Do I Need 500-Mile Upgrades in My Account to Request an Upgrade?
Reader Questions are answered twice a week by TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Ethan Steinberg.
First class upgrades are one of the most popular and sought-after benefits of airline elite status, yet each airline has a slightly different policy for how they handle them. For example, lower-tier American Airlines elites traveling on flights over 500 miles need to specifically request upgrades using the carrier's 500-mile upgrade certificates, and TPG reader Haley wants to know if she needs the certificates in her account in order to make the request ...
[pullquote source="TPG READER HALEY"]I'm flying with my daughter from Austin to JFK to London soon. It shows I need eight 500 mile upgrades for the first leg but I only have four in my account. Can I request the upgrade and buy the remaining certificates if it clears or do I need them all in my account?[/pullquote]
There are a few parts to this question, so let's break them down. The flight in question — Austin (AUS) to New York-JFK — covers a distance of 1,521 miles. Assuming Haley is an AAdvantage Gold or Platinum elite, she would need four 500-mile upgrade certificates per person for this leg (or eight for her and her daughter). If she had Platinum Pro or Executive Platinum status, she'd be automatically listed for a complimentary upgrade — no certificates needed. AAdvantage elites earn four 500-mile upgrade certificates for every 12,500 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) flown, and you can buy additional certificates for $40 each. While the certificates never expire, they can only be redeemed if you currently have AAdvantage elite status.
RELATED: The Ins and Outs of American Airlines 500-Mile Upgrades
Now let's dive into Haley's question. If she needs four upgrades each for her and her daughter, one option would be to only upgrade one of them. It would be a shame to buy four extra upgrades at a cost of $160 and then not have them clear, so obviously Haley wants to wait until she's sure she can get to use them.
Unfortunately, it isn't that simple. While you can request to use a 500-mile upgrade in advance — even if you don't have enough certificates in your account — most upgrades won't clear ahead of your flight. This means that you'll be added to the upgrade list after checking in. If you don't have enough 500-mile upgrade certificates in your account at check-in, American Airlines will prompt you to buy more in order to keep your place on the upgrade list. At this point there's still no guarantee that your upgrade will clear, so it's up to you to take a look at the seat map, identify whether there are still seats for sale in first class and note how many names are on the upgrade list before you make your decision — keeping in mind that the list may not show those who haven't yet checked in.
Note that it is possible for upgrades to clear before the day of departure — starting 48 hours out for AAdvantage Platinum elites and 24 hours out for Gold elites — but more often than not, those final upgrades aren't confirmed until just before departure at the gate.
Bottom Line
Unfortunately Haley can't wait until after her upgrade clears before buying more 500-mile upgrade certificates, but she can wait until she checks in for her flight. At that point, she'll be able to figure out a little more information on what her odds are of clearing an upgrade, though there's no guarantee.
And remember that while American has somewhat large first class cabins on its domestic aircraft, recent changes to the carrier's upgrade priority mean that a Platinum Pro or Executive Platinum member booking that flight at the last-minute would jump ahead of Haley and her daughter on the list. It's up to her to decide whether she wants to roll the dice and purchase upgrades in advance.
Thanks for the question, Haley, and if you’re a TPG reader who’d like us to answer a question of your own, tweet us at @thepointsguy, message us on Facebook or email us at info@thepointsguy.com.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.