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In 2022, I first achieved excellence… by accident. With my limited flying each year, I didn’t think graduation would be that important, and it’s never been a priority for me.
Oh, how wrong I was.
Throughout the past year, I’ve been upgraded on about a third of the American Airlines flights I’ve taken with my Gold Elite status — including an upgrade during the holiday travel season in December. That’s more than my friends and colleagues who have high-class status with American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, or United Airlines (all of which have similar upgrade policies for graduate travelers).
It shows that you don’t have to have the highest elite level to add a lot of value when you travel – even if you don’t fly with just one airline or take dozens of flights each year.
American Airlines Advanced Upgrades
As an American Airlines Gold status holder, I get the following benefits when I fly American:
- 40% status mileage bonus on American and other select partner airlines.
- Priority check-in and check-in.
- One free checked bag.
- Same day reservation priority.
- Priority phone line.
- Free access to selected seats (by reservation) and main cabin extra (within 24 hours of departure).
- Partner benefits (including automatic Oneworld Ruby status and additional benefits with Alaska Airlines and JetBlue).
- Complementary upgrade to First Class on domestic and short-haul international flights (where available).
Even though I haven’t flown a lot on American Airlines in the past 12 months, I’ve still gotten a shocking amount of value from my Gold Elite status. But the perk that I’m definitely most excited about is the ability to score more upgrades.
All American Airlines Elite travelers are automatically eligible for an upgrade from the main cabin to the next class of service on flights between the US and Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda and Central America. . (For more updates on American Airlines, you can read the full terms here.)
Of course, upgrades are given in order of status – so if I’m on the waiting list for a flight upgrade with a Platinum status holder (second tier), the Platinum status holder gets priority for any available seats. I.
“So what’s the point of having a level if you’re on the upgrade path,” you might be thinking. Even though I’m the lowest ranked, I’ve still had my fair share of upgrades compared to my higher ranked colleagues and friends – thanks to a bit of luck and a few travel habits that have boosted my chances. to improve.
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Things that help me register updates
Let me start by saying that there are no tricks or hacks that guarantee improvement — I’m not suggesting you dress up better or greet door agents with chocolates in hopes of scoring a front row seat. However, there are a few travel habits I’ve adopted that give me a leg up on my chances of upgrading, even with the gold standard.
My home airport is Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) just outside of New York City. EWR is a major United Airlines hub, so there are few American Airlines flight options. You’d think this would reduce my chances of getting an upgrade (fewer flights mean more competition for coveted upgrade spots on those flights, right?). However, I find that flying from an airport without an American Airlines main footprint improves my chances – especially when I fly from EWR to an American airline like Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) or Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
Many travelers near EWR may prioritize United’s elite status, as that airline has more flight options, better sleeping options, and nicer terminals (at least until the new Terminal A opens). Similarly, many members of the American elite in the New York area could support John. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), as American Airlines has a large footprint at both airports.
If there are fewer elite members competing for upgrade spots, my chances increase – as a low-level elite status holder.
Another thing that can help is my habit of booking the first flight outside of the day as often as possible, especially on weekends. A 6 am flight isn’t exactly the most convenient flight, especially if you’re a leisure traveler on a Saturday morning. But I enjoy flying earlier – less chance of delays due to runway traffic, shorter waiting lines, traffic on the way to the airport, etc.
Also, if there are fewer passengers interested in flying at sunrise, the more likely they are to upgrade. With that in mind, I wouldn’t choose earlier flight times, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Of course, at many airports, the first hour of their arrival time is the peak flight time for business travelers or leisure travelers on weekdays. But I found Terminal A to be on the calmer side when I was on an early morning flight at EWR.
I want to repeat – these habits are definitely not hacks that can be manipulated for further improvement. But in one of my senior years, in addition to some rookie luck, I think they are probably the reason why I was able to improve as often as I did in 2022.
Other benefits I enjoyed
But the value I got from the gold level far outweighed the upgrade I received. Here’s a breakdown of how I’ve saved hundreds of dollars and eliminated a lot of travel stress over the past year.
- More Legroom Seats on JetBlue in 2022 Bringing a Big Change to Intercontinental Flights
- Advance boarding, which helps me avoid checking my carry-on when overhead space is limited.
- A free checked bag was a lifesaver during my annual two-week trip back to Arkansas for the holidays.
This is proof that you don’t have to have the highest level of expertise to be valuable or useful.
RELATED: How I Got American Airlines Gold Status Without Taking a Flight — For Less Than $100
at last
Elite status has never been a real travel priority of mine. I knew I didn’t currently travel enough or spend enough money on co-branded cards to hit the top tier on any airline, and I didn’t think the benefits of lower tier status were worth the miles. But last year I got an alarming amount of value from my gold level, especially with the complimentary upgrades.
In fact, I’m already planning ways to use the Loyalty Points system to help bridge the gap to maintain my Gold status (which I swear was worthless last year).
If you’ve been thinking about hitting the top tier but worried that you won’t get much value from the lower tiers, this is your sign to go in 2023. In fact, you can get more updates than your high-status friends.
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