Originally Posted by Stefan Daystrom
Do the math.
Depending on your specifics, it may cost MORE $$$$ to use miles to upgrade to business to London on BA than on AA.
Here's why:
AA has only economy and business (and possibly first, depending on the plane).
BA has economy plus between economy and business.
To upgrade to business on AA, you buy economy and then add $250 each way, plus 25k miles each way.
To upgrade to business on BA, you have to buy
economy plus, which is likely to cost AT LEAST $250 extra (over regular economy) each way, plus 25k miles round trip.
On the other hand: If you forget about $250 (because that's a wash), and focus on miles, it only costs half as many miles to upgrade round trip (from economy plus to business) on BA as (from economy to business) on AA.
And from California, you earn almost as many miles flying to LHR as it costs you to upgrade! So once you have 25kish BA miles in your account, you can recycle them for these economy plus to business upgrades forever, using Executive Club Dining or Diners Club transfers or whatever to occasionally "top off" your BA account (so you always have at least 25k miles there).
While indeed it may under certain seasons and circumstances cost you most $$$ to upgrade on AA, BA offer this upgrade from WT+ for promotional fares starting as low as $591 (incl all taxes).
And you only need half the amount of BA Miles (25k round trip) as AAdvantage miles (50k round trip). Even given the fact that BA Miles are more "difficult" to earn (unless you actually fly BA/AA in premium cabins regularly), this is a great deal, and BA give you 1.25 miles flown for ALL WT+ fares, AAdvantage only gives you 1.1 miles flown in this cabin.
Plus in many cases on BA you can upgrade to the upper deck of a 747, an option not available on AA. There is also the Molton Brown travel spa at JFK and LHR, and an arrivals lounge for Club World travellers. And from May 26, you get metal cutlery in Club and FIRST on BA!
See my example below from a few months ago:
Originally Posted by apudme
Iskohn welcome to Flyertalk!
I would entirely agree with the above suggestion. If you check
www.ba.com you can book a WT+ (Premium Economy) for just $591 (ex BWI) round trip US-UK including taxes, even for the "high season" dates you require. Some people have found it for as little as $430 round trip incl taxes, depending on route.
Fares have been found as low as $420 roundtrip in WT+, though unlikely for the dates you need.
This exBWI $591 WT+ fare is upgradeable to Club World flat beds at the time of purchase from the BA website if you become a BA Executive Club member, for just 25,000 BA Miles each roundtrip. Most of these can be earned for free by you both; check out the link below for further information:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ferrerid=24296
Outbound BA0228 Baltimore (Washington DC),USA Heathrow (London),United Kingdom Premier Economy Sun 18 December 2005 ,21:25 Mon 19 December 2005 , 09:20
Inbound BA0229 Heathrow (London),United Kingdom Baltimore (Washington DC),USA Premier Economy Mon 9 January 2006 ,11:50 Mon 9 January 2006 , 15:05
1 Adult $ 398.00
TAX $ 193.92
TOTAL $ 591.92
Here are the BA flat bed seats which you would be upgraded to:
www.deepersleep.co.uk
The key is to purchase prior to the 42 day advance purchase cutoff, and then WT+ is very affordable, and almost self perpetuates enough miles if you are flying West Coast-Europe as you describe.
Originally Posted by Stefan Daystrom
Ok, well, you CAN upgrade from economy to economy plus with miles (and no extra charge) on BA, but all that gets you is more or less the equivalent of an exit row seat. If you don't qualify for an exit row seat (or frequenty travel with, say, kids who don't), or if you're having trouble reserving exit row seats on AA, then that may be worth it. But however better BA's business class may be than AA, I doubt many people would consider BA's economy plus to be better than AA's business class.
While no-one could genuinely make the argument that AA Business is equivalent to BA World Traveller Plus, the WT+ product is vastly superior to say United Economy Plus.
All BA aircraft with WT+ offer the following "perks":
]
- Guaranteed Seat Back TV
- 1.25 BA Miles credited for all WT+ tickets
- BA Tier Points for all fares
- Dedicated Cabin
- Complimentary Newspapers
- Complimentary Bar throughout the flight
- Recaro Designed seats
- Lumbar Support
- Footrest
- An extra 6" legroom over coach - 38" in total
- 2-4-2 layout
- Laptop Power at every seat
- Dedicated Check-In at many locations
And even if you do manage to snag an emergency exit, there is always the possibility that despite your status and savvy that is not possible, at least with WT+ seat you are gurarnteed the above benefits.
www.airliners.net/open.file/255514/M/
And then you have to take a look at Virgin's terrific Upper Class Suite:
http://www.upperclasssuite.com/en/gb...lass/index.jsp
Which rocks.
Or even bmi, a regional UK airline with no history of long haul flying, which has an excellent Business Class, and flies from Chicago, Las vegas and Washington DC to Manchester in the north of England:
www.airliners.net/open.file/696084/L/
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ferrerid=24296