Dec 9, 2013, 1:06 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
AA / US Reciprocal Elite Benefits [Master Thread]
Please contribute summary information and links to key posts here in this wikipost!
Soon after migration of US accounts to AA, SWUs will be usable on US by US flights. (JonNYC)
AA Press Release: US Airways to Join oneworld on March 31, 2014
As of Dec 15, signs appeared at some airports inviting elites of either airline to use the First Class ticket counter check in lines. See posts 82 & 83.
Update to aa.com as of January 7th detailing reciprocity of elite status benefits. Answers to many of the FAQs on this forum can be found here.
Elite/Preferred Seating, not Upgrades
For the purpose of seating on US, all AA elites are eligible for US Preferred Seating equally (no difference between the status levels).
US Preferred Seating is typically the front of coach and the exit rows. There is no MCE product so only some exit rows and bulkhead will have more space (depending on the aircraft). There are seats called ChoiceSeats that are not free for any US or AA elites. Pick a Preferred Seat for free.
For the purpose of seating on AA, US Silver will have the same as AA Gold. All other higher US Preferred will have full access to all AA reserved seating. including Main Cabin Extra.
AA Preferred Seating is in two parts, Main Cabin Extra and Preferred Seats.
Starting 3/18/14, US Silver/AA Gold only have free access within 24 hours of departure (based on availability). Preferred Seating does not have additional leg room as compared to MCE, but might be better than a normal seat depending on the aircraft. The only special seats for sale for any elite will be MCE for US Silver/AA Gold ahead of the 24 hours free access (50% off the normal price).
Upgrades
Please see: AA and US cross program and merged FFP upgrade questions (merged threads)
Starting 6/11/14, AA and US elite customers have the opportunity for reciprocal upgrades.
For AA elite members on US Airways-marketed (US flight number)/US operated flight:
-At 24 hours check-in, if a seat is available on a first-come, first-served basis, a complementary upgrade would be available for any AA elite. One non-status companion is also included in the benefit. If it is a mixed itinerary, you will likely need to ask a US agent to be considered if an AA flight was first.
For AA elite members on US Airways-marketed (US flight number)/AA operated flight:
-At 24 hour check-in, if a seat is available on a first-come, first-served basis, a sort of like 500 miles unit upgrade option will be available for AA Plat/Gold at $30 per unit. AA EXP will have a complementary option.
For both programs, it is very likely that elites who were eligible for normal upgrades on the flights before the 24-hours new program will have priority. Also, status in program does not indicate priority, it is first-come, first-served.
There are some other exceptions for AA elite members which you can find here.
For US elite members on AA marketed (AA flight number)/AA operated flight:
-At 24 hour check-in, if a seat is available on a first-come, first-served basis, a sort of like 500 miles unit upgrade option will be available for US Plat/Gold/Silver at $30 per unit. US CP will have a complementary option.
Non-US elite companions are not free nor discounted and may have a different priced option (LFBU).
For US elite members on AA marketed (AA flight number)/US operated flight:
Still no upgrade option.
There are some other exceptions for US elite members which you can find here.
Other features, such as (new AA) SWU use, etc. will come about when both AA and USDM FFPs are fully merged into the new AAdvantage FFP "some time during the second quarter".
AA / US Reciprocal Elite Benefits [Master Thread]
Dec 12, 2013, 8:51 am
#61
Formerly known as I_Hate_US_Airways
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Just South Of North
Programs: My Loyalty Programs? I now VOTE with my wallet!!!
Posts: 2,568
Music To My Ears (-:
Dec 12, 2013, 8:51 am
#62
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
Those who are interested can find the latest domestic widebody schedule by scrolling down a bit on this page:
https://aacargo.com/ship/schedules.html
Every flight on this list that is operated by anything other than the 762 would allow elites to upgrade into a a flat seat as the next class of service. Caveats: we've not seen any 77W domestic flying yet, and the 772 (listed as 777 on that document) and 763 currently have angle-flat seats (they are flat, but not flat to the floor).
Last edited by Microwave; Dec 12, 2013 at 8:57 am
Dec 12, 2013, 9:08 am
#63
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: United 1K; AA Platinum
Posts: 326
I suppose there's some wiggle room there with what he said, but AA baggage fee waivers only going to US chairman preferreds is a slap in the face, if true.
Dec 12, 2013, 9:10 am
#64
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Phoenix/Columbus
Programs: Delta Silver Medallion, United Gold, US Airways silver
Posts: 1,717
Switch miles from UA -> US Airways?
Oneworld released information about integration with US Airways.
Excerpt:
Above from:
US Airways to Leave Star Alliance March 30, Join Oneworld March 31, Begins Integration of Frequent Flyer Accounts
Excerpt:
Above from:
US Airways to Leave Star Alliance March 30, Join Oneworld March 31, Begins Integration of Frequent Flyer Accounts
Dec 12, 2013, 3:00 pm
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
Starting January 7, LAX-JFK and JFK-LAX. By mid-2014, all flights between JFK and LAX/SFO will allow elites to upgrade into fully flat seats. Flights between Hawaii and DFW/ORD are also 100% flat (thought these are not flat to the floor). In addition, some flights between MIA and LAX offer angle-flat seats for elite upgrades, and the odd widebody hub-to-hub flight as well.
Dec 12, 2013, 3:31 pm
#66
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM; UA 1K; AA 1MM
Posts: 4,506
Lie flat seats on the premium heavy transcon routes (JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO) make sense. Other (domestic) market routes haven not shown that they can support the product/pricing, so AA (and others) have not deployed the product outside of these premium routes.
Dec 12, 2013, 3:32 pm
#67
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM; UA 1K; AA 1MM
Posts: 4,506
If you intend to switch to AA/OW, then yes I would recommend you start crediting to your UA flights to US (rather than UA).
Dec 12, 2013, 3:34 pm
#68
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: High Point, NC
Programs: None
Posts: 9,171
Jim
Dec 12, 2013, 9:44 pm
#69
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: San Diego (SAN)
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 939
Dec 13, 2013, 5:51 am
#70
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
Certainly if this doesn't meet your high standards, I urge you to find another airline that does.
Dec 13, 2013, 6:35 am
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
My point was that lie flats don't mean anything to me as I don't fly LAX/SFO-JFK and rarely fly hub to hub. So touting lie flats and a reason to fly AA over US is ridiculous to the vast majority of people.
UA's had lie flats and recliners on that route for awhile. While I'm sure they're nice, it wasn't a reason for me to fly UA as I never flew those routes.
And of course lie flats are better! Who wouldn't take one over standard domestic F? I even prefer US's old C on the tired on 757 birds because they're barcaloungers. Sure, they're tired, but significantly more comfortable than standard F.
Dec 13, 2013, 6:40 am
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
The question was asked. I provided an answer. Certainly no reason to be rude in your response. And in case you actually are interested, that's 4-5 city pairs (depending on seasonality) where all non-stop flights will offer flat seats for upgraders after the 762s are retired, and MIA<>LAX, MIA<>JFK and MIA<>SFO which in the recent past have always had some flights with flat seats year-round. Plus a few other sizable routes which do tend to fluctuate more (at the moment that's ORD<>MIA, SFO<>DFW, the other routes are more hit-or-miss and can be viewed here; look for flights operated by 777 or 763).
Certainly if this doesn't meet your high standards, I urge you to find another airline that does.
Certainly if this doesn't meet your high standards, I urge you to find another airline that does.
Dec 13, 2013, 6:43 am
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
I think you missed the context of the initial comment... It was in reply to a comment that AA elites wouldn't want to use upgrades for US first, since they have "no tv, wifi, or lie flat seats." The fact is that the vast majority of US domestic flights to have wifi, and, like American, only a small percentage of domestic flights (in the case of US, the occasional PHL/CLT flight, as well as the occasional hub-SJU flight) offer lie flat seats. I don't think the comment was a criticism that AA "only" has lie flats on limited routes, but that the lack of lie flats on US flights domestically is not truly a differentiation between the two airlines.
Dec 13, 2013, 11:45 am
#74
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
Delta's plan is to fly lie-flat J seats between JFK and SEA (in addition to the obvious transcons to LAX and SFO). I'm not advocating that AA begin 3-class 102-seat A321Ts for routes like JFK-SEA or BOS-SFO/LAX, but perhaps some improvement to the seating would be viable.
Recall that AA's AFS used to fly 3-class planes between BOS-SFO/SJC/LAX in addition to JFK-SAN/LAX/SFO/SJC (plus some MIA-west coast nonstops). Many of those disappeared immediately following September 11, 2001, and never reappeared. Now that the legacy industry has fully consolidated and higher prices should be attainable, and AA, DL and UA will be competing on many of these transcon routes (along with B6 and VX), perhaps, just maybe, some additional transcons could get a few angle-flat J seats instead of the crummy 757/737/A321 thin park bench F seats.
I'm optimistic.
Recall that AA's AFS used to fly 3-class planes between BOS-SFO/SJC/LAX in addition to JFK-SAN/LAX/SFO/SJC (plus some MIA-west coast nonstops). Many of those disappeared immediately following September 11, 2001, and never reappeared. Now that the legacy industry has fully consolidated and higher prices should be attainable, and AA, DL and UA will be competing on many of these transcon routes (along with B6 and VX), perhaps, just maybe, some additional transcons could get a few angle-flat J seats instead of the crummy 757/737/A321 thin park bench F seats.
I'm optimistic.
Dec 13, 2013, 11:59 am
#75
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259