for you savy travelors....how to upgrade on a flight

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laurapasinifan

Silver
Sep 19, 2005
4,632
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I have a flight booked for next wed....the flight is full....there was only one seat left in coach sunday, and today there are 2..maybe someone dropped out..anyway...thats a pretty full flight...I checked first class, because i have 6 upgrades i can use at some point...the first class is empty!!!!! well one seat is taken...thats it!

I am thinking it would be stupid of me to upgrade to first class, when MAYBE they will offer it to me, or I can ask for it free at check in.

last flight down they offered me a first class seat because so many people wanted to get on, via standy....and since i was a gold member they asked me if i anted the seat before they gave it to a standby person.

well with this flight....so many first class eats are still open only a week before....I want all teh tips I can get for wiggling my way into that first class cabin with out using my upgrades.....( 3 would be needed for a flight that long)

do i ask at check in

do i ask at the desk where you board the plane?

do i ask via phone before I get to the airport?

is there a good timing that may help..

like wait till very close before the plane is scheduled to leave

can I get aggressive, because of my gold status...kinda demaning like...


thanks

bob
 
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AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
I was able to get my friend a first class seat, just for asking. I guess she liked him as well, after all, we are both so charming. hahahahaha.
Its all true and the person is a DR1 member but I will abstain from mentioning the airline's name or name the departing airport.
AZB
 
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Ricardo900

Silver
Jul 12, 2004
3,269
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AZB said:
I was able to get my friend a first class seat, just for asking. I guess she liked him as well, after all, we are both so charming. hahahahaha.
Its all true and the person is a DR1 member but I will abstain from mentioning the airline's name or name the departing airport.
AZB
Click to expand...

She probably liked him since he was a "Fine Strapping Fellow" and being the scholarly gentleman, upon his gallant return, a box of the finest of Chocolates and Truffles for the fair young maiden is expectant, I am sure of this.
 
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rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
4,169
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laurapasinifan said:
sorry...american airlines

going from JFK to STI...if that matters

bob
Click to expand...
What is AA's policy for standby upgrades? Continental provides unlimited standby upgrades (on Domestic and Carribean flights) for any of it's OnePass Elite memebers.
 
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MrMike

Silver
Mar 2, 2003
2,586
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www.azconatechnologies.com
How much does the upgrade cost if one were to pay for it?

My pregnant wife got upgraded today for her trip to NY, basically because she has about 50 friends who work at the airline.
 
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Drro

Bronze
Mar 22, 2006
1,407
102
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I travel AA a lot and I tell them gate people that I'm traveling alone so if they need to move me up to first class, I'm available. I also specifically ask for the bulkhead seat so it's easy for them to do so.

Most times I'm moved up and I don't have to use my own upgrades.

Ro
 
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ElvisNYC

New member
Jan 27, 2006
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I fly this route as well, and I never bother to ask for an upgrade because I already use upgrade stickers for a FC seat each way.

Remember, both at check in and gate agent will notice that you are gold (hence, they know you have upgrades in your account and if an upgrade is given, they will deduct the stickers from your account). Saying that you're gold doesn't work !

It's ok to ask, but most likely they won't give it to you, unless the flight is overbooked and there are pax's in standby. If this is the case, it's better to ask the gate agent (not at check-in) if there are any standby pax's and you volunteer for an upgrade. If no standby pax's, you can simply ask the gate agent to deduct upgrades stickers at that moment and you sit in FC.

I notice that the only upgrades AA personnel do is for friends, AA employees (non-rev) and whenever there are overbookings.

Btw, the upgrade stickers costs $ 30* 3 = $90 each way on the JFK-STI route
 
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ElvisNYC

New member
Jan 27, 2006
511
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0
rellosk said:
What is AA's policy for standby upgrades? Continental provides unlimited standby upgrades (on Domestic and Carribean flights) for any of it's OnePass Elite memebers.
Click to expand...

AA is not like Continental/Copa, they make exceptions for their Exec. Plat members !

Gold and Platinum members get 4 500-mile upgrade stickers for every 10,000 miles flown. JFK-STI requires 3 stickers. The amount of upgrade stickers to be used is based on distance !

Executive Platinum members get unlimited upgrade stickers both domestically and Caribbean.
 
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laurapasinifan

Silver
Sep 19, 2005
4,632
91
48
well I cant add much to those replies, they are right on.

i currently have 6...but was thinking I am ripe to get moved up with a loaded plane and no one in first class so far....and I am traveling alone...

good tip.to let them know that.

so the consensus is, i wait till the gate to ask...or do i say anything at check in??? to let them be aware i dlike one?

bob
 
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