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AAdvantage® elite status members can upgrade from any eligible purchased, published fare in the Main Cabin (excluding Basic Economy fares) or Premium Economy to the next class of service (Business or domestic First) for travel within North America on eligible American Airlines marketed and operated flights. Executive Platinum members can also upgrade on AAdvantage award tickets.
Upgrades are always complimentary for Executive Platinum and Platinum Pro members. For Platinum and Gold members, upgrades on flights 500 miles or less are complimentary and flights greater than 500 miles require 500-mile upgrades.
If possible, upgrades will be confirmed before departure based on elite status.
When booking your flight on aa.com, you'll see the number of flight miles and whether or not the upgrade is complimentary. After you book your flight, you can view your reservation from 'My Trips' to see if your upgrade is complimentary.
On American | Executive Platinum | Platinum Pro | Platinum | Gold |
---|---|---|---|---|
Flights 500 miles or less: Unlimited, auto-requested complimentary upgrades | available | available | available | available |
Flights over 500 miles: Use earned or purchased 500-mile upgrades | Unlimited, auto-requested complimentary upgrades on flights over 500 miles | Unlimited, auto-requested complimentary upgrades on flights over 500 miles | available | available |
Complimentary upgrades on award tickets | available | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Upgrade one companion traveling with you on the same flight with 500-mile upgrades* | available | available | available | available |
Upgrades confirmed before departure (as early as) |
100 hours | 72 hours | 48 hours | 24 hours |
Upgrades on American are valid on American marketed and operated flights, within and between the U.S. (including Hawaii) and between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda and Central America (based on availability). Upgrades are valid from the Main Cabin to the next class of service.
*Your travel companion can be booked in the same reservation or in a different reservation when traveling on American Airlines marketed and operated flights. If your companion is booked in a different reservation, call American Airlines reservations to link the two reservations.
AAdvantage Platinum and Gold members will earn four 500-mile upgrades for every 12,500 EQMs earned during each membership year.
Mileage counters used to determine the number of 500-mile upgrades earned are reset to 0 at the beginning of the membership year.
You can buy 500-mile upgrades at a rate of $40 USD1 per upgrade. 500-mile upgrades can be purchased:
You can also purchase upgrades with AAdvantage miles at a rate of eight upgrades for 40,000 miles.
Executive Platinum members can use complimentary 500-mile upgrade benefits on AAdvantage award tickets for travel within North America on American.
You can also upgrade 1 companion traveling on the same flight if 1 or both of you are traveling on an award ticket.
The number of upgrades needed for companions will be deducted from the sponsor member’s account, even if the companion is an elite status member and has their own 500-mile upgrade account.
Just like purchased tickets, the number of upgrades needed for companions will be based on their elite status level.
If your upgrade is confirmed, we'll send an email to the address in your AAdvantage profile to let you know you've been upgraded.
If you're not upgraded right away, we'll keep checking for upgrade availability – up to 3.5 hours before your flight.
As soon as your upgrade window opens, we'll attempt to confirm in this order:
If the upgrade type and 12-month Rolling EQD value are the same we’ll look at the booking code then date/time of the request to determine prioritization.
You'll automatically be added to the airport upgrade standby list when you check in with American (if you have the needed number of upgrades in your account or you buy them at check-in). Your priority at the airport is based on:
If the upgrade type and 12-month Rolling EQD value are the same we’ll look at the booking code then date/time of the request to determine prioritization.
*Systemwide and mileage award upgrade requests will be processed independently of 500-mile upgrades prior to arriving at the airport. Higher priority won’t be given to passengers connecting from other cities.
Checking in with another airline? If your first flight is on another airline, you won't automatically be added to the standby list. You'll need to see an American agent to be added to the list.
If you need to use your 500-mile upgrades, they'll be deducted from your account before departure.