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
(lower right wiki corner)
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)
Sep 7, 2017, 5:58 am
#616
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,605
Oct 16, 2017, 11:17 am
#617
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 10
Two comments:
- AA W (Y+) fares can have a BA equivalent (fare class when switched from AA flight # to BA Prime#) of T, E or W, and they can only be upgraded when their BA equivalent is W. So, you may have had a W-equivalent one way and not for the return.
- BA do not seem to allow Avios upgrades at the airport, so do not rely on being able to persuade them to let you upgrade at the airport - or if you do, be ready to pay the going AUP price in cash.
- AA W (Y+) fares can have a BA equivalent (fare class when switched from AA flight # to BA Prime#) of T, E or W, and they can only be upgraded when their BA equivalent is W. So, you may have had a W-equivalent one way and not for the return.
- BA do not seem to allow Avios upgrades at the airport, so do not rely on being able to persuade them to let you upgrade at the airport - or if you do, be ready to pay the going AUP price in cash.
I assume I still earn EQM based on the 1.5x miles flown rate from my original paid ticket with AA flight number, even though I am now flying with BA flight # on a BA operated flight on the upgraded ticket?
Oct 16, 2017, 2:15 pm
#618
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
In my experience, with Avios upgrades on BA flights from WT+ to J, I have earned American EQMs and EQDs as a J (fare class I) passenger.
I think it will be interesting to see how your flights post (distance or fare, and if fare, which fare).
Oct 18, 2017, 6:46 am
#619
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 10
I will come back and update. I'm curious as well, since I originally had 4 segments with AA numbers, operated by BA, now two of those segments have BA numbers. It looks like I'd come out much better (more than double the award miles) if they end up using the AA award chart based on my original fare, but I still don't have a complete grasp on how earnings are posted, even when I do know what fare and class they will be awarded at.
Oct 18, 2017, 1:29 pm
#620
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,605
I will come back and update. I'm curious as well, since I originally had 4 segments with AA numbers, operated by BA, now two of those segments have BA numbers. It looks like I'd come out much better (more than double the award miles) if they end up using the AA award chart based on my original fare, but I still don't have a complete grasp on how earnings are posted, even when I do know what fare and class they will be awarded at.
Oct 20, 2017, 7:01 pm
#621
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: MIA
Programs: AY+ Gold
Posts: 248
MIA-LHR-HEL-MIA all with AA flight numbers with the first segment on BA the last two on AY.
I called in to see if the upgrade was available on the MIA-LHR segment and was told that it was and it'd be the 12,500 mile charge. They put me on hold then about 10 minutes later was told my fare didn't qualify. They mentioned the W fare, but it needed to be the unrestricted W. My answer to that (clearly the price I suppose is a giveaway) was how can one know that one has the right W fare?
So how does one tell just by looking at the fare classes on the ticket to know what's what?
Thanks!
Oct 20, 2017, 7:49 pm
#622
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,605
I just tried to upgrade in a similar circumstance. I have the following booked:
MIA-LHR-HEL-MIA all with AA flight numbers with the first segment on BA the last two on AY.
I called in to see if the upgrade was available on the MIA-LHR segment and was told that it was and it'd be the 12,500 mile charge. They put me on hold then about 10 minutes later was told my fare didn't qualify. They mentioned the W fare, but it needed to be the unrestricted W. My answer to that (clearly the price I suppose is a giveaway) was how can one know that one has the right W fare?
So how does one tell just by looking at the fare classes on the ticket to know what's what?
Thanks!
MIA-LHR-HEL-MIA all with AA flight numbers with the first segment on BA the last two on AY.
I called in to see if the upgrade was available on the MIA-LHR segment and was told that it was and it'd be the 12,500 mile charge. They put me on hold then about 10 minutes later was told my fare didn't qualify. They mentioned the W fare, but it needed to be the unrestricted W. My answer to that (clearly the price I suppose is a giveaway) was how can one know that one has the right W fare?
So how does one tell just by looking at the fare classes on the ticket to know what's what?
Thanks!
It has to be BA flight with a BA flight number booked in W class - these will be full fare W class
All bar full fare AA codeshares rebook into a lower booking class when rebooked on BA
Price is also a clue - the W fare MIA-HEL r/t is > $5000 plus taxes and charges
Nov 29, 2017, 9:29 am
#627
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Charlotte
Programs: AA EX PLAT
Posts: 89
BA on AA Itinerary - Miles Upg availability, how likely???
Greetings all,
Travelling next week on an AA itinerary. My outbound is MIA-LHR on BA metal. Would like to upgrade from Prem-eco to Biz. Seems like its 12,500 AADV miles to do it. (not bad right?) Question is, how likely is inventory to open up? I travel next week and have been checking expert flyer regularly, so far nada. There are about 6 sellable seats open right now according to AA res. Curious what others experiences are.....
Thanks in advance
M
Travelling next week on an AA itinerary. My outbound is MIA-LHR on BA metal. Would like to upgrade from Prem-eco to Biz. Seems like its 12,500 AADV miles to do it. (not bad right?) Question is, how likely is inventory to open up? I travel next week and have been checking expert flyer regularly, so far nada. There are about 6 sellable seats open right now according to AA res. Curious what others experiences are.....
Thanks in advance
M
Nov 29, 2017, 9:36 am
#628
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
Greetings all,
Travelling next week on an AA itinerary. My outbound is MIA-LHR on BA metal. Would like to upgrade from Prem-eco to Biz. Seems like its 12,500 AADV miles to do it. (not bad right?) Question is, how likely is inventory to open up? I travel next week and have been checking expert flyer regularly, so far nada. There are about 6 sellable seats open right now according to AA res. Curious what others experiences are.....
Thanks in advance
M
Travelling next week on an AA itinerary. My outbound is MIA-LHR on BA metal. Would like to upgrade from Prem-eco to Biz. Seems like its 12,500 AADV miles to do it. (not bad right?) Question is, how likely is inventory to open up? I travel next week and have been checking expert flyer regularly, so far nada. There are about 6 sellable seats open right now according to AA res. Curious what others experiences are.....
Thanks in advance
M
Nov 30, 2017, 2:45 pm
#629
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA CK, DL DM, SPG Gold, Emerald Club Exec Elite, Hertz Gold
Posts: 15
I'm in the same boat. Booked in AA (and BA) W, have had EF alerts set for WEEKS, CK agents say that there is PLENTY of room on the flight in business, but they simply are not releasing U space. On the plus side, W on BA is better than Y, so there's that!
Nov 30, 2017, 2:48 pm
#630
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,605
Are you booked in W class on the BA flight number? you do need a full fare W class fare on BA to upgrade - you may well find it cheaper to book a discounted business class ticket