Hang on to your wallets - $50 co-pay increase for mileage upgrades, effective Oct 1st
Aug 5, 2008, 7:10 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 536
Hang on to your wallets - $50 co-pay increase for mileage upgrades, effective Oct 1st
New Changes to Upgrade Awards
In addition to the award changes already announced that are taking effect October 1, 2008, AAdvantage will be announcing the following tomorrow:
Effective October 1, 2008, a non-refundable co-payment of $50.00USD will be required to claim one-way upgrade awards used with most Discount Economy fares when traveling:
Within the continental U.S. / Canada
Within and between the continental U.S. / Canada / Mexico / The Caribbean
Between North America and Central America
Additionally, the non-refundable co-payment required when claiming one-way upgrade awards from most Discount Economy fares when traveling between North America and Europe, Japan, China, India, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, or Uruguay will increase from $300.00USD to $350.00USD. Co-pays on upgrades to/from Hawaii and South America Zone 1 will remain at $150.00USD.
In addition to the award changes already announced that are taking effect October 1, 2008, AAdvantage will be announcing the following tomorrow:
Effective October 1, 2008, a non-refundable co-payment of $50.00USD will be required to claim one-way upgrade awards used with most Discount Economy fares when traveling:
Within the continental U.S. / Canada
Within and between the continental U.S. / Canada / Mexico / The Caribbean
Between North America and Central America
Additionally, the non-refundable co-payment required when claiming one-way upgrade awards from most Discount Economy fares when traveling between North America and Europe, Japan, China, India, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, or Uruguay will increase from $300.00USD to $350.00USD. Co-pays on upgrades to/from Hawaii and South America Zone 1 will remain at $150.00USD.
Last edited by pdog02; Aug 5, 2008 at 7:37 pm Reason: better search
Aug 5, 2008, 7:18 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SLC
Programs: DL PM, Hilton/Marriott Gold
Posts: 971
New Changes to Upgrade Awards
In addition to the award changes already announced that are taking effect October 1, 2008, AAdvantage will be announcing the following tomorrow:
Effective October 1, 2008, a non-refundable co-payment of $50.00USD will be required to claim one-way upgrade awards used with most Discount Economy fares when traveling:
Within the continental U.S. / Canada
Within and between the continental U.S. / Canada / Mexico / The Caribbean
Between North America and Central America
Additionally, the non-refundable co-payment required when claiming one-way upgrade awards from most Discount Economy fares when traveling between North America and Europe, Japan, China, India, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, or Uruguay will increase from $300.00USD to $350.00USD. Co-pays on upgrades to/from Hawaii and South America Zone 1 will remain at $150.00USD.
In addition to the award changes already announced that are taking effect October 1, 2008, AAdvantage will be announcing the following tomorrow:
Effective October 1, 2008, a non-refundable co-payment of $50.00USD will be required to claim one-way upgrade awards used with most Discount Economy fares when traveling:
Within the continental U.S. / Canada
Within and between the continental U.S. / Canada / Mexico / The Caribbean
Between North America and Central America
Additionally, the non-refundable co-payment required when claiming one-way upgrade awards from most Discount Economy fares when traveling between North America and Europe, Japan, China, India, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, or Uruguay will increase from $300.00USD to $350.00USD. Co-pays on upgrades to/from Hawaii and South America Zone 1 will remain at $150.00USD.
Aug 5, 2008, 7:20 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: AS 100K, AA Gold, IC Diamond AMB, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,840
Here you go, quite reliable.
Aug 5, 2008, 7:29 pm
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: AA/BA
Posts: 241
Aug 5, 2008, 7:32 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: SJC/VCE
Programs: AA PLT (2.9+ MM), HH GLD, Hyatt Diamond, SPG PLT
Posts: 10,161
This change will likely have a lot of interest on this board - perhaps a more descriptive title will result in fewer duplicate threads on the same subject.
Aug 5, 2008, 8:03 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: NYC&RIC-AA LT PLT w/3.9mm
Programs: Ex-BA Silver; Ex-UA Premier
Posts: 1,135
Aug 5, 2008, 8:06 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,449
Hmmm... I guess if they're going to charge to use stickers, I'll just have to drink more. 
Not very welcome news. I'm EXP at the moment (will they leave EXPs alone, I wonder?), but I don't see keeping that for many more years, so upgrade charges will definitely figure into my strategy for using stickers.
Not very welcome news. I'm EXP at the moment (will they leave EXPs alone, I wonder?), but I don't see keeping that for many more years, so upgrade charges will definitely figure into my strategy for using stickers.
Aug 5, 2008, 8:12 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NYC/PSP
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold
Posts: 4,106
I think the $50 co-pay is for mileage one-way upgrade awards, not stickers.
Aug 5, 2008, 8:27 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA 1.5 MM Exec Plat, WN A-List, DL Silver, UA nonrev
Posts: 2,593
Hmmm... I guess if they're going to charge to use stickers, I'll just have to drink more.
Not very welcome news. I'm EXP at the moment (will they leave EXPs alone, I wonder?), but I don't see keeping that for many more years, so upgrade charges will definitely figure into my strategy for using stickers.
Not very welcome news. I'm EXP at the moment (will they leave EXPs alone, I wonder?), but I don't see keeping that for many more years, so upgrade charges will definitely figure into my strategy for using stickers.
Aug 5, 2008, 8:36 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,449
As justforfun correctly points out, this $50 fee is for upgrade award using mileage, not for using electronic upgrades ("stickers"). An EXP will still be exempt from paying expedite fees. Like everyone else, however, EXPs will still have to pay the co-pay in addition to using mileage for the upgrade.
Thanks to both miamigrad and justforfun for regrounding me!
Still
.
Aug 5, 2008, 8:59 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10,968
Looks like our eVIPs are getting more valuable by the week.
Good news for EXPs. Fewer elites competing for mileage/eVIP upgrade seats.
Good news for EXPs. Fewer elites competing for mileage/eVIP upgrade seats.
Aug 5, 2008, 8:59 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,535
It's OK. Reading this thread would make anyone's mind feeble. 
Cheers.
Cheers.
Aug 5, 2008, 9:31 pm
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Tampa, Florida, U.S.A.
Posts: 7,664
Aug 5, 2008, 9:35 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 172
Does anyone use eVIPs for domestic flights? I would just use stickers for upgrading domestic flights and save the eVIPs for international, which this new fee doesn't apply to.