Merger partners American Airlines and US Airways will offer same-day upgrades to elite-level frequent fliers traveling on either carrier starting from tomorrow.
US Airways elite Dividend Miles members can request an upgrade for flights on American on the day of departure and will be on a space available "first-come, first-served basis."
It will be eligible for all domestic flights including Hawaii, and to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.
A similar arrangement is offered to American’s AAdvantage members on the same routes, although flights to and from Hawaii are excluded, in line with existing rules in US Airways’ Dividend Miles elite program.
Also, Suzanne Rubin, president of American’s AAdvantage program said mileage balances of the two frequent flyer programs will be combined in 2015, although no fixed date has been determined yet.
She said the extension of same-day upgrades is an "interim policy" to reward highly valued frequent fliers of each airline while it presses ahead with full integration of the two mileage programs.
Rubin reminded frequent fliers that their miles and current status would be protected when the two programs fully align next year.
