Feb 9, 2014, 4:19 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: Prospero

AAdvantage Miles Upgrade Awards and options on other carriers
Only allowed on specific British Airways (BA) and Iberia (IB)fares

AADVANTAGE PARTICIPATING AIRLINES UPGRADE AWARDS (See: Mileage upgrades on British Airways and Iberia)

AAdvantage members may use AAdvantage miles to upgrade on American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia flights*. Miles may be used to upgrade yourself or anyone you designate. And now, you can upgrade tickets booked by American Airlines (via Reservations or AA.com) as well as bookings made through a travel agency or other source.

Each one-way upgrade is valid up to three segments from an individual published full fare ticket per the chart below. Definitions of the eligible fare types are as follows:

Full-Fare Economy with published fares booked in Y (excluding Military or Government fares) on American
Full-Fare Economy with published fares booked in Y or B on British Airways or Iberia
Premium Economy with published World Traveller Plus fares booked in W (unrestricted fares only) on British Airways. Doesn’t apply to Excursion fares.
Full-Fare Club World Business with published fares booked in J, D or R on American and C, J, D or R on British Airways or Iberia
British Airways flight must be coded BAxxx on the ticket (AA codeshare flights are not eligible for upgrades and must be converted / booked as BA prime flights)
British Airways must operate the LONGEST SEGMENT on the itinerary to be eligible for an upgrade

**Upgrades on British Airways from Economy Class (World Traveller) are valid to Premium Economy (World Traveller Plus) where a Premium Economy Cabin exists, and from Premium Economy to Business (Club World).

Upgrade requests can be made when you make your initial reservation or after you have purchased your ticket, but must be made prior to checking in for your flight.

To request an upgrade award contact Reservations or visit an American Airlines Travel Center.Service charges may apply. If you have already purchased a ticket and you wish to use a mileage upgrade award, please have your reservation details available for our reservation agent.

*Includes travel on codeshare flights marketed by American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia and operated by any of the three carriers.

Link to aa.com page with award chart, language, etc. (IMPORTANT TO READ IN ITS ENTIRETY)

As Microwave points out, AA must have some involvement with the ticket:

Quote:

American Airlines, British Airways or Iberia flights or codeshare flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, British Airways or Iberia are eligible. Reservations booked through a source other than American Airlines must include at least one flight with an American Airlines flight number in order to be eligible (includes codeshare flights operated by British Airways or Iberia but booked as an American Airlines flight number.)

See post 338 for useful information.

updated 4 Sep 2016 by JDiver

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AA Partner Airline Upgrade Award - BA, IB, including codeshares (master thd)

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Feb 16, 2017, 9:56 am

#541

JonNYC

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Put your popcorn away, there's no argument possible, the language is unambiguous:

Quote:

American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia Airlines

Upgrades are allowed on Codeshare flights (AA*, BA* and IB*) as long as the operating carrier is AA, BA or IB:

• BA - BA* flights operated by Comair, Sun Air, Cityflier, and BA Limited. They do not need to be converted.

• IB - IB* flights operated by Air Nostrum, Iberia Express, Iberia LAE (in the LHR to MAD market).

• APA Upgrades are not offered/valid on flights operated by OpenSkies (EC) for British Airways.

The segment must be converted from a codeshare to a prime flight.

If BA and/or IB segments are not available to be upgraded or do not exist in the PNR, use wholly AA upgrade award(s).

If BA or IB segments become available later, then the AA award can be reinstated and the APA award claimed.

Feb 16, 2017, 10:13 am

#542

SpammersAreScum

Join Date: Jun 2014

Location: TPA

Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold

Posts: 2,811

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonNYC

Put your popcorn away, there's no argument possible, the language is unambiguous:

As I read it, Andryiko is not disagreeing with anything in what you quoted. The issue is with the next chain in the argument, namely that fare class has to be matched (eg "b" -> "b") when performing the internal conversion.

Feb 16, 2017, 10:21 am

#543

JonNYC

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SpammersAreScum

Just leave it.

Feb 17, 2017, 12:31 am

#544

N1120A

Join Date: May 2006

Location: MYF/CMA/SAN/YYZ/YKF

Programs: COdbaUA 1K MM, AA EXP, Bonbon Gold, GHA Titanium, Hertz PC, NEXUS and GE

Posts: 5,839

So, who do I check for upgrade space on EF when on a BA ticket but using AA miles? AA or BA?

Last edited by N1120A; Feb 17, 2017 at 12:44 am

Feb 17, 2017, 1:20 am

#545

flyerCO

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Sep 2003

Location: San Antonio

Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium

Posts: 27,046

Quote:

Originally Posted by N1120A

So, who do I check for upgrade space on EF when on a BA ticket but using AA miles? AA or BA?

You need the upgrade fare class on the operating carrier to be available and need to be in an eligible fare class for upgrade based on the marketing carrier. It doesn't matter who's stock or whose miles.

So if it's a BA coded, AA operated flight you need the upgrade class that AA use available on the AA flight number and be in an eligible fare bucket for BA coded flights.

If it's a BA coded, IB operated flight you need the upgrade fare class that IB uses to be available on IB flight number, and in an eligible fare class for BA coded flights.

You call AA regardless since you're using AA miles. Once upgraded your flight numbers will change to the operating carrier flight number, thus why you have to find the upgrade class that the operating carrier uses for upgrades on the operating carrier flight number.
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Mar 6, 2017, 7:48 am

#546

tacostuff

Join Date: Aug 2007

Programs: AA EXP, Amex Plat

Posts: 573

Which bucket to upgrade AA (BA) flight from J to F?

I'm on a AA flight operated by BA in paid J. I want to upgrade to F using AA miles. I've done this a number of times but it is a huge hassle as the agents generally don't know how to do it. Do people recall which bucket on BA they need to look for? I seem to recall last time that the agent needed to convert my AA flight to the BA flight then look for X or Z bucket. Does anyone recall if X or Z bucket is correct (or another bucket)?

Mar 6, 2017, 8:02 am

#547

ijgordon

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Apr 2001

Location: NYC

Posts: 27,239

BA upgrades to First go into Z, the same availability as award tickets.

Mar 6, 2017, 8:21 am

#548

davidgrahammd

Join Date: Jun 2012

Location: CLT

Programs: AA Plat Pro, SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 193

Easiest way I have found to look is to try a phantom award booking on the BA website. If seats are open then AA would have to change the AA flight to the BA# flight and then look to upgrade. If there is no award space available, they will NOT waitlist you in case some opens. You will just need to keep looking.
If there is open space, my experience is that it can take 45 minutes to >1 hour on the phone to get it accomplished

Mar 27, 2017, 4:47 pm

#549

carlosdca

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Los Angeles

Programs: AA LT Gold

Posts: 3,646

Miles upgrade on AA operated BA codeshare (Y)

Quote:

*Includes travel on codeshare flights marketed by American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia and operated by any of the three carriers.

I called AA and the agent asked her "help desk" and after ~15mins she came back and told me it is not possible.
Should I call and try again?

[I searched the keywords partner miles upgrade and the resulting threads seemed not to be relevant to this specific case. Please move to existing thread if applicable]

Mar 27, 2017, 5:15 pm

#550

flyerCO

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Sep 2003

Location: San Antonio

Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium

Posts: 27,046

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlosdca

I am flying Premium Economy into LHR on BA, then BA1502 LHR-LAX (operated by American as AA135) in coach.

The LHR-LAX segment (BA1502) ticketed as "Y". Can I upgrade it with 25,000 miles to business as per this page:
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...r-airlines.jsp
??

The footnote says

I called AA and the agent asked her "help desk" and after ~15mins she came back and told me it is not possible.
Should I call and try again?

[I searched the keywords partner miles upgrade and the resulting threads seemed not to be relevant to this specific case. Please move to existing thread if applicable]

Yes you can upgrade BA flights even if codeshared with AA/IB. HUACA is the best friend here. Sadly if you get former US agents they don't have a clue, and their help desk is used to US rules/procedures.

Mar 27, 2017, 5:21 pm

#551

Mwenenzi

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Join Date: Apr 2001

Location: MEL CHC

Posts: 21,030

Look here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...aster-thd.html
FT search does work

Apr 10, 2017, 11:29 am

#552

rabbott

Join Date: Sep 2009

Location: DCA

Programs: AA EXP 3MM, Bonvoy Titanium/LTP

Posts: 14

Upgrading BA flight with AA miles

Hi all,

Did some searching but didn't find a good answer on this.

I am EXP/emerald and have a BA flight booked in W (full fare prem econ). The itinerary is MAD-LHR-IAD, and I would like to upgrade the LHR-IAD leg. The flights were booked through BA via my travel agent.

The AA website says I should be able to upgrade this flight with AA miles.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...r-airlines.jsp

I contacted AA and they are saying since this itinerary was booked with BA, it's not possible to upgrade with AA miles, because their reservation systems won't talk to each other.

That's not what the AA website says. In fact, it says that W fares booked on BA are elgibile for upgrade. I also don't think it's even possible to book a BA W fare through AA (I tried this a couple years ago and it was either Y, discounted Y, or J -- no options for PE).

I tried working through this with the EXP desk and all I got was "sorry".

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Apr 10, 2017, 11:39 am

#553

jerry a. laska

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 1999

Location: Juneau, Alaska.

Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob

Posts: 15,821

Quote:

Originally Posted by rabbott

Hi all,

Did some searching but didn't find a good answer on this.

I am EXP/emerald and have a BA flight booked in W (full fare prem econ). The itinerary is MAD-LHR-IAD, and I would like to upgrade the LHR-IAD leg. The flights were booked through BA via my travel agent.

The AA website says I should be able to upgrade this flight with AA miles.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...r-airlines.jsp

I contacted AA and they are saying since this itinerary was booked with BA, it's not possible to upgrade with AA miles, because their reservation systems won't talk to each other.

That's not what the AA website says. In fact, it says that W fares booked on BA are elgibile for upgrade. I also don't think it's even possible to book a BA W fare through AA (I tried this a couple years ago and it was either Y, discounted Y, or J -- no options for PE).

I tried working through this with the EXP desk and all I got was "sorry".

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

You can use Aadvantage miles to upgrade on BA but the ticket has to either be issued on AA ticket stock (ticket starts with 001) or have at least one AA flight on the ticket. If the ticket is issued on BA ticket stock (ticket starts with 125) and does not have any AA flights then you cannot use AAdvantage miles to upgrade. As it is a BA issued ticket you could use BA avios to upgrade if you have any.
See the wiki in this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...aster-thd.html