Feb 9, 2014, 4:19 pm
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:
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:
See post 338 for useful information.
updated 4 Sep 2016 by JDiver
Signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost; may be printed by using the
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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
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:
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.)
updated 4 Sep 2016 by JDiver
Signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost; may be printed by using the
(lower right wiki corner)
AA Partner Airline Upgrade Award - BA, IB, including codeshares (master thd)
Apr 10, 2017, 4:02 pm
#556
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,620
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!
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!
If it is a W booking class BA fare, then it should be easy to cancel, get a refund and rebook over the phone with AA
Once rebooked with AA, if there is business class award availability on the BA flight, then you should be able to rebook into business class
If it is no actually a W fare, but a discount premium economy fare in E ot T class, then cannot upgrade
Dave
Apr 21, 2017, 4:21 pm
#557
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: AA (Exec Plat), ANA (Plat), Club Carlson (Gld), Hilton (Diamond), IHG (Plat), SPG (Gld)
Posts: 447
Upgrading AA ticketed BA flight from Economy to Premium Economy
So in the past I have been able to upgrade AA ticketed but British Airways operated flights from economy (world traveler) to premium economy (World Traveler plus) at the British Airways Galleries Lounge for a flat amount in cash (no miles involved). I was thinking of trying this again on my next flight since I do prefer Premium Economy to Economy on British Airways. However, I was curious under the new mileage scheme would I earn miles based on the original fare class or the upgraded fare class?
I know in the past when purchasing with British Airways directly it was the upgraded fare class and if I recall correctly on AA purchased tickets operated by BA it was also the upgraded fare class. Also, would I earn EQD's on the upgrade amount as well?
I appreciate the insight.
JC
I know in the past when purchasing with British Airways directly it was the upgraded fare class and if I recall correctly on AA purchased tickets operated by BA it was also the upgraded fare class. Also, would I earn EQD's on the upgrade amount as well?
I appreciate the insight.
JC
Last edited by Joe1690; Apr 23, 2017 at 5:07 am Reason: clarification
Apr 22, 2017, 1:10 pm
#558
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
So in the past I have been able to upgrade AA ticketed but British Airways operated flights from economy (world traveler) to premium economy (World Traveler plus) at the British Airways Galleries Lounge for a flat amount. I was thinking of trying this again on my next flight since I do prefer Premium Economy to Economy on British Airways. However, I was curious under the new mileage scheme would I earn miles based on the original fare class or the upgraded fare class?
If you buy AA-marketed. you will earn according to the AA tables, which includes earning EQD on the relevant portion of what you paid AA, and the fare class you purchased from them. The fact that you went to BA and upgraded with Avios would be invisible and irrelevant to them.
If you buy BA-marketed, it would depend on what BA reports to them, which I believe would be the original fare class, as argued below:
I know in the past when purchasing with British Airways directly it was the upgraded fare class and if I recall correctly on AA purchased tickets operated by BA it was also the upgraded fare class. Also, would I earn EQD's on the upgrade amount as well?
I appreciate the insight.
JC
I appreciate the insight.
JC
If you upgrade your ticket using Avios (UuA / MFU) then you get the Tier Points and Avios of the purchased ticket, so if you upgrade a World Traveller Plus ticket to Club World, you get the World Traveller Plus Tier Points and Avios.
Apr 23, 2017, 5:12 am
#559
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: AA (Exec Plat), ANA (Plat), Club Carlson (Gld), Hilton (Diamond), IHG (Plat), SPG (Gld)
Posts: 447
You're saying you buy a "PE" ticket from AA which will get you a BA-operated flight. Are you buying the flight as AA-marketed or BA-marketed? That will make a potentially big difference.
If you buy AA-marketed. you will earn according to the AA tables, which includes earning EQD on the relevant portion of what you paid AA, and the fare class you purchased from them. The fact that you went to BA and upgraded with Avios would be invisible and irrelevant to them.
If you buy BA-marketed, it would depend on what BA reports to them, which I believe would be the original fare class, as argued below:
Your claim seems to be that if you buy BA-marketed from BA and then upgrade with Avios, you then earn Avios (and TP) for the upgraded class. That sounds a bit odd, and is contradicted by the FT master thread: "Your guide to the Executive Club, attaining status and earning Avios":
If you buy AA-marketed. you will earn according to the AA tables, which includes earning EQD on the relevant portion of what you paid AA, and the fare class you purchased from them. The fact that you went to BA and upgraded with Avios would be invisible and irrelevant to them.
If you buy BA-marketed, it would depend on what BA reports to them, which I believe would be the original fare class, as argued below:
Your claim seems to be that if you buy BA-marketed from BA and then upgrade with Avios, you then earn Avios (and TP) for the upgraded class. That sounds a bit odd, and is contradicted by the FT master thread: "Your guide to the Executive Club, attaining status and earning Avios":
I typically would just by the World Traveler Plus itinerary direct from British Airways but the prices were prohibitive on this itinerary in comparison to AA's coach fares so it works out better to upgrade coming home if available.
Apr 23, 2017, 5:54 am
#560
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,913
Did this on AA-coded BA flight LHR-BAH last November at the LHR T5 check-in desks. Upgrade fee was only $150 - well worth it for a 6+hr flight in a nearly empty PE cabin. AA mileage posted under original Y booking class.
-FlyerBeek
-FlyerBeek
Apr 23, 2017, 10:50 am
#561
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Thanks for the information. I guess I won't be earning any additional EQMs or EQDs which is frustrating but understood since a partner is involved. I did go ahead and clarify my original post after seeing your confusion about the vehicle used for the upgrade. The upgrade is purely with cash and no Avios involved. Since it is an AA ticketed itinerary British Airways won't allow upgrades with Avios unless purchasing full-fare coach tickets which this is not. As such, the only alternative is to pay cash at the airport is space is available.
I typically would just by the World Traveler Plus itinerary direct from British Airways but the prices were prohibitive on this itinerary in comparison to AA's coach fares so it works out better to upgrade coming home if available.
I typically would just by the World Traveler Plus itinerary direct from British Airways but the prices were prohibitive on this itinerary in comparison to AA's coach fares so it works out better to upgrade coming home if available.
And that was only because you'd paid the full Y fare rather than a discounted fare, presumably?
Apr 23, 2017, 3:56 pm
#562
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,821
Thanks for the information. I guess I won't be earning any additional EQMs or EQDs which is frustrating but understood since a partner is involved. I did go ahead and clarify my original post after seeing your confusion about the vehicle used for the upgrade. The upgrade is purely with cash and no Avios involved. Since it is an AA ticketed itinerary British Airways won't allow upgrades with Avios unless purchasing full-fare coach tickets which this is not. As such, the only alternative is to pay cash at the airport is space is available.
I typically would just by the World Traveler Plus itinerary direct from British Airways but the prices were prohibitive on this itinerary in comparison to AA's coach fares so it works out better to upgrade coming home if available.
I typically would just by the World Traveler Plus itinerary direct from British Airways but the prices were prohibitive on this itinerary in comparison to AA's coach fares so it works out better to upgrade coming home if available.
Also see this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
Apr 23, 2017, 4:05 pm
#563
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA EXP (owe), BA Silver (ows), AB Silver (owr), WN A+/CP, IHG Spire AMB, Avis First
Posts: 1,414
So in the past I have been able to upgrade AA ticketed but British Airways operated flights from economy (world traveler) to premium economy (World Traveler plus) at the British Airways Galleries Lounge for a flat amount in cash (no miles involved). I was thinking of trying this again on my next flight since I do prefer Premium Economy to Economy on British Airways. However, I was curious under the new mileage scheme would I earn miles based on the original fare class or the upgraded fare class?
I know in the past when purchasing with British Airways directly it was the upgraded fare class and if I recall correctly on AA purchased tickets operated by BA it was also the upgraded fare class. Also, would I earn EQD's on the upgrade amount as well?
I appreciate the insight.
JC
I know in the past when purchasing with British Airways directly it was the upgraded fare class and if I recall correctly on AA purchased tickets operated by BA it was also the upgraded fare class. Also, would I earn EQD's on the upgrade amount as well?
I appreciate the insight.
JC
Apr 23, 2017, 4:11 pm
#564
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,821
I've never tried asking at the lounge, but I thought this was not possible on 001- stock. Can you confirm this worked on 001- stock in the past? If so maybe I'll try poking around at the lounge (did this work on an O class fare or something? how much was the difference?) Have a lot of BA flights coming up for various reasons...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...17-thread.html
Last edited by jerry a. laska; Apr 23, 2017 at 4:16 pm
Apr 24, 2017, 7:32 am
#565
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,913
-FlyerBeek
Apr 24, 2017, 8:02 am
#566
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
Assuming we're talking about earning on AAdvantage, who plates the ticket is not relevant, though the operating and marketing carriers are.
OP, can you please clarify whether this is an AA-marketed BA-operated codeshare, or a BA-marketed BA-operated flight?
OP, can you please clarify whether this is an AA-marketed BA-operated codeshare, or a BA-marketed BA-operated flight?
Apr 25, 2017, 11:19 am
#567
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Well, I wasn't thinking that $150 was necessarily a full upfare. In any case, $150 from any Econ fare is indeed quite a deal.
Apr 25, 2017, 3:36 pm
#568
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: AA (Exec Plat), ANA (Plat), Club Carlson (Gld), Hilton (Diamond), IHG (Plat), SPG (Gld)
Posts: 447
As far as clarification, the flight in question was AA-marketed and BA-operated.
