0335th

Yes on 100% of my domestic flights, International flights the company isn't near a generous...can't really blame them either, J and F tickets get insanely stupid expensive.

oopsz

My company policy is refundable coach and paid F for "transcontinental" flights (not defined in the contract, but flights blocked over 4:30 have always been approved) and business for international flights. Oddly this means I can fly three class F on JFK-LAX (for example), but am relegated to J for JFK-LHR.

On personal travel - if it's less than $200 more per seat roundtrip, I'll pay for first if traveling with my wife. If it's just me, I won't bother.

mach92

I would say I am about 50% buying F seats. Depends where I am going and what AA is charging. I just did buy DFW HKG DFW in F it was $6500 RT which I think is reasonable for F. I've been flying Emirates a lot more in J from DFW also.

Rebmig

Company policy is 8 hours or less in Y. Pity me.

5DMarkIIguy

My company stopped paying for international business class 2 years ago.
The last 2 years, the only time I bought AA econ was for a trip under 500 miles. The rest are paid J/F that I found in the premium mileage run forum. Not exactly mileage run, but somewhere I want to go for a week or so. Will go back to Plat next year.

medichill

I own my small business so I consider travel costs as out of pocket. Was a Southwest flyer for several years but did the US CP challenge and will qualify for EP this year with some MRs.

I've booked 100% in Y this year and been upgraded 100% as well. I feel very lucky compared to others. I have started looking at the cost of F/J vs Y but the delta had been significant.

I'd certainly book in F/J if the price difference was small.

rjw242

Lowest-fare economy, no exceptions. Consider yourself lucky

ElmhurstNick

I looked into buying A on an upcoming work trip to Seattle that's about six weeks out:

discount Y on AA: $237
YUP on United: $567
YUP on American: $813

That's just not even close to realistic.

golfingboy

This year was around 70% in paid F and 30% in paid Y (mostly upgraded using SWUs). Travel is 100% leisure, but if I get to travel for work, the policy for paid business is 6+ hours and trip must involve a destination outside of North America.

Austin787

You are so blessed. Every company I worked for has a lowest Y fare travel policy, no matter the length of the flight. Fortunately my job does not require travel.

I_Can_Fly_US_Airways

First (or in my part of the world Business) on metal that only has 2 classes of service. Long haul, Business in a 3 class configuration.

HOWEVER, I use a dollar limit for long haul travel class of service...

I am willing to spend up to $4,000 per ticket (& since I am always traveling with the wife), I am coming $8,000 out of pocket for tickets. Rarely do we have to spend more than even on ultra long haul tickets. If the amount is more than $8,000, then I will use miles to move up to First on a 3 class aircraft.

dtremit

Same here (though I haven't even tried a sticker upgrade -- only Y I've booked this year has been <500mi or on pmUS before 10/17). As a tall guy, Y was bad enough already; after some knee injuries this year, waiting for a last-minute upgrade just isn't in the cards. I need to know I'll be able to walk when I get there.

I was lucky with upgrades for many years -- first on NW, then on DL, and finally on US -- but since the mergers and a moderate dropoff in my own travel, I think that good fortune is over.

Work for a small company, and so I'm planning to discuss this with them come my next review. Hoping I can get them to cover longer flights.

Edited to add: my biggest question is, if this is the new reality, is there any point to staying loyal to AA or any other carrier? With upgrades basically off the table, I get pretty much everything else I need as part of the paid F ticket.

MauiOC

Depends on the aircraft and destination. Generally speaking, not worth it to me to pay out-of-pocket (albeit on a YUP fare) for an old plane. I make do with MCE. Can be swayed to pay for F it's a long-haul though.

After a recent YUP to Hawaii gone terribly wrong, it's made me re-think things, however. 2016 will be an interesting year.

mikelat

Our policy depends on the number of expected flights/year over a certain threshold. I think its 8Hrs. Flew to Sydney a couple years back to do interviews to help fill in for someone who bailed last minute. The recruiter coordinating it was in J since they had 12+ >8hr trips for the year (and also looking for UA's equivalent of AA Concierge Key that year). but I was in Y since it was my only 'anticipated' trip over 8 hours for the year. Decent Qantas A380 in Y on an exit row due to my AA EXP status on the way down but on the return there was one F award seat that opened up 12 hours in advance so I cxl'd company paid return portion and used my own miles to be more comfortable. Well worth it for QF A380 A. From now on if its a voluntary trip for the company and flight is >6 hours, I'm not going unless I'm confirmed in J or better.

Rich38

I'm an EXP and I regularly purchase first class tickets. I prefer selecting my first class seat at time of booking. I'm regularly upgraded, however I'm sometimes unhappy with the first row, last row or window seats.
I've been flying 3 times weekly LAX - DFW viewing real estate properties for the Toyota move. First class pricing on American and United connecting in Houston has been under $500 roundtrip for most travel Nov-Dec-Jan-Feb.