Dec 9, 2013, 1:06 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
AA / US Reciprocal Elite Benefits [Master Thread]
Please contribute summary information and links to key posts here in this wikipost!
Soon after migration of US accounts to AA, SWUs will be usable on US by US flights. (JonNYC)
AA Press Release: US Airways to Join oneworld on March 31, 2014
As of Dec 15, signs appeared at some airports inviting elites of either airline to use the First Class ticket counter check in lines. See posts 82 & 83.
Update to aa.com as of January 7th detailing reciprocity of elite status benefits. Answers to many of the FAQs on this forum can be found here.
Elite/Preferred Seating, not Upgrades
For the purpose of seating on US, all AA elites are eligible for US Preferred Seating equally (no difference between the status levels).
US Preferred Seating is typically the front of coach and the exit rows. There is no MCE product so only some exit rows and bulkhead will have more space (depending on the aircraft). There are seats called ChoiceSeats that are not free for any US or AA elites. Pick a Preferred Seat for free.
For the purpose of seating on AA, US Silver will have the same as AA Gold. All other higher US Preferred will have full access to all AA reserved seating. including Main Cabin Extra.
AA Preferred Seating is in two parts, Main Cabin Extra and Preferred Seats.
Starting 3/18/14, US Silver/AA Gold only have free access within 24 hours of departure (based on availability). Preferred Seating does not have additional leg room as compared to MCE, but might be better than a normal seat depending on the aircraft. The only special seats for sale for any elite will be MCE for US Silver/AA Gold ahead of the 24 hours free access (50% off the normal price).
Upgrades
Please see: AA and US cross program and merged FFP upgrade questions (merged threads)
Starting 6/11/14, AA and US elite customers have the opportunity for reciprocal upgrades.
For AA elite members on US Airways-marketed (US flight number)/US operated flight:
-At 24 hours check-in, if a seat is available on a first-come, first-served basis, a complementary upgrade would be available for any AA elite. One non-status companion is also included in the benefit. If it is a mixed itinerary, you will likely need to ask a US agent to be considered if an AA flight was first.
For AA elite members on US Airways-marketed (US flight number)/AA operated flight:
-At 24 hour check-in, if a seat is available on a first-come, first-served basis, a sort of like 500 miles unit upgrade option will be available for AA Plat/Gold at $30 per unit. AA EXP will have a complementary option.
For both programs, it is very likely that elites who were eligible for normal upgrades on the flights before the 24-hours new program will have priority. Also, status in program does not indicate priority, it is first-come, first-served.
There are some other exceptions for AA elite members which you can find here.
For US elite members on AA marketed (AA flight number)/AA operated flight:
-At 24 hour check-in, if a seat is available on a first-come, first-served basis, a sort of like 500 miles unit upgrade option will be available for US Plat/Gold/Silver at $30 per unit. US CP will have a complementary option.
Non-US elite companions are not free nor discounted and may have a different priced option (LFBU).
For US elite members on AA marketed (AA flight number)/US operated flight:
Still no upgrade option.
There are some other exceptions for US elite members which you can find here.
Other features, such as (new AA) SWU use, etc. will come about when both AA and USDM FFPs are fully merged into the new AAdvantage FFP "some time during the second quarter".
AA / US Reciprocal Elite Benefits [Master Thread]
Jan 3, 2014, 6:32 am
#166
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: High Point, NC
Programs: None
Posts: 9,171
To me the natural way to combine the programs is to duplicate US' four tier structure with status tiers at 25K, 50K, 75K, and 100K miles.
Jim
Jan 3, 2014, 9:01 am
#167
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: BOS
Programs: Marriott LTG, HHonors Diamond, Nat'l Exec
Posts: 3,581
Jan 3, 2014, 9:34 am
#168
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
Posts: 1,838
I would predict status quo on baggage for now, easiest thing to implement. 2 bags free for US Silvers when traveling on AA and 1 bag for AA Gold when traveling on US. Long term it will probably sync up, with AA probably loosing a bag since Doogie will want the money.
Jan 3, 2014, 10:03 am
#169
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: AA Plat + SPG Plat
Posts: 235
I re-read some of the merger verbiage on usairways.com and some language stuck when looking at it again, "In early 2014, we’ll be entering into a codeshare agreement with American, which means that you’ll be able to seamlessly book travel throughout the US Airways and American network." To me this almost leads one to believe there's no way reciprocal upgrades are going to happen anytime soon.
Does anyone else have any thoughts about this, specifically considering this exact verbiage?
Does anyone else have any thoughts about this, specifically considering this exact verbiage?
Jan 3, 2014, 11:04 am
#170
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: WAS, LAX
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,330
Jan 3, 2014, 11:26 am
#171
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AAdvantage Gold, United MileagePlus Gold, Marriott Rewards Gold, SPG Gold, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 101
I re-read some of the merger verbiage on usairways.com and some language stuck when looking at it again, "In early 2014, we’ll be entering into a codeshare agreement with American, which means that you’ll be able to seamlessly book travel throughout the US Airways and American network." To me this almost leads one to believe there's no way reciprocal upgrades are going to happen anytime soon.
Does anyone else have any thoughts about this, specifically considering this exact verbiage?
Does anyone else have any thoughts about this, specifically considering this exact verbiage?
Jan 3, 2014, 1:14 pm
#172
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: US CP, HH Diamond, Marriott Silver.
Posts: 325
US CP Selected MCE on AA Flight for No Charge...
I booked a trip to AUS today on US for mid-January (HOME -> CLT -> AUS / AUS -> DFW -> CLT -> HOME) and one leg (AUS to DFW) was on AA. After getting my PNR's for both the US and AA segments from US I went on to AA.com and selected a MCE seat for the AA leg and got it for no charge.
Not sure if I was just lucky or if the system is already allowing US CP's to book MCE on AA at no charge for flights departing after the Jan 7th magic date?
Any other US CP's seeing the same yet?
Not sure if I was just lucky or if the system is already allowing US CP's to book MCE on AA at no charge for flights departing after the Jan 7th magic date?
Any other US CP's seeing the same yet?
Jan 3, 2014, 2:55 pm
#173
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Baltimore/Washington, USA
Programs: AA LT Platinum, Hilton LT Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 3,076
I have not flown on US in over a year, nor have I had any account activity. I have had plenty of activity on AA. Do I risk forfeiting my US miles soon (over 50k)? Or will they merger the accounts in the next four months?
Jan 3, 2014, 2:56 pm
#174
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: I fly too much and stay at too many hotels
Posts: 489
I posted this on the other thread but I think this is a more appropriate place:
I am currently Gold status on US and Plat on AA. I will be losing my Plat status (bumped to Gold) on AA on Feb 28, 2014 but will be US Gold through 2015.
Will AA up me back to Plat on the projected Jan 7th date?
I am currently Gold status on US and Plat on AA. I will be losing my Plat status (bumped to Gold) on AA on Feb 28, 2014 but will be US Gold through 2015.
Will AA up me back to Plat on the projected Jan 7th date?
Jan 3, 2014, 4:31 pm
#175
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: High Point, NC
Programs: None
Posts: 9,171
Jim
Jan 3, 2014, 11:06 pm
#176
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold, Hertz PC, AMEX PLT
Posts: 314
I don't see where AA would move you back to Plat. You did not qualify for Plat in the current plan year. US Gold is not automatically equivalent to AA Plat even though the thresholds are the same. This is going to be their difficulty, merging a three tier program with a four tier program. If every US Gold becomes AA Plat, then what do the US Plat's become - because there should be no way they become AA EXP. I suspect that they will keep a four tier approach - just my guess - or else they will seriously devalue all of the credit card folks who got a card just to be silver.
Jan 4, 2014, 10:10 am
#177
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Honolulu, HI
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 1,240
You risk losing the miles. I suspect program merger won't happen until a year or so. I would just extend it now by buying a $1 iTunes song.
Jan 4, 2014, 11:22 am
#178
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: AUS, GVA, and in between
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 178
Sorry, no useful info :-( I assume this wasn't through usairways.com (and not codeshared, just an AA segment on your US reservation)?
As a somewhat related comment - the last time I was sent on the CLT - DFW - AUS shuffle (March 2013), it turned out that the AA flight seatmap was displayed on usairways.com and seats were selectable there - this is something that they never managed for UA codeshares (!). So the infrastructure may already be there to handle MCE etc. for the AA codeshares when they appear.
As a somewhat related comment - the last time I was sent on the CLT - DFW - AUS shuffle (March 2013), it turned out that the AA flight seatmap was displayed on usairways.com and seats were selectable there - this is something that they never managed for UA codeshares (!). So the infrastructure may already be there to handle MCE etc. for the AA codeshares when they appear.
I booked a trip to AUS today on US for mid-January (HOME -> CLT -> AUS / AUS -> DFW -> CLT -> HOME) and one leg (AUS to DFW) was on AA. After getting my PNR's for both the US and AA segments from US I went on to AA.com and selected a MCE seat for the AA leg and got it for no charge.
Not sure if I was just lucky or if the system is already allowing US CP's to book MCE on AA at no charge for flights departing after the Jan 7th magic date?
Any other US CP's seeing the same yet?
Not sure if I was just lucky or if the system is already allowing US CP's to book MCE on AA at no charge for flights departing after the Jan 7th magic date?
Any other US CP's seeing the same yet?
Jan 4, 2014, 11:35 am
#179
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
My US/AA combined reservation for this upcoming week (US on Monday, AA on Thursday) required me to call US to get a seat assignment and there was no recognition of benefits and she didn't really even know what I was referencing when I said I was an EXP on AA 
The flight itself was purchased via AA (actually google.com/flights ---> aa.com)
Let's see how well they can work together as I try to move my US flight to an AA one tomorrow with the weather waiver (all the US flights are booked full)
The flight itself was purchased via AA (actually google.com/flights ---> aa.com)
Let's see how well they can work together as I try to move my US flight to an AA one tomorrow with the weather waiver (all the US flights are booked full)
Last edited by Duke787; Jan 4, 2014 at 11:40 am
Jan 4, 2014, 12:16 pm
#180
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SOF
Programs: A3 Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 849
My US/AA combined reservation for this upcoming week (US on Monday, AA on Thursday) required me to call US to get a seat assignment and there was no recognition of benefits and she didn't really even know what I was referencing when I said I was an EXP on AA
The flight itself was purchased via AA (actually google.com/flights ---> aa.com)
Let's see how well they can work together as I try to move my US flight to an AA one tomorrow with the weather waiver (all the US flights are booked full)
The flight itself was purchased via AA (actually google.com/flights ---> aa.com)
Let's see how well they can work together as I try to move my US flight to an AA one tomorrow with the weather waiver (all the US flights are booked full)