ARCHIVE: BusinessExtra / Business Extra Awards (consolidated)
Sep 2, 2013, 3:41 pm
#16
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Sketchy - how so? Your BP will show A fare bucket, but the ticket will remain in the purchased one. I used BXP1 SAN to MIA, paid for A on the return during a bonus mileage promotion - 3X for A, 2X for Y. Bonus miles showed up in my account the next day, along with the standard miles for the flight - 2X for the BXP1 upgrade segment.
Sep 3, 2013, 5:57 am
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago O'Hare
Programs: AA EXP, LT PLT 2.6MM, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 678
Sketchy - how so? Your BP will show A fare bucket, but the ticket will remain in the purchased one. I used BXP1 SAN to MIA, paid for A on the return during a bonus mileage promotion - 3X for A, 2X for Y. Bonus miles showed up in my account the next day, along with the standard miles for the flight - 2X for the BXP1 upgrade segment.
Oct 4, 2013, 4:10 pm
#18
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
When reserving a BXP1 upgrade, be sure to remind the Meeting Services agent to enter your Business Extraa account number in the new ticket - yes, they create a new ticket number for the upgrade, must manually enter your account number. I have been waiting for an August flight to post, sent an email approx 1 month ago, ended up calling today. The rep was very friendly, confirmed my request, expected the points for the flight will post in 2 -3 more weeks, bonus points 7 - 10 weeks after the end of the promo. After doing all of the research to pull the ticket, verify the promo, the rep would have put the points in my account, but I am not in a hurry to use them.
May 4, 2014, 6:19 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: NYC, LAX, HKG
Posts: 286
As in, for 3-class transcon, can I use miles to upgrade to C (on a paid Y ticket) and BXP1 to get F?
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by mcdullhk88; May 4, 2014 at 6:29 pm
May 4, 2014, 10:04 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: BOS, LAX
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 804
Do I understand the language in the T&C correctly that a BXP1 upgrade is good for a single segment only? In other words if I fly East Coast-DFW-West Coast as the outbound part of a return ticket East Coast - West Coast - East Coast, would I be able to upgrade only either the East Coast-DFW or DFW-West Coast segment but not both of this one-way part of the ticket?
May 4, 2014, 10:36 pm
#22
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP 3MM
Posts: 1,773
Do I understand the language in the T&C correctly that a BXP1 upgrade is good for a single segment only? In other words if I fly East Coast-DFW-West Coast as the outbound part of a return ticket East Coast - West Coast - East Coast, would I be able to upgrade only either the East Coast-DFW or DFW-West Coast segment but not both of this one-way part of the ticket?
May 5, 2014, 8:23 am
#23
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Palm Beach/ New England
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, DL GM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,382
Are BXP1s valid to upgrade from paid business (D, I, J) to first on 3-class transcons? I assumed no, but looking at the fine print, it specifically does not exclude it. The phrase "next class of service" is used.
However, the language around the QSON fares being excluded does mention that the agent should validate the ticket is in another economy fare bucket (not a business cabin fare).
However, the language around the QSON fares being excluded does mention that the agent should validate the ticket is in another economy fare bucket (not a business cabin fare).
May 5, 2014, 12:48 pm
#24
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: NYC, LAX, HKG
Posts: 286
Are BXP1s valid to upgrade from paid business (D, I, J) to first on 3-class transcons? I assumed no, but looking at the fine print, it specifically does not exclude it. The phrase "next class of service" is used.
However, the language around the QSON fares being excluded does mention that the agent should validate the ticket is in another economy fare bucket (not a business cabin fare).
However, the language around the QSON fares being excluded does mention that the agent should validate the ticket is in another economy fare bucket (not a business cabin fare).
"Following your lead I also did SJU-JFK-LAX-HNL using BXP-1 for upgrade to FC on AA 3-it was well worth the use of the upgrade, with only 3 pax we had FA ratio of 1 to 1, and excellent menu and bevs-I chose the shrimp scampi, altogether 4 courses. Came back on AS FC with 37.5K redeemed(into ORD). Did not get the "double" EQP and RDM you did but for less than $700 it was great travel, great miles, etc. Thanks for the tip-and look for JFK-LAX FC early AM departures for less than $500, selected dates next few months unless now gone."
May 5, 2014, 12:58 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,342
Somehow one commenter on this blog post managed to upgrade from Business to First on a transcon on the A321T. Here's the comment by happy@35K.
"Following your lead I also did SJU-JFK-LAX-HNL using BXP-1 for upgrade to FC on AA 3-it was well worth the use of the upgrade, with only 3 pax we had FA ratio of 1 to 1, and excellent menu and bevs-I chose the shrimp scampi, altogether 4 courses. Came back on AS FC with 37.5K redeemed(into ORD). Did not get the "double" EQP and RDM you did but for less than $700 it was great travel, great miles, etc. Thanks for the tip-and look for JFK-LAX FC early AM departures for less than $500, selected dates next few months unless now gone."
"Following your lead I also did SJU-JFK-LAX-HNL using BXP-1 for upgrade to FC on AA 3-it was well worth the use of the upgrade, with only 3 pax we had FA ratio of 1 to 1, and excellent menu and bevs-I chose the shrimp scampi, altogether 4 courses. Came back on AS FC with 37.5K redeemed(into ORD). Did not get the "double" EQP and RDM you did but for less than $700 it was great travel, great miles, etc. Thanks for the tip-and look for JFK-LAX FC early AM departures for less than $500, selected dates next few months unless now gone."
I almost got a double upgrade once when my AA85 went mech and the res agent wanted to put me in 3 class A on AA177 (and blocked a seat for me in F). Gate agent was going to honor, but alas, there were no seats open. Did still get business, though.
Are BXP1s valid to upgrade from paid business (D, I, J) to first on 3-class transcons? I assumed no, but looking at the fine print, it specifically does not exclude it. The phrase "next class of service" is used.
However, the language around the QSON fares being excluded does mention that the agent should validate the ticket is in another economy fare bucket (not a business cabin fare).
However, the language around the QSON fares being excluded does mention that the agent should validate the ticket is in another economy fare bucket (not a business cabin fare).
Last edited by Apieinthesky; May 5, 2014 at 2:41 pm Reason: added exact terms
May 19, 2014, 8:21 am
#26
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Lubbock, TX
Programs: AAPlatinum, UA
Posts: 250
Well, I decided to redeem for this award (BXP1) today for the first time. Called the number 800-433-1790 and they put me in the "waiting list" for the trip. They are going to mail the certificate and hope to get it before I travel, in 5 weeks. Does the "waiting list" work as the "upgrade list" then? I guess the upgrade is not confirmed at all until the very day you are traveling?
May 24, 2014, 8:28 pm
#27
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 205
I've upgraded dozens of segments this way. I never request the cert until Meeting Services clears the upgrade. I use ExpertFlyer to confirm availability before I even ticket, but still wait to redeem the cert just in case.
The process to upgrade is usually very smooth, but the airport process can be painful as these are rarely seen by agents and they typically are confused.
It's very easy to put an itinerary on hold (that includes O, Q, S, or N inventory) and then call reservations to have them upfare to G (or the lowest available if there's no G in the market). The change in fare varies greatly.
Occasionally there has not been inventory for the upgrade and the loads looked tight, so I've bought a O/Q/S/N fare. Then the inventory opened. In those cases I've never failed to have EXP upfare the already ticketed itinerary without charging a change fee (i.e. just the fare difference). Meeting Services will also do this, but they will not waive the fee.
These are great upgrade instruments for certain situations. But they're also a pain and BusinessExtraa/Meeting Services can be quite challenging.
Best improvement in these recently was the change to allow the upgrade to process any time after ticketing. They used to only work 30 days prior to each segment. In those cases the fee-free "change" to upfare was key.
The process to upgrade is usually very smooth, but the airport process can be painful as these are rarely seen by agents and they typically are confused.
It's very easy to put an itinerary on hold (that includes O, Q, S, or N inventory) and then call reservations to have them upfare to G (or the lowest available if there's no G in the market). The change in fare varies greatly.
Occasionally there has not been inventory for the upgrade and the loads looked tight, so I've bought a O/Q/S/N fare. Then the inventory opened. In those cases I've never failed to have EXP upfare the already ticketed itinerary without charging a change fee (i.e. just the fare difference). Meeting Services will also do this, but they will not waive the fee.
These are great upgrade instruments for certain situations. But they're also a pain and BusinessExtraa/Meeting Services can be quite challenging.
Best improvement in these recently was the change to allow the upgrade to process any time after ticketing. They used to only work 30 days prior to each segment. In those cases the fee-free "change" to upfare was key.
Thanks,
May 25, 2014, 11:25 am
#28
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Lubbock, TX
Programs: AAPlatinum, UA
Posts: 250
Good luck!
May 25, 2014, 2:58 pm
#29
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 205
I thought I was confusing the department dealing with paper voucher with the meeting service. The paper voucher was directed to mailed to AA department in FL, while the meeting service is in Dallas, TX
May 25, 2014, 6:03 pm
#30
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 17
Is there another way (expertflyer maybe?) to look at availability for BXP1 upgrade space ?
thanks
thanks