AA Miles
Feb 17, 2014, 4:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,063
AA Miles
I'm not sure where to ask this question, as I usually visit BAEC forum, but now have 45,000 AA miles and wonder how best to use them and where to discuss this?
My wife and usually fly long-haul once a year, using BA AVIOS. Am I able to use AA miles for European short-haul flights. If so where do I check availability?
My wife and usually fly long-haul once a year, using BA AVIOS. Am I able to use AA miles for European short-haul flights. If so where do I check availability?
Feb 17, 2014, 9:59 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CLT
Programs: AA, UA, BA, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,074
Yes, you can use AA miles for short European flights. It costs 10K for economy, 20K for business. Search availability on aa.com. However, you're much better off using BA Avios for the European short hauls and AA for the international long hauls since AA doesn't collect fuel surcharges (as long as you're not flying on BA metal)
Feb 17, 2014, 12:19 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: LAX, formerly SFO, PEK, PVG, NRT
Posts: 164
Where are you looking to go exactly?
As dukerau mentions, AA miles are better for long hauls, and BA Avios are better for the intra-Europe flights you're asking about.
Sounds like you'd be best off using those 45k AA miles for a trip to the States. With an AA OffPeak award, it's only 20k miles each way. Just be sure to not use them on BA to avoid fuel surcharges. Instead, book on AA or AB.
As dukerau mentions, AA miles are better for long hauls, and BA Avios are better for the intra-Europe flights you're asking about.
Sounds like you'd be best off using those 45k AA miles for a trip to the States. With an AA OffPeak award, it's only 20k miles each way. Just be sure to not use them on BA to avoid fuel surcharges. Instead, book on AA or AB.
Feb 17, 2014, 12:26 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"With an AA OffPeak award, it's only 20k miles each way. Just be sure to not use them on BA to avoid fuel surcharges. Instead, book on AA or AB."
+1. AY via HEL is yet another option for surcharge-free TATL redemptions with AA miles.
And 20K AA miles can get the OP all the way from Europe to Hawaii (or the Caribbean) with a free stopover -- if desired -- at the itinerary's North American gateway.
"With an AA OffPeak award, it's only 20k miles each way. Just be sure to not use them on BA to avoid fuel surcharges. Instead, book on AA or AB."
+1. AY via HEL is yet another option for surcharge-free TATL redemptions with AA miles.
And 20K AA miles can get the OP all the way from Europe to Hawaii (or the Caribbean) with a free stopover -- if desired -- at the itinerary's North American gateway.
Feb 17, 2014, 12:47 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: LAX, formerly SFO, PEK, PVG, NRT
Posts: 164
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"With an AA OffPeak award, it's only 20k miles each way. Just be sure to not use them on BA to avoid fuel surcharges. Instead, book on AA or AB."
+1. AY via HEL is yet another option for surcharge-free TATL redemptions with AA miles.
And 20K AA miles can get the OP all the way from Europe to Hawaii (or the Caribbean) with a free stopover -- if desired -- at the itinerary's North American gateway.
"With an AA OffPeak award, it's only 20k miles each way. Just be sure to not use them on BA to avoid fuel surcharges. Instead, book on AA or AB."
+1. AY via HEL is yet another option for surcharge-free TATL redemptions with AA miles.
And 20K AA miles can get the OP all the way from Europe to Hawaii (or the Caribbean) with a free stopover -- if desired -- at the itinerary's North American gateway.
IB is also a possibility. They have fuel surcharges, but they're a lot cheaper than BA's so they're worth looking at.
Feb 17, 2014, 2:08 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,063
Thanks for all your replies and suggestions. I'm afraid I have been very spoiled recently and got used to F & J on Avios. I don't think I could return to the back for a long haul flight!
Feb 17, 2014, 2:21 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: LAX, formerly SFO, PEK, PVG, NRT
Posts: 164
Are you interested in visiting anywhere in the Middle East or India?
You can fly there in Business or First Class for 30k or 40k AA miles one way, respectively.
Flying Etihad Diamond Class would be especially cool as you can see in the link below.
http://boardingarea.com/onemileatati...-new-york-jfk/
Feb 18, 2014, 2:31 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,063
Understandable!
Are you interested in visiting anywhere in the Middle East or India?
You can fly there in Business or First Class for 30k or 40k AA miles one way, respectively.
Flying Etihad Diamond Class would be especially cool as you can see in the link below.
http://boardingarea.com/onemileatati...-new-york-jfk/
Are you interested in visiting anywhere in the Middle East or India?
You can fly there in Business or First Class for 30k or 40k AA miles one way, respectively.
Flying Etihad Diamond Class would be especially cool as you can see in the link below.
http://boardingarea.com/onemileatati...-new-york-jfk/
Feb 19, 2014, 12:24 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: VIC, Australia
Programs: QF WP, SQ & VA Gold, IHG Spire AMB, HH Diamond + BA, AA, CX
Posts: 126
How did you accumulate the AA miles out of interest? The reason I ask is that it may be an idea to keep collecting for a longer flight, for example LHR-MEL 90k AA miles and about £170 (in Y), on flights I paid £1100 for in Jan.
I wasn't an AA collector until last year, the MBNA AAdvantage card 35k sign up bonus started me off, then a fast track elite status offer prompted me to credit some flights to AA (I was all BAEC previously). 100% agree that for Europe short haul (and a lot of short flights abroad, such as within Australia and South America) Avios are the way forward, but AA miles are a useful second currency in my opinion!
I wasn't an AA collector until last year, the MBNA AAdvantage card 35k sign up bonus started me off, then a fast track elite status offer prompted me to credit some flights to AA (I was all BAEC previously). 100% agree that for Europe short haul (and a lot of short flights abroad, such as within Australia and South America) Avios are the way forward, but AA miles are a useful second currency in my opinion!
Feb 19, 2014, 12:27 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,063
How did you accumulate the AA miles out of interest? The reason I ask is that it may be an idea to keep collecting for a longer flight, for example LHR-MEL 90k AA miles and about £170, on flights I paid £1100 for in Jan.
I wasn't an AA collector until last year, the MBNA AAdvantage card 35k sign up bonus started me off, then a fast track elite status offer prompted me to credit some flights to AA (I was all BAEC previously). 100% agree that for Europe short haul (and a lot of short flights abroad, such as within Australia and South America) Avios are the way forward, but AA miles are a useful second currency in my opinion!
I wasn't an AA collector until last year, the MBNA AAdvantage card 35k sign up bonus started me off, then a fast track elite status offer prompted me to credit some flights to AA (I was all BAEC previously). 100% agree that for Europe short haul (and a lot of short flights abroad, such as within Australia and South America) Avios are the way forward, but AA miles are a useful second currency in my opinion!
Feb 19, 2014, 1:04 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: VIC, Australia
Programs: QF WP, SQ & VA Gold, IHG Spire AMB, HH Diamond + BA, AA, CX
Posts: 126
Might be worth keeping collecting for a longer haul, though with the AA/US merger I suppose we don't know what will happen with awards in the longer term. While you've got an Avios balance I wouldn't advise burning them on EU short haul though.
Feb 19, 2014, 2:52 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: San Antonio
Programs: AS MVP
Posts: 2,276
If you find yourself needing an intra-European ticket with a stop, AA may be better than BA as it is 10K one-way regardless of distance or number of stops.
Feb 19, 2014, 3:13 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
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Posts: 29,585
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
But subject to AAdvantage's published-through-fare requirement.
Originally Posted by KennyBSAT
If you find yourself needing an intra-European ticket with a stop, AA may be better than BA as it is 10K one-way regardless of distance or number of stops.