Award ticket and MCE / Main Cabin Extra or Premium seat: possible? (master thd)

Mar 19, 17, 2:04 pm - Wikipost

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Award Ticket and Main Cabin Extra / MCE or Premium Seat

From aa.com:

Award and MCE & Premium Seat FAQ on MCE, on aa.com: Link

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdemaria

On aa.com, FAQ on MCE:

Q: Can I purchase the new seat product if I am traveling on an AAdvantage MileSAAver Award ticket or Business Extra PlanAAhead ticket?

A: Elite status members may select Main Cabin Extra seats when traveling on MileSAAver or PlanAAhead Award tickets. However, Main Cabin Extra is not available for purchase by non-elite customers traveling on MileSAAver or PlanAAhead Award tickets.

Q: Can I purchase a Main Cabin Extra seat if I am traveling on an AAdvantage AAnytime Award ticket or a Business ExtrAA Anytime Award?

A: Yes. Main Cabin Extra is complimentary to passengers traveling on AAnytime Award tickets.

On a related note: link

Elite member access (purchased ticket)

Main Cabin Extra seats are complimentary for:

AAdvantage® Executive Platinum and AAdvantage Platinum members*
oneworld® Sapphire and oneworld Emerald members*
Customers who purchase a full-fare Main Cabin ticket
Alaska Airlines MVP® Gold and MVP® Gold 75K customers*
*and up to eight traveling companions on the same reservation

AAdvantage Gold, oneworld Ruby members and Alaska Airlines MVP® customers* may:

Purchase Main Cabin Extra seats for 50% off or
Enjoy complimentary access within 24 hours of departure when seats are available

*and up to eight traveling companions on the same reservation

Updated 5 Dec 2016 by JDiver

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Mar 13, 13, 8:54 am

kod92

Original Poster

Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: New York City

Programs: AAdvantage, Mileage Plus, Skymiles

Posts: 33

Award ticket and MCE / Main Cabin Extra or Premium seat: possible? (master thd)

Is it possible to upgrade a regular saver award in coach to a MCE seat? I'm assuming I would have to call- also does anyone know cost associated with this? (OGG-LAX)

Thanks!

Mar 13, 13, 8:57 am

no1cub17

Join Date: Aug 2012

Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold

Posts: 2,216

From my understanding if you have status you can pick MCE seats for free - and if you don't you can pay the fee - what happens when you try to select your seat online?

Mar 13, 13, 8:57 am

brp

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: SJC

Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, AS 75K Gold MVP, and some hotel stuff...

Posts: 32,587

No, it isn't.

a. Awards can't be upgraded
b. There is currently no differentiation, AFAIK, for MCE in award land anyway.

Cheers.

Mar 13, 13, 9:01 am

kod92

Original Poster

Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: New York City

Programs: AAdvantage, Mileage Plus, Skymiles

Posts: 33

Yes the MCE seats are available just not for awards. I am willing to pay- still not possible?

Mar 13, 13, 9:26 am

kod92

Original Poster

Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: New York City

Programs: AAdvantage, Mileage Plus, Skymiles

Posts: 33

The MCE seats are available if I go through the motions of actually buying the ticket instead of using award- safe to say they are available?

Mar 13, 13, 9:28 am

no1cub17

Join Date: Aug 2012

Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold

Posts: 2,216

Interesting - I didn't realize MCE wouldn't be available for award tickets. Don't remember reading about that anywhere. Interesting because unlike other cabins like CX's Y+ or BA's WT+, MCE isn't really an extra cabin, just a preferred "subsection" within Y.

Mar 13, 13, 9:35 am

Greg76248

Join Date: Oct 2003

Location: Ft Worth, TX, AA EXP 4MM, UA 1K, HH Diamond,

Posts: 260

I booked an award flight for a non-status friend, and had no option to select any MCE seats.

Mar 13, 13, 10:02 am

bdemaria

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Apr 2006

Location: SJC/VCE

Programs: AA PLT (2.9+ MM), HH GLD, Hyatt Diamond, SPG PLT

Posts: 10,161

Quote:

Originally Posted by kod92

The MCE seats are available if I go through the motions of actually buying the ticket instead of using award- safe to say they are available?

On aa.com, FAQ on MCE:

Q: Can I purchase the new seat product if I am traveling on an AAdvantage MileSAAver Award ticket or Business Extra PlanAAhead ticket?

A: Elite status members may select Main Cabin Extra seats when traveling on MileSAAver or PlanAAhead Award tickets. However, Main Cabin Extra is not available for purchase by non-elite customers traveling on MileSAAver or PlanAAhead Award tickets.

Mar 13, 13, 10:05 am

bdemaria

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Apr 2006

Location: SJC/VCE

Programs: AA PLT (2.9+ MM), HH GLD, Hyatt Diamond, SPG PLT

Posts: 10,161

Quote:

Originally Posted by no1cub17

I just double checked the rules, and it is only available for Elites on awards.

Mar 13, 13, 10:09 am

#10

allenh91801

Join Date: Mar 2012

Location: Southern California

Programs: AA: EXP, SPG: Gold

Posts: 201

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdemaria

I just double checked the rules, and it is only available for Elites on awards.

At least it's avail for elites on an award basis.

Mar 13, 13, 10:13 am

#11

brp

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: SJC

Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, AS 75K Gold MVP, and some hotel stuff...

Posts: 32,587

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdemaria

Weird. Details about AA are on AA's website. Whoda thunk it.

Cheers.

Mar 13, 13, 5:09 pm

#12

gcsmith

Join Date: Feb 2006

Location: Tucson, AZ

Programs: AA Platinum, HIlton Gold

Posts: 185

Quote:

Originally Posted by allenh91801

At least it's avail for elites on an award basis.

I think it is also available for Anytime tickets which code as full fare economy.

Jul 28, 13, 12:14 pm

#13

randapex

Join Date: Mar 2012

Programs: AA Platinum 7+ million miles

Posts: 139

AA won't let me book MCE on AS award

I've booked flights on AA using some of my Alaska miles. I'm AA platinum, no status on AS. When I use the AA PNR to choose seats on AA, only the basic seats are available. I called AA and the agent said that I couldn't book MCE because I was on an Alaskan award.

AA says this about MCE on their website:
"AAdvantage elite status members and oneworld equivalents* have complimentary access to these seats and will continue to receive PriorityAAccess boarding as part of your benefits"

I couldn't find anything saying elites lose their privileges on AA if booked using another airlines miles. If they are correct, does that mean I'll have to pay for luggage on the first leg, which is coach while the remaining two are in F. CUR/MIA/LAX/SEA?