American Airlines will be making major changes to its complimentary elite upgrade program on domestic flights, for the limited number of routes that have a premium economy cabin for sale. Most people will probably view this as being a negative change, assuming they fly one of the few impacted routes.
In this post:
American adds premium economy upgrades in North America
American Airlines has announced that as of August 25, 2026, AAdvantage elite members be eligible for complimentary upgrades to premium economy within North America:
- All AAdvantage elite members will be eligible for upgrades to premium economy on flights within North America, when eligible seats are available
- American only has premium economy on wide body aircraft (Boeing 777s & 787s) and on Airbus A321XLRs, so this impacts a total of nine routes
- This includes some of the long haul routes to Hawaii that are operated by wide body aircraft, as well as premium transcontinental flights primarily operated by A321XLRs (JFK-LAX/SFO, etc.)
With these updates, elite members will clear into premium economy on a space available basis, in the same way that they currently clear into business class, starting at their respective upgrade windows. Up until now, American hasn’t offered any sort of complimentary upgrades to premium economy, at least officially.
While this change might sound positive, there’s a major catch, unfortunately.
American cuts upgrades that bypass premium economy
Yes, there’s a major catch with this change — these premium economy upgrades replace double upgrades to business class. For example, if you were flying an A321XLR (with business class, premium economy, and economy) from New York to Los Angeles, you would’ve previously been eligible for an upgrade from economy or premium economy to business class. However, if you were booked in economy, you wouldn’t have been eligible for an upgrade to premium economy.
Under the new program, those in economy will be eligible for complimentary upgrades to premium economy, while those in premium economy will be eligible for upgrades to business class.
Now, a couple more things to note:
- This is specific to complimentary elite upgrades within North America, as other markets aren’t eligible for complimentary upgrades
- You can still upgrade from economy to business class while bypassing premium economy if you’re using a systemwide upgrade; furthermore, if you purchase an instant upgrade from economy to premium economy (whether with miles or cash), you’d still be eligible for an upgrade to business class
I think for a vast majority of people, this would be considered a very negative change. I think perhaps the one exception would be for those who would ordinarily book premium economy, or who are willing to pay a premium to have better upgrade chances, since those people would have better odds of clearing upgrades ahead of others.
In the interest of being 100% clear, let me just clarify that there’s no change to upgrades on flights within North America that don’t have a premium economy cabin, and that includes a vast majority of flights. There’s also no change to upgrades on flights outside of North America. Lastly, for flights that do have a premium economy cabin but where it isn’t sold (like lots of short hub-to-hub routes where premium economy is sold as Main Cabin Extra), there’s no change to the upgrade policy.
Bottom line
American Airlines is updating its upgrade policy. As of August 25, 2026, AAdvantage elite members will only be eligible for a one cabin upgrade on flights within North America, when the plane has premium economy. So if you book economy, you’re only eligible for upgrades to premium economy, while if you book premium economy, you’re eligible for upgrades to business class.
This only impacts nine routes, including select premium transcontinental flights, as well as select long haul Hawaii flights. I figured this would happen eventually, with premium economy being rolled out on a more widespread basis, as I assume the intent was never to offer double upgrades in the long run.
What do you make of American’s complimentary upgrade policy change?
Also in this announcement in my AAdvantage News email:
*** Now available: Stream FOX One in flight
Get 24-hour access to FOX One when you sign up on board. If it's on FOX, it's on FOX One. Stream live sports, FOX News and can't-miss shows.***
Hmm... AA going full MAGA!!! Stream FOX One as you fly to Donald J Trump International Airport, as your MAGA pilot tells you to look for the Gulf of America!!!
U-S-A! U-S-A!
This sounds like, if you purchase PE, there is less upgrade competition. On the 321XLR, for instance, you'd be competing with 11 other people at most. On elite heavy flights, I've seen 40+ lists for J on the XLR.
funny how "premium" just means "contempt for your best customers" now; though it does vindicate my increasing shift toward free-agency. EXP really isn't worth anything anymore, this will probably be my last year bothering with it
I think this is great. I never understood this upgrading craze in the US, which just leads to entitled customers and lower service standards overall. If you want to be in business, buy business. It's been like this in Asia forever and I don't see an issue with it.
With transcon biz priced at 3k these days, premium economy at 700 bucks and economy at 500, this new setup makes premium economy the sweet spot. Not only do you jump the upgrade line for a few hundred bucks, but worst case is you are in a classic first class seat for a 5hr flight.
Will this also apply to Alaska elites?
I can't imagine why it wouldn't.
I can't imagine there are oodles of elite members getting complimentary double upgrades on these routes to begin with, but I have no basis for that theory.
So, a non-rev passenger in Y can get a double upgrade but an exec plat can not. Way to treat your best paying customers...NOT.
It's an entirely different thing. Non-revs are not "upgraded", technically. Also, anyone is free to apply for a job at AA and get privileges as part of their package. As a consumer / customer, you essentially get the product you bought and paid for. If you bought economy, that's what you should expect.
It's been like this in Asia all along and I think it's part of the reason why Asian carriers generally are far away from US carriers in terms of product and service.
Wait until you find out employees also don't have to pay to park at the airport but an exec plat does.
Honestly this might be a positive in some way.
On a 787-8 now if you buy a PE seat, getting to J you are only competiting within the 28 PE seats for any open J seats.
If you are in MC or MCE, you might lose the double upgrade BUT with high status you may be more likely to be top of the list to get to PE amongst others that normal book Y. Pre-Aug...
Honestly this might be a positive in some way.
On a 787-8 now if you buy a PE seat, getting to J you are only competiting within the 28 PE seats for any open J seats.
If you are in MC or MCE, you might lose the double upgrade BUT with high status you may be more likely to be top of the list to get to PE amongst others that normal book Y. Pre-Aug 25th you'd have no way to be bumped to PE and the folks sitting in PE possibly pay up more often and would be ahead of you on the list for J anyway.
With the 773-ER retrofit (and later retrofits of other WB aircraft) and XLRs entering service PE seats are just going to increase in terms of % of total seats.
To me, while it may hurt the loyal customer in MC (or more likely the big credit card spender) getting all the way to J, its rewarding you more for "short term" loyalty within the flight. Buy or upgrade to PE, you are now on the "short list" for J.
Wrong. Pre-Aug 25th, all leftover PE seats are given out to elites at T-1 hour.
Would you rather have this on what UA and DL are doing? Which is basic business which means no advanced seat assignment, changes, or lounge entrance on a flight (like a transon) that would provide lounge entrance for business class.
PE is already a separate class of service for JFK/LAX/SFO (as opposed to MCE) so this should no surprise to anyone.
Hopefully this is the first step in moving to one cabin upgrade model system wide. It makes sense that, with Premium Economy now available throughout the Limassol longhaul fleet and First Class soon disappearing, upgrades should be Y>W and W>J, just like on foreign carriers.
Given that Delta and United also now have PE cabins throughout the longhaul system, I'd expect all three to ultimately go that route.
This is yet another data point that loyalty is a one-way street, and people should consider going "free agent" for their travel when it makes sense.
And American still sucks.
So, you gonna use your OMAAT gift card for AA, or…
Complimentary upgrades to business class were extremely hard to come by anyway. I'm totally fine with this change. There may be more chances with upgrades to PE rather than to BC.
And PE is almost the same as domestic first class—the same seat product and similar meal service.
Good while it lasted but upgrades are hard to come by anyway. I flew JFK-LAX roundtrip in the XLR. Bought Premium Economy since I wanted to try that cabin so if I didn't get upgraded then oh well.
This policy goes into effect Aug 25 or is it for bookings after Aug 25?
Booked HNL to DFW on a wide body last month.
I got an upgrade (PLT) from economy to premium economy on a recent day flight LAX-JFK, A321XLR. I had been in the first row of economy and was moved to the first row of PE. It was fine for a day flight, I was working, but on a redeye I would actually decline the upgrade (I assume that is possible?), since the first row in PE does not have enough space to stretch out your legs (I am 6'1), while there is no problem in Y (cutout? I forget).
It logically makes sense except I have to imagine folks buying PE may not be status members to begin with, and the PE cabin on the XLR is so small that it's going to create a logjam and ultimately leave business seats open for nonrevs. Maybe that will cause even more discounted upgrade to business offers from economy - will have to monitor and see.
You know what AA really shoulda done is… install more MCE! (Ok, I may be pandering just a little now.)
Or any MCE that could be booked by families since all MCE on the XLR is exit row? So shortsighted.
More cuts to AA what a surprise
Yeah, idc about the domestic stuff, but I wonder whether that will soon be extended to SWUs. Mind you, they’re pretty useless these days anyway.
Hopefully they don't extend this to int'l upgrades
Agreed. It’s been very costly (cash or miles) to upgrade from Y to J on longhaul international but at least when you can and it clears, you go from Y to J. If cost remains the same and you only end up in premium economy, that would be terrible. I miss the days of upgrading to J for 25k miles with and without the copay on flights to Europe.
I could be off base but I feel like this is a win for those who normally book economy? I feel like even with EXP I never got transcon upgrades. Perhaps this opens to total "pool"
A comment on the trend in general.
Premium Economy is the new Business Class and Business Class is the new First Class.
The pricing is getting close to that already. In 3-5 years this will be firmly established.
Basically a downgrade of the premium classes for the same fare from the airline's perspective. And net increase in density of "premium" seats.
It will be interesting to see how the corporate travel policies will adjust to...
A comment on the trend in general.
Premium Economy is the new Business Class and Business Class is the new First Class.
The pricing is getting close to that already. In 3-5 years this will be firmly established.
Basically a downgrade of the premium classes for the same fare from the airline's perspective. And net increase in density of "premium" seats.
It will be interesting to see how the corporate travel policies will adjust to this. Some companies are already limiting employee travel to premium economy in long flights.
I think not just with American,BUT with all the airlines,that they need to be careful & not get too greedy with all the pricing, it's like they all want to nickel & dime the passengers for every little thing,& all that's going to do is piss off the non business travelers meaning families ESPECIALLY & cause them to give their business to Amtrak & Greyhound. I mean,I remember back in the 80's whenever I'd fly...
I think not just with American,BUT with all the airlines,that they need to be careful & not get too greedy with all the pricing, it's like they all want to nickel & dime the passengers for every little thing,& all that's going to do is piss off the non business travelers meaning families ESPECIALLY & cause them to give their business to Amtrak & Greyhound. I mean,I remember back in the 80's whenever I'd fly on Eastern or Delta,that your flight ticket would include a meal & a drink like soda or water.NOW, I see airlines confusing passengers with different pricing & the once popular airline meaning Southwest is body shaming passengers by telling them that if they meaning the people at the ticket counter think the passenger is "too big or fat" for 1 seat,that they IMMEDIATELY want to charge them for an extra seat that OBVIOUSLY nobody wants to spend $ on, ESPECIALLY if they're traveling with a certain amount of $ meaning budget.
'Premium Economy is the new Business Class and Business Class is the new First Class.
The pricing is getting close to that already.'
That's either a massive exaggeration or a confusion between data and anecdotes. I am actually seeing premium economy prices becoming rather more realistic for the routes I track- SAS often do transatlantic sales starting at less than €600 return, Air India are currently offering FRA-SIN for just €825, VS points prices...
'Premium Economy is the new Business Class and Business Class is the new First Class.
The pricing is getting close to that already.'
That's either a massive exaggeration or a confusion between data and anecdotes. I am actually seeing premium economy prices becoming rather more realistic for the routes I track- SAS often do transatlantic sales starting at less than €600 return, Air India are currently offering FRA-SIN for just €825, VS points prices are often a quarter or less those of business class and so on.
What are the 9 routes impacted? That’d be helpful to know.
Also was the ad dial recently turned up? With the number of ads, pop ups, and banners showed on the page the article is almost unreadable. I get the need to make money but the old balance was much better.
We haven't made any changes on the ad side of things recently, but if you want to drop a screenshot to [email protected] of what you're seeing, I'll take a look.
I'm one of those AA customers who don't fly anything with a Premium Economy class, so no impact. However, it's logical. Complimentary upgrades get you one class better.
Well, you live at ORD, so you wouldn’t be affected by much of this anyway, unless you fly to JFK then to LAX/SFO, or to DFW then HNL, etc. Either way, the whole ‘this doesn’t affect me directly so I don’t care” trope is lame, bud.
I just felt it appropriate that I issued a disclaimer that it really doesn't affect me before expressing my opinion. Old journalism training.
ORD, if you’re doing ‘a journalism,’ wouldn’t you not write in the first-person, stay as objective as possible, not bury the lede, use AP-style, etc.?
Lololol that brand of journalism hasn’t existed since at least 2015
First they came for our double upgrade, and I did not speak out
Then they came for our premium economy upgrades, and I did not speak out
Then they came for our Main Cabin Extra seats, and I did not speak out
I did not speak out because I only fly America's premier airline: Delta
“More choice” and “new ways to experience travel” *proceeds to announce major downgrades for elites* Yeah, that’s what we’ve become conditioned for, never-ending devaluation of these programs. Huge loss here, especially for those that enjoyed JFK-SFO/LAX.
Like, what good is status for at AA anymore? Ok, OWE has better lounges, occasionally, but I’m sure they’ll hack away at that soon, too. Sheesh!
My ExP got me upgrades to F on all four of my flights this week, including two hub-to-hub. I'd say that was good.
AA must really be trying to compete at ORD. So, is your new home gonna be DFW, CLT, PHL, or MIA? What’ll it be, big hats (no cattle), rocking-chairs, cheese steaks, or the beach, sir?
After my connect at DFW was shattered on Tuesday due to cascading irrops and had to do an overnight at the terminal there, I think that's off the list for now.