Originally Posted by
ijgordon
Yes, it's pretty clear in the
AAdvantage Terms & Conditions, under "Earning AAdvantage Miles":
- You cannot accrue partner airline miles with your partner frequent flyer number if you have already used your AAdvantage number to obtain AAdvantage program benefits such as First or Business Class upgrades, baggage fee waivers or complimentary access to Preferred/Main Cabin Extra seats. Additionally, you cannot redeem partner airline miles with your partner frequent flyer number and obtain AAdvantage program benefits such as priority boarding and access to preferred seats.
Completely reasonable, IMHO.
That is not the case on BA. I have readily used my AA EXP card for all benefits including free luggage and free exit row seats while earning miles on my BA account (even while Blue).
And AA certainly doesn't enforce every aspect of this. Just this past week on a J ticket with my BA number in, I flashed by EXP card for access to a Flagship Lounge.
But when it comes to 500 mile upgrades, there is no way around that, you have to keep your AA number in. Mileage and VIPs are a different story. Those upgrades are reticketed and once reticketed into A/C, you can do as you please.