade free as a Platinum Pro, the snack basket included a bag of mixed nuts, biscoff and pretzels.
I just paid nearly $600 for F on a 2.5 hour flight with AA in an E170...other than the couple glasses of wine (which I had to ring my bell for as the FA was too busy chatting in the rear galley with her colleagues...) and gummy bears from the snack basket, what was really the value added? 1A was nice, but I'm not sure I'd do it again unless F was selling for a very small mark up from Y (which it was in this case: $586 vs $515).
I think that’s a terrible deal, Ralph.
lol I don't disagree, UncleRonnie...though if I needed to check a bag...;)
One quick note…. If you have purchased tickets using a companion certificate, AA will not offer the upsell.
Airlines have increasingly de-emphasized elite status (other than maybe in the case AA CK) for quite sometime. Face it complimentary upgrades are going to be rare.
In my case they're on every reservation and if I wait closer to departure date they usually become pretty attractive. Other than PE sold as coach (domestic) and maybe row 11 on the 321ceos I buy them.
How does it work if you're Executive Platinum (or another status) and you're supposed to get upgraded starting at 100 hours, then AA tries to sell you an upgrade at 99 hours out? Are they just not paying any attention to the supposed elite benefit?
they're skimping on the elite benefit in order to try to maximize revenue. it winds up being a gamble on getting upgraded or not. i've started purchasing the upgrades if the price is right even though i am an EP and can theoretically get upgraded 100 hours out. if i don't snag the free upgrade at t-100, i wind up buying the cheap upgrade around t-90 or t-80 out of an abundance of caution esp. if i am on a 737 or a319
As long as there's no shortage of elites dumb enough to pay for something they used to get for free all airlines will continue doing this. Leaves a bad taste in your mouth? Then STOP BUYING UP and encouraging AA/DL/UA to continue doing this!
"As you’d expect, the whole paid upgrade concept leaves a bad taste in the mouth of many elite members."
Of course it does. And it should.
Having status means nothing for those who book paid first class. Other than a higher mileage multiplier for the cash cost, what does status really provide someone who is already paying for the front of the plane?
And for those in the back who have varying levels of status,...
"As you’d expect, the whole paid upgrade concept leaves a bad taste in the mouth of many elite members."
Of course it does. And it should.
Having status means nothing for those who book paid first class. Other than a higher mileage multiplier for the cash cost, what does status really provide someone who is already paying for the front of the plane?
And for those in the back who have varying levels of status, all the "free" upgrades are now gone. This perk is history for all of the big three. What else do they really get? Most M-Th business travellers aren't checking bags, many (most?) already have precheck, etc.
Tiffany called it a few years ago when she said that not having status is not going to matter to many. She was quite prescient in that.
EXACTLY!!!!! GREAT ARTICLE! AA is screwing over its most LOYAL passengers
The new challenge of airlines will be filling the Business Cabin with traditionally Economy Class flyers as actual Business travel is in a steep and seemingly unreversible decline.
Are paid upgrades available for award travel in addition to revenue fares? Does it matter which airline the award was booked with? Does one have to have their AAdvantage number on the reservation to receive upgrade offers?
Paid upgrades have shown up for me on award tickets. They have been AA awards.
International or domestic? I’ve experienced it domestic flight but am trying my luck right now on an award flight from
DFW to CDG. It’s 1 week from departure and no app upgrade offers yet. I’ve checked and there are still around 7 business class seats available as of now.