An upcoming policy change at the American Airlines Group Inc. means elite status may no longer guarantee a direct upgrade to business class. On Thursday, American Airlines announced that starting August 25, it will no longer offer complimentary business class upgrades to elite frequent flyers on select transcontinental and Hawaii routes, instead placing them on the premium economy upgrade list. Don't Miss:The affected routes include New York–Los Angeles, Boston–San Francisco, Dallas–Honolulu, Kona and Maui, Phoenix–Honolulu, and Chicago–Honolulu and Maui, where eligible passengers will now be upgraded to premium economy instead of business class. American Airlines said elite members who book premium economy or purchase a premium economy upgrade after buying a coach ticket will remain eligible for complimentary upgrades. American Airlines also updated its basic economy policy to charge passengers who purchased tickets on or after May 18 for seat selection, while also making them ineligible for upgrades, regardless of elite status.