Sakonnetview

Planning a trip to London this spring with my son who's a minor.

I'm Plat on USAir and had hoped to use miles to book BOS-LHR on OW award tickets via BA. With the few miles I'd need to buy the fare isn't very attractive $1800 + 120k miles for two tickets. I can buy both tickets outright for just under $2200 which is still cheaper than taking a connection on US Airways.

I don't think I can buy one ticket and use miles for the other and get them on the same PNR, which is important for obvious reasons.

Will my companion receive the same benefits as me (not much granted) if the flight is an award versus paid. Or for that matter do OW benefits apply to a companion at all? I can't find this anywhere...

thanks-

Mwenenzi

OW benefits are as per your status, and not how the ticket paid. If your son is not on the same PNR, unlikely to get your benefits. No different from when booking seperate cash paid tickets. Usally you cannot get award & cash paid tickets on the same PNR.

IanFromHKG

As a U.S. platinum you are oneworld sapphire. Your benefits are listed here: http://www.oneworld.com/ffp/my-onewo...-platinum#tier. Although the only defined"+1" benefit is lounge access, in reality you are unlikely to be refused the ability to check in, and probably also to board, with your son in the priority lines.

Access to these benefits is the same on paid and reward tickets, and the separate PNRs won't matter either.

One of the best perks is lounge access. Find out which you and your son can visit here: http://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-access

And last of all - have a great trip!

nux

All passengers on a PNR must be booked in the same fare class, same fare and same route. So no, you cannot combine a revenue and award booking on one PNR.

No benefits will apply to someone on a separate booking, but for lounge access, business class checkin, etc you can take one guest who can be on a separate booking. As a oneworld Sapphire you would not need to pay for seat selection on BA which applies to anyone on your booking. If booked separately the other parties booking would need to pay for seat selection or wait till OLCI.

serfty

To be clear that should be "you cannot combine different fare buckets for the same segment for multiple PAX in the one PNR".

Some airlines (e.g. Qantas) now permit a mix of award and revenue segments within the one PNR, but each PAX must be booked in the same fare bucket for each separate segment.

Calchas

The only difference with a split PNR, on BA, that I can think of is seat selection. BA would permit seat selection for all passengers on the PNR at time of booking provided there is a Sapphire in the booking.

If your son is not an adult BA will try to seat you together for free if you telephone in advance. If he's an adult (and I don't know how BA define that but probably twelve and up) then he has to take his chances at online check in, or you can pay to get an assignment in advance.

It may be that under the circumstances BA would accept that you were in one booking and waive the fee.

It's worth noting that most of BA's passengers do not get a seat assignment until they check in.

(If you were not travelling in J, the luggage allowance would also be different. As a Sapphire, every passenger in your booking gets a minimum of two pieces [but your extra luggage weight allowance {32 kg instead of 23 kg} does not carry across]. This point is moot for a J ticket because the included allowance is already 2 pieces.)

Also to add, your PNRs can be "linked" so that in principle if there are irrops it will be understood that you are travelling together.

trekker954

If you are on different PNRs, your son will lose all companion benefits including you will not be able to select a seat for him in MCE. That is the part I hate when my daughter and I fly on different PNRs. If you are flying coach, often at checkin, once you present yourself, they may be willing to move him forward or arrange for you to sit together.

Of course even if he has his own bag, you should just check that under your name. In LHR on the return, they will not allow him the priority security lane. You will be able to bring him into either the BA or AC lounge in LHR and/or the BOS AC.