American tightens business-class upgrade policy: Now, you'll get premium economy
- American will limit complimentary business-class upgrades.
- The change affects domestic flights that offer premium economy.
- Passengers who get upgraded will get a premium economy seat, instead.
American Airlines is offering premium economy on a growing number of domestic flights. As a result, the carrier is changing its complimentary upgrade policy.
On certain domestic routes, the airline will limit business-class upgrades for AAdvantage elite status members
Beginning Aug. 25, if you're booked in economy, you'll be eligible for an upgrade to premium economy — but not a lie-flat business-class seat, like the carrier currently allows.
This move will affect a relatively small number of routes: The changes will apply to domestic flights that have a premium economy cabin.
What's that mean on a practical level?
If you regularly fly American on top coast-to-coast or Hawaii routes, you'll likely find it harder to get into business class once the new policy takes effect.
Plus, AAdvantage elite members flying on the carrier's new Airbus A321XLRs won't get into AA's new Flagship Suites quite as easily on domestic flights.
Review: American Airlines A321XLR Flagship Suites business class from JFK-LAX
Here's how American framed the changes:
"As American Airlines expands its offering of Premium Economy on more domestic routes, we are streamlining our complimentary upgrade process to deliver a more consistent customer experience," the carrier said in a statement.
How American is changing its upgrade policy
AAdvantage elite status members are entitled to complimentary upgrades when premium seats are available on domestic flights (and certain short-haul international ones).
Most of the time, this involves an upgrade to a domestic first-class seat.
But if you happen to be flying on one of American's few domestic routes with lie-flat seats, you're eligible to be upgraded to that business-class cabin, free of charge.
Soon, that's going to get a little trickier.
Premium economy, not business-class
Beginning Aug. 25, you economy passengers on will only be eligible for upgrades to premium economy — not business-class.
A key exception: If your original seat is in premium economy, you'll still be eligible for an upgrade to business.
The upgrade queue for premium economy will work the same as it does now, with AAdvantage members cleared based on factors such as status and their rolling 12-month Loyalty Points tally.
Who will this change affect?
This move will likely sting for AAdvantage elite members who like to take advantage of business-class upgrades on long flights to and from Hawaii. Ditto for flyers who regularly take advantage of the flatbed upgrades on prime transcontinental routes.
What's not changing?
American's domestic first-class upgrades are unchanged. If you're an elite flying economy on a standard-configuration domestic aircraft, you'll still be placed in the first-class upgrade queue.
The carrier's Systemwide Upgrades will remain the same, too.
Which AA domestic flights have premium economy?
American currently offers premium economy on certain flights across three domestic routes within the U.S. mainland, including
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- JFK to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to LAX
Plus, depending on the flight, you'll also find premium economy on six routes to and from Hawaii:
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu
- DFW to Kona International Airport (KOA) on the Big Island
- DFW to Kahului International Airport (OGG) on Maui
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to HNL
- O'Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago to HNL
- ORD to OGG
How to still upgrade into American's business class for free
There's still a way to score a complimentary coach-to-business upgrade on certain transcontinental AA routes — at least for now.
A handful of the airline's older Airbus A321Ts are still flying. These are the planes that have Flagship First, business class and economy cabins (but not premium economy).
Because there's no premium economy cabin, complimentary status upgrades will still get you a business-class seat.
The bad news? American is in the process of phasing this configuration out.
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