FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Best alternatives to BAC (equivalent status Sapphire / Emerald / GGL)

Jan 28, 2025 | 7:33 pm

#852

guv1976

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Quote:

Originally Posted by johnbonham

Hi all

Hoping that people with better knowledge than me can do a sense check of my plan to move from BA to AA following the recent rule change.

I'm currently BA Gold until March 26, I won't make gold the following year due to the changes. I'm based in the US but travel to and from the UK from time to time. I also travel once or twice a year to Asia with Cathay. Lots of US domestic travel too.

My aim is to get to ExP with AA and switch over from BA permanently at some point. Some considerations below.

I can switch to a AA credit card and start earning points immediately. This seems like a no brainer.

This coming year I have a lot of redemption flights booked with Avios. I'll stick with my BA status for these to get lounge access etc, as they won't earn any points.

This is where I am stuck - I have some flights with Cathay, AA, Qatar to book this year, all in business. The option is to either use my BA FF number to choose seats, have lounge access etc, or use my new AA FF number. The issue with using the AA number is that I have no status so would presumably need to pay for seat choices etc. If I was to use my AA FF number on bookings can I still get into lounges by flashing my BA app with Gold status? Aside from that is there any downside to using my AA FF number with no status rather than using my BA FF number?

Am I missing anything else?

Regardless of status, you should get lounge access when flying internationally on Business Class fares (although some airlines might now have "light" Business Class fares which do not provide for lounge access). But OWE status would give you access to better lounges in some airports.

You do realize that AAdvantage elite status will not get you lounge access when flying AA on wholly domestic itineraries (with a few exceptions for premium-class travel on certain trans-continental routes).

Have you considered going for elite status with Iberia Plus rather than AAdvantage? With your planned Business Class travel, you should be able to attain OWS status with IB Plus.

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