AAdvantage or BA [Executive Club]?
Mar 8, 2014, 7:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 118
AAdvantage or BA [Executive Club]?
I am a former UA Gold member. I no longer travel so much and will likely not get elite status. I travel 1-2x/year internationally and approximately 1 time per month domestically (varies, so I normally fly about 20k/year). I am considering switching from UA and closing my UA credit card etc. Should I switch to the AAdvantage card or BA Avios card? I'm thinking BA b/c it offers companion ticket etc, seems like for someone who doesn't plan on achieving elite status and really is just seeking to cash in my miles every 1-2years for a business ticket, it may be the one. Any thoughts? I hope this is the appropriate forum, my apologies if not!
Mar 8, 2014, 8:06 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
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That BA 2-4-1 companion deal is available only if you apply for and have a Chase BA Visa card and spend $30K a year. It is also only available on BA metal and BA will charge you outrageous fees. That new Chase BA card usually comes with 30-40K in bonus miles with only nominal spend so it's not a bad card to have. Even if you don't use Avios to fly BA, you can redeem those points for AA flights and short haul AA flights are priced at only 4,500 Avios points.
Mar 8, 2014, 8:52 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 946
The companion ticket still requires you to pay all of BA's taxes and fuel surcharges and all that. Last time I used one it was close to $800 in taxes / fees to fly from the east coast to LHR and back in F. Not quite free!
Mar 8, 2014, 10:03 am
#4
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
As AAdvantage is still operating as a distinct programme, this question is being moved over to the pre-merger American Airlines forum. I've also slightly updated the thread title.
Please note the sticky at the top of the consolidated thread which is titled Welcome to the New American Airlines Forum! PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING. With all of the changes about, it is important to know where to post, and reading that thread before posting (as the title suggests
) will help get you in the right place.
~Moderator
Please note the sticky at the top of the consolidated thread which is titled Welcome to the New American Airlines Forum! PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING. With all of the changes about, it is important to know where to post, and reading that thread before posting (as the title suggests
) will help get you in the right place.~Moderator
Mar 8, 2014, 11:42 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,009
This question has been asked before as the links in post 2 of http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html
AS is a good FFP due to its many partner airline's http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mil...ePlan-partners
AS is a good FFP due to its many partner airline's http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mil...ePlan-partners