My husband and I’ve used ExpertFlyer since near the start of our factors and miles journey. And whereas the product languished for a couple of years within the early 2020s, a devoted staff has been working over the previous few years to help and enhance it.
I sat down with this staff in Puerto Rico in late January to study a couple of of their upcoming options. In the present day, the staff is releasing two of those options: broader American Airways systemwide improve searches and detailed seat maps. Nevertheless, these options come alongside the introduction of a brand new Elite membership tier and barely increased costs for the Premium and Fundamental tiers. So, here is what it is advisable to know.
330-day American Airways systemwide improve availability
You probably have American Airlines elite status and select systemwide upgrades as your Loyalty Level Rewards on the threshold of 175,000 or extra Loyalty Factors every qualification yr, you know the way time-consuming it may be to discover a worthwhile approach to make use of these precious certificates. In spite of everything, when you can waitlist for systemwide upgrades on flights you have already booked, it is higher to e-book a flight with systemwide improve availability and apply the improve proper after you e-book.
ExpertFlyer has lengthy been the go-to instrument for a lot of AAdvantage elite members wanting to make use of systemwide upgrades. Up to now, my husband and I’ve used ExpertFlyer to search out long-haul availability for 61 systemwide upgrades over time (with the shortest flight being from New York to London).
However whereas prior to now you can use ExpertFlyer to go looking just one metropolis pair at a time inside a seven-day window (and ExpertFlyer Premium members who do not improve to Elite will nonetheless discover this to be their most suitable choice), ExpertFlyer Elite members can now see systemwide improve availability throughout a whole lot of routes for the subsequent 330 days.
ExpertFlyer Elite members can begin their systemwide improve availability search broadly — resembling for flights from North America to Europe — and slim down the outcomes from there.
Or, they will soar straight to the detailed record view for a selected route.
Regardless of the longer “Final Up to date” durations within the above screenshots throughout a beta check, ExpertFlyer advised TPG that outcomes are actually up to date each day. For the reason that information is cached, the outcomes should still be outdated. However a one-click affirmation button enables you to confirm that the area you see continues to be obtainable earlier than you e-book.
Even with the “Confirm” button, I additionally advocate logging in to your American AAdvantage account and looking out to verify that systemwide improve area is definitely obtainable in your flight earlier than reserving.
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Associated: How to get upgraded on American Airlines flights
Detailed seat maps
The second new function is a partnership with AeroLopa that brings detailed plane configuration information into ExpertFlyer seat map outcomes.
Premium and Elite ExpertFlyer customers can now see detailed seat maps when setting seat alerts and viewing seat maps. That is necessary as a result of some airways function a number of variations of the identical plane sort (resembling American Airways’ 787-9, which can function the new Flagship Suite or the older Tremendous Diamond seats in enterprise class).
Plus, now Premium and Elite members can see the seat pitch, width, structure configuration and different particulars they’re used to seeing on AeroLopa inside ExpertFlyer, alongside stay availability.
Nevertheless, when you want the previous ExpertFlyer seat map view, there is a toggle to change between the brand new detailed view and the basic expertise.
Associated: How to use ExpertFlyer alerts to snag a better seat on the plane
New ExpertFlyer pricing and tiers
Alongside the announcement of those two new options, ExpertFlyer can also be unveiling a brand new Elite membership tier and barely adjusting pricing on its present membership tiers. This is what’s altering for every tier:
| Earlier price | New price | Different notable adjustments | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
None |
None |
N/A |
|
|
$4.99 per thirty days or $49 per yr |
$7.31 per thirty days or $72 per yr |
50 alerts at a time (up from 4) |
|
|
$9.99 per thirty days or $99 per yr |
$16.96 per thirty days or $132 per yr |
250 alerts at a time (up from 200) |
|
|
N/A |
$240 per yr |
N/A |
ExpertFlyer says the brand new Elite tier is designed for American Airways elite members who’ve systemwide upgrades. And since a slew of systemwide upgrades expire March 31, it is anticipated that some Premium members will need to improve their ExpertFlyer membership to Elite.
Fortunately, ExpertFlyer advised TPG, “current Premium Yearly members who improve to Elite will obtain a prorated credit score for the remaining stability on their present membership.”
Associated: How to use ExpertFlyer to find the real reason your flight was delayed or canceled
Backside line
When you’ve been struggling to search out makes use of in your American Airways systemwide upgrades, this new ExpertFlyer function could also be welcome information (and probably properly well worth the $240-per-year Elite membership payment).
In the meantime, the Fundamental and Premium tiers are receiving extra alerts at a time for a modest annual enhance in price. And the brand new AeroLopa partnership for detailed seat maps is an enormous enchancment over the previous SeatGuru partnership.
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