Systemwide upgrades

About systemwide upgrades

On American Airlines

Enjoy a confirmed upgrade from most Business fares to First and most Economy or Premium Economy fares to the next class of service (Business or domestic First) anywhere American flies.

Systemwide upgrades can be used for one-way travel for up to 3 flight segments on American Airlines marketed and operated flights.

On British Airways

Enjoy a confirmed upgrade from most Business fares to First, from Premium Economy to Business, or from Economy to Premium Economy when flying transatlantic on British Airways.

Systemwide upgrades can be used for one-way travel for up to 3 flight segments on British Airways marketed and operated flights or British Airways operated flights marketed by American. At least one American marketed flight must be in the itinerary to be eligible.

Here’s how they work This content can be expanded

AAdvantage^® status members who reach select Loyalty Point Reward levels receive a choice of rewards, including the option to select systemwide upgrades, starting at 175,000 Loyalty Points.

Loyalty Point Rewards

Million Miler members get 4 systemwide upgrades when you reach 2 Million Miles and for every Million Mile level after
Systemwide upgrades are credited to your account within 72 hours of being earned or selected
Upgrades will expire 1 year from the date deposited. Systemwide upgrades can be used for travel beyond the expiration date – the upgrade just needs to be confirmed before the upgrade expires.
You can share your upgrades with anyone you choose, whether you are traveling with them or not. Call your AAdvantage^® status service desk in advance to request the upgrade.
If you cancel your trip prior to travel, call your AAdvantage^® status service desk to reinstate your upgrade(s) for future use

Systemwide upgrades aren’t available when you’ve booked:

Codeshare flights, including flights marketed by American and operated by other airlines, except for flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by British Airways
Government or military fares
Basic Economy fares – only AAdvantage^® status members can upgrade from Basic Economy fares
Fares ineligible for mileage credit (like award tickets)

Find upgrade availability

Log in to aa.com.
When booking your flight on aa.com, look for the Systemwide upgrades link to find flights with upgrade seats available.
“Systemwide upgrades” will be displayed if there are enough upgrades available on the flight for the number of passengers you are requesting, and you have the appropriate number of upgrades in your account.

Request an upgrade

On American This content can be expanded

Log in to aa.com and make sure you have systemwide upgrades available in your AAdvantage^® account.
When booking your flight on aa.com, look for the Systemwide upgrades link to find flights with upgrade seats available.
Call your AAdvantage^® status service desk to confirm your upgrade. If available, the required number of upgrades will be deducted from your balance.*
If an upgrade isn’t available at the time of booking, we'll waitlist your request. Waitlisted requests will be confirmed in this order:

Status level
Upgrade type
12-month Rolling Loyalty Points

If the upgrade type and 12-month Rolling Loyalty Points value are the same we’ll look at the booking code then date/time of the request to determine prioritization.

If your upgrade hasn’t been confirmed by the time you check in, we’ll automatically add you to the airport upgrade standby list if you have the appropriate number of upgrades in your account 48 hours before departure.

Once your upgrade is confirmed, our app will automatically update your mobile boarding pass.

If you want to use a systemwide upgrade for an existing reservation, call your AAdvantage^® status service desk to check upgrade availability for your flight(s).

*Systemwide upgrades are subject to upgrade seating availability.

On British Airways This content can be expanded

Log in to aa.com and make sure you have systemwide upgrades available in your AAdvantage^® account.
Call your AAdvantage^® status service desk to confirm your upgrade. If available, the required number of upgrades will be deducted from your balance.*
If an upgrade isn’t available at the time of booking, you can check back with us. There is no option to waitlist for an upgrade on British Airways flights.

*Systemwide upgrades are subject to upgrade seating availability.

Track your upgrade balance

Keep track of your upgrade balance in your AAdvantage^® account.

In your account you’ll find:

Available systemwide upgrades
Deposit and expiration dates
Upgrades you’ve used or plan to use

Summary details will only display if you have systemwide upgrades with an expiration date in the current or future year.

Systemwide upgrade terms and conditions This content can be expanded

This upgrade is subject to capacity controls and is limited to a single one-way ticket with a maximum of three segments. Reservations are subject to seat availability at the time of upgrade.
Reservations may be made and tickets purchased from any authorized Travel Agency or American Airlines. Upgrade requests using systemwide upgrades cannot be made on aa.com. Upgrades are valid only on scheduled flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle offering a First or Business Class cabin for travel, or on British Airways marketed and operated transatlantic flights. Not valid on codeshare flights, except for flights marketed by American and operated by British Airways.
Open tickets may not be issued.
Stopovers, joint and through fares are permitted if fare purchased allows. If, after ticketing, your ticket must be reissued, a change fee may apply based on your purchased fare.
Any tax liability is the responsibility of the user.
Upgrades are only valid on individual published-fare tickets. Upgrades are not applicable to AAdvantage^® travel awards; any free ticket; military or other government fares; opaque fares; infant tickets (including INF50 fares) or purchased extra seats.
Upgrade must be confirmed before the expiration date; travel does not have to be completed before the expiration date of the upgrade. Unused upgrades will not be refunded, exchanged or transferred.
Upgrades will be deducted from your account as soon as upgrade seating can be confirmed on one or more requested flight segments of your itinerary. It is the responsibility of the member to contact the AAdvantage^® department if a trip involving the use of a systemwide upgrade is canceled and reinstatement of the upgrade is required.
Any itinerary changes to a confirmed upgrade are subject to seat availability for the new itinerary.
AAdvantage^® mileage will accrue for the class of service on which your fare is based when you are ticketed, not for the class of service flown. Any voluntary refund of a ticket issued against the upgrade shall be in accordance with applicable fare rules for the fare purchased.
Use of upgrades to any future American Airlines destination is subject to approval.
Upgrades are void if sold or advertised for sale for cash or other considerations. Members may designate another passenger to use their upgrades.
Passengers may be requested to show identification at any time during travel.

Enable JavaScript