CaptRobPhD

@ RSFL17: you got the multiplier correct for the wrong acronym--always 100% (1.0x) EQM on AA metal for bought tix but you will only get 50% (0.5x) EQP for those O & N fares. On the LATAM metal tiz a bit different as those are between S American countries and will still only earn 0.5x EQP but worse in your case, only 25% (0.25x) EQM [http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ea...lines/lan.jsp]. As a PLT, you should get 2x RDM regardless.

Grain of salt alert: my interpretation is only derived from only 3 months playing game.

CaptRobPhD

@beachpebbles: it seems your situation is kinda easy, considering you prefaced it with wanting to keep/earn status. Option 3 should be a nonoption since you'll earn nothing on award flights--if you're looking to take a vacay and looking for better use your grand to earn miles, have tons of burnable miles, or don't find 32k EQM doable in 7 months, this is your best bet. Option 2 is risky and expensive--I got 30k Dividend Miles for $89 + $12 (Barclays card + spend) based on the same assumption you have that DM will = RDM in the future; your option costs 7.5x that for 1/6 return (i.e., it's 45x more "expensive"). Option 1 seems the only plausible alternative if you're deadset on earning for status, although the purists are going to shudder at paying 19.2cpm [versus commonly accepted target of pm < 5cpm]

All the above being typed, I've been playing the EQP game. Depending on how many EQP you have, points runs may be as equally beneficial. For example, ORD DFW SJU return is 955$ for first/biz and would yield 5800 EQM but 8700 EQP (let alone greater than 2x RDM since there are COS boni) <<-- both cheaper on a per mile and absolute basis than your scenario, and that's not even working to get a better deal.

fromfall98

Minor caveat here: You could as long as your carrier is One World partner. Let's say you were initially on JetAir and now a route on Etihad opens up, AA won't allow you the change without cancelling original ticket (and incurring $150 re-deposit charge unless you are an EXP). Let's say you were initially on BA and now AA opens up, you can change without any issues.

Cheers!

OSUPoke2007

International upgrades

Hi all! I'm flying on the 77W DFWLHR in Juy. I booked into economy (code N) and eventually purchased a MCE seat. I'm sitting on 90k miles and was wanting to use them to upgrade the DFW to LHR leg, but can't since I am booked into N.

Since I purchased up into MCE, would I be able to have AA change the fare class from N to Y (allowing the ticket to be upgraded with miles)?

I'm thinking now I should have just bought a full fare Y ticket, but that opportunity is lost since many more seats have been sold since I bought my tickets.

Is it a fare code change in this situation possible?

JJeffrey

AA allows upgrades from most all published fares. In your case, you can upgrade your N fare for 25k miles + $350 each way. Upgrades from full Y or B fares are 15k miles.

And unless you need maximum flexibility, buying a full Y fare is generally not a good deal, most times you can find discount business for cheaper.

Apieinthesky

MCE is not a different cabin, so whether or not you are in MCE has no bearing on your face class.

Also, number of seats sold shouldn't impact full Y availability, unless the flight is fully sold out.

You may of course upgrade your flight using miles+copay, which is 25K miles+$350 for US>Europe.

OSUPoke2007

I remember seeing that on the upgrade chart now, but I was under the impression that my fare code would not allow the miles+copay. Thanks!

flamingpanties

What is the normal wait time for miles credited by AA and Cartera to be added to the miles balance? I have thousands of uncredited miles that aren't going anywhere.

eva53

As a Newbie to this amazing forum, I have taken some time to read and learn all what I can. Although, I must say that I have learned a lot, I'm still need your expertise to plan my booking for my June/ 2014 dream Safari Trip to Kenya and Tanzania. I have been saving my Platinum AA mileage for this trip so I have more than 135,000 miles . How do I go about in booking through One World- What's the best route and most efficient way to book departing from LAX to Nairobi a returning to LAX from Arusha. I would love to stop in some part of Europe for a few days (London or Paris or even Madrid before returning to LAX. I'm trying to be ready for my 331-window- day? I thank this forum in advance for your help

brp

Welcome to FT.

The routing on this one is easy. LAX-LHR(AA)-NBO (BA). The downside to this is that the "taxes" (fuel surcharges) for BA award flights are quite high, and you'll be subject to them. The LAX-LHR flight is, IMO, the best in the AA system. But the fees on the BA leg can be high. Others may have alternatives, but I'm not sure that there are any within OneWorld.

Cheers.

jasonz9238

Greetings.

I am trying to book a trip with my AA miles to take the wife to Maldives some early next year. Using both the BA and Qantas website I was able to see 2 first class seats for cathy pacific. Upon calling AA(I talked to two different reps), I was told they could only see 1 and was able to put that one on hold.

I am not sure what to do at this point as I clearly see that there is 1 more award seat on both the BA and Qantas website but the reps that I've talked to aren't seeing it. Is it a case of phantom availability?

Thanks for the help!

gms

Just to report back and for the benefit of others, unfortunately it was not quite this simple. When I arrived at the counter, the agent informed me that she could not short-check my bag since they had been advised to stop doing this. After some discussion I spoke to the supervisor and she held firm. I eventually asked to speak to the station manager and she acknowledged that since I had two consecutive overnight flights it was a fair request to get my bag back in LHR so I could have a shower (I had 4.5 hour connection, so time was not an issue here). But she did say that normally they will not do this. So others, be warned!

Rene23

First of all, SO glad to have a Newbie Lounge for questions like this!

My daughter is doing a study abroad this summer and I need to get her home from FCO. I have already booked a LH flight (with UA miles), but it has a stop and plane change in MUC. For a few reasons, I'd prefer her to be on a direct flight. I have been waiting and hoping for a milesaaver seat on the FCO-ORD direct flight to open up, but it doesn't appear to be happening. So I think I'm going to go ahead and book an aanytime seat, and cancel the LH flight.

My question is, if a milesaaver award seat does open up, coach or business, will I be able to change it? I assume I would have to pay the $150 change fee, since there is only gold status.

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Yes and yes.

But whether you book FCO-ORD as an AAnytime or as a MileSAAver award, don't forget about AA's free "gateway" stopover option: For the cost of FCO-ORD alone, your daughter can get FCO-ORD (lengthy stopover) - XXX, where XXX can be another North American destination, including those in Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, etc. (All travel on the award must be completed within one year of ticketing date.)

Unless you have reason to believe that AA's FCO-ORD flight is on the verge of selling out, you don't need to book the flight now as an AAnytime award, as these awards are not capacity controlled.

MissSlim

I have two Business Extraa upgrade certificates that expire at the end of June. I can't use them. Am I allowed to give them away to anyone and if so, does anyone here want them. I can send them pronto...

PM if it's kosher to post this and you want them!