AA Basic Economy family travel on BA transatlantic codeshare
 

Just booked RT Basic Economy MCO-LGW for myself, spouse and four kids (ages 6-13) on AA.com. Flights are codeshare BA. Since I'm AAdvantage Gold and an AA Aviator cardmember I believe I get one free checked bag, even if flying BE. Do each of us get one free checked bag, or only me? Further, will BA assure that we sit with our kids without us purchasing seats?

Rolling EQD's - How to understand
 

Hi,

Although I've been quite a long time EXP, previously I've never had much issues satisfying during my 12-month cycle the requirements to requalify. However since the crazy AAdvantage team increased the EQD this year to 15000, this is going to be an issue for me to requalify - therefore based on my upcoming travel for the coming months, I am afraid I will not make it so am deciding now if I should jump ship over to BA to maintain my status (I currently am able to maintain a lower status on BA since I do credit some short J-class flights to BA).

1) I was reading and I see that on the AA page, they do state about this 'Rolling EQD's'. However it is not clear to me how this works - at the end of 2018, I had about 1000+ EDQ over the 12k threshold. This year (2019) - I will get most probably 13500+ EQD's based on what I have already. So how does this work?

2) I have also an itinearary which is mainly AA code-share (AA ticket stock) - but I have no idea how much precisely is the EQD from that ticket (~1500 USD with tax). Do I just check my ticket price and remove all aux. taxes to get the EQD?

For me the main reason to stick with AA is the lower redemption cost and also try to achieve 2MM (still quite need ~ 500k) for the coming years.. But if they keep increasing the requirements to such ridiculous level with not so much benefit improvement (now that they open the Flagship Lounge to basically a free for all and keep Flagship dining to pure F flyers) I am will easily switch to BA (which I fly more often than AA these days).

Cheers!

The rolling EQD is used to determine upgrade priority. Status qualification is based on calendar year EQD only.
You might want to remember that BA flites can be credited to AA to earn miles and EQD. The several BA flites in J you intend may likely give you the extra AAEQD that your plans lack bow.

What matters in AA mileage calculations is the airline code on the flight number, not who sold the ticket. So check that first. However, if AA sold the ticket it is likely, but not certain, that an AA flite number was used. So AA will normally use the fare method to calculate EQD. Normally AA does not include upgrades that are purchased day of flight in the calculation.
One unknown in this situation is if the upgrade purchase will result in a BA flight code or if the ticket reissue will result in AA using the missing information method, in which case the percentage will apply.
You may want to check the terms and conditions of your challenge closely. Some challenges have required that the flights be AA marketed and operated.

Yep. Which airline’ ticket stock is essentially meaningless. Who markets the flight is important to earnings.

Most challenges allow JBV airlines (AA, AY, BA, IB, JL), so reviewing the T & CSU’s is important.

Hi,
Thanks, yes I do understand and I've already calculated the BA flights (BA number and operated) with the new EQD earnings but I am still coming out short. OK, that's what I suspected about the Rolling EQD's meaning.

I did not take into account my other flights which are AA-coded but operated by AY and AA itself into this calculation because I am not sure how this is calculated for EQD (as per my original post). Therefore help on this part would help. Tried to understand the example on the AA site - but I am still doubting if I understood it correctly. If I have a ticket of 1500 Euros - 900 Euros base fare and the rest auxilliaries, does this mean that only 900 Euro's (converted into USD) is used as EQD?

Off hand, am really so pi$$*d with AA for increasing the EQD's absurdly high without increasing the benefits.

Cheers!

Thanks for your assistance JDiver....called and they were able to swap bookings and cancel the original fight....no need to redeposit and refund and rebook!!! Took 10 minutes tops!

When flying to the US I find that online check-in only works maybe 20% of the time, usually additional doc/passport verification, no reason to be worried.

Liberia (Guanacaste, Costa Rica) does accept mobile boarding passes according to aa.com, but as JJeffrey says overseas to US they seem to not work much of the time. Most likely docs check.

I have tons of miles in my AAdvantage account and I can't use them to fly AA anywhere international!!

Always availability in J and F on AA is zero and they wanted me to fly BA and pay the fuel surcharge!!

I wonder what other members are doing in such dilemma? Do I have to always fly BA and pay the massive fuel surcharge or just forget AA and switch to other airlines like UA or maybe AC?

This same complaint comes up on here about every day now. There's no denying that AA is very stingy with premium award space on its own metal. However with a little flexibility I am never able to replicate the same level of "nothing is available ever!!!" that is often thrown around.

For example, you say you can't find any space on anything "international," yet you mention BA, so are you specifically looking for Europe? A quick 5 min search at aa.com, filtered to show AA metal results only, reveals tons of dates over the next 3 months with sAAver business space open. I searched ORD-LHR/ZRH/BCN/FRA, etc.

ORD-LHR for example:
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6369a4c594.jpg

Thanks for the tip. I wasn't aware of that filter thing. Hopefully It will help me a lot in my future search.

AA website says one way award ticket US - Maldives in economy requires 40k and in Business 70k. Shouldn't an award ticket in economy be 35k??

Nope. 40K and 70K are the correct mileage amounts for a one-way from the U.S. to the Indian subcontinent region (which is where AA places the Maldives).

Yes, that makes sense. I was looking at AA award chart not AA partner award chart.

Through my poking around on the site, I gather fare buckets are somehow indicative of likelihood of upgrades, but I am still not quite sure how to read the tea leaves. Flying LAX-HKG this weekend (AA 193, 1/19/19, 11:50 pm). I am using my EXP cousin's SWU, but it has yet to clear. There are currently 14 open seats in Business. Been checking Expert Flyer for weeks, but C space has never opened up. Below are the fare buckets as of this morning on Expert Flyer. What do these say about the chances of clearing, both before and after arriving at the airport? I am Platinum myself, to the extent that matters. Thanks!

F0 A0 J7 R7 D7 I4 W1 P0 Y5 B0 H2 K1
M0 L0 G5 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 E0

I have a rountrip flight coming up in a few months and I just noticed that both flights have changed. One of them had both a time change and an aircraft swap (replacing my F 787-9 seats with a 737 configuration) and another is just a time change.

What are the guidelines on getting a free change to another time on that date?

Two hours time change or connection changed to below MCT (minimum connection time) are sure winners. Your change, on what’s probably a domestic or mid-haul, without knowing more details, I’d suggest calling and asking for the change that would serve you and preserve the aircraft type. (If it’s a longer flight, it’s likely now a 787 MAX 8, to make it even worse.)

I booked a last minute flight from ORD to CDG with a 4 hour layover in DFW. The price was too good to pass up. I put a request to upgrade to business with points and the lovely $350. I've never tried to upgrade but I have a decent amount of points now so I figured why not. When do you find out if you receive the upgrade or not?

I've also recently acquired Platinum Pro level. Does that get me any type of lounge access on international flights?

You just have to keep an eye out on your reservation at aa.com to see if you've been upgraded. Or set an alert at ExpertFlyer for C space on your DFW-CDG segment and give AA a call whenever it appears and ask them to process your upgrade.

And PLT Pro is oneworld Sapphire, so you have access to any of the business class lounges along your way. This includes the Flagship Lounge at ORD and the temp Premium Lounge at DFW. On the way home, you can visit either the CX lounge or Admirals Club at CDG as well.

Is he paying for the chance?
 

Am I correct in thinking that the miles/$ aren't actually charged unless/until the upgrade processes? And second question, assuming you haven't checked in for the flight yet, are these "paid" upgrades prioritized ahead of status and/or SWU upgrade requests?

Appreciate your knowledge!
-Z

Yes, the miles/copay are not charged until the upgrade actually clears. Whether you have checked in or not has no bearing on the upgrade waitlist, for longhaul flights like this miles/copay and SWU have the same prioritization, the waitlist is sorted by status and then rolling 12 month EQD.

From AA.com... "Before you get to the airport, requests for systemwide and mileage award upgrades are processed independently from 500-mile upgrade requests.

At the airport, upgrades requested will be prioritized in this order:https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html

Hi,

I'm arriving in Miami on a BA Business ticket, then have a 4 hour layover before a separately purchased economy flight to PLS with AA. Would like to use the showers in AA Lounge, will they let me in ? Am I better off saying I want to use it as an Arrivals Lounge ? Thanks for help

Yes, by virtue of your same day LHR-MIA flight in business you will have access any of AA's lounges at MIA before your flight to PLS (hint: go to the Flagship Lounge). Since it's a separate ticket, make sure to hang on to your LHR-MIA boarding pass. You don't have to do anything special for entry, just show them both your LHR-MIA and MIA-PLS boarding passes and you'll be good to go.

thanks very much, great news !

only other issue is the terminals at Miami - BA ticket doesn't say which terminal I arrive at and neither does the AA departure ticket to PLS - is it possible to walk airside between terminals and lounges at Miami, once I have cleared the Transfers desk ?

Yes, your BA flight will arrive at E and AA will depart from D most likely, these are right next to each other and connected both airside and landside.

Normally, you will process immigration at MIA and end up going through security to return airside. The USA has no transit process; ALL passengers must process immigration and customs, though DFW and MIA offer custims exceptions to those with international to international transfers IF their hold baggage is tagged with ITI tags.

So, if you’ve assured they put ITI tags on your baggage it will go through to PLS; if not, you’ll have to recover your baggage at the carousels and manage it through customs, turning it in at the baggage recheck facility exiting customs.

Here, you are landside, butthere should be a queue to your left to go through TSA security and get back airside. Then you’ll be able to proceed to the lounges.

thanks for your help

Recommendations on which lounge to visit at DFW and CDG? Also does CDG have an arrival lounge with showers?

As indupicated in the appropriate lounge threads, DFW International terminal D visit the AMEX Centurion Lounge if you have access. It’s better than the interim premium lounge, and the D Club and Flagship Lounge are under construction. Or visit the A Club and proceed to D prior to boarding.

At CDG, there is no arrivals lounge. On departure, the Cathay lounge is usually preferred to the Admirals Club.

Thanks for your help!

Not a newbie, but my question feels like it is.

I'm trying to find a list of AA operated international flights, including the seasonal ones. The maps I find on the AA website are, frankly, garbage and not at all useful. Anyone?

Some here in AA forum thread--->https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...ess-seats.html

A question of opinion for the ORD lounge regulars here. I have asked this somewhat indirectly before, but would like a couple opinions.

I have DSM>ORD on one ticket, in economy, connecting to ORD>DOH, on a separate ticket, in J. I arrive ORD at 2:04PM and depart at 6:10PM. Since I am in international J, I have the option to use the Flagship lounge. However, I will need to leave the secure area, collect my bags, go to T5 check in with QR, then head back to T3, go through security assuming they let me, and then access the lounge. Then I would have to get back to T5 for my flight. Given I have a significant amount of time, is that effort worth it? Or should I use the T5 lounge that QR contracts, I think it is the Air France one? I also have Priority Pass that I can use.

Hi everyone,

Not sure if this is the right thread. I will be planning a trip with my family of 4 to Hawaii in Oct and have never flown AA before.

I wanted to get some advice regarding being able to sit with my 7 & 4 yr old children with Basic Economy seating. On AA's
website it says "If you don't choose seats in Main Cabin or Basic Economy within 48 hours of buying tickets, we will attempt to assign children under 15 with at least one adult they're traveling with."

What is the likelihood of this actually happening? Does AA actually do a good job of seating families with children together or
should I just go ahead and pay extra to pick the seats? If I paid extra it would be an extra $90/ pp.

If AA does split me and my wife up we are ok with that, just as long as the kids sit with one of us or split between the 2 of us.

Thank you for any feedback.