SeattleDavid

[Apologies for the missing A in AAdvantage in the thread title - an overeager spelling correction!]

Since Loyalty Points arrived there have been a number of people asking about converting from AA to BAEC and responses always include the warning that AA doesn't permit you to use status benefits when accruing points to a different program. But there are few reports of experiences trying to do this for real, so I thought I would start a thread to collect actual experiences of what AA does or doesn't permit.

Lets try to keep this thread for the experiences and questions only - rather than going into discussion of the policy itself.


Personally i started converting in January 2020 on AA tickets LHR-LAX-SJC run (in W and Y on AA and BA flights). I was able to use SWUs to upgrade my AA flights and I received a complimentary upgrade for SJC-LAX and earnt all of 220 tier points for the trip. I don't recall any issues getting OWE seat assignments on the BA flight, whilst still earning for BAEC (where I am Blue). Then COVID hit and I didn't fly again for nearly two years.

Recently I flew DUB-LHR-LAX-SFO-JFK-LHR-DUB in business class on an AA ticket, but mainly on BA-operated flights (all AA-marketed) and getting the miles credited to the right place has been complex. BA check-in attached my BAEC number to the reservation and the boarding card showed no statues. I used my Advantage EXP card to access the lounge at Heathrow. But those BA miles (DUB-LHR-LAX) ended up in my AA account – but when I called to fix that it was very straightforward and easy, with no issues at all. The return flights then acquired my BAEC (on both AA and BA websites) and showed no status at all. My previously booked seat on the BA flight remained allocated, but I couldn't change it without being willing to pay for the new one. I used a SWU to upgrade the SFO-JFK flight and that has caused no issues. I had no bags to check and most of my status benefits (such as lounge access) went with the Business ticket anyway. So, it has been a little stressful trying to keep tabs on it, but it looks like 540 TPs for under �1200.

My main learning from this second trip is that the ticketing carrier is the one to focus on (they seem to award the miles / points) and I would have made life simpler if I had called AA the day before the trip and had them switch out my AA number for my BAEC number, rather than asking BA check-in to do it.

VegasGambler

Using a SWU is not a status benefit of the passenger. You can use them for other people you are not traveling with. They don't even need a FF number. So you can apply then to any reservation. You may have trouble on a BE ticket (I think that requires the passenger to be EXP) but other than that you are good.

The benefits you are not supposed to get are things like free MCE seats and upgrades on domestic flights.

Dave Noble

Same with the OW benefits. The only part that would seem not to have been available is the complimentary upgrade.

Are you sure thar the grass is greener? have you seen redemption cash components from BA awards?

Spanish

@Seattle David: What is your reason for switching? I'm in the same process and have secured Silver now with BA and will obtain Gold soon. I buy premium fares only and therefore find BA a much better proposition, despite most flights on AA. Flagship access, cancelled my Admirals Club renewal as of next month, and have had a couple of great redemptions of Avios (one over 11� per Avios). What are you looking to redeem with Avios? Depends on your flying habits, for sure.
I've only used both beneifts twice for Admirals Club access. My BA Blue (once) and BA Bronze (once) did not grant lounge access with my ticket, but I presented my Admirals Club card and obtained lounge access without issue. That's certainly not the same as benefiting from BA status on an AA ticket, but it's certainly a data point.


@Dave Noble: Grass is greener for me, 100%. I'd love to know OP's grander plan as far as travel for benefits. With UA*G per his handle, sounds like having multiple high-status alliance benefits is his thing. It's very situational, but Tier Point levels are reduced this year and will yield better expectations.


This is a great thread, will be monitoring for sure.

Tack

I performed the switch to BAEC organically. I had some BA J booked early in the year. I used my AA EP number originally to get my J seats reserved. Then I used the Finnair web site to change to my BAEC number and had no problem keeping the pre-reserved seats. I suffered a Club Suite to old CW a/c swap, but just took the computer re-assignment. Any attempt to change reserved seating after AAdvatage number removal displayed a BA cost. I�m at Silver now and will be Gold the end of next month. I fly AA through DFW a few times a month as well as being at LAX/MIA/JFK and lately have loved FL access. The only difficulty I have is the FL agent telling me I must be looking for the AC. But it�s a simple fix, I just show my digital BA Silver card and ask to use my OW Sapphire status to access. They read the rules, note my BA number to bill back BA and I�m in. I still use my AA EP number on AA flights for potential upgrades and will through its expiration in 2023. My BAEC status will last through Jan 2024, which I use on AS and BA flights. The upshot is I�m enjoying the BA change. I�ll miss EXP phone line ( although wait times when I have a reroute are much longer than in the past. ) and the upgrades. But I�m all about OW Emerald benefits and I�m a lounge lizard so the FL trade off is great. Cheers!

Edit: I just did an LAX-JFK-BOG-DFW-LAX last week on AA using my BAEC Silver status. It was all in J. FL in LAX and JFK were no issue due Flagship Business. DFW FL staff were confused because they believed entry required international travel. But they figured it out in about 2 min when I asked to use the OW Sapphire benefit for any AA/OW marketed flight.

Spanish

With the recent re-opening, there may be some newer staff that are still unfamiliar with the full access benefits. I think we're the exception rather than the rule for access privileges.

SeattleDavid

[QUOTE=Spanish;34110716]@Seattle David: What is your reason for switching? ... /QUOTE]

Simply the fact that I have moved from California to the UK and (with no AA credit card) I will never earn enough Loyalty Points or segments to earn benefits on AA. BA, with a discount J trip with a few segments can get one to silver in one go and Gold in two trips (this year at least) � and BA has a soft landing system so Gold this year (on reduced TPs) will give me OWE till December 2023 and OWS till December 2024.

I find very little use for either AA miles or AVIOS. SWUs were nice, but were not going to happen this year. Lounge access and a faster phone line are the two main benefits for me.

But I found it quite difficult working out the best way to book my discount J trip, with 4 BA flights, while not wanting to lose my AAdvantage benefits. And it is clear from comments in various other threads that others find this process difficult too � and at least with the experiences recorded here so far, it really doesn't seem to be as difficult as some would make out.

Spanish

[QUOTE=SeattleDavid;34112414]Lots of clarity here. Keep us posted on how this develops. Great thread.

SeattleDavid

Just a few more tidbits for those that care...

- TSA-Pre survives removal of your AAdvantage#
- (as is well-known) changing BA seats once your AA# has been removed is costly - probably best to only remove it at the last minute
- my last flight of the TP run was cancelled, which was rather nice since I didn't really want to take it anyway.
- getting AA or BA to post points to the correct account is very, very difficult ... it is as though they always do the opposite of what you want
- COVID rules seen to make cross-airline check-in difficult, so AA checked me in for SFO-JFK only and I made the BA check-in with only 1 minute to spare (despite a 90-minute connection - online checkin wouldn't work)

However, so far, 360 of the 540 expected TPs have posted - so BA Silver when the remainder arrive.