NEWBIE LOUNGE 2022-2023: Ask AA newbie questions here - flame-free thread
Oct 13, 2022, 9:52 am
#1501
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: UK
Programs: BA GfL & GGL, FB Platinum, MB Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,403
Help needed with understanding how to use miles for upgrade
I normally credit flights to BA but I was given 15,000 AA miles for service recovery which I am trying to use as best as possible. I don’t have any experience of using AA miles so some help would be appreciated.
I have an upcoming flight ticketed with AA from DUB-LHR-JFK-SFO-JFK-LHR-DUB. All sectors are in business I class except LHR-SFO which is in D class (due to original flight being cancelled and rebooked onto a new flight in a higher fare bucket).
Firstly, on AA.com it says ‘Full-Fare Business with published fares booked in J, D or R’. Does this mean that I can upgrade the LHR-JFK sector which is on AA101 to First for 25,000 miles or do I also have to pay the $550 cash component as it wasn’t a D class fare to begin with? I appreciate that I would need to acquire an additional 10,000 miles.
Secondly, AA.com also says ‘Upgrades are valid to the next cabin of service and are valid for a single one-way trip with a maximum of three segments’. Does this mean that I can upgrade 3 AA flight sectors for only 25,000 miles eg LHR-JFK-SFO-JFK? It sounds too good to be true.
Thank you
I normally credit flights to BA but I was given 15,000 AA miles for service recovery which I am trying to use as best as possible. I don’t have any experience of using AA miles so some help would be appreciated.
I have an upcoming flight ticketed with AA from DUB-LHR-JFK-SFO-JFK-LHR-DUB. All sectors are in business I class except LHR-SFO which is in D class (due to original flight being cancelled and rebooked onto a new flight in a higher fare bucket).
Firstly, on AA.com it says ‘Full-Fare Business with published fares booked in J, D or R’. Does this mean that I can upgrade the LHR-JFK sector which is on AA101 to First for 25,000 miles or do I also have to pay the $550 cash component as it wasn’t a D class fare to begin with? I appreciate that I would need to acquire an additional 10,000 miles.
Secondly, AA.com also says ‘Upgrades are valid to the next cabin of service and are valid for a single one-way trip with a maximum of three segments’. Does this mean that I can upgrade 3 AA flight sectors for only 25,000 miles eg LHR-JFK-SFO-JFK? It sounds too good to be true.
Thank you
Oct 13, 2022, 2:12 pm
#1502
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
You can use the AC in T3 but it will require clearing security in T3, then finding a way back into the transfer flow, taking the bus over to T5, then clearing security there. Make sure you clear T5 security no later than 35 minutes before your scheduled departure or you will be removed from your onward flight. Is there any particular reason you want to use the AC? If you are going to stay in T3 to use the lounges, then the CX and QF lounges which you will also have access to would be better choices. You'll also have access to the BA lounges in T5.
Oct 13, 2022, 2:22 pm
#1504
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
I have an upcoming flight ticketed with AA from DUB-LHR-JFK-SFO-JFK-LHR-DUB. All sectors are in business I class except LHR-SFO which is in D class (due to original flight being cancelled and rebooked onto a new flight in a higher fare bucket).
Firstly, on AA.com it says ‘Full-Fare Business with published fares booked in J, D or R’. Does this mean that I can upgrade the LHR-JFK sector which is on AA101 to First for 25,000 miles or do I also have to pay the $550 cash component as it wasn’t a D class fare to begin with? I appreciate that I would need to acquire an additional 10,000 miles.
Secondly, AA.com also says ‘Upgrades are valid to the next cabin of service and are valid for a single one-way trip with a maximum of three segments’. Does this mean that I can upgrade 3 AA flight sectors for only 25,000 miles eg LHR-JFK-SFO-JFK? It sounds too good to be true.
Firstly, on AA.com it says ‘Full-Fare Business with published fares booked in J, D or R’. Does this mean that I can upgrade the LHR-JFK sector which is on AA101 to First for 25,000 miles or do I also have to pay the $550 cash component as it wasn’t a D class fare to begin with? I appreciate that I would need to acquire an additional 10,000 miles.
Secondly, AA.com also says ‘Upgrades are valid to the next cabin of service and are valid for a single one-way trip with a maximum of three segments’. Does this mean that I can upgrade 3 AA flight sectors for only 25,000 miles eg LHR-JFK-SFO-JFK? It sounds too good to be true.
When you call AA I wouldn't mention anything about the schedule change and rebooking, just say you want to upgrade the outbound portion and see what the agent comes back with.
And each upgrade is valid for up to 3 segments but they need to be in the same general direction, this is what AA means by a "single one-way trip". So LHR-JFK-SFO is definitely covered with a single upgrade but not the return SFO-JFK segment.
Oct 13, 2022, 2:40 pm
#1505
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: UK
Programs: BA GfL & GGL, FB Platinum, MB Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,403
Thank you
Oct 13, 2022, 2:54 pm
#1506
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 235
Is there any rhyme or reason to the best prices for the in-app upsell to (domestic) J/F? My app prices have fallen from $1k+ r/t for DCA-MIA to $161/$97. Only three (of 16) seats are booked for the first leg and six (of 16) for the second leg. Better to wait for OLCI/24 hours prior?
Oct 13, 2022, 4:26 pm
#1507
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Dorset, Vermont, USA
Programs: All of them!
Posts: 399
Thanks again for the help! Was not aware that I could use CX or QF lounge facilities not being in F.
Oct 13, 2022, 6:30 pm
#1508
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFOSJCOAK
Programs: AA-EXP & 1MM+, AS, MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 7,581
AA EXP travel on AA metal from ORD to YYZ in Y. Any lounge access in T3? Thanks.
Oct 13, 2022, 7:21 pm
#1509
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
Oct 13, 2022, 8:25 pm
#1510
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,450
Oct 14, 2022, 5:59 am
#1512
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
OK, so back to flying after a looooooong time off, and trying to figure out the Loyalty Points thingy. Did two flights this week. One showed X miles towards million miler (actual distance flown), and then what looked like roughly 5x the ticket price in loyalty points. The other was also X miles (return flight mapped as same distance), showed X towards million miler, AND earned X loyalty points. So is the loyalty point calculation based on flight miles, or on spend? And why would it be inconsistent between two flights in the same week? Any guidance appreciated!!!
Oct 14, 2022, 6:43 am
#1513
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 551
Million Miler distance should be actual distance flown, LPs should be a multiplier based on how much you paid for ticket, base is 5x the base fare (excluding taxes) if you have no status.
If for some reason AA IT "forgets" the fare you paid, usually due to a number of ticket changes or the ticket being issued in IROPS, then the LPs will post by mileage instead. Sometimes this is to your benefit, sometimes it is not. If it is less then you think you should get based on the fare you paid, then feel free to call Aadvantage customer service and have them try and fix it.
If for some reason AA IT "forgets" the fare you paid, usually due to a number of ticket changes or the ticket being issued in IROPS, then the LPs will post by mileage instead. Sometimes this is to your benefit, sometimes it is not. If it is less then you think you should get based on the fare you paid, then feel free to call Aadvantage customer service and have them try and fix it.
Oct 14, 2022, 6:47 am
#1514
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
OK, so back to flying after a looooooong time off, and trying to figure out the Loyalty Points thingy. Did two flights this week. One showed X miles towards million miler (actual distance flown), and then what looked like roughly 5x the ticket price in loyalty points. The other was also X miles (return flight mapped as same distance), showed X towards million miler, AND earned X loyalty points. So is the loyalty point calculation based on flight miles, or on spend? And why would it be inconsistent between two flights in the same week? Any guidance appreciated!!!
Assuming your flight was a simple roundtrip then you should have earned miles, million miler miles, and LP for both segments. Just a guess but maybe your confusion is the new and awful way that AA nows displays account activity at aa.com, all flights under one record post under the same tile and you have to expand them to see the detailed earnings.
If you can post a screenshot of the flight postings then we can try to troubleshoot.
Oct 14, 2022, 8:11 am
#1515
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,450