How to upgrade myself on OneWorld flights?
 

Hi all-

I apologize if the answers to these questions are hiding in the forum somewhere. I did a search and didn't have much luck. My family and I are flying to Thailand. This is a rather last-minute trip and so I am just about to book the tickets now. My parents are flying one set of dates and my brother and I am flying separately. The question is how to best get us all into business/first without paying out the... for it. :)

My parents want to fly BOS-LHR-BKK(-HKT), but they would like to do a stopover in LHR for a few days. Obviously this is a very BA route. I have no experience upgrading with them (and as far as I know AA VIPOWs will do me to good). Advice?

My brother and I are looking at DFW-HKG-BKK(-HKT). We would like to take a stopover in HKG. I know that I can do most of this on AA metal, and so I am assuming that the best way would be to use VIPOWs. However, is there any way that I could route us back through LHR on the way to the states for a stopover there and if so, will I be stuck with the problem I had above?

Help please! Thanks!
Chris

AA VIPOW (as many call it eVIP) is only good for AA metal only - not AA codeshare or OW partners.

Since you are asking "upgrading," I assume that you are going to purchase Y tickets. If so, you can purchase tickets with stopovers as you like.

AA metal doesn't go to HKG so you can't use eVIP.

eVIPs work only on AA airplanes, so BOS-LHR, and DFW-NRT are both possibilities for that, assuming you have eVIPs and inventory opens up.

There is no way to use any AA currency--miles, eVIPs, stickers--to upgrade from economy to a premium cabin on another airline's airplane. The only way to use miles to get into a premium cabin for your entire trip to Thailand would be to book an award into one.

Good luck!

If you and your brother want to go through LHR on the way back, you should look into a OneWorld RTW ticket, it might even be quite reasonable in J class.

LAX-HKG you might want to look at AA codeshares on EVA air via Taiwan / TPE for lower priced Business class (Premium Laurel business class is what you want.) You might find reasonable EVA prices onto BKK. But after that, you are on your own - as others have said, miles, firstborns and eVIPs (née VIPOWS) can only be used on American Airlines metal.

"Last minute" and "cheap fares" or "easy upgrade availability" generally do not work in the same sentence. ;)