Earning and redeeming AA miles / upgrading on BA/IB; BA fuel surcharge (Oct 1, 2010)
Oct 1, 2010, 7:52 am
#61
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The BA-BA connection option will be an improvement -- given the transfer set-up -- at least in terms of regular paid tickets. For AA award tickets, not sure 25-35 minutes is always worth c. $100-160 (or double or more) each way.
For those traveling on negotiated, highly-discounted (and/or heavily-rebated) Y and/or B fares -- whether for business or leisure may or may not matter in ordinary practice depending on the employer -- the upgrade structure is anything but a joke.
I would keep the award charts handy -- if only to compare -- as it's just a matter of time until the award ticket prices (in miles) increase, including for reasons related to what you note above (for as long as BA doesn't charge the same fuel surcharges for AA-operated flights as BA-operated ones).
For those traveling on negotiated, highly-discounted (and/or heavily-rebated) Y and/or B fares -- whether for business or leisure may or may not matter in ordinary practice depending on the employer -- the upgrade structure is anything but a joke.
Exactly right.
It's funny how a few days people were speculating that the only thing this joint venture accomplished is that all of AA's flights to LHR would be empty. Now i'd venture to say the exact opposite. AA's flights to LHR will have all the AA elites plus the BA elites who now get to come to the US without paying $300 for a coach "award" ticket and even more for a premium class award ticket.
It's funny how a few days people were speculating that the only thing this joint venture accomplished is that all of AA's flights to LHR would be empty. Now i'd venture to say the exact opposite. AA's flights to LHR will have all the AA elites plus the BA elites who now get to come to the US without paying $300 for a coach "award" ticket and even more for a premium class award ticket.
Last edited by GUWonder; Oct 1, 2010 at 7:59 am
Oct 1, 2010, 7:53 am
#62
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Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
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Since I can't use SWUs on the BA or IB flights, this change makes no difference to me. It won't change my flying patterns since, while I'd like flying BA TATL, I'm not doing it in coach. Even if they do ever allow SWUs cross-metal, the likelihood that it will be allowed from Coach->Business on the cheapest fares (as is allowed on AA) is slim, IMO.
I think it's cool that they did this so that people who want it can use it. No real negatives from my viewpoint...just no real positives.
Cheers.
Oct 1, 2010, 7:57 am
#63
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3,049
I think we can safely rank that as zero given you can't even do it with miles, the best you'll get will be from economy (probably full fare) to premium economy or from premium economy to business.
Oct 1, 2010, 7:58 am
#64
Join Date: May 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, UA 1K, Marriott/SPG Platinum Elite
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Upgrades are a joke.
However for your average flying-economy-to-Europe PLT type this is not so bad. Unless you are going somewhere major, you connect. Connecting AA-BA in LHR is something I do many times a year. Now, we have the option of BA-BA with exactly the same earning and elite bonus. Differences would be:
BA-BA vs AA-BA
+ Better lounges BA in the US
+ NO BUS AT LHR!!!
+ Free booze on board
+ Shorter MCT at LHR (60 vs 120 minutes)
- Pay for exit row seat
So, other than the exit row seat issue, why take AA as a PLAT? Obviously Golds lose the elite bonus, and EXPLATS loose the ability to use EVIPS but PLATS don't really seem to lose anything.
However for your average flying-economy-to-Europe PLT type this is not so bad. Unless you are going somewhere major, you connect. Connecting AA-BA in LHR is something I do many times a year. Now, we have the option of BA-BA with exactly the same earning and elite bonus. Differences would be:
BA-BA vs AA-BA
+ Better lounges BA in the US
+ NO BUS AT LHR!!!
+ Free booze on board
+ Shorter MCT at LHR (60 vs 120 minutes)
- Pay for exit row seat
So, other than the exit row seat issue, why take AA as a PLAT? Obviously Golds lose the elite bonus, and EXPLATS loose the ability to use EVIPS but PLATS don't really seem to lose anything.
Oct 1, 2010, 7:59 am
#65
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Mostly AUS or rural England
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Posts: 6,526
And it restricts upgrades from WT+ -> Business using AA miles to 'W' bucket fares which are painfully expensive for what they offer. In many cases you could probably buy AA Business Class with some restrictions for less dollars.
Oct 1, 2010, 8:00 am
#66
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: IAH/HOU
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, UA 1K
Posts: 433
Upgrades are a joke.
However for your average flying-economy-to-Europe PLT type this is not so bad. Unless you are going somewhere major, you connect. Connecting AA-BA in LHR is something I do many times a year. Now, we have the option of BA-BA with exactly the same earning and elite bonus. Differences would be:
BA-BA vs AA-BA
+ Better lounges BA in the US
+ NO BUS AT LHR!!!
+ Free booze on board
+ Shorter MCT at LHR (60 vs 120 minutes)
- Pay for exit row seat
So, other than the exit row seat issue, why take AA as a PLAT? Obviously Golds lose the elite bonus, and EXPLATS loose the ability to use EVIPS but PLATS don't really seem to lose anything.
However for your average flying-economy-to-Europe PLT type this is not so bad. Unless you are going somewhere major, you connect. Connecting AA-BA in LHR is something I do many times a year. Now, we have the option of BA-BA with exactly the same earning and elite bonus. Differences would be:
BA-BA vs AA-BA
+ Better lounges BA in the US
+ NO BUS AT LHR!!!
+ Free booze on board
+ Shorter MCT at LHR (60 vs 120 minutes)
- Pay for exit row seat
So, other than the exit row seat issue, why take AA as a PLAT? Obviously Golds lose the elite bonus, and EXPLATS loose the ability to use EVIPS but PLATS don't really seem to lose anything.
Upside also for an EXP who has run out of SWUs - as seems to be the case for me at the end of the year...
For what it is worth, I also like the ability to earn TATL for the WT+. It is no biz, but beats WT/Y in my book when I know I have no chance for an upgrade.
Oct 1, 2010, 8:27 am
#67
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Deleted - post I responded to was correct.
Oct 1, 2010, 8:29 am
#68
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,295
More to the point, this comes as a HUGE devaluation to AA miles for redemption. US to Europe, Africa, and much of the Middle East just got extremely expensive in premium cabins, as BA is a huge partner for those regions. Even when taking AA TATL, you're adding on $500/ticket for F.
In my eyes as an AA flier, I just lost a major redemption partner--perhaps the biggest. BA's grotesque fuel surcharges price me out.
I'm finally going for EXP this year, mainly for mileage redemption benefits and opportunities, and now I'm second guessing that decision. And just as I'm planning Africa and India trips.
I never minded the Canada/Mexico workaround. I strongly prefer the old rules.
Oct 1, 2010, 8:32 am
#69
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
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Glad I'm not accumulating much with 1W:
When this keeps spreading I will get out FFPs, for good.
Q. Why is there now a fuel surcharge on AAdvantage award tickets?
A. British Airways assesses a fuel surcharge for travel on British Airways for all customers, including customers traveling on British Airways on AAdvantage award tickets.
A. British Airways assesses a fuel surcharge for travel on British Airways for all customers, including customers traveling on British Airways on AAdvantage award tickets.
Oct 1, 2010, 8:37 am
#70
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Oct 1, 2010, 8:43 am
#71
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,644
Two quick questions:
1) We have already booked award tickets for next July using AA miles to fly BA. Are they going to retroactively charge us the fuel surcharge?
2) Why is the fuel surcharge more for people sitting up front. Do they weigh more?
Mike
2) Why is the fuel surcharge more for people sitting up front. Do they weigh more?
Mike
Oct 1, 2010, 8:50 am
#72
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern UK
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2) You are using more space on the plane so you pay a higher proportion of the fuel (if it was all economy there would be more people on the plane paying the smaller surcharge instead). Of course this doesn't make it right, it should be built into the ticket price and not charged on redemption tickets, which is why I will never redeem on BA again.
Oct 1, 2010, 8:53 am
#73
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How was AA able to avoid FS so far? Again one step forward two backward for AA first with stopovers and one-ways now with TATL BA and FS.
Oct 1, 2010, 8:53 am
#74
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA PLT 2mm SPG Gold HH Diamond
Posts: 740
The big positives for me are you now earn 100% miles flying BA cheap Y tickets plus bonus miles. Huge negative is free tickets involving BA with now cost alot of money. With BA you can upgrade from discount premium economy using BA miles and you cannot with AA miles. Good thing I still have alot of BA miles.