How to search for American Airlines Systemwide Upgrades (SWU) with ExpertFlyer
Guide
Quick Summary (TL;DR)
- Systemwide Upgrades are available to AAdvantage® status members who reach Loyalty Point Reward levels starting at 175,000 Loyalty Points.
- SWUs are valid from the year in which membership status is achieved until March 31st of the following year.
- SWUs can be used by American Airlines to upgrade most Business fares and most Economy or Premium Economy fares to the next class of service.
- To use SWUs, you need either C or A inventory to be available for upgrades. The C class is used for upgrading from a lower cabin into Business Class. The A class is used for upgrading from Business into First Class on a three-cabin aircraft.
- Premium and Basic users can search for SWU with the Awards & Upgrades feature, while Elite users have an additional feature for expanded search in a 330-day range and calendar view.
- ExpertFlyer’s SWU search is designed to show availability only. Once you verify the availability, you can book with the airline.
- Set up an alert for routes/dates with no inventory. Once availability is found, a notification will be sent via email or via SMS.
Overview
ExpertFlyer SWU Search gives AA members two things: a single search that scans C and A class availability across specific routes or broad regions within a 330-day window, and the ability to set alerts for routes or dates with no space currently available.
How to search for Systemwide Upgrades
There are two ways to search for Systemwide Upgrades on ExpertFlyer: Awards & Upgrades or the expanded SWU Search.
SWU Search vs Awards & Upgrades
| SWU Search | Awards & Upgrades |
|---|---|
| Available to | Elite Plan |
| Best for | Flexible Dates |
| Search range | Up to 330 days |
| View options | Table or calendar |
| Region search | Yes |
| Alert set up | Yes |
Using SWU Search (Elite Members)
SWU Search is designed for members who have flexibility on dates, destination, or both. It scans availability across an entire region or specific route within a 330-day window and displays results in a table or calendar view.
Step 1: Open SWU Search
Click the third icon in the left menu panel to open the SWU Search page.
Step 2: Choose your search type
Search by region works best when your destination or travel dates are flexible. For example, availability from North America to Europe over the next 6 months.
Search by route works best when you know exactly where you want to go and are looking for the best date. For example: New York (JFK) to London Heathrow (LHR).
Step 3: Set your filters
Once your origin, destination, or region, and date range are entered, use the additional filters at the top of the results to refine:
| Filter | What it does |
|---|---|
| Results view | Switch between table and calendar view |
| Availability toggle | Hide routes or dates with no availability |
| Airport | When searching by region, narrow to specific airports |
| Number of seats | Search availability for up to 7 seats |
| Sort | Sort by any column in list view |
Understanding SWU Search results
Available only for Elite members.
After performing the search and applying the desired filters, the results will be displayed either on a table or a calendar, depending on the chosen view.
Understanding results in list view
In list view, each row represents a specific flight on a specific date. Here's what each column means:
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Airport From/To | Origin and destination airports |
| Last Updated | When ExpertFlyer last checked availability for this route and date |
| Available Class | The class code and number of seats — e.g., C7 means at least 7 seats available in C class |
| Depart | Departure date and time |
| Duration | Estimated flight time |
| Flight Number | The flight number for that route and date |
| Aircraft | The aircraft type currently scheduled |
| Action | Verify current availability in real time |
Understanding results in calendar view
In calendar view, the same information is organized differently. You see routes first, followed by available dates in a scrollable calendar. The number shown before clicking a date is the total aggregated SWU seats across all flights on that route that day.
Using the Awards & Upgrades (All Paid Plans)
Awards & Upgrades is a simple-to-use search tool for finding C or A inventory on a specific route and date. It is available on all paid ExpertFlyer plans and works well when you know your route and are looking for the right day.
How to Find Upgrade Inventory Using ExpertFlyer is currently unavailable. Enable targeting cookies to watch embedded videos.
Step 1: Enter your flight information
Fill in the following fields to run your search:
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Departing Airport | The airport you are flying from |
| Arriving Airport | The airport you are flying to |
| Connecting Airport(s) | Optional: Limit results to flights connecting through a specific airport |
| Depart Date | The date you want to travel |
| Depart Time | The earliest departure time to include in the results |
| Exact Date | 3 +/- days |
| Return Date | Optional: Search return availability on a second date |
| Airline | Include American Airlines |
| Class(es) | Select C, A, or both, these are the upgrade inventory classes |
| Connection Preference | Filter for nonstop or direct flights only |
| Results View | Choose how multi-date results are displayed |
Step 2: Read your results
Each row in the results table represents a specific flight. Here's what each column means:
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Flight | Marketing airline and flight number. Note that AA may market a flight operated by a partner carrier. |
| Stops | Number of stops on that flight |
| Depart/Arrive | Departure and arrival airports |
| Aircraft | Aircraft type currently assigned to that flight |
| Frequency Reliability | Days of the week the flight operates, plus on-time percentage and average delay over the last two months |
| Class Description | The type of award or upgrade this class code represents |
| Code | The fare class code (C or A for SWU redemptions) |
| Availability | Number of seats available in that class |
| Action | Create a Flight Alert, view Flight Details, or open the Seat Map |
No availability? Set an alert.
If your search returns no C or A class availability, do not stop there. You can set up an alert to get notified as soon as inventory for the selected route/date becomes available.
How to set an alert for Systemwide Upgrades
- Click the Create Alert button in the Action column next to your desired flight.
- A pop-up will appear pre-populated with the class and number of seats.
- Rename the alert to something recognizable (e.g., "CLT-LHR C class June 28")
- Click save. The alert is now active!
FAQ
Related Guides
How to find and monitor airline seats with ExpertFlyer's Seat Map
See live cabin layouts with occupied, blocked, and available seat statuses. Set an alert on any seat so you're notified the moment it clears.
Last updated about 7 hours ago
How to set up and understand Alerts on ExpertFlyer
ExpertFlyer monitors flights on your behalf with four alert types: availability, schedule, seats, and aircraft. Set an alert once, ExpertFlyer monitors, and notifies you the moment something changes.
Last updated about 7 hours ago