AA allows I, O and Q Upgrade Awards + higher co-pays as of 6 Oct 2009
Oct 6, 2009, 10:05 am
#1
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
AA allows I, O and Q Upgrade Awards + higher co-pays as of 6 Oct 2009
Courtesy of an occasional FT poster:
Updates to AAdvantage Upgrade Awards
Based on feedback from our AAdvantage members, we are happy to announce the below changes related to AAdvantage Upgrade Awards effective October 6, 2009:
* Members may now upgrade to the next class of service from published fares booked in ‘O’, as well as fares booked in ‘Q’ for travel between North America and Europe, Asia, India or Latin America. Upgrades from these Discount Economy Class fares will be allowed effective immediately. Select the button below to view the mileage levels and applicable co-payment amounts.
* One-way upgrades from previously excluded Business Class fares booked in ‘I’, will now be allowed with a non-refundable co-payment:
o Within the continental U.S. and Canada - 15,000 miles plus a co-payment of $175*
o For travel between North America and Europe, Japan, China, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, or Uruguay – 25,000 miles plus a co-payment of $550
o For travel between North America and India – 40,000 miles plus a co-payment of $550"
And, courtesy of Gardyloo, below, eVIP / SWUs are now usable on O, Q and I as well! ^
See miamigrad's link (post # 17 below.)
Now, the other shoe fully drops:
"In addition, effective for Upgrade Awards requested on/after December 1, 2009, the non-refundable co-payment required when claiming one-way Upgrade Awards from most Discount Economy fares changes as follows:
• Wholly Within Continental U.S./Canada - $75
• Within and Between the Continental U.S./Canada/Mexico/The Caribbean - $50
• Continental U.S./Canada/Mexico/Caribbean to/from Hawaii - $175
Be sure to click on the "View Upgrade Award Chart" for the applicable popup window with all costs (miles + co-pays)
Updates to AAdvantage Upgrade Awards
Based on feedback from our AAdvantage members, we are happy to announce the below changes related to AAdvantage Upgrade Awards effective October 6, 2009:
* Members may now upgrade to the next class of service from published fares booked in ‘O’, as well as fares booked in ‘Q’ for travel between North America and Europe, Asia, India or Latin America. Upgrades from these Discount Economy Class fares will be allowed effective immediately. Select the button below to view the mileage levels and applicable co-payment amounts.
* One-way upgrades from previously excluded Business Class fares booked in ‘I’, will now be allowed with a non-refundable co-payment:
o Within the continental U.S. and Canada - 15,000 miles plus a co-payment of $175*
o For travel between North America and Europe, Japan, China, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, or Uruguay – 25,000 miles plus a co-payment of $550
o For travel between North America and India – 40,000 miles plus a co-payment of $550"
And, courtesy of Gardyloo, below, eVIP / SWUs are now usable on O, Q and I as well! ^
See miamigrad's link (post # 17 below.)
Now, the other shoe fully drops:
"In addition, effective for Upgrade Awards requested on/after December 1, 2009, the non-refundable co-payment required when claiming one-way Upgrade Awards from most Discount Economy fares changes as follows:
• Wholly Within Continental U.S./Canada - $75
• Within and Between the Continental U.S./Canada/Mexico/The Caribbean - $50
• Continental U.S./Canada/Mexico/Caribbean to/from Hawaii - $175
Be sure to click on the "View Upgrade Award Chart" for the applicable popup window with all costs (miles + co-pays)
Last edited by JDiver; Mar 10, 2010 at 7:11 am Reason: update
Oct 6, 2009, 10:16 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: AA EXP, AAirpass, & CK 2MM, MR Plat Premier, DL Plat, US Plat, UA RECOVERING GS
Posts: 2,620
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (SymbianOS/9.1; U; en-us) AppleWebKit/413 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/413 es61i)
I've always felt that the domestic upgrade with miles+copay was a bad deal to begin with (especially as an EXP), so all-in-all, I'm rather happy with this change. Not having to upfare TATL flights will be nice.
Also, AA will avoid confusing potential UA defectors, like some recent FT posters we've had here, that confuse AA's eVIP restrictions with a structure like UA's Y/B/M. I remember the poster i'm thinking about thinking that AA required expensive fares too, when obviously you can still get a cheap fare that can be upgraded. Saying 'any fare, period' to those potential elites will have some sort of marketing advantage.
I've always felt that the domestic upgrade with miles+copay was a bad deal to begin with (especially as an EXP), so all-in-all, I'm rather happy with this change. Not having to upfare TATL flights will be nice.
Also, AA will avoid confusing potential UA defectors, like some recent FT posters we've had here, that confuse AA's eVIP restrictions with a structure like UA's Y/B/M. I remember the poster i'm thinking about thinking that AA required expensive fares too, when obviously you can still get a cheap fare that can be upgraded. Saying 'any fare, period' to those potential elites will have some sort of marketing advantage.
Oct 6, 2009, 10:16 am
#3
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 11,795
Just called the EXP desk and all the upgrade options are eligible using eVIPs, no co-pay.
Oct 6, 2009, 10:23 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
Wow, this is fantastic! There is no better program than AAdvantage IHMO!!^ Way to go AA! This will make life so much easier now that the "low buckets" are now in "O"and "Q" and not always in "N" or "S" or whatever! I like it.^
Safe Travels
Safe Travels
Oct 6, 2009, 10:32 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA PLT 2mm SPG Gold HH Diamond
Posts: 740
Courtesy of an occasional FT poster:
"Updates to AAdvantage Upgrade Awards
Based on feedback from our AAdvantage members, we are happy to announce the below changes related to AAdvantage Upgrade Awards effective October 6, 2009:
* Members may now upgrade to the next class of service from published fares booked in ‘O’, as well as fares booked in ‘Q’ for travel between North America and Europe, Asia, India or Latin America. Upgrades from these Discount Economy Class fares will be allowed effective immediately. Select the button below to view the mileage levels and applicable co-payment amounts.
Are these amounts the copays from Y to J using O or Q as well as J to F using I?
* One-way upgrades from previously excluded Business Class fares booked in ‘I’, will now be allowed with a non-refundable co-payment:
o Within the continental U.S. and Canada - 15,000 miles plus a co-payment of $175*
o For travel between North America and Europe, Japan, China, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, or Uruguay – 25,000 miles plus a co-payment of $550
o For travel between North America and India – 40,000 miles plus a co-payment of $550"
Now, the other shoe fully drops:
"In addition, effective for Upgrade Awards requested on/after December 1, 2009, the non-refundable co-payment required when claiming one-way Upgrade Awards from most Discount Economy fares changes as follows:
* Within the continental U.S. / Canada - $75*
* Between the continental U.S. / Canada / Mexico / Caribbean to/from Hawaii - $175*"
Be sure to click on the "View Upgrade Award Chart" for the applicable popup window with all costs (miles + co-pays)
"Updates to AAdvantage Upgrade Awards
Based on feedback from our AAdvantage members, we are happy to announce the below changes related to AAdvantage Upgrade Awards effective October 6, 2009:
* Members may now upgrade to the next class of service from published fares booked in ‘O’, as well as fares booked in ‘Q’ for travel between North America and Europe, Asia, India or Latin America. Upgrades from these Discount Economy Class fares will be allowed effective immediately. Select the button below to view the mileage levels and applicable co-payment amounts.
Are these amounts the copays from Y to J using O or Q as well as J to F using I?
* One-way upgrades from previously excluded Business Class fares booked in ‘I’, will now be allowed with a non-refundable co-payment:
o Within the continental U.S. and Canada - 15,000 miles plus a co-payment of $175*
o For travel between North America and Europe, Japan, China, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, or Uruguay – 25,000 miles plus a co-payment of $550
o For travel between North America and India – 40,000 miles plus a co-payment of $550"
Now, the other shoe fully drops:
"In addition, effective for Upgrade Awards requested on/after December 1, 2009, the non-refundable co-payment required when claiming one-way Upgrade Awards from most Discount Economy fares changes as follows:
* Within the continental U.S. / Canada - $75*
* Between the continental U.S. / Canada / Mexico / Caribbean to/from Hawaii - $175*"
Be sure to click on the "View Upgrade Award Chart" for the applicable popup window with all costs (miles + co-pays)
Oct 6, 2009, 10:41 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,828
Hooray! Great job AA
Oct 6, 2009, 10:52 am
#7
formerly DNPierson1
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K
Posts: 135
Link didn't work for me---could you please repost?
Oct 6, 2009, 10:52 am
#8
In Memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Always on vacation
Programs: aa exp - spg gold - Hyatt Diamond - HH Gold
Posts: 6,007
Oct 6, 2009, 10:53 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 574
Just did it
Upgraded an I fare LAX-NRT with an eVIP!
Oct 6, 2009, 10:57 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
Programs: AA EXP, 6MM; BA GLD
Posts: 17,239
Oct 6, 2009, 11:00 am
#11
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NYC/PSP
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold
Posts: 4,103
This is huge!!!
AA just won all my I fare tickets.
AA just won all my I fare tickets.
Oct 6, 2009, 11:05 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Clinging to the edifices of a decadent past from the biggest city in America nobody really cares about.
Programs: (ಠ_ಠ)
Posts: 9,077
Oct 6, 2009, 11:06 am
#13
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 11,795
Oct 6, 2009, 11:07 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Clinging to the edifices of a decadent past from the biggest city in America nobody really cares about.
Programs: (ಠ_ಠ)
Posts: 9,077
Oct 6, 2009, 11:11 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP 1.5MM, AC Member, Marriott Platinum, HHonors Diamond, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 513
Excellent news! Except for the fact that I'd already booked my Christmas trip home to the UK in an "N" bucket. Think I can get them to "downfare" on this one? 