Loyalty programs survey their members all the time, and most of the ideas they test out aren’t ever implemented. On the other hand it’s important to watch the new American Airlines survey about upgrades because,
- Upgrades are beginning to take on a new, more limited meaning in the industry. For instance Delta ‘upgrades’ elite members into their extra legroom coach seats rather than those seats just being ones that can be assigned for free.
- Upgrades are more difficult to get than ever with airlines having consolidated and controlling expansion, load factors high, the economy still expanding, and carriers selling first class seats for a much smaller premium than they used to.
- The introduction of international premium economy jeopardizes coach-to-business class upgrades.
Delta Wants Nearly All First Class Seats Going to Paying Passengers
Loyalty programs are having a hard time delivering cherished upgrades to elites, they’re monetizing premium cabins more than ever before, so what does the future look like for the all-important recognition component of airline elite status?
Point Me to the Plane covers an AAdvantage elite survey where American is asking what members consider to be an ‘upgrade’?
- Coach to Main Cabin Extra (extra legroom coach)
- Coach to first class
- Getting out of a middle seat into an aisle or window
- No change in seat but free snack and drink
They also surveyed a discount on paid premium cabin fares, in their example $100 off the cost of domestic first class to get elites to buy the seat albeit for less than others, and also reducing the number of systemwide ugprades given at 100,000 flown miles from 4 to 2 but confirming into revenue inventory instead of requiring upgrade space (one thing I’ve heard also is the possibility of two systemwides to go from coach to business class, bypassing premium economy).
Members were also asked to rank-order the importance of several benefits,
- Complimentary upgrades on all domestic flights (confirmed up to 100 hours before departure) [The Executive Platinum benefit today]
- 4 domestic upgrade certificates good for a one-way flight [Like systemwide upgrades, but for domestic flights and not international]
- A one-year membership to the Admirals Club [A choice given to Delta top elites]
- 25,000 bonus miles
- 8 complimentary onboard Wifi certificates good for one flight each
- 3 change fee waivers per year
- Ability to pool miles with your family
American Airlines Premium Economy
They also surveyed members on United’s ‘tens of dollars’ upgrade program where they sell upgrades at check-in to non-elites for a modest amount while even touting the benefit as jumping ahead of elites waiting for a complimentary upgrade.
I don’t know whether any of these ideas will see the light of day but they’re interesting in a world where elite benefits are more scarce. Of course if the economy falters, and airlines have more empty seats, that reality could change once again — though if US airlines manage to shift to an equilibrium, as is the case in much of the world, where you sit in the cabin you purchased then upgrades might not come back once they’re lost.
From your description of the survey, it seems like American isn’t asking people whether and how much they value upgrade availability at time of ticketing (by using either upgrade instruments or miles plus co-pay). Though the availability of this option has dramatically shrunk in recent years, and I’m just one data point, when it is available this option still has me sometimes flying American for cross-country domestic trips and is part of why I sign up for and use AA-affiliated credit cards. (With the deterioration of the Advantage program, I ended my nearly 20 years of Executive Platinum and no longer use AA for my international business class trips.) If this option is eliminated, or is simply downgraded to mean “upgrades” to Main Cabin Extra, I’ll just complete my migration to largely relying on JetBlue and Alaska.
They also asked you to a rank a list of priorities you have when booking a flight and “legroom” was nowhere to be found. Wonder if that sheds any light on AA’s thinking…
Lol since I changed my allegiance to United (currently no UA status) I actually like their TOD upgrades and have bought one or two myself. Nothing like sitting in first with my $59 upgrade watching the 1K lemmings sulking their way back to coach.
@Nick – Superiority complex much? 😉
Y to J is an upgrade. All else is not.
Get used to the new reality. It is coming….
Fortunately I don’t fly frequently (reached Chairman Preferred a few years on US Airways but mostly due to bonuses and nothing close to BIS miles of 100K) and I’m AA Gold due to mostly flying business/first class.
As long as the rates are reasonable (to me) I prefer to pay for the better seats than deal with worrying about getting the free upgrade. Much more relaxing. If the flight is short (2 hr or less) I can grab an exit row or an aisle and survive.
Even back in 2000/2001 when I flew more often on US Airways (PHX to the east coast) I’d gladly pay the $75-150 to upgrade when it was offered on check-in.
As I get older (50s) there are some comfort things I’d rather have, even if it means taking less trips in exchange for it.
@ Gary — Three change fee waivers is a joke compared to the reality of Delta DM (not everything about DL is so bad).
As a UA Gold, I’d just be happy to have a free drink and snack in E+! lol 🙁
As an EXP paid Business Class traveler, any upgrade devices that only allow movement from Y to J are useless to me. I require the ability to move from J to F. That is what I consider valuable, especially for the enhanced ground experience (Flagship Dining).
I enjoy that I clear complimentary upgrades regularly as EXP. I’m not sure what they are trying to mess with but to me the system works as is. The 500 mile upgrades might not work for Golds and Platinums who are out numbered by EXPs and Plat Pro’s who will always clear upgrades before they do. That’s not a flawed system, that’s higher level elites getting taken care of.
I received a similar survey as a person who was status matched for a few months this year and made three flights under the status match, upgraded on two segments out of six.
A lot of the upgrade questions I was presented on related to was a willing to take more stops or depart at a different time for a paid upgrade. And if I would pay the difference between coach and a first ticket to upgrade at some minor discount. That was after they made me define what an upgrade was, i.e. was eccon to eccon plus an upgrade, or eccon to business, or eccon to eccon with “premium” food, drink and wifi! It felt like my options were basically saying if you company only pays for coach would you pay the difference so that you could personally upgrade to business.
I did find it interesting that they were presenting options with free WiFi as an “Upgrade.”
The bloodsucking continues unabated. As I’ve said before, airlines love customers the way vampires love the living. At least they seem to be offering customers some say on which vein gets punctured.
It is a matter of boiling frogs. Airlines turn up the heat slowly but relentlessly to keep the frogs (customers) in the pot and to avoid a tipping point in outrage that could spark government intervention. In the days of Trump, they can rest easy on the latter point.
Agree w/Ryan, although I make sure of the upgrade from J to F when I book on the transcon – either using systemwides or miles & co-pay, although lately I’m seeing that AA is removing this ability on quite of few of the transcons. We just returned from JFK-LAX night before last and found it interesting that the menu in 1st was Flagship Buisness and the amenity kit TJC – so they’re downgrading the service on the later evening flights up front as well – at least the seats are comfortable.
I also received the questionnaire, but wasn’t particularly relevant for me since I no longer book Y – seems like few to no systemwides are available in almost all markets anymore and the last time I tried for a bump up – at least 2 years ago, nothing cleared (notwithstanding my EXP status) until at the airport. It’s a joke when they say 100 hours before flight time and virtually all of the time, when they call Concierge Key to board, they are sitting in the back of the plane. Sad…