How often do you get upgraded with American Airlines Platinum?

You'll earn rewards for every Million Miler-qualifying mile threshold you reach: 1 million miles: AAdvantage Gold elite status for life and 35,000 bonus miles. 2 million miles: AAdvantage Platinum elite status for life and four systemwide upgrades. Each additional million miles: four systemwide upgrades.



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AAdvantage Platinum Pro ® members receive unlimited complimentary upgrades to the premium cabin when traveling within North America on American Airlines. Your upgrade can be confirmed as early as 72 hours before the flight, when available.

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American Airlines elite members Your AAdvantage status is the most important factor for determining your upgrade eligibility. ConciergeKey members are above Executive Platinum members, who are above Platinum Pro. Then come Platinum and Gold elites. The higher your status, the higher you are on the upgrade list.

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AAdvantage members with Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro or Platinum status can access Admirals Club lounges when flying internationally on the routes and airlines mentioned above.

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Below are a few of the most valuable benefits of AAdvantage Executive Platinum: Priority check-in, security and boarding. Complimentary Main Cabin Extra and Preferred seats. Complimentary upgrades within North America as early as 100 hours before departure (including award tickets).

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If the flight is relatively empty, your chances are slim. Even though seats in business class may also be empty, the airlines don't usually upgrade people for no reason. If the flight is full, your chances are better.

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If the seat is available, the passenger pays for the upgrade on the flight. So while you shouldn't expect a free upgrade on a flight, you can still ask for upgrades from booking till boarding — and you may be able to pay your way to a much more comfortable seat.

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The most reliable way of getting upgraded for free is to have elite status on the airline you're flying. Most airlines reward their most frequent flyers with complimentary upgrades on domestic routes.

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The Benefits of AAdvantage Platinum Status
  • Complimentary Upgrades on All U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Caribbean Flights ($1,000 Value) ...
  • 60% Mileage Bonus ($300 Value) ...
  • Priority Check-in, Priority Security, and Priority Boarding ($150 Value) ...
  • Checked Bag Fee Waived ($175 Value) ...
  • Priority Bag Delivery ($25 Value)


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With American's elite tier offer you can buy up to one tier above what you've currently qualified for (in other words, if you've already earned Platinum status, you can only earn Platinum Pro status this way — there's also no way to earn Concierge Key with this).

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Priority boarding You are among the first invited to board the plane as an AAdvantage® status member. After our ConciergeKey® members, uniformed U.S. military and First Class customers, you are welcomed to board as follows: Group 1 – AAdvantage Executive Platinum. Group 2 – AAdvantage Platinum Pro® and oneworld® ...

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AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Platinum Members on Qualifying Flights. Regardless of cabin class, these individuals can access Flagship Lounges as long as they're booked on a qualifying flight (the same day or before 6 a.m. the following day).

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Start by asking if the flight is busy, perhaps mentioning that you'd be grateful for a window or an extra seat next to you as it's a long-haul flight — then throw in a hint about the fact that you're tall, or on your honeymoon, say. Every now and then, economy is overbooked and check-in will upgrade someone.

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Choose off peak times, days, and even routes, and your chance of a bump-up will be significantly higher. Flying middle of the day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are your best bet.

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The answer is: it can be! When airlines release their upgrade inventory closer to the departure date, they are often more willing to sell those seats at a discount in order to fill them.

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If luxury and extra legroom is really important to you, book it in advance. However, if you're perfectly willing to fly economy class, and willing to roll the dice, a last-minute upgrade can be the cheapest option. You may even get lucky and score a free upgrade.

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Your American Airlines status for that year is based on flying and spending with American Airlines partners in a 12-month period starting on March 1 of each year. Once you've earned status, your AAdvantage status is valid through March 31 of the following year.

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