Stick with BAEC or switch to AA?

Old Jul 29, 2015, 3:35 am
  #1  
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Stick with BAEC or switch to AA?

Hi everyone - I'm a new member, first post, so here goes!

I've read http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html, and have answered the questionnaire below.

I also read the first few replies each on these threads:
18 Mar 2015 - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...am-better.html
28 Apr 2015 - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...tage-baec.html Lives UK. AA is main ffp - for this member, consensus was AA likely better

For context, I am based in the UK, live 20 miles from Heathrow (BA hub), and have recently changed roles to a job where I eventually expect to fly between 6 and 9 times a year. (Probably only 5 flights total this year). I'd expect to make 2-3 transatlantic trips to RDU in the USA, 4 trips to Europe, and may be 2 to Asia per year. So I'm not a hugely frequent flyer, but it's enough to care about which programme I use.

I'm starting from scratch with BAEC; I've been a member for years and have 1140 lifetime tier points, and was up as high as Silver 2-3 years ago, but after 2 years of no flights, I am back down to Blue. This year I've had 3 flights (2 to USA, 1 to Europe) totalling 170 tier points, and a fourth is booked in August for another 70 tier points. Maybe 1 more likely this year. I think I'll just scrape Bronze by the time my tier points reset to 0 in November.

Living near the BA global hub at LHR T5 it seemed sensible to stick with BA when I started this job 9 months ago; I'm likely to have a wider choice of BA flights (operated or codeshare) to any destination I'll fly to than AA flights.

However, 1. my company is American and 'prefers' me to book with AA, and 2. I will fly to the USA 2-3 times per year, to RDU where the only direct flights are operated by AA, and on which BA has a codeshare. So AA's loyalty programme does make some sense too. So, which is better given my scenario and preferences, as below?:

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
(upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, extra baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, free - discounted lounge access, etc.)
Reply:Priority services when flying the airline, especially lounge access. With BAEC this would be Silver status or better. Bronze is of minimal interest to me.
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
(<25000, 25000-50000, >50000 miles - <25, 25-50, >50 flights?)
Reply: Probably just over 25,000 miles most years, but could be <25000 some years, 6-9 flights per year, the great majority just 2 sectors (there and back), all in economy
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: Economy, occasionally premium economy
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Can choose airline - AA or BA most often, but any airline is allowed if cost is close to cheapest. Cannot choose class - almost 100% will be economy. All for work.
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: Transatlantic from LHR to RDU (usually 35 tier points each way as a Blue BAEC member), and European short-haul to e.g. Frankfurt, Paris, Copenhagen, Milan (usually 10 tier points each way).
(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: London LHR
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
(AA Executive Platinum, QF Gold, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: BAEC, 170 Tier Points (till 08 Nov 15) at Blue level, and just over 50,000 Avios
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: BA and/or AA

I'm wondering if I would be better off switching to AAdvantage, if what I care about most is access to the lounges at Heathrow, RDU and elsewhere? I expect to do this job for at least 3-5 years, so I can think longer-term.

Also, I would be willing to switch to a credit card aligned to one of the programmes if that would help, but I'm fairly sure it wouldn't make any difference with BAEC for what I'm after (tier points). Would it help with gaining/keeping AA status?

Many thanks in anticipation!
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Old Jul 29, 2015, 3:52 am
  #2  
nux
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The airlines you fly and mileage program you credit to do not need to be the same.

You can only fly BA but credit to AAdvantage.

Your travel pattern means you won't make BA Silver which would provide lounge access. You may be better off signing up for an AA Platinum challenge, and AA Plat would give lounge access (except for US domestic only travel). It would also allow you to request upgrades on AA domestic flights.
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Old Jul 29, 2015, 3:54 am
  #3  
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dwstern Welcome to FT

Originally Posted by dwstern
....However, 1. my company is American and 'prefers' me to book with AA, and 2. I will fly to the USA 2-3 times per year, to RDU where the only direct flights are operated by AA, and on which BA has a codeshare. So AA's loyalty programme does make some sense too.
The airline you fly (flight number) and the airline ffp you credit those flights to do not need to be the same.

AA and BA are frequent flyer partners
You can fly an AA flight number/AA aircraft and credit to BA
You can fly an BA flight number/AA aircraft and credit to BA
You can fly an AA flight number/BA aircraft and credit to AA
You can fly an BA flight number/BA aircraft and credit to AA

Some economy fares may not earn much on the other ffp
With AA status you do not get US domestic lounge access unless on an international itinerary.
With BA status you get US domestic lounge access unless on an international itinerary.
AA is far better for awards (earn/burn and no surcharges) unless an award on BA
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Old Jul 29, 2015, 4:01 am
  #4  
 
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If you're looking to obtain status, bear in mine you'll need 4x flights with the FF programme operating carrier - so 4x BA coded flights or 4x AA/US coded flights for BA/AA status respectively.

I'm a member of both, and they both have pros and cons. AA is better if flying discount Y (100% EQM earning) and for LH redemptions, BA is better for SH redemptions.

The main reason I'm doing the opposite (switching from AA to BA) is that I can't commit to the 4x AA/US flights each year any more, but can do so with BA no problem.
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Old Jul 29, 2015, 5:24 am
  #5  
 
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What class of service are you flying? If economy, what fare type?

BAEC drastically slashed earnings for economy fares this April.
Regular economy fares ("Low": K, L, M, N, S, V) were reduced to 50%, and the cheapest three ("Lowest") fare classes (Q, O, G) even to 25% of miles flown in earning Avios and TP.
With AA, all of those continue to earn 100%. You'd need to fly on expensive Y, B or H fares to earn 100% Avios and TP in BAEC.
This alone would lead me to credit all those flights to AA. With three annual LHR-RDU flights plus two Asian flights and some European ones you should *just* sneak past Platinum at 50,000 miles flown. That'd be impossible on BA with reduced tier point earning post-April devaluation.

As far as status and benefits conferred is concerned, AA Platinum or BA Silver is pretty much a wash. You'll enjoy pretty much the same benefits - you'd get access to the Galleries Club lounges at LHR either way, and can select seats on BA flights for free exactly the same as you can as a BA silver. As an AA status holder, I feel very well treated on and by BA.

Advantage of BA status when flying AA: You'd get lounge access on domestic AA itineraries.

Going to AA, you will lose the RFS redemption abilities for European flights, so when redeeming your Avios for those is your preferred thing, be prepared to pay more - those cost 10k miles plus BA's egregious charges when redeeming for intra-Europe flights on BA. And you will not be able to redeem AA miles for upgrades on BA flights (except travelling on very pricey Y/B fares). That's about the disdvantages I can think of... the far higher earnings should outweigh all this.

I would see that I'd get to Silver and continue to credit to BAEC for the rest of the year, and re-evaluate come next year January (AA uses calender years for status accrual purposes). As the writing is on the wall for a devaluation of AAdvantage, I`d wait that out before committing.

edit: While there is an AA co-branded credit card out there that does give status qualifying miles for spend (10,000 EQM for USD 40,000 in spend), that card (Citi AAdvantage Executive card, $450 annual fee) is only available to US residents. AA's UK-issued co-branded credit card does not award this. Too bad you're not living in Austria - the Airberlin/Niki card issued there grants one EQM for every Euro spent on it, even including cash advances.... spend 100k Euros on it and you're OW Emerald without flying

Last edited by bhomburg; Jul 29, 2015 at 5:48 am Reason: adding cc info
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Old Jul 29, 2015, 5:56 am
  #6  
 
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Based on assumptions from what you posted - AAdvantage

With 7 cheapest returns LHR-RDU, you would get:
- 3872 x 2 x 7 = 54208 AAdvantage elite qualifying miles (=AA Platinum, oneworld Sapphire)
OR
- 20TP x 2 x 7 = 360 BAEC Tier Points (=BA Bronze, oneworld Ruby)

If you are able to optimise your flight patterns, ticket types and/or AAdvantage butchers earnings rates, these parametres are no longer valid.
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Old Jul 29, 2015, 8:33 am
  #7  
 
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Originally Posted by remymartin
Based on assumptions from what you posted - AAdvantage

With 7 cheapest returns LHR-RDU, you would get:
- 3872 x 2 x 7 = 54208 AAdvantage elite qualifying miles (=AA Platinum, oneworld Sapphire)
OR
- 20TP x 2 x 7 = 360 BAEC Tier Points (=BA Bronze, oneworld Ruby)

If you are able to optimise your flight patterns, ticket types and/or AAdvantage butchers earnings rates, these parametres are no longer valid.
Yes I think I'd agree to go AA too as you are doing mainly Y flying. You will get status quicker on AA.
Caveats are
1) No lounge access in the US for domestic legs (but buy Admirals club membership instead if you miss it)
2) Its better to have status with the airline you fly with most - it just works better, and you should get preference for any upgrades or during service issues
3) Your patriotic American company should be told it doesn't matter which flight you take transatlantic (AA code, BA code, AA metal Ba Metal) as is all shared between the companies anyway.
4) You have less options to top up your AA balance as a UK resident than with BA from non-flying stuff. No 2-4-1s on Amex either, though I note AA does have a UK credit card
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Old Jul 29, 2015, 8:56 am
  #8  
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Wow - thanks for those replies folks - I really appreciate the time you've taken to explain. That's a pretty firm consensus for AAdvantage, by the looks of things.

Thank you.
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Old Dec 26, 2015, 1:27 pm
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Couldn't exactly find my query but I'm thinking doing to opposite of OP now that AA is slashing earning rates and I'll be in the UK for at least the next 2.5 years/do most of my flying on BA. Two questions - are there any specific benefits to having BAEC silver vs OW sapphire on BA metal? While transitioning programmes, is it possible to use AA for extra bags/lounge access/fastrack immigration whilst crediting to BAEC (and how)? I'd need to start with tomorrow's so any quick responses would be greatly appreciate.
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Old Dec 26, 2015, 6:48 pm
  #10  
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Originally Posted by lostinlondon
Couldn't exactly find my query but I'm thinking doing to opposite of OP now that AA is slashing earning rates and I'll be in the UK for at least the next 2.5 years/do most of my flying on BA. Two questions - are there any specific benefits to having BAEC silver vs OW sapphire on BA metal? While transitioning programmes, is it possible to use AA for extra bags/lounge access/fastrack immigration whilst crediting to BAEC (and how)? I'd need to start with tomorrow's so any quick responses would be greatly appreciate.
You can put 1 freq flyer number in the reservation and then change later (manage my booking or at the gate/lounge). Some do after seat selection and others after check in. The change does not always stick

While AA is reducing earning, so has BA (and QF & CX) recently

USA based airline ffp's tend to be more generous (status benefits/earn/burn/upgrades/award cost/award cash surcharges/expiry) compared to non USA based airline ffp’s, (even after the recently announced changes to some USA ffp’s)

What are your objectives from a ffp? What routes?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html

The grass in not always greener on the other side
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Old Dec 26, 2015, 7:03 pm
  #11  
 
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Thanks! I fly IAD-LHR 3-4 times a year mostly in W, LHR-Europe on ET/CE a few times, and some domestic US on AA. Some other routes as they pop up. Ideally I'd be more likely to get op-ups on BA metal with BA status. That's my thinking at least.
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Old Dec 26, 2015, 10:07 pm
  #12  
 
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Originally Posted by lostinlondon
Thanks! I fly IAD-LHR 3-4 times a year mostly in W, LHR-Europe on ET/CE a few times, and some domestic US on AA. Some other routes as they pop up. Ideally I'd be more likely to get op-ups on BA metal with BA status. That's my thinking at least.
Just changed to BAEC number and my boarding pass now doesn't have my status on it. As I don't have a physical card, is there any way to get my boarding card to reflect my status on AA whilst crediting to BA?
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Old Dec 26, 2015, 10:39 pm
  #13  
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Originally Posted by lostinlondon
Just changed to BAEC number and my boarding pass now doesn't have my status on it. As I don't have a physical card, is there any way to get my boarding card to reflect my status on AA whilst crediting to BA?
No for the boarding pass.
From now on for this flight you are getting BAEC benefits.
At times people get benefits by physically showing another ff card. Some times it works and some times it does not.

Edit
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...-benefits.html

Last edited by Mwenenzi; Dec 27, 2015 at 10:17 am Reason: added link
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Old Dec 27, 2015, 1:39 am
  #14  
 
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I have Gold BA card and AA PLT card. I decided to put all my business for 2016 and later on in AA FFP and easily reaching EXP and forget about BA unattractive FFP in all means.
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Old Dec 27, 2015, 2:54 am
  #15  
 
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Usually works well to just show the status card while crediting to another FFP. However, maybe note so much for seat selection as you would then need to first add you status number to the booking - and whilst this CAN be removed/changed it is rather sticky and quite often messes up the crediting.

The only occasion I've had a serious problem was trying to claim my bag allowance at an outstation when crediting a different program. No matter in which order they did things (check bags in with FFP with status and then change program) the systems told them to collect money for my bag. In the end a supervisor told them to put a note of my BAEC Gold number in the override comment field - but took a good 20 minutes of discussions and problems.

So if you don't have a physical AA Plat card I suggest getting hold of one ASAP as it will otherwise be difficult to convince airlines of your status.
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