500-mile upgrades
Elite status members: Upgrade your experience
AAdvantage® elite status members can upgrade from any eligible purchased, published fare in the Main Cabin 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.
Upgrades on American
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.
Two ways to get 500-mile upgrades
Earn upgrades
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.
Buy upgrades
You can buy 500-mile upgrades at a rate of $40 USD1 per upgrade. 500-mile upgrades can be purchased:
- On aa.com or on the American app
- At the airport during check in
- Through AAdvantage Reservations at 800-882-8880
- At most Admirals Club® locations or American Airlines ticketing locations.
You can also purchase upgrades with AAdvantage miles at a rate of eight upgrades for 40,000 miles.
- You can request an upgrade for 1 companion traveling on the same flight using 500-mile upgrades as payment
- If your companion is booked in a different reservation, call Reservations to link the reservations
- If seats are available, you will be upgraded at the same time
- You can request an upgrade for 1 elite companion traveling on the same flight; same or separate reservations
- If your upgrades aren’t cleared before the airport, ask an agent to reconnect you on the priority list (at every departure city)
- If available, the 500-mile upgrades will be deducted from the sponsor’s account
- If there are more than two passengers in your reservation, you'll need to call Reservations, you won't be able to request an upgrade on aa.com
- If there are other passengers in your reservation who aren't eligible for complimentary upgrades, you'll need to request an upgrade (upgrades will not be auto-requested in this case)
- If you're traveling with a lap infant or 10 or more passengers in your reservation, you'll need to request an upgrade
Upgrades on award tickets
Executive Platinum members can use complimentary 500-mile upgrade benefits on AAdvantage award tickets for travel within North America on American.
- If everyone in your reservation is eligible for a complimentary upgrade we'll automatically request it for you
- If you need to request an upgrade on an award ticket, go to “Your Trips” on aa.com after you’ve booked your reservation or contact an American representative or your travel agent
Companion upgrade benefit
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.
Confirming upgrades
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:
- Elite status level (ConciergeKeySM members are first, followed by Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, Platinum and then Gold members)
- 500-mile upgrades on purchased tickets first, followed by 500-mile upgrades on award tickets
- 12-month Rolling EQDs
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.
Upgrade not confirmed at check-in?
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:
- Elite status level (ConciergeKeySM members are first, followed by Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, Platinum and then Gold members)
- Upgrade type in this order: (1 - Systemwide and mileage award upgrades*, 2 - 500-mile upgrades on purchased tickets, 3 - 500-mile upgrades on award tickets)
- 12-month rolling EQDs
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.
Using your 500-mile account
If you need to use your 500-mile upgrades, they'll be deducted from your account before departure.
- One 500-mile upgrade is needed for every 500 miles of travel
- If you don't have enough upgrades in your account at check-in, you'll be prompted to buy them
Track your 500-mile upgrades
- In your AAdvantage account wallet on aa.com or the app
- By calling AAdvantage Customer Service at 800-882-8880
- By calling your dedicated AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, Platinum or Gold number