AA or BA tickets ?
Sep 18, 2022, 7:28 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 21
AA or BA tickets ?
Trying to book AUS-LHR-HYD and return in business. The BA ticket is cheaper than AA. (Some segments are operated by AA and rest by BA). As an AAdvantage member, is there any advantage over booking AA or BA?
Sep 18, 2022, 7:37 am
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: AA: CK
Posts: 2,230
I think buying a BA ticket (irrespective of operating carriers) means you earn Loyalty Points based on distance rather than dollars spent. So that could be beneficial or harmful, depending on how much you're spending. Happy to be corrected. It could be based not on ticket but on flight codes (AA vs. BA.) There are several nuances.
Sep 18, 2022, 8:53 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,535
I think buying a BA ticket (irrespective of operating carriers) means you earn Loyalty Points based on distance rather than dollars spent. So that could be beneficial or harmful, depending on how much you're spending. Happy to be corrected. It could be based not on ticket but on flight codes (AA vs. BA.) There are several nuances.
Cheers.
Sep 18, 2022, 9:07 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: AA: CK
Posts: 2,230
Sep 18, 2022, 9:30 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,535
Yup. doesn't matter, AFAIK. It's all about the marketing carrier (flight number) in all cases I've seen. Usually (but not in all cases), one gets a codeshare flight number from the ticketing carrier. So, buying a BA-operated flight on AA often gets an AA number. In that case it earns like AA ($). In the less-common case where buying on AA still yields a BA flight number, this should earn based on partner (distance) rules. At least that's how it has been in the past. I don't imagine that the change to LP impacts that. However, I've not personally experienced this since the change.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Sep 18, 2022, 11:04 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
Yup. doesn't matter, AFAIK. It's all about the marketing carrier (flight number) in all cases I've seen. Usually (but not in all cases), one gets a codeshare flight number from the ticketing carrier. So, buying a BA-operated flight on AA often gets an AA number. In that case it earns like AA ($). In the less-common case where buying on AA still yields a BA flight number, this should earn based on partner (distance) rules. At least that's how it has been in the past. I don't imagine that the change to LP impacts that. However, I've not personally experienced this since the change.
Cheers.
Cheers.
James
Sep 18, 2022, 12:05 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BNA
Programs: AA CK; Bonvoy Titanium, WoH Globalist
Posts: 3
I used to think it didn’t matter much beyond the issues identified above. Then I ran into a problem en-route about 6-8 weeks ago. A 10 minute call to AA got me sorted out as I was booked as an AA flight, even though operated by BA. I was traveling with a colleague (also a CK) who was ticketed as BA. AA couldn’t help him since it wasn’t their ticket and he spent hours trying to get it resolved by BA. YMMV
Sep 18, 2022, 12:43 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, AC SE
Posts: 346
I used to think it didn’t matter much beyond the issues identified above. Then I ran into a problem en-route about 6-8 weeks ago. A 10 minute call to AA got me sorted out as I was booked as an AA flight, even though operated by BA. I was traveling with a colleague (also a CK) who was ticketed as BA. AA couldn’t help him since it wasn’t their ticket and he spent hours trying to get it resolved by BA. YMMV
When booking direct, you'll get a ticket from that carrier.
Other times, there can be the option to choose. If you don't choose, you will get the default: seeATPCO logic for determining the default validating carrier (page 10).
TAs may easily make a manual selection, per IATA Resolution 852. Generally if the fare rules allow a carrier and at least one segment is marketed by that carrier, that carrier can be selected (there are exceptions). Because of the TATL joint venture, choosing between AA and BA is usually easy, even if both TATL segments are marketed by the other carrier. Unfortunately TAs often silently choose based on their own preferences (e.g. commission), not what would work out best for the passenger.
Sep 18, 2022, 8:18 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 201
check fare rules on each carrier. I HATE BA with a passion. I believe=and please check= that you cannot cancel a BA ticket and hold a travel credit. You need to rebook right away or the ticket has no value. AA does not have change fees...does BA?? And if you cancel/rebook--does the new ticket need to be the same or higher?
Sometimes a $500 savings is a travel nightmare.
Sometimes a $500 savings is a travel nightmare.
Sep 19, 2022, 12:16 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Total Wine & More Reserve
Posts: 4,519
Pretty sure they recently ended that policy (Book with Confidence) for new bookings, which is a significant deterrent for booking through BA IMO, unless I'm very confident that I wouldn't need to make any changes.
Sep 19, 2022, 1:36 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: BLR
Programs: AA - EXP, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, UK - Gold
Posts: 1,224
Check by inputting nos here: https://lpcalculator.com/#/table/UEw...AwMCwxOTA3NCww ?