AA Instant Upgrade Fare - Risky?

[Mal]

If you are on a YUPP fare then you are usually on a fare basis Y, which is pretty much top priority for stand-by. I was at the gate in chicago for a flight to LA and we had missed our earlier flight due to weather. We were therefore stand-by. There were something like 44 passengers on the standby list 2 hours before departure, and being on Y fares were were #1 and #2. That stayed the case right up until flight departure even though the standby list grew). We ended up taking the last two F seats on the flight (those held back for full fare).

Yeah, I agree, (although, there are various xUPPS that are booked primarily in lower classes, not always Y)

I think the summary is: "Book it, accept the small risk, but counter that against the huge saving you make."

Waitlisting is fun though. You do get some interesting situations:
"Are you FAA certified? We have a jump seat available".
"Are you happy to accept a seat in Economy? If so, I have one available"
(~20mins before flight is due to leave you arrive, and the list for upgrades is huge). "Yes, there is one seat available in F."

It's a combination of the fare type, your OW status and whether you are a distressed pax (ie disrupted) that affects where you are on the board... But it really shouldn't be an issue for most people.

 

[dajop]

And another factor, according to flightstats, performance on the LAX-JFK route must give a degree of confidence, only 1 flights seems to have vaguely significant cancellation rate (AA118 @ 8% - 5 of last 62 flights).

 

[serfty]

... We were therefore stand-by. There were something like 44 passengers on the standby list 2 hours before departure, and being on Y fares were were #1 and #2. That stayed the case right up until flight departure even though the standby list grew). We ended up taking the last two F seats on the flight (those held back for full fare). ...

Being disrupts, you would have been at or near the top of the list in any case.

There's quite a good thread on this on FT and the AA pecking order.

 

[drron]

As I pointed out there is a risk but it is small.Just to update my problem.Got a nice apology email from AA.My main complaint was mrs.dr.ron being seated by herself at the back as OWE.However they credited her AA miles for the 3 sectors as well as getting her QFF miles and SCs.There another golden rule broken-you can credit to 2 programs on the 1 flight!

drron

Re: AA Instant Upgrade Fare - Risky?
Well I had never been bumped until yesterday.Had our BPs for the third sector of our YUPP.Seated in 4E,4F.An hour before flight it was cancelled.One more flight on the night and despite AC and Flagship agents asking for us ended up in Y and in 20E and 28E as well.
So yes there is a risk.​