Best partner value for AA miles?
Apr 30, 2013, 2:19 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: East Coast
Posts: 1,018
Best partner value for AA miles?
With low tax/surcharge, low mile req, good award seat availability...For flights to Europe and Asia.
Apr 30, 2013, 2:21 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
Not BA. Just rule that sucker out.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Apr 30, 2013, 2:28 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Mileage requirements do not vary from partner to partner; the Partner award chart is based on the starting and ending zones of travel.
Surcharges are collected only for travel on BA and IB.
Mileage requirements do not vary from partner to partner; the Partner award chart is based on the starting and ending zones of travel.
Surcharges are collected only for travel on BA and IB.
Apr 30, 2013, 2:39 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: East Coast
Posts: 1,018
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Mileage requirements do not vary from partner to partner; the Partner award chart is based on the starting and ending zones of travel.
Surcharges are collected only for travel on BA and IB.
Mileage requirements do not vary from partner to partner; the Partner award chart is based on the starting and ending zones of travel.
Surcharges are collected only for travel on BA and IB.
where is the value in terms of service/comfort?
Apr 30, 2013, 4:12 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SIN, PIE
Programs: AA-EXP, SQ-PPS, Marriott PP
Posts: 210
Subjective question. Best value for my tastes are CX and EY in any cabin except Y or Y+
Apr 30, 2013, 4:52 pm
#7
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
BA has huge surcharges, IB considerably lower surcharges.
For my buck, I'd say Business or First, CX, maybe followed by QF in the A380 followed by the converted 747s, etc. and on to TN to Tahiti - especially when they are finished with the CIP - IB, MH, LA etc. (to a great extent, it depends on where you are headed, as well.)
For my buck, I'd say Business or First, CX, maybe followed by QF in the A380 followed by the converted 747s, etc. and on to TN to Tahiti - especially when they are finished with the CIP - IB, MH, LA etc. (to a great extent, it depends on where you are headed, as well.)
Apr 30, 2013, 5:10 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: AA PLT, 60K "old miles"
Posts: 188
Just got rid of my Avios on hotels. Out of that business.
Apr 30, 2013, 5:23 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
My picks of the easy to find awards...
1. CX First - 67.5K (and $5.00) for one way US-Asia.
2. EY First - 90K (and $3.60) for one way IAD/JFK-AUH-MLE/CMB/BOM/etc...
And the more difficult...
3. QF First - 72.K for one way US-SYD/MEL
And if you are going to/from YVR and can't sleep...
4. CX First - 32.5K for (most of US-JFK-YVR)
1. CX First - 67.5K (and $5.00) for one way US-Asia.
2. EY First - 90K (and $3.60) for one way IAD/JFK-AUH-MLE/CMB/BOM/etc...
And the more difficult...
3. QF First - 72.K for one way US-SYD/MEL
And if you are going to/from YVR and can't sleep...
4. CX First - 32.5K for (most of US-JFK-YVR)
May 1, 2013, 9:02 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: YTO
Posts: 594
CX J
The best use of AAdvantage miles, IMHO, is the 01:30am nonstop YYZ-HKG, connecting to wherever you want in Asia. CX J is sumptuous. I pinch myself when I do that trip for only 110,000 miles and $125. YYZ-HKG-BKK 21h.
May 1, 2013, 9:29 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,388
AA offseason Y to Europe is 40K round-trip; yes, I know people will 
at redeeming Y, but these days Y can be around $1000 USD or more. If you have elite status, can score Main Cabin Extra and it's a daytime flight to/from the East Coast (in other words, you're not going to sleep on a ski slope anyways), I think the marginal benefit of mediocre business class food, early boarding, etc. isn't worth 60,000 miles to me.
This isn't a partner award, though (though I guess you could fly AB, the extra taxes make BA a non-starter; no MCE there though).
In my case, I've redeemed 80K miles from AS+AA (same pricing) to get to Europe with my daughter over Christmas/New Year's; yeah,I expect FTers to do a bunch of at being among hoi polloi in Y. I just wanted a metal tube to get us there (I've had my fun on CX, but I don't generate 6 figures in mileage a year), and I figure that business class is usually a multiple of coach- 80K seems pretty decent for getting TWO people quite a long ways.
at redeeming Y, but these days Y can be around $1000 USD or more. If you have elite status, can score Main Cabin Extra and it's a daytime flight to/from the East Coast (in other words, you're not going to sleep on a ski slope anyways), I think the marginal benefit of mediocre business class food, early boarding, etc. isn't worth 60,000 miles to me.This isn't a partner award, though (though I guess you could fly AB, the extra taxes make BA a non-starter; no MCE there though).
In my case, I've redeemed 80K miles from AS+AA (same pricing) to get to Europe with my daughter over Christmas/New Year's; yeah,I expect FTers to do a bunch of
at being among hoi polloi in Y. I just wanted a metal tube to get us there (I've had my fun on CX, but I don't generate 6 figures in mileage a year), and I figure that business class is usually a multiple of coach- 80K seems pretty decent for getting TWO people quite a long ways.
Last edited by eponymous_coward; May 1, 2013 at 9:34 am
May 1, 2013, 9:42 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT, UA Silver, EK Gold, Hilton Diamond, Global Entry, Clear
Posts: 1,082
CX or EY First Class
I recently booked EY First Class LHR-AUH-LHR for 80K and minimal fees. Great use of miles, and dirt cheap compared to BA!
CX First Class ORD-HKG-ORD is another no-brainer in my opinion...
CX First Class ORD-HKG-ORD is another no-brainer in my opinion...
May 1, 2013, 11:50 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SUX
Programs: BA Silver; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Points but dirt with everyone else
Posts: 8,050
Or make strategic use of the ultra-cheap SW Pacific-Asia 2 F rate (and greater availability) to fly Australia/New Zealand to HKG via SYD in F on the A380. 45K to close the OJ on my DL award OMA-WLG//HKG-OMA.
May 1, 2013, 11:56 am
#14
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
The 20K off-peak Coach award between North America and Europe is valid on any AA partner that flies between the two zones, as long as SAAver seats are available during the off-peak period. Besides BA -- which should be avoided due to the high surcharges -- one could fly AB, AY, IB, TN, and 9W.
In addition, the free "gateway" stopover option can also be used in connection with those awards, subject to the published-fare rules of the "over-water" carrier. So, for example, CDG-LAX (lengthy stopover) - Hawaii can be had for 20K miles one way, utilizing TN and AA.
Originally Posted by eponymous_coward
AA offseason Y to Europe is 40K round-trip; yes, I know people will at redeeming Y, but these days Y can be around $1000 USD or more. If you have elite status, can score Main Cabin Extra and it's a daytime flight to/from the East Coast (in other words, you're not going to sleep on a ski slope anyways), I think the marginal benefit of mediocre business class food, early boarding, etc. isn't worth 60,000 miles to me.
This isn't a partner award, though (though I guess you could fly AB, the extra taxes make BA a non-starter; no MCE there though).
In my case, I've redeemed 80K miles from AS+AA (same pricing) to get to Europe with my daughter over Christmas/New Year's; yeah,I expect FTers to do a bunch of at being among hoi polloi in Y. I just wanted a metal tube to get us there (I've had my fun on CX, but I don't generate 6 figures in mileage a year), and I figure that business class is usually a multiple of coach- 80K seems pretty decent for getting TWO people quite a long ways.
at redeeming Y, but these days Y can be around $1000 USD or more. If you have elite status, can score Main Cabin Extra and it's a daytime flight to/from the East Coast (in other words, you're not going to sleep on a ski slope anyways), I think the marginal benefit of mediocre business class food, early boarding, etc. isn't worth 60,000 miles to me.This isn't a partner award, though (though I guess you could fly AB, the extra taxes make BA a non-starter; no MCE there though).
In my case, I've redeemed 80K miles from AS+AA (same pricing) to get to Europe with my daughter over Christmas/New Year's; yeah,I expect FTers to do a bunch of
at being among hoi polloi in Y. I just wanted a metal tube to get us there (I've had my fun on CX, but I don't generate 6 figures in mileage a year), and I figure that business class is usually a multiple of coach- 80K seems pretty decent for getting TWO people quite a long ways.In addition, the free "gateway" stopover option can also be used in connection with those awards, subject to the published-fare rules of the "over-water" carrier. So, for example, CDG-LAX (lengthy stopover) - Hawaii can be had for 20K miles one way, utilizing TN and AA.