BAEC Status and upgrades with other OW carriers
Apr 17, 2014, 3:28 pm
#16
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Pasadena, CA
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hyatt Plat, Amex Plat.
Posts: 651
I underwent this thought process in 1998 when I moved out to LA from EC1, at which time I was a Beardy Airlines aficionado....onboard manicure anyone (and I am a bloke).
For me, the answer to the question lies in your volume of TATL travel on BA vs. Domestic AA travel. And not lounge access. Domestic lounges here in LA are generally total crap and I just have just developed a schedule where I don't waste time at the airport to sit around in AA lounges.
If you will do lots of domestic AA, the I would think about AAdvantage because of the F upgrade availability. That is a very cool benefit. But if you are doing more TATL, then credit BAEC because the TP's from AA domestic will get you GCH in no time and generally AA F is not so much more $$ than AA Y.
I gave up on Beardy Airlines (apart from really Bad JFK-LHR FA experience - a story for another day) because the 3 or to TATL's I did a year never got me to VS AU. VS Silver is as much use as a chocolate teapot. But 2 or 3 TATL's on BA, plus a bunch of AA F domestic (For some reason, lots of my cases are in Boston, so its 420 TP's round trip), and I make BA GCH each year without a breaking a sweat.
I think about this topic every time I am in the Flounge/CCR drinking my fill of Prelude/Castelnoo/LPGS - that i could be over in T3 in far less comfortable surroundings.... So may be its an emotional thing. After a bunch of years here, perhaps I get nostalgic for Britain and BA makes me think of home, something AA can't achieve.
For me, the answer to the question lies in your volume of TATL travel on BA vs. Domestic AA travel. And not lounge access. Domestic lounges here in LA are generally total crap and I just have just developed a schedule where I don't waste time at the airport to sit around in AA lounges.
If you will do lots of domestic AA, the I would think about AAdvantage because of the F upgrade availability. That is a very cool benefit. But if you are doing more TATL, then credit BAEC because the TP's from AA domestic will get you GCH in no time and generally AA F is not so much more $$ than AA Y.
I gave up on Beardy Airlines (apart from really Bad JFK-LHR FA experience - a story for another day) because the 3 or to TATL's I did a year never got me to VS AU. VS Silver is as much use as a chocolate teapot. But 2 or 3 TATL's on BA, plus a bunch of AA F domestic (For some reason, lots of my cases are in Boston, so its 420 TP's round trip), and I make BA GCH each year without a breaking a sweat.
I think about this topic every time I am in the Flounge/CCR drinking my fill of Prelude/Castelnoo/LPGS - that i could be over in T3 in far less comfortable surroundings.... So may be its an emotional thing. After a bunch of years here, perhaps I get nostalgic for Britain and BA makes me think of home, something AA can't achieve.
Last edited by Purim; Apr 17, 2014 at 3:34 pm Reason: typos
Apr 17, 2014, 3:44 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: QFF Platinum (OWE) VA Gold
Posts: 56
Don't forget your OW Emerald status will get you into the three Flagship lounges in the US, regardless of what you are flying, where as AA (OWE)'s can only access if flying International.
Yes there are only 3 lounges (ORD, LAX, JFK) but worth a visit
As a QF Platinum I never get any upgrades as they always go to CL's and WP1's
Yes there are only 3 lounges (ORD, LAX, JFK) but worth a visit
As a QF Platinum I never get any upgrades as they always go to CL's and WP1's
Last edited by Kefci2000; Apr 17, 2014 at 5:30 pm
Apr 17, 2014, 4:52 pm
#18
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Apr 17, 2014, 5:40 pm
#19
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Gold; Accor Plat; IHG Diamond-Amb; Meliá & HH & Marriott Gold
Posts: 5,447
You say the sweetest things. 
... but on occasions (IRROPS) it can be extremely beneficial to have access to the generally very helpful AAngels who can only be found in Admirals Club lounges.
... but on occasions (IRROPS) it can be extremely beneficial to have access to the generally very helpful AAngels who can only be found in Admirals Club lounges.
Apr 17, 2014, 10:00 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Silicon Valley
Programs: BA Gold, VX Gold
Posts: 154
If you are traveling domestic F on AA it is vastly easier to get to BA gold than AA EXP. The tier point bonus is disproportionately large compared to the AA mile x 1.5 system for F. You could reasonably expect to pay no more than $3-$4/TP so BA gold is achievable with <$5000 of domestic spend plus 4 BA segments. That amount of flying would make it tricky to get Platinum let alone EXP on AA.
Apr 18, 2014, 6:10 am
#22
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
If you are traveling domestic F on AA it is vastly easier to get to BA gold than AA EXP. The tier point bonus is disproportionately large compared to the AA mile x 1.5 system for F. You could reasonably expect to pay no more than $3-$4/TP so BA gold is achievable with <$5000 of domestic spend plus 4 BA segments. That amount of flying would make it tricky to get Platinum let alone EXP on AA.
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