dylanks

In the past, what I have said is that anyone who flies primarily economy should credit to AA, and anyone who flies primarily in paid business or first class should credit to BA. With the minimum spend changes on AA, the formula might have changed, but you definitely earn fewer miles now than before unless you book more expensive fares on AA.

For what it's worth I used to split my earnings between US and BA, and after the merger I combined with BA as the combined flying was enough to start reaching GGL (rather than Gold on BA and Chairman's Preferred on US).

I almost always book business or first class on AA as the price difference is often not significant, both for advanced purchases and last minute tickets. So I don't really need AA's upgrades, but instead get lounge access and the GGL redemptions (jokers).

Cap'n Benj

Having done the same move as you 30 months or so ago, re- Amex, I kept by UK one until Amex US sent me a nice 100,000 sign up bonus offer, so you may want to wait a while before changing your account.

You also get any points converted at the exchange rate, another reason to wait, to see if the pound recovers any more

Chase also have decent sign up bonuses for a few cards that can produce/ be converted into Avios,

Peter M

A sweet deal is to use Avios to upgrade WTP to Club, because you still earn Avios and Tier points for the ticket. I'd suggest checking Avios upgrade availability (look for Club award availability on the BA website) before parting with cash.

A BA Gold card can be used for a status match to obtain elite benefits (including domestic upgrades) on another airline. Unfortunately AA will not status match BA Gold, you will have to join AA On Business, rather than BA On Business, if you use a US address.

Not such a sweet deal is that the US Chase credit card spend is $30,000 per year to earn a 2for1 certificate. Spending over $60,000 on travel does not earn an additional certificate. I would not go out of my way to earn a 2for1 certificate.

Having too many choices, is better than having none.:-:

andersonCooper

EQD waiver is no longer offered for foreign address AA accounts. So OP will still need to meet both EQD and EQM to get AA status, if he/she decides to change to AA.

Keep in mind, as mentioned above, AA will not offer domestic lounge access to its own elites, but will do for non-AA OW elites (Sapphire above, so BAEC Silver or Gold).

fechter

Thanks! The current website directs me to the full panel of US amex card (including the charge card gold/plat, and various credit cards - spg, etc) with sizeable boni - hence the question. I guess I'll figure it out eventually.

Dambus

Nope. I used the transfer programmer about 18 months ago. Best to sign up for one of the free cards then play the Credit Score game for six months before chasing anything else.

pauljeff

Hey- do you actually lose your UK 241s if you change your address to the USA?

Also- is it just me or is cash I class significantly cheaper ex-UK in fares than vice-versa?

Chinsexpat

Bringing my thread back to the front.

Moved to the USA at the begining on the year. The people signing my expenses like to check I'm not spending too much, so tough to book First class internally too many times ! Looks like i will do 3 European trips a year in WTP at best.

Since moving I have pretty much flown UA 90% of the time. They did a status match to Prem Platinum not 1K. Looks like I will fly a solid 100-120k miles a year but nearly all in economy. Living between EWR and PHL United does seem to have the best choice of flights, but its marginal. Had hoped for complimentary upgrades, but have learned quickly that on the routes and times I fly there is more chance England will win the world cup than I will get an upgrade. Ive also found that award redemptions can be pricey on UA for the nice flights.

I am doing my last flight this week on AA to keep my BA status but memebership year ends early June. So going to have to make a call shortly on trying to keep it. Probably will have to give it a miss and spend the rest of the year on UA and then make a call on AA at the end of the year. Even though I am doing 10 flights a month in economy I am thinking even when combined 3 WTP trips to the UK it will be tough and award availabilty for internal flights here is more limited on BA than direct with AA if Exec Plat

I am certainly missing the first wing at LHR. Have Global Entry to get TSA, but seems like the rest of the USA has it as well, so security lines can be long!

Geordie405

PreCheck always used to be good - but there's now Clear as well which is where you get walked to the front of the line having already had your biometrics confirmed at a Clear kiosk. I still place a lot of value on both GE and PreCheck but the latter is definitely becoming more popular.

If you are only doing mainly internal US flights in economy / coach then I can fully understand how it will be a challenge to retain status. I have a flight from LAS to DCA via PHX booked for later this year and that will net me a total of 10 TPs, with the return PHL - LAS getting a measly 20. The cheaper booking classes on AA can net you just 5 points per flight.

I maintain my BA status in part because with the exception of complimentary upgrades I get more or less the same benefits as I would with AA's Executive Platinum plus the added bonus of lounge access when flying on domestic itineraries. The First Wing at LHR is of little benefit to me as I usually connect from NCL and / or fly through T3.

I don't like UA but have done a few sectors this year with DL and quite like them. I'd choose AA where possible but if they are too expensive or my schedule is better served by flying DL then I'd do that. The introduction of "Basic Economy" fares is also a factor to weigh up as those fares come with almost no benefits, even for top-tier status holders.

EuropeanPete

This will depend on the AA pricing out of your hub cities, but when I recently put down 80 or so AA domestic flights in 4 months I would check the F fare and if it was close to the Y fare I was booking I'd call up AA afterwards and ask to pay the difference to upgrade. This is a shitshow when you don't have an American credit card, but even dealing with that issue it wasn't too hard to to make up the extra 7-8 x 140 points that you need to hit Gold on BA. I was based in a city which was very expensive for Y and so the upgrades were often in the ~$200 a flight mark.

fechter

Official follow-up: I picked the everyday rewards card, and got the bonus points promptly after hitting the spend. My account age shows the year that I opened my first account with Amex UK, and I've since moved on to other cards. So absolutely recommend the program.

mec72

I'd just add that you need a US passport or US driving license to use Clear - it won't let you complete the sign-up process at the airport with a foreign passport without some kind of US-issued ID.