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Upgrades frequently asked questions

Get answers to our most commonly asked questions regarding upgrades.

How do complimentary upgrades work?

A full description of complimentary upgrades is available on our Elite levels and benefits page.

I see empty First Class seats on the seat map, but my upgrade hasn’t cleared. Why?

Not all First Class seats are released for upgrades, so even if seats are available on the seat map, it doesn’t mean that upgrade inventory is open. Availability of upgrade inventory will vary depending on multiple factors including the route, date and time of booking and/or the flight, and more. Within 60 minutes of departure, all remaining First Class seats, even those that hadn’t previously been designated as upgrades, will open up for upgrades. You may therefore become eligible for an upgrade at the gate, even if your upgrade didn’t clear earlier in your upgrade window.

I want to upgrade with miles. How does that work?

In order to upgrade with miles, your ticket has to be booked in a certain fare category. When shopping at alaskaair.com, select "Mileage" from the Upgrade fare type selections, under Filter Results, and you'll only be shown fares that qualify for an upgrade. Flights with available upgrade seats are designated with a "U" next to the fare. If you are booking through a call center or travel agent, you’ll need to ask for fares in qualifying classes of service. Please view our Mileage upgrade information for pricing and a list of qualifying classes.To redeem an upgrade award, you’ll need to contact Alaska Airlines reservations at 1-800-252-7522. Upgrade awards cannot be redeemed online.

You cannot redeem miles for Premium Class. Main Cabin awards are eligible for upgrade based on elite status level and booking class. You may also purchase Premium Class when traveling on an award ticket.

Can I pay for an upgrade?

If First Class seats are open within 24 hours of departure after elite passengers have cleared from the upgrade waitlist, passengers will be offered the opportunity to request a paid upgrade at the time of check-in. This is available through web, kiosk, or counter check-in. For more information and pricing, please view our paid upgrade information.

Premium Class paid upgrades are available at any time from booking through online check-in when you are selecting or changing seats. Subject to availability.

How can I guarantee that I’ll be able to choose a Premium Class seat near the front of the plane?

MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K members are eligible to choose a Premium Class seat at booking when available, on all fare classes except for Saver fares (X class of service). If no Premium Class seats are available at booking, members will be placed on the waitlist.

MVP and MVP Gold members have certain fare classes that allow them to choose a Premium Class seat at booking.  During booking, members can filter their search results using the options in "Upgrade fare type" to display the lowest fare that will provide them immediate access to Premium Class. Note: MVP® members can upgrade only themselves, while MVP® Gold members and above can upgrade themselves plus one companion traveling with them in the same reservation.

All other eligible lower fares would not be able to immediately select a Premium Class seat, but members will be added to the Premium Class upgrade list, and eligible for upgrade within the normal upgrade window for their tier.

Can I still upgrade to First Class if I am upgraded to Premium Class?

If you are upgraded to Premium Class at time of booking or during your tier’s upgrade window, you can still be upgraded to First Class if when space becomes available.  Your placement on the list remains unchanged.

Can I still upgrade to First Class if I opt-out of Premium Class?

If you opt-out of either First or Premium Class upgrades during the booking process, your name will be skipped as we process upgrades for the upgrade type you declined.

Will I be upgraded to Premium Class if I'm sitting in an exit row?

If you have a seat in an exit row when your upgrade window arrives, you will not automatically be moved to Premium Class, even if a Premium Class seat becomes available. However, within your upgrade window, you can choose to move to an available Premium Class seat if one is available.

Can I ensure I'll keep my same seat type (aisle or window) if I'm upgraded to Premium Class?

We will only automatically upgrade you to Premium Class if the same seat type you've already booked is available. So, if you've booked a Main Cabin window seat, you'll only be automatically upgraded into a Premium Class window seat; if you've booked a Main Cabin aisle seat, you'll only be automatically upgraded into a Premium Class aisle seat. If you choose to move to a different available Premium Class seat type than the one you booked in the Main Cabin, you can do so during your eligibility window.

Will I be upgraded into a Premium Class middle seat?

If you have a Main Cabin middle seat, or do not have a seat reserved, you will automatically be moved to Premium Class. In both cases we will first try to move you into an aisle or window seat before moving to a middle seat. If you have a seat in an aisle or window, and there are only middle seats available when your upgrade window arrives, you won't be automatically upgraded to a Premium Class middle seat. You will still have the option of selecting a middle seat in Premium Class (if one is available) during your eligibility window.

I’m on the waitlist. Why did someone below me on the list get a Premium Class seat assigned?

The most common reason why someone lower on the waitlist has a Premium Class seat confirmed when a member further up the list doesn’t is that the member lower on the list confirmed that Premium seat at booking, and there was no longer any “at booking” availability at the time the member higher on the list booked. It is also possible that the same seat type was not available for the higher member, or the higher member is traveling with a companion and only one Premium Class seat was available.

I book my tickets through a corporate travel agency. How do I access Premium Class?

As long as your Mileage Plan number is in the reservation, our system will recognize you and you will be upgraded based on your status level, fare, and booking date.

If you would prefer not to be upgraded to Premium Class, please have your travel agency add the following message to your reservation.

OSI AS*OPT OUT*AUTO-COMP PREMIUM CLASS

I purchased Premium Class but was upgraded into First Class. Will I get a refund?

Members upgraded into First Class will not receive a refund for purchasing Premium Class.

Where am I prioritized on the upgrade waitlist if I’m traveling with a companion?

Your companion will share the same waitlist priority as you, based on the waitlist prioritization criteria. If two elite members with different status levels are traveling on the same reservation, both travelers will share the priority of the higher level elite member. Only MVP Gold members and above are eligible to upgrade a companion traveling with them.

Am I still eligible for an upgrade if I’m traveling with more than 1 other person?

MVP Gold and above are eligible to upgrade one companion traveling on the same reservation. If you have more than 1 other person on your reservation, you will not be eligible for upgrades.

Depending on your travel situation, you could contact Alaska Airlines Reservations and request to have your reservation split to enable eligibility for upgrades. For example, if two MVP Gold members and two non-elite members are all traveling together, you could split the reservation into two, each with one MVP Gold and one non-elite, which would then make both split reservations eligible for upgrades upon availability.

What happens if only one upgraded seat is available, and I’m in a party of two? Will one of us get the upgrade?

If only one upgrade seat is available, the upgrade processor will skip parties of more than one, and look for the next single passenger on the upgrade waitlist.

Why didn’t I receive American International upgrade codes?

Only Alaska Airlines MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K members who met the published qualification criteria in 2022 for 2023 status will receive American Upgrade Code(s) in April. Members who earned status via promotions, status match or status match challenges, or status gifts are not eligible.

How does the First Class waitlist prioritize Alaska and American elites?

On Alaska operated flights, the tier order is:

  • Alaska MVP Gold 100K
  • Alaska MVP Gold 75K
  • American AAdvantage® Concierge Key, Executive Platinum and Platinum Pro members (all of which are oneworld Emerald status)
  • Alaska MVP Gold
  • American AAdvantage Platinum (oneworld Sapphire)
  • Alaska MVP
  • American AAdvantage Gold members (oneworld Ruby)

Within tier, other elements determine your waitlist priority. Please see the First Class upgrades page for more detail.

On flights operated by American, the tier order is:

  • American elites with oneworld Emerald status (AAdvantage® Concierge Key, Executive Platinum, and Platinum Pro)
  • Alaska Elite members with oneworld Emerald Priority Tier (MVP Gold 75k and MVP Gold 100k)
  • American AAdvantage Platinum (oneworld Sapphire)
  • Alaska MVP Gold
  • American AAdvantage Gold members (oneworld Ruby)
  • Alaska MVP

If traveling with a companion and eligible for companion upgrades, you and your companion will be prioritized together.

I am traveling with a pet in the cabin. Will I be eligible for a complimentary First Class upgrade?

Passengers traveling with a pet in the cabin are not eligible for a complimentary First Class upgrade.

What happens to my upgrade when I do a same-day confirmed flight change or last minute booking within the upgrade window?

When you have a flight change or make a same day confirmed flight change anytime greater than 60 minutes before the flight, you will be prioritized based on the same criteria published on our First Class upgrades page, however the “time of booking” in that case is the date/time the flight was changed, not the date and time of your original booking. However, for any changes within 60 minutes of flight time you’ll be added to the bottom of the waitlist for your tier, regardless of fare class booked.