nux

Sorry my mistake

There is a table here as well: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...l#post19160496

kyym

Thanks for the responses.

So if my travel patterns are as described above and I've not decided whether to move from AAdvantage to EC, it looks like it will still make sense to get the BA Chase Card right?

I should be able to hit the $20K spend mark this year, and also earn an extra $25K Avios for the ~$10K of ticket spend for a total of 125K Avios (for $95).

Can I use these Avios for WT+ to CW upgrades even if I am crediting the flight to AAdvantage? Or does the flight in WT+ have to be credited to EC to be able to use Avios for the upgrade?

I will be dropping LH SEN after next year, and slowly shifting more flying to OW. So it looks like I'll be able to keep 1K, EXP, and BA Silver. But optimizing this will require the following:

a) Credit CX and other OW flights to AA (max the RDM bonus)
b) Credit CW tickets to BA (max tier points)
c) Credit WT+ tickets to AA (same EQP as CW but lower TP)
d) Use BA Avios to upgrade my WT+ to CW

Doing (c) and (d) will require having a different FFP Number on the booking (AA) but drawing on BA Avios to upgrade.

This should be fine in principle, but wanted to check if anyone has tried this and have any advice on it.

Thanks again!

nux

You would first need to put your BAEC number on the booking, upgrade, and then have it changed (either online on the Finnair site, or at checkin/lounge) to your AA number.

kyym

Thanks again.

So looks like the best bet would be to keep EXP for any US domestic travel, the SWU's, and OWE status, but to credit one CW RT to India each year to BA (and a little more to get silver since this would be 560 TP). This will get me around 50K Avios/year - which would be enough to upgrade 2 WT+ RT from SAN to LHR to CW each year.

I guess another advantage of keeping EXP and BA Silver is that you get free AA access on domestic itineraries. This is sounding like a good combination!

Do the veterans agree?

Thanks!

golfmad

If you mean the spend required on the BA Chase Card to earn the Travel Together ticket, it's $30K not $20K.

kyym

Thanks - I just meant for the full bonus of 100K Avios and not for the travel together certificate, which I think is $20K.

golfmad

Ah, right. OK. In that case, if you're going to sign up for the Chase card I'd suggest you don't delay. The 100K offer is currently still on but it changes during the year back down to 50K at times. Best to apply as soon as possible.

kyym

Just did today itself and got approved. Will wait for card to arrive next week before buying a bunch of BA tickets.

terpfan101

I'd also recommend the AA card to use for purchasing AA flights. It has a 50K signup bonus at the moment. I'd also recommend you do what you last suggested (credit longhaul BA flights to BAEC to get silver and put all domestic AA flights on AA to get status there for upgrades). Best of both worlds then.

kyushuman

Hey sorry to bring up an old thread but wIth a BA business class itinerary coming up that will get me BA status, I'm trying to figure out if AA still grants the same benefits to BA elites when flying US domestic itineraries.
I live in the USA and about 5 years ago got BA Silver and enjoyed being able to pre-reserve an AA Economy Plus (MRTC?) seat, baggage, elite checkin and boarding, free standby, and lounge access on Domestic AA itineraries.
I live in MSP, a Delta/SkyTeam megahub, so already have status with them. Even when I soft-landed to Bronze, I got a Y+ seat assignment at check in and some other minor perks.
Thanks for any help from people who have flown AA Domestic as a BA elite recently.

Infinite Possibilities

MSPeconomist

kyushuman

Great question.
Actually I would never have enough $$Spend to get AA status.
With BA I only need TPs, which I'll get on a cheap Biz fare that I'm purachasing. I don't fly AA that much, just always nice to have some status when flying.

In addition, for myself-- BA Elite's lounge access and Y+ on domestic flights is a great way to travel, vs. no lounge and Y+ with a chance of Upgrade if I'm AA Elite.

VSLover

having been loyal AA for ten years before moving to LON permanently and switching to BA I can say the only benefit i miss are using my upgrade certs for domestic flights as a lifetime platinum on AA, id rather use the perks of my BA gold for lounges and avios.

if you were going to stay in the US permanently i'd switch but if you intend to come back to the UK you can still enjoy all the benefits of your BA silver on AA. when flying domestically now under my BA number, i do not experience any real loss of perks.

Geordie405

My take on this as someone living in the US but with no AA status and being BAEC Gold is that the only thing you don't get with BAEC that you possibly would get with AA are upgrades on domestic itineraries. I don't think this is a deal breaker for me and I will stay with BAEC as long as it continues to provide all the other benefits, including lounge access (and that is something you wouldn't get with AA).

MCE now gives you complimentary alcoholic beverages (on flights with a full bar service) so that is an additional perk plus as Gold you would also get a complimentary snack. I find that plus seat selection, priority boarding etc. makes up for the lack of upgrade potential.

To contrast what @VSLover says above, even though I live in the US permanently I still haven't switched to AA. I wouldn't meet the $ spend requirements for status whereas with BA it's simply a case of accruing sufficient tier points to maintain Gold and that's done through a combination of BA, AA, CX flights over the course of the year.