Originally Posted by
TTmex
I'd spend those Avios on inter-American rewards rather than ex-US to UK/Europe flights.
Yes, that's just what I'm thinking right now. I've found the BA bookings with the high surcharges to be worthwhile in the past, because I can't sleep on planes without a flat bed at all, but if AA is going to be offering flat beds at a quarter the cash, it's hard to justify using BA for those unless some other consideration (availability would be the obvious one) compels it. So I can conserve my AA miles by not spending them on domestics, and do the domestic flying via BA miles. That should work, though I can see that I'm going to find myself wondering how to earn as many AA miles as I can BA miles -- the Amex Membership Rewards program is really nice for BA, but doesn't do AA at all, even at a reduced redemption rate.
And, JAXBA: thanks for that explanation. That's very clear; not what I hoped to hear, but it certainly explains why this is this way.