American Will Prioritize Upgrades Based on Money Spent with Carrier

On May 20, American Airlines will begin prioritizing upgrades based on travelers' business with American rather than how early they check in. The carrier first will consider "12-month rolling Elite Qualifying Dollars," which reflect EQDs earned by the traveler over the past 12 months, not the year-to-date EQD that tracks a traveler's progress toward elite status. American will consider booking code, followed by time of the request, only if two travelers' EQDs are the same.