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 4, 2014, 12:19 pm
#181
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SOF
Programs: A3 Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 849
I don't think that's necessary. They've announced that on January 7th, I. e. 3 days away, they will implement a lot of reciprocity. If that includes the ability to transfer miles between programs, one can transfer miles from US DM to AA and thus, show up as activity on the account and extend the expiration date. Even if that's not available right now, it's probably in the works and should be available soon if we're basing this on previous mergers.
Jan 4, 2014, 12:19 pm
#182
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
She then proceeded for who knows what reason to take the US flight out of my itinerary (which I noticed when I refreshed my screen and saw it gone). So now I've been waiting 30 minutes on hold with US to get them to put the flight back in (it's a sold out flight too so this should be fun and I have no US status at all so no EXP / CP agent to help me out).
Jan 4, 2014, 12:44 pm
#183
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: AUS, GVA, and in between
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 178
Haha, if only. That was a total fail. The US CSR actually told me she could not change my US flight b/c it was an AA-issued ticket and the computer wouldn't accept her changing it (she also told me she couldn't put me on an AA flight tomorrow night because "they don't have a shared operating certificate yet").
Jan 4, 2014, 1:01 pm
#184
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
That's my next move, but I'm still on hold with USAir (closing in on 3 hours now) because now I need my original flight re-instated since the CSR removed it for no reason.
Staying OT with the thread, I hope that starting Tuesday US / AA customer service #'s are able to recognize elites from the other. I've been waiting close to 3 hours now to get through to USAir because their own rep dropped my outbound leg the first time I called
Staying OT with the thread, I hope that starting Tuesday US / AA customer service #'s are able to recognize elites from the other. I've been waiting close to 3 hours now to get through to USAir because their own rep dropped my outbound leg the first time I called
Last edited by Duke787; Jan 4, 2014 at 2:38 pm
Jan 4, 2014, 2:59 pm
#185
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: US CP, HH Diamond, Marriott Silver.
Posts: 325
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.
usairways.com does show the AA segment on my profile but would not allow a seat selection (no seat map) for that leg so I copied the locator number for that segment and went to aa.com to select my seat. MCE was offered at no charge to me. Oddly, aa.com does not have my US FF number listed on the record for that segment.
I'm scratching my head because aa.com let me pick MCE at no charge but does not show a FF number of any kind on my record (at least on the aa.com site) for the AA segment. Hopefully I'll be able to add that after 1/7 to get credit for that segment and miles. I do not have an AA FF account.
Last edited by coswellnc; Jan 4, 2014 at 3:14 pm
Jan 4, 2014, 3:42 pm
#186
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
That's my next move, but I'm still on hold with USAir (closing in on 3 hours now) because now I need my original flight re-instated since the CSR removed it for no reason.
Staying OT with the thread, I hope that starting Tuesday US / AA customer service #'s are able to recognize elites from the other. I've been waiting close to 3 hours now to get through to USAir because their own rep dropped my outbound leg the first time I called
Staying OT with the thread, I hope that starting Tuesday US / AA customer service #'s are able to recognize elites from the other. I've been waiting close to 3 hours now to get through to USAir because their own rep dropped my outbound leg the first time I called
What a mess. Anyone on here who thinks these reciprocal benefits are going to happen quickly and go smoothly lives in a fantasy-land. How are they going to possibly handle this well if they can't even make this happened on a paid mixed itinerary that has the outbound the day before reciprocal benefits go-live. I will be wary going forward in booking mixed-itinerary tickets and where possible if I need to use both AA and US on the same trip just book them as one-ways (if they are priced to do so) since it's clear to me that in IRROPS and weather situations they still are very much separate entities.
Jan 4, 2014, 4:49 pm
#187
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,516
Well, I bit the bullet and booked a 4-segment trip on US for later this month. I'm hoping that there will be a mechanism at the end of the year to combined EQM/EQS from both airlines to determine (re)qualification. I rarely do mileage runs, but I'm looking forward to utilizing CLT to add an extra leg here and there on my way home from a trip for just the $10 marginal cost in fees.
Jan 4, 2014, 5:59 pm
#188
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
Posts: 1,838
Well, I bit the bullet and booked a 4-segment trip on US for later this month. I'm hoping that there will be a mechanism at the end of the year to combined EQM/EQS from both airlines to determine (re)qualification. I rarely do mileage runs, but I'm looking forward to utilizing CLT to add an extra leg here and there on my way home from a trip for just the $10 marginal cost in fees.
Jan 4, 2014, 6:44 pm
#189
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Escondido, CA
Programs: US Chairman no more. AA EXP
Posts: 682
At an undisclosed location with a closed US Club and a still open Admirals Club, I was admitted with an AMEX Plat and a same day boarding pass. Had to ask very nicely and was told it was a one time deal.
Jan 4, 2014, 10:49 pm
#190
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Charlotte
Programs: US CP
Posts: 224
Jan 5, 2014, 1:16 pm
#191
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 534
I'm really hoping we get some solid information on the 7th, because I have a flight segment in early February on TA. I'd prefer to not have to get a US FF# to get credit for that flight (although I will if that's what it will take).
Jan 5, 2014, 8:21 pm
#192
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 10,959
Jan 5, 2014, 8:53 pm
#193
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Escondido, CA
Programs: US Chairman no more. AA EXP
Posts: 682
Jan 5, 2014, 10:31 pm
#194
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 10,959
Jan 5, 2014, 11:04 pm
#195
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,516
That's what I'm hoping as well, but it won't be the end of the world if I have to keep two balances until November or December and then have them combine the EQM/EQS. I don't really need any other perks for this trip as I'm just taking a 1-suiter garment cover and a small duffel, and my longer flights are only half-full. Double RDM would be nice, but I'm not expecting that on US flights until the codesharing kicks in.