75K/100K AA (SWU-Like) International Upgrades on a Very Limited Number of AA Routes
Apr 7, 2021, 1:15 am
#46
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 201
Darn, I am checking SEA-LHR-MAD, and the cheapest I find in Economy is $1,574 return. Paid business class is $2,174.
Not much of a difference to be honest.
Not much of a difference to be honest.
Apr 7, 2021, 9:55 am
#47
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AA LT PLT; HH Diamond; AS 75K
Posts: 2,879
Apr 7, 2021, 11:15 am
#48
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Plat/6MM, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,240
Just booked SFO-SEA-LHR-LIS for $305, mid-December. All-AA flight numbers.
Agent (@ 800-262-7206) was super-knowledgeable about this deal, even mentioned that the lone C inventory I saw for SEA-LHR "may also be used for some revenue bookings, so let me check." (Thanks to Kacee for the heads-up on this.)
Agent (@ 800-262-7206) was super-knowledgeable about this deal, even mentioned that the lone C inventory I saw for SEA-LHR "may also be used for some revenue bookings, so let me check." (Thanks to Kacee for the heads-up on this.)
Apr 7, 2021, 11:32 am
#49
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100k
Posts: 75
LeonS I just booked SEA-LHR-MAD in October for $1025. I found confirmable space and applied the upgrades. You can use Google Flights, limit the search to BA and AA, make note of the SEA dep. and arr. times for the upgradeable leg (because it won't work on other connections or on BA codeshares, as you know).
I saw limited availability in September as well - LHR-SEA on 9/15, 9/16, 9/30, but the price is closer to what you found. My advice would be find the confirmable upgrades first and search with those dates in mind. The cabins are very empty and your waitlist upgrade could be easy, but why take the chance if you have flexibility? $500-750 each way in business class to London is pretty sweet.
I saw limited availability in September as well - LHR-SEA on 9/15, 9/16, 9/30, but the price is closer to what you found. My advice would be find the confirmable upgrades first and search with those dates in mind. The cabins are very empty and your waitlist upgrade could be easy, but why take the chance if you have flexibility? $500-750 each way in business class to London is pretty sweet.
Last edited by PlowJockey; Apr 7, 2021 at 11:34 am Reason: reply to specific post
Apr 7, 2021, 11:36 am
#50
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SNA
Posts: 928
lol BLR. Prime leisure route.
Apr 7, 2021, 3:36 pm
#51
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 201
I booked SEA - LHR - SEA for August 2021.
(1) I booked on alaska.com for ~$1,037 (it was ~$40 cheaper to book the itinerary on the Alaska site Vs aa.com; also in case I need to cancel I'd rather have the cash in my Alaska wallet)
Both flights showed plenty of C available on ExpertFlyer.
Adding the BA connecting flights to Spain was increasing the ticket cost by almost $500 for departures at times that were not convenient to me. I'll book separate flights myself*.
(2) Called AA airlines (zero wait; agent was the friendliest agent I've had on the phone on a while). She said she had already done a few of these Alaska-gifted upgrades since yesterday so she knew what we were doing. She said I was the first case where the flight was not booked on aa.com directly, so the process would be "just a little different" because of the codeshare. She said that she had to re-issue the ticket (so I am now fearing that if I need to cancel I might after all not be able to get the cash back into my Alaska wallet...)
(3) I had to pay $66.30 for "Luxury Task" for the return upgrade, originating in London. Less than I expected.
And that's it! Both flights in confirmed Business class.
COVID-related question*: I am vaccinated + have US and EU citizenships. In the (likely? unlikely?) event that the UK keeps its current quarantine requirements until August, will I be allowed to board to LHR-bound flight if I have a separate ticket for an onward connection? What if this second connecting flight is out of Gatwick?
(1) I booked on alaska.com for ~$1,037 (it was ~$40 cheaper to book the itinerary on the Alaska site Vs aa.com; also in case I need to cancel I'd rather have the cash in my Alaska wallet)
Both flights showed plenty of C available on ExpertFlyer.
Adding the BA connecting flights to Spain was increasing the ticket cost by almost $500 for departures at times that were not convenient to me. I'll book separate flights myself*.
(2) Called AA airlines (zero wait; agent was the friendliest agent I've had on the phone on a while). She said she had already done a few of these Alaska-gifted upgrades since yesterday so she knew what we were doing. She said I was the first case where the flight was not booked on aa.com directly, so the process would be "just a little different" because of the codeshare. She said that she had to re-issue the ticket (so I am now fearing that if I need to cancel I might after all not be able to get the cash back into my Alaska wallet...)
(3) I had to pay $66.30 for "Luxury Task" for the return upgrade, originating in London. Less than I expected.
And that's it! Both flights in confirmed Business class.
COVID-related question*: I am vaccinated + have US and EU citizenships. In the (likely? unlikely?) event that the UK keeps its current quarantine requirements until August, will I be allowed to board to LHR-bound flight if I have a separate ticket for an onward connection? What if this second connecting flight is out of Gatwick?
Apr 7, 2021, 5:23 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,068
Really good fares on AA right now from the Bay Area:
SFO/SJC-LIS $196 one way
SFO-BCN $241 one way
If you can find the C space and route appropriately, this is gold, Jerry. Gold!
I'm not seeing fare levels like this out of SEA.
SFO/SJC-LIS $196 one way
SFO-BCN $241 one way
If you can find the C space and route appropriately, this is gold, Jerry. Gold!
I'm not seeing fare levels like this out of SEA.
Apr 7, 2021, 8:53 pm
#53
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,974
Are those fares for connections in qualifying cities?
Apr 7, 2021, 9:03 pm
#54
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: SAN, BOS
Programs: AS MVPG100K, BAEC Gold, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Plat,
Posts: 2,281
Apr 7, 2021, 9:29 pm
#55
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,319
Are these new "unique American Airlines access codes" viewable in one's 75K account?
Apr 7, 2021, 10:00 pm
#56
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,300
They are - I can recreate in October utilizing the AA LAX-LHR segment for the longhaul/upgradeable segment and BA operated/AA codeshare for the LIS/BCN flights. AA/OO flights for the intra-CA.
They weren't for me, they came via email.
Apr 7, 2021, 10:16 pm
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,725
Apr 7, 2021, 10:57 pm
#58
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: AS 100K, HH Diamond, SPG/Marriott Gold
Posts: 189
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Apr 7, 2021, 11:05 pm
#59
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
1 Nov: C5 / 2 Nov: C6 / 3 Nov: C2 / 4 Nov: C4/ 5 Nov: C4 / 6 Nov: C5 / 7 Nov: C4 / 8 Nov: C4 / 9 Nov C6
That is day 3 of launch onward, and every day in November and most days in December have availability on the outbound.
Apr 8, 2021, 8:30 am
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,068