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Should I hang up?

   
Old Dec 27, 22, 6:48 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Isle of Man/East Palo Alto
Programs: AA - CK/Airpass
Posts: 688
Should I hang up?
Called AA to check that I could apply a SWU to a BA flight. Confirmed that, gave credit card to book the flight, now have been on hold for just over two hours (which I’m surprised I didn’t get an automatic hangup).

So… hold on hoping my agent returns? Or hang up and hope I didn’t lose my upgrade?
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wutlol is offline  
Old Dec 27, 22, 7:37 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Feb 2022
Programs: AA EXP; SQ Gold
Posts: 32
Yes
You should hang up because you have nothing to lose. The agent had no idea what they are doing. You cannot use an SWU upgrade on BA metal. However, you can upgrade with miles if you booked in either Y or W.
npretnar is offline  
Old Dec 27, 22, 7:37 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Plat Pro; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
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Can you check online to see if it’s been reticketed? Or that the charge went through?
beachfan is offline  
Old Dec 27, 22, 7:41 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
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Originally Posted by npretnar
...You cannot use an SWU upgrade on BA metal...
I thought this was now possible.
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Old Dec 27, 22, 8:06 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
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Originally Posted by npretnar
You should hang up because you have nothing to lose. The agent had no idea what they are doing. You cannot use an SWU upgrade on BA metal. However, you can upgrade with miles if you booked in either Y or W.
Yes, you can use a SWU on BA. It was a change to the program earlier this year.
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GNRMatt is offline  
Old Dec 27, 22, 8:09 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
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https://frequentmiler.com/american-a...nd-vice-versa/
beachfan is offline  
Old Dec 27, 22, 8:10 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: AA EXP / 1MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Gold
Posts: 187
Originally Posted by npretnar
You should hang up because you have nothing to lose. The agent had no idea what they are doing. You cannot use an SWU upgrade on BA metal. However, you can upgrade with miles if you booked in either Y or W.
this is false.
razzaba is offline  
Old Dec 27, 22, 8:20 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Feb 2022
Programs: AA EXP; SQ Gold
Posts: 32
I stand corrected, even though the SWU redemption value doesn't actually square across the two airlines ... on BA you can only upgrade from Y to Y+ (i.e. AA W), but on AA you can still upgrade from Y to J. Does anybody know how one sees if such an upgrade is available on BA metal, either from Y to W or W to J?
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Old Dec 27, 22, 8:25 pm
  #9  
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Originally Posted by npretnar
I stand corrected, even though the SWU redemption value doesn't actually square across the two airlines ... on BA you can only upgrade from Y to Y+ (i.e. AA W), but on AA you can still upgrade from Y to J. Does anybody know how one sees if such an upgrade is available on BA metal, either from Y to W or W to J?
If you can book a BA flight in J with AA miles, that flight can be upgraded with an AA SWU. You just need to be in Y, not W.

For what it’s worth, he finally picked back up 15 minutes shy of 3 hours and apologized profusely; his computer system had locked up.
wutlol is offline  
Old Dec 27, 22, 8:54 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: Feb 2022
Programs: AA EXP; SQ Gold
Posts: 32
So just to confirm ... you were able to upgrade from Y to J using an SWU on BA metal? Also, just to further confirm ... an AA phone agent was able to do this for you? Did you happen to call a special elite line (EXP or PLT, etc.)?
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Old Dec 27, 22, 9:23 pm
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
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I think they mean you need to be W not Y to upgrade to J on BA
lightbulbs is offline  
Old Dec 27, 22, 9:50 pm
  #12  
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Originally Posted by npretnar
So just to confirm ... you were able to upgrade from Y to J using an SWU on BA metal? Also, just to further confirm ... an AA phone agent was able to do this for you? Did you happen to call a special elite line (EXP or PLT, etc.)?
Yes. For both legs of my SFO-LHR-AMS flight.

I just called the normal line number. I’m EXP but my understanding is one gets automatically redirected regardless.

Originally Posted by lightbulbs
I think they mean you need to be W not Y to upgrade to J on BA
If using avios, yes. With a SWU, one jumps from Y to J.
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wutlol is offline  
Old Dec 27, 22, 9:51 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Feb 2022
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Very interesting. Useful information! Thanks for sharing
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Old Dec 27, 22, 10:37 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
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Originally Posted by wutlol
If using avios, yes. With a SWU, one jumps from Y to J.
Wow, this is new information for me. Do you happen to know if this policy is documented anywhere, or is this simply a matter of having data points indicating that it's possible to upgrade to J from economy (rather than premium economy)?
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LowValueCustomer is offline  
Old Dec 27, 22, 10:39 pm
  #15  
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Originally Posted by LowValueCustomer
Wow, this is new information for me. Do you happen to know if this policy is documented anywhere, or is this simply a matter of having data points indicating that it's possible to upgrade to J from economy (rather than premium economy)?
It is simply that they are different upgrade instruments. If you check the thread posted earlier about SWUs on BA going live, you’ll this procedure is well documented.

Further, all in-app and website language for AA now mentions SWU can be used on both AA and BA flights.

I can’t find a canonical news release but the information is there when you acquire/use SWUs.
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