Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > American Airlines | AAdvantage
Reload this Page >

Where is the SWU available? (Are SWU usable / useful?)

Where is the SWU available? (Are SWU usable / useful?)

Old May 16, 2019, 11:23 pm
  #61  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
Originally Posted by C17PSGR
I think that's a good analysis.

Not sure I understand why anyone would use them domestically, although I understand they are a higher priority than standard EXP upgrades so maybe in the limited circumstances of the hard to upgrade transcon redeyes
Yeah, I sometimes do a miles+copay to "skip the line" on those transcons (or even midcon lie-flat like DFW-LAX on the 789), even if I have SWUs available. The $75+15k is worth less than the SWU to me; I'll save it for a route where miles+copay is $350+25k.
HLCinCOU is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 12:13 am
  #62  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP, 2 Million Miler
Posts: 815
Originally Posted by C17PSGR
Not sure I understand why anyone would use them domestically...
I have been receiving 8 SWUs for the last few years. I have not been able to use them myself, so I have been upgrading my sons (they have no status on AA), and their gf's, for a few domestic flights each year (typically when they fly in to visit us). This is certainly not a high value use of the SWUs, but it's better then the SWU just expiring.
robertablake is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 3:51 am
  #63  
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London and Madrid
Programs: BA Gold, UA 2MM, Hyatt Globalist, Columbia Record & Tape Club Triple Diamond VIP
Posts: 577
I have tried to use them domestically, but they ended up having a net negative value.
embarcadero1 is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 7:25 am
  #64  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,120
Originally Posted by embarcadero1
I have tried to use them domestically, but they ended up having a net negative value.
Move to UA or DL. Simple. Or give them away.
Antarius is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 9:36 am
  #65  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Dallas/Orlando
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 2,716
Originally Posted by embarcadero1


Im on a corporate contract as is every other EXP, CK and UA GS and 1K I know. Our companys travel division talks up EXP and 1K status as part of those contracts!
My spouse and I are EXP based on personal travel only. No corporate contracts. No work travel.

For us, personally, SWUs have lost value due to paucity of C availability at time of booking. We are flexible with dates. We will even select a destination based on C availability, like a weekend hop down to Santiago, Chile last year.

Despite many international leg EF alerts set, thus far, this year, SWUs have been used only for our domestic commuting hops. A significant decrease in perceived value to us.

90% of our flying is not for pleasure, but its technically not for work, either. When we are able to travel for pleasure, we dont want to take a gamble of being in Y, even if the gamble isnt necessarily super risky.

AAs tightening of advanced C availability has simply changed our purchasing behavior. We will shop away from AA based on price and timing.

We get that they are a business and have no beef with their tactics. But we also dont send as many dollars their way as we did in the past.
dciolli, HLCinCOU and robertablake like this.
tismfu is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 9:59 am
  #66  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,143
Originally Posted by Antarius
Move to UA or DL. Simple. Or give them away.
+1.

Or burn them J to F and use the excellent Flagship First dining at DFW, LAX or JFK now.

You cannot rightly compare using an SWU in 2011 vs 2019. As Antarius said above... sure, C space in 2011 was plenty, but you upgraded into a NGBC seat that was a ski slope with limited privacy. I'm at peace with having to waitlist my SWUs to get into the excellent new INTL biz class AA has on a majority of their fleet. And I've never missed an SWU in the past 5 years as EXP. Not once.
GTITAN, Antarius and HLCinCOU like this.
econometrics is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 11:23 am
  #67  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
Originally Posted by econometrics
+1.

Or burn them J to F and use the excellent Flagship First dining at DFW, LAX or JFK now.

You cannot rightly compare using an SWU in 2011 vs 2019. As Antarius said above... sure, C space in 2011 was plenty, but you upgraded into a NGBC seat that was a ski slope with limited privacy. I'm at peace with having to waitlist my SWUs to get into the excellent new INTL biz class AA has on a majority of their fleet. And I've never missed an SWU in the past 5 years as EXP. Not once.
I've missed two in past five years ... and I haven't always had enough international travel to use them all so a couple of have expired. So, lets say I'm 34 for 36 over the last five years. Admittedly, I'm being smart in terms of when I use them by checking EF, reading the intel on FT, etc.
GTITAN and econometrics like this.
C17PSGR is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 11:30 am
  #68  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,143
Originally Posted by C17PSGR
Admittedly, I'm being smart in terms of when I use them by checking EF, reading the intel on FT, etc.
Same. I don't take the 5pm departure to LHR on Friday night. Lol
C17PSGR and GTITAN like this.
econometrics is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 12:22 pm
  #69  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
Originally Posted by econometrics
Same. I don't take the 5pm departure to LHR on Friday night. Lol
If you expect to use them on the Friday night flights JFK-LHR, I'll agree it might be an issue!
C17PSGR is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 6:16 pm
  #70  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
Originally Posted by tismfu
For us, personally, SWUs have lost value due to paucity of C availability at time of booking. We are flexible with dates. We will even select a destination based on C availability, like a weekend hop down to Santiago, Chile last year.

Despite many international leg EF alerts set, thus far, this year, SWUs have been used only for our domestic commuting hops. A significant decrease in perceived value to us.

...

We get that they are a business and have no beef with their tactics. But we also dont send as many dollars their way as we did in the past.
And here we have a great example of a reasonable complaint. I think you'll find in this thread and elsewhere a universal acknowledgement that there has been reduced value for SWUs in recent years. And certainly a recognition that the value may have fallen further for you than some others (like me for example). Thanks for taking a measured look at that issue and not going all hyperbolic like...some people in this thread.
GTITAN, bse118, Antarius and 1 others like this.
HLCinCOU is offline  
Old May 18, 2019, 10:44 am
  #71  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
<redacted>

Thankfully, as someone who has the freedom to occasionally work remotely, AA is part of that and when I have a week free of meetings, I can occasionally start on a Saturday at the CX lounge in SFO, the Qantas First Lounge at LAX, or the Flagship Lounge in Miami and head off to another continent with reasonable (but not absolute) certainly that I'll be sitting in business and able to arrive in Barcelona, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Santiago, Sydney or other places well rested and ready to enjoy life. I'll still buy some biz seats over the year (sometimes on AA, other times of QR) but SWU's allow me more trips over the year. Of course, building a great team, keeping connectivity and a flexible sleep schedule, and being comfortable in different cultures helps too.

FTers can really help on that journey.
GTITAN likes this.

Last edited by C17PSGR; May 18, 2019 at 1:07 pm Reason: Redacted previously deleted post content and reply
C17PSGR is offline  
Old May 18, 2019, 11:22 am
  #72  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Posts with mostly metacontent, personal exchanges, dead horse beating, judging other members or their post content etc. have been deleted in an attempt to bootstrap it as a useful discussion thread.

For reference, please consult the FlyerTalk Rules here.

Thank you,

Moderator
bse118 likes this.
JDiver is offline  
Old May 18, 2019, 12:50 pm
  #73  
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London and Madrid
Programs: BA Gold, UA 2MM, Hyatt Globalist, Columbia Record & Tape Club Triple Diamond VIP
Posts: 577
Originally Posted by Antarius
Move to UA or DL. Simple. Or give them away.
Why would I do that? As Ive said, when I give them away, theyre of no value to others and end up going unused.

How does moving to Delta make a AA SWU valuable?
embarcadero1 is offline  
Old May 18, 2019, 2:03 pm
  #74  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Lightbulb

Originally Posted by embarcadero1

...As Ive said, when I give them away, theyre of no value to others and end up going unused.
You just have to educate yourself as to how to do it then.
C17PSGR likes this.
JonNYC is offline  
Old May 18, 2019, 2:40 pm
  #75  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
Originally Posted by embarcadero1
How does moving to Delta make a AA SWU valuable?
Answer: Makes more opportunities available to the rest of the SWU population.

Maybe not but its an answer nonetheless.
enpremiere is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.