American Airlines is changing how it applies complimentary upgrades for elite members on certain long domestic itineraries. Multiple outlets report that the airline will stop upgrading elite flyers from coach directly into the business cabin on specific routes. Instead, the airline will move coach-based upgrade benefits to premium economy. In the same update, upgrades to business are described as beginning from the premium economy tier rather than from coach. The change affects routes that include American’s premium transcontinental flights and services to Hawaii, where award and upgrade demand is typically high. As a result, elite customers who previously expected a chance to move from economy to business through complimentary upgrades will instead be routed through premium economy first. The reporting also indicates that premium economy may become more relevant for travelers aiming for business class on these itineraries, since business access via upgrades starts later in the cabin hierarchy under the updated policy. The changes apply to the airline’s domestic upgrade system on the specified routes.