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)
Feb 8, 2014, 5:56 pm
#76
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: AA
Posts: 55
AA Miles Partner Upgrade Award (Only BA, IB Allowed) and Options (consolidated)
If I book a flight through AA operated by BA (or another oneworld partner), can I use AA miles+copay to upgrade? Thanks.
Last edited by JDiver; Feb 9, 2014 at 4:22 pm Reason: restore original post title
Feb 8, 2014, 6:14 pm
#77
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,606
Have you checked AA.com, search under upgrades? The answer is yes.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/jba-...servations.jsp
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.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/jba-...servations.jsp
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.
Feb 8, 2014, 6:30 pm
#78
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: AA
Posts: 55
Thanks. As has happened before, the same flight booked through BA.com is cheaper than booked through AA.com. If I book through BA.com, I will not have an AA flight number which I think would prevent me from using AA miles to upgrade. Have I read this correctly?
Feb 8, 2014, 6:46 pm
#79
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,656
No, you can upgrade a ticket on AA, IB, or BA purchased with any of these carriers or a third party site and upgrade it with miles provided it is booked as full fare tickets for J, Y, or W.
Feb 8, 2014, 7:06 pm
#80
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,549
Feb 8, 2014, 7:33 pm
#81
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: LAX/SNA
Programs: AA, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,887
Feb 8, 2014, 7:58 pm
#82
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,656
True, I've never used it because of this asterisk as I, A, or P fares are usually cheaper than full fares in a lower class. On the other hand, it's not a lot of miles and no copay required for the qualifying fares.
Feb 8, 2014, 8:42 pm
#83
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA EXP 3MM; LH FT (*A Silver); Marriott Rewards Platinum Elite; Starwood Corporate Preferred
Posts: 782
Has anyone had luck upgrading their AA RTW explorer fare (booked in D) on BA into F? One EXP agent said it wasn't valid, one said it was (but it isn't available right now). I am just curious who may be right?
Feb 9, 2014, 12:05 am
#84
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,549
No it doesn't have to be full fare. For business to 1st , pretty much the only booking class which is ineligable for upgrading is "I" . R,D,C and J are all eligable for upgrading
Feb 9, 2014, 12:07 am
#85
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,549
I don't know whether this is still the case though
Feb 9, 2014, 11:57 am
#86
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: AA
Posts: 55
Does anyone have any experience with BA premium economy? It seems to me like a way to prevent economy->business upgrades by making premium economy significantly more expensive than economy and maintaining the one-class upgrade rule.
Feb 9, 2014, 12:16 pm
#87
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,549
It is nothing to do with limiting upgrades
Feb 9, 2014, 2:17 pm
#88
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,656
From the link mentioned above:
"Q. Why is my upgrade on British Airways valid from Economy Class to Premium Economy Class and not to Business Class?
A. Mileage upgrades are valid for a one cabin upgrade. On those flights where British Airways offers a Premium Economy cabin, upgrades from Economy Class are valid to Premium Economy. On flights where British Airways does not offer a Premium Economy cabin, the upgrade is valid from Economy Class to Business Class."
Feb 9, 2014, 4:03 pm
#89
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,222
No, you can upgrade a ticket on AA, IB, or BA purchased with any of these carriers or a third party site and upgrade it with miles provided it is booked as full fare tickets for J, Y, or W.
Last edited by ijgordon; Feb 9, 2014 at 9:34 pm Reason: Changed reference to post with link due to thread maintenance
Feb 9, 2014, 4:14 pm
#90
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
For previously posted information, there are similar questions and threads: Advanced Search, search for thread titles, results for titles only.
Keywords (enter exactly as shown): upgrade+"ba"
We've now made this the consolidated thread (redacted incorrect answers and replies for now) and added a wikipost.
/Moderator
Keywords (enter exactly as shown): upgrade+"ba"
We've now made this the consolidated thread (redacted incorrect answers and replies for now) and added a wikipost.
/Moderator
Last edited by JDiver; Feb 10, 2014 at 3:46 am
