Should I pay $900/£690 to upgrade to business class?
Feb 16, 2020, 5:08 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 46
Should I pay $900/£690 to upgrade to business class?
hi guys I have a flight to new york coming up from LHR in premium economy and returning on BA . The flight back is a W class fare so I can upgrade it for 12500 american airlines points which I already have so that's a no brainer.. But on the way out its a P class ticket the lady on the phone yesterday said it would only be 15000 to upgrade but now apparently it is 25000 points + $350 copay. The only way I can think to do this is pay $550 for the required miles and the $350 copay.
I flew this a few months ago and other than the horrendous service.. it was a god experience I'm wondering should I go for it or not.. and secondly if I do can anyone think of a better way than buying the miles. I have a lot of avios and amex reward points but these seem pretty useless for american.
Thanks guys!
I flew this a few months ago and other than the horrendous service.. it was a god experience I'm wondering should I go for it or not.. and secondly if I do can anyone think of a better way than buying the miles. I have a lot of avios and amex reward points but these seem pretty useless for american.
Thanks guys!
Feb 16, 2020, 5:18 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 46
really not sure.. On the face of it its a lot of money but then again the same ticket in business is £6k/$8.5k. On the flip side I don't often get to travel TATL on my own and its a lot more to upgrade me and my girlfriend.
Feb 16, 2020, 5:32 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,969
I wouldn’t for $900. I’d rather spend it on food at my destination, or on a mileage run to another country another time. It’s a 6 hour flight. Think of it like spending $900 + another 12,500 to upgrade to business on an LAX to JFK flight, would you do that? And tbh, the service you get won’t be much different than being in PE. Maybe a few less eye rolls and sneers, but that’s about it.
I’ve done PE on a DFW-SCL RT (~8+ hours each way) and I was fine when I got there. It was mostly comfortable. I got about as much sleep as when I’m on a lay flat, which is zilch. If you’re taller like me, then don’t get the bulkhead though. It limits your ability to stretch your feet, which gets old after a while.
I’ve done PE on a DFW-SCL RT (~8+ hours each way) and I was fine when I got there. It was mostly comfortable. I got about as much sleep as when I’m on a lay flat, which is zilch. If you’re taller like me, then don’t get the bulkhead though. It limits your ability to stretch your feet, which gets old after a while.
Last edited by seigex; Feb 16, 2020 at 5:37 pm
Feb 16, 2020, 5:39 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,252
No. JFK - LHR is a short short flight by TATL standards. PE is fine for it.
My entire trip to the UK from the states (that im on right now) cost half of the 900. I'd rather take more trips (granted I have lots of SWUs that help). For example, last year I chose to stay JFK-MAD in PE vs upgrading as I wanted to upgrade the trip to NRT instead etc.
My entire trip to the UK from the states (that im on right now) cost half of the 900. I'd rather take more trips (granted I have lots of SWUs that help). For example, last year I chose to stay JFK-MAD in PE vs upgrading as I wanted to upgrade the trip to NRT instead etc.
Feb 16, 2020, 5:48 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 46
Yea I think these responses are sensible.. sometimes I see the ability to upgrade and get over excited. I got really poor service last time on aa business and the food (minus the sundae which was amazing) what pretty awful by economy or /pe standard but the seat is so good! I'm not big on sleeping on planes anyway but theres something about a big seat in business that gets me excited.
Feb 16, 2020, 5:53 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 152
Save the money this time so that you can upgrade her and you next time - it will be more enjoyable!
Feb 16, 2020, 5:58 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 2,507
If I understand your post, you can upgrade the JFK-LHR segment for 12,500 but it is way more miles for LHR-JFK? If that's the case, I'd stay in PE as it is a daytime flight. The overnight (assuming you are on an overnight from JFK) would be where business class is the better option.
Feb 16, 2020, 6:03 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,969
If I understand your post, you can upgrade the JFK-LHR segment for 12,500 but it is way more miles for LHR-JFK? If that's the case, I'd stay in PE as it is a daytime flight. The overnight (assuming you are on an overnight from JFK) would be where business class is the better option.
Feb 16, 2020, 6:05 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 46
Yep that's correct and seeing as I had some bonvoy miles which I was never going to use the return upgrade makes a lot of sense to me even if it is a 6 hour flight (or under 5 hours if we get the record breaking tailwind again but I hope not!)
Feb 16, 2020, 6:06 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 46
If I understand your post, you can upgrade the JFK-LHR segment for 12,500 but it is way more miles for LHR-JFK? If that's the case, I'd stay in PE as it is a daytime flight. The overnight (assuming you are on an overnight from JFK) would be where business class is the better option.
Feb 16, 2020, 6:06 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,969
What's your OW status btw? I got upgraded to J from PE on BA last year from LHR to DFW in layover in the lounge coming back from Bangalore after telling them no for an $800 upgrade (wasn't W class, so no AA miles upgrade option.) I am OW emerald.
Feb 16, 2020, 6:09 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 46
bronze (ruby) will be silver (saphire) after this trip. I've had some luck with upgrades in the past got upgraded to J with my girlfriend both ways to PUJ a few years ago but on such a premium heavy flight I think its very unlikely to get upgraded.. Also my understanding is American gives preferential treatment to their own members and ignores OW status for upgrades is that right? Also a guy at work was saying he has status on american and pays approx $350 to upgrade to J at the airport but he didn't really explain how and you definitely can't do this on BA..