BA Upgrade Using Avios
Jun 25, 2018, 11:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 13
BA Upgrade Using Avios
Hi, new to FT forum, I have picked up some great tricks from this website, but I have a burning question.
I always thought that if there is award space available you can upgrade, true ?
I hope its not a dumb question
I was gonna book a flight from ORD-LHR-JED in prem econ class. Only for the ORD-LHR leg I wanted to upgrade to business class as it was AA - which has much better biz class than BA. When I search for Awards on ORD-LHR only flight from american which shows up is AA90, the flight which BA is selling ME is AA86. AA86 doesn't show up on award search, but shows up on "book and upgrade". Does it mean that AA86 is eligible UuA ?
or
The Award search is just broken AGAIN?
I always thought that if there is award space available you can upgrade, true ?
I hope its not a dumb question
I was gonna book a flight from ORD-LHR-JED in prem econ class. Only for the ORD-LHR leg I wanted to upgrade to business class as it was AA - which has much better biz class than BA. When I search for Awards on ORD-LHR only flight from american which shows up is AA90, the flight which BA is selling ME is AA86. AA86 doesn't show up on award search, but shows up on "book and upgrade". Does it mean that AA86 is eligible UuA ?
or
The Award search is just broken AGAIN?
Jun 25, 2018, 12:38 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,683
AA uses different booking classes for awards and upgrades, therefore, unlike BA, when there is award availability on AA it is not true that one can upgrade. It is U class for redemptions and C class for upgrades. If availability shows up for 'book and upgrade,' I'd think it means you can upgrade. Please note that only W booking class can be upgraded into business which can sometimes be more expensive that buying the cheapest business class seat outright.
Jun 28, 2018, 5:24 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: BA EC Gold, Southwest A-List/Companion Pass
Posts: 74
Can someone help share any insight why for this segment there wouldn't be any CW award availability 2 days out despite J availability being seemingly unlimited? BAEC Gold with no op-up luck on my current itinerary, while at the same time not sure why an avios upgrade wouldn't be available given the openness of the cabin.
Last edited by sanfran767; Jun 29, 2018 at 12:12 am
Jun 29, 2018, 9:38 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
[LEFT]Can someone help share any insight why for this segment there wouldn't be any CW award availability 2 days out despite J availability being seemingly unlimited? BAEC Gold with no op-up luck on my current itinerary, while at the same time not sure why an avios upgrade wouldn't be available given the openness of the cabin.
Jun 30, 2018, 8:43 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Only op-ups are a more pleasant involuntary surprise than finding that your bags are flying on a different aircraft.