How To Do an Instant Upsell Upgrade on American Airlines

American Airlines was the last of the 3 big U.S. carriers to implement cash upgrades after purchase, internally known as the instant upsell program.

You can purchase an upgrade after you book your flight if you’re looking for a little more comfort, but the program isn’t as simple as you think. There are a few nuances you need to keep in mind, including timing and eligibility.

Let’s take a look at what this program is and how to take advantage of it!

What Is an Instant Upsell?

American’s instant upsell program displays a cash price to upgrade your flight after you have already purchased your flight in Main Cabin or business class (if the plane is equipped with a first class cabin). This program aims to increase revenue for American Airlines by encouraging travelers to buy up to the front cabin, many times for less than what the actual cash difference would be if you’d purchased a first class ticket outright.

Where Can You Find the Instant Upsell?

Open the American Airlines website or American Airlines app, go to your upcoming reservation, and refresh that reservation. You should see a banner at the top with an offer to upgrade your flight.

Cost of an Upsell

Here’s where it gets interesting: The price you see to upgrade your flight can and likely will change in both directions.

If you’re on a connecting itinerary, you see the lowest price for the cheapest leg of that itinerary. So, the entire upgrade cost will not be for the entire reservation but only for the cheapest leg. You need to click on that banner to see the price options for all legs.

The price you see is the current cost American Airlines is offering to upgrade the specific leg you’re looking at. Prices tend to refresh daily, so if you view the same offer tomorrow, you may see a different cost.

Regarding the cost, there are some things you should know:

• The cost may vary from person to person. For example, a non-AAdvantage elite status member may receive a completely different offer than an AAdvantage Executive Platinum member. You cannot change or match any pricing to any other offers you see from other flyers. This is a quirk in this program: Even though you may be on the same flight as other travelers, each person may be presented with a different offer.
• The cost won’t necessarily go up. While seats tend to fill closer to departure and less inventory remains, sometimes American will price the instant upsell offers aggressively to attract a last-minute buyer. Contrary to normal tickets, the price may not actually be high closer to the flight.

When You Won’t See the Upgrade Offer

There are a few times when you will not see the instant upgrade offer:

• If you’re wait-listed for either a systemwide upgrade or a miles and cash copay upgrade, you will not see the upgrade offer presented to you.
• If you are on standby and do not have a confirmed seat on that flight, you will not be able to do the instant upsell.
• You will not see any upgrade offer within 24 hours of your flight departure. If you’re looking to take advantage of any offer, do it before this time.
• If the premium cabin is filled, no upgrade offer will be presented to you.
• If you’re already on a premium cabin ticket and there’s nothing further to be upgraded to, you will not see any offers.

How To Upgrade

In the app, click the blue banner on the top of your flight, where you’re presented with an offer. If it’s a single flight, the price you see will be for the single flight. If you have multiple flights (a connection), the price you see will be for the cheapest section. You need to click the blue banner to see the pricing for all segments.

When you upgrade, you can choose to upgrade 1, some, or all flight segments. Once you make your selection, proceed to the next screen, where you’re asked for payment. You can pay by credit card or digital wallet. You cannot use a flight or trip credit to pay for the upgrade, nor can you use AAdvantage miles. According to American Airlines, this feature is to be implemented sometime in 2025.

Once you provide payment, you’re prompted to select your seat. There are no restrictions on seat assignment. You can choose any seat you see available in the premium cabin.

Benefits of the Instant Upsell Program

When you purchase an upgrade in the app, you’re immediately confirming a first class seat. For busy flights or routes where it is tough to get an upgrade, you can confirm a first class seat without ever having to chance it on the upgrade list. On popular flights, such as New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX), upgrade lists can be extremely long, and depending on your status, you may be far down the list. Further, these flights tend to sell out, so being offered the chance to upgrade may provide you with a seat that otherwise may sell later.

On some flights, the instant upsell offer may be cheaper than purchasing a first class ticket outright. In many cases, it can be more than this, so ensure you’re buying via the cheapest option.

For those keeping track of AAdvantage elite status, you receive Loyalty Points for the upgrade cost.

Drawbacks of the Instant Upsell Program

Because you won’t know the future cost of the upgrades should you not take advantage of the offer at the time you see it, it’s a risky buy. The cost may go down depending on various factors. It also may go up. You need to determine the value you put on confirming a first class seat now and whether the offer presented to you makes sense.

If you’re an elite status passenger, the instant upsell program may take away the chance at a complimentary upgrade because you’re paying for it upfront. Though you are eligible for an upgrade, other passengers, both with status and without status, may take advantage of an upgrade offer in advance of the flight. This reduces the number of first class seats for sale and, therefore, reduces the chance of a complimentary upgrade.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking to secure a first class seat after you purchase your ticket, American’s instant upsell program can help you grab that seat, sometimes at a lower price than purchasing a premium cabin ticket outright. While the offers may not make sense for everyone, they do earn Loyalty Points and allow you to skip a potential upgrade list to select a seat in advance.