Travel & Lifestyle

How to use American Airlines Full System Upgrade

There are many ways to upgrade your American Airlines flight. For example, you can redeem U.S. miles for an upgrade or accept a paid upgrade offer. American Airlines AAdvantage elite members can expect free upgrades when traveling on eligible North American flights.

But travelers with American Airlines premium elite status and AAdvantage Million Miler membership also have the opportunity to receive system-wide upgrades. Here’s what you need to know about American Airlines’ system-wide upgrades.

What are the system-wide upgrades for American Airlines?

You can use American Airlines’ system-wide upgrade to switch one-way paid fares for up to three flight segments to the next class of service. As long as your itinerary has at least one U.S.-marketed flight, you can use U.S. system-wide upgrades for the following purposes:

  • Flights marketed and operated by American Airlines
  • Transatlantic flights marketed and operated by British Airways
  • Transatlantic flights operated by British Airways and marketed by American Airlines
Zach Grieve/Point Guard

On American Airlines flights, you can use the system-wide upgrade to:

  • Business class to first class
  • Economy or Premium Economy to Business Class on a three-class aircraft
  • Economy class is operated on a domestic flight on a two-class aircraft for the first time
  • Short-haul international flights on two-class aircraft from economy class to business class

Meanwhile, on British Airways transatlantic flights you can use the system-wide upgrade to:

  • Business class to first class
  • Premium economy to business class
  • Economy Class to Premium Economy Class

You can only perform system-wide upgrades on individually published fare tickets. You cannot use system-wide upgrades to upgrade your purchased AAdvantage award tickets, free tickets, military or other government fares, opaque fares, infant fares or extra seats.

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RELATED: Why (and How) I Got AAdvantage Platinum Pro Elite Status Instead of AAdvantage Executive Platinum

How to get a system-wide upgrade

The Loyalty Points Rewards Program is a way to earn system-wide upgrades on American Airlines. System-wide upgrades are an option (in other words, you must choose them over other rewards) when you reach the following loyalty point milestones each qualification period:

  • 175,000 loyalty points: You get one reward choice at this milestone; one choice is two system-wide upgrades.
  • 250,000 loyalty points: You have two reward options at this milestone; one option is two system-wide upgrades.
  • 400,000 loyalty points: You have two reward options at this milestone; one option is a system-wide upgrade.
  • 550,000 loyalty points: You have two reward options at this milestone; one option is a system-wide upgrade.
  • 750,000 loyalty points: You have two reward options at this milestone; one option is a system-wide upgrade.
  • 1 million loyalty points: You receive one reward choice at this milestone; one choice is four system-wide upgrades.
  • 3 million loyalty points: You receive one reward choice at this milestone; one choice is six system-wide upgrades.
  • 5 million loyalty points: You receive one reward choice at this milestone; one choice is 10 system-wide upgrades.
Zach Grieve/Point Guard

As a reminder, Platinum Pro tier requires 125,000 loyalty points per qualification period, while Executive Platinum tier requires 200,000 loyalty points. Therefore, if you achieve Platinum Professional status with 125,000 loyalty points during this qualification period, you will not be able to select any system-wide upgrades. If you achieve Executive Platinum status with 200,000 loyalty points during this qualification period, you will have the opportunity to select up to two system-wide upgrades.

AAdvantage members with American Airlines Million Mile membership can also earn system-wide upgrades when they reach certain milestones. When you reach AAdvantage Million Miler status 2 million miles, you’ll receive four system-wide upgrades. Then, for every million miles you earn after achieving Million Mile Membership, you’ll receive four additional system-wide upgrades.

Related: How American Airlines lures me back to AAdvantage with loyalty points

When is the American Airlines system-wide upgrade due?

Currently, system-wide upgrades expire one year after being credited to your account. However, AAdvantage recently announced that they will be valid for the membership year starting March 1, 2025.

American Airlines 777-200 business class. Zach Grieve/Point Guard

Therefore, if you earn 175,000 loyalty points during the qualification year ending February 28, 2025, and select two system-wide upgrades as your 175,000 loyalty point bonus selections, those system-wide upgrades will Valid until March 31, 2026.

Although you must confirm the upgrade with a system-wide upgrade before the expiration date, travel may occur after the expiration date.

Related: The best credit cards for American Airlines passengers

How to use American Airlines Full System Upgrade

Passengers tend to use American Airlines’ system-wide upgrades in one of three ways:

  • Book a flight available system-wide and apply your upgrade immediately
  • Set award alerts for flights they’ve booked that don’t currently have system-wide availability, and apply upgrades as soon as flights become available
  • Be placed on a waiting list for an upgrade on a booked long-haul flight
Miniseries/Getty Images

Since 2016, my husband and I have performed 64 full system upgrades on long-haul flights of 7 hours or more using the first two strategies. So, let’s explore how to use American Airlines Full System Upgrade.

How to find system-wide availability

Finding system-wide availability is probably the most difficult part of using system-wide upgrades. American Airlines encourages its members seeking system-wide upgrades to log into their accounts on the American Airlines website and look for flights with a “system-wide upgrade” link on the results page.

AA network

Once you’ve found your flight options via this link, you can click the link to see which cabin classes are currently available for system-wide upgrades. If you are viewing the multi-segment option, you can view which segments have system-wide upgrade availability.

AA network

Using the American Airlines website can help you find system-wide upgrade availability, especially if you tend to book last-minute paid flights.

But most travelers will find it easier to sign up for a paid membership with ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG parent company Red Ventures). This allows you to search for upgrade availability and even set reminders for individual flights. You’ll need to look for availability in the following fare categories to use system-wide upgrades:

  • Business class priority on American Airlines three-class flights: one
  • Other upgrades on American Airlines flights:C
  • Business class priority on British Airways flights:Z
  • Premium Economy to Business Class on British Airways flights:you
  • Economy to Premium Economy on British Airways flights😛

With ExpertFlyer, you can use the Awards & Upgrades section to search for A and C upgrade availability on American Airlines flights. When you search for system-wide upgrade availability segment by segment, you’ll get the most accurate results with ExpertFlyer. Therefore, I recommend using the “Connection Preferences” drop-down menu to select only direct flights.

Expert flight network

On the results screen, the Seats field indicates how many seats can be reserved through the system-wide upgrade. To receive upgrade alerts for specific flights that are currently unavailable, click the exclamation point next to the result.

Expert flight network

I highly recommend setting up upgrade alerts on a segment-by-segment basis for any flights you wish to apply system-wide upgrades to. This is better than standbying for a system-wide upgrade on these flights because it allows you to apply the upgrade before AAdvantage processes the standby upgrade request.

How to request a system-wide upgrade

To see how many unused system-wide upgrades you have and their expiration dates, log in to your American Airlines account and click “Rewards” under “Rewards Center” on the left side of the page. Under “Seat Coupons, Upgrades and Passes,” you’ll see a tile labeled “System-wide Upgrades.”

AA network

Click this tile to see more information about system-wide upgrades, including when system-wide upgrades will be credited to your account and which system-wide upgrades you’ve redeemed.

AA network

You can now redeem your system-wide upgrade certificate online. To request a system-wide upgrade online, click the “Use system-wide upgrade” button and enter your last name and confirmation code on the page that loads.

AA network

An information page will load that discusses how to apply system-wide upgrades online.

AA network

You can then select the flight for which you would like to request a system-wide upgrade. In this case, the request will be waitlisted rather than confirmed because there are currently no system-wide flights available for that flight.

AA network

Previously, you had to call the reservation hotline to request a full system upgrade, which was often very time-consuming. Unfortunately, you’ll still need to call for a system-wide upgrade on some itineraries, including when you’re departing from an airport subject to premium tax, traveling on a British Airways transatlantic flight or if your booking includes three or more passengers .

If there is no upgrade space on your flight, you can apply to be put on the waitlist for flights operated by American Airlines. Requests on the waitlist will be cleared sequentially according to the following priority:

  • status level
  • Upgrade type
  • 12-month rolling loyalty points
  • Booking code
  • Waitlist request date and time
Zach Grieve/Point Guard

If you have a waitlisted request but have not cleared the waitlist at check-in, AAdvantage will add you to the airport upgrade waitlist. If your upgrade is cleared from the airport upgrade waitlist, AAdvantage will deduct the system-wide upgrade from your account.

Finally, if you have completed a system-wide upgrade but need to cancel your trip before departure, please call AAdvantage and request that your system-wide upgrade be reinstated.

RELATED: Last-Minute Strategies for Achieving Elite Status with AAdvantage USA

How do I earn miles when using system-wide upgrades?

Unfortunately, you can still earn American Airlines miles and loyalty points based on the fare class and cabin you originally booked.

Can others use my system-wide upgrade?

You can use system-wide upgrades for anyone you choose, even if you’re not traveling with them. However, the terms and conditions for the system-wide upgrade state: “Upgrades are not valid if sold or advertised for sale for cash or other considerations.” So while you can give away the system-wide upgrade to a friend, family member, or lucky stranger People, but you shouldn’t receive anything in return.

bottom line

When you’re able to complete American Airlines system-wide upgrades on long-haul international flights, they become incredibly valuable and feel like a huge win. It’s certainly possible to clear system-wide upgrades days before your flight (or even at the airport), but it can also be done months in advance.

You generally have the best chance of getting a system-wide upgrade on high-frequency routes where American operates multiple flights per day. Traveling during off-peak and off-peak seasons can also help.

If you want to take advantage of a system-wide upgrade on a long-haul international itinerary, I recommend checking upgrade availability on your longest leg first. Ideally, you’ll find and book an itinerary with the longest flight segments that are upgradeable, so you can use system-wide upgrades to a higher level of service shortly after booking. Otherwise, set an upgrade reminder or add yourself to the waitlist to take advantage of the system-wide upgrade as your flight approaches.

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