Booking on AA vs BA
Apr 13, 2022, 2:32 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Nottingham
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,326
Booking on AA vs BA
Almost every single UK - USA flight I've looked at for the next few months (albeit in Y, and with a connection on AA) has priced up more on BA than AA.
E.g. looking at booking LHR - MCO. Return is indirect (via ORD) because I need to arrive earlier than 09:10, and also don't want to go to LGW.
I'm OWS. I believe I'm actually more beneficial to book via AA as even in basic economy I would get a baggage allowance.
So the long and short of it is, is there any disadvantage? The only negative I can see is I can't UUA and wouldn't be offered a POUG? But I can AUP at the airport?
E.g. looking at booking LHR - MCO. Return is indirect (via ORD) because I need to arrive earlier than 09:10, and also don't want to go to LGW.
I'm OWS. I believe I'm actually more beneficial to book via AA as even in basic economy I would get a baggage allowance.
So the long and short of it is, is there any disadvantage? The only negative I can see is I can't UUA and wouldn't be offered a POUG? But I can AUP at the airport?
Apr 13, 2022, 2:39 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: UK and Belgium
Programs: BAEC Gold, Miles and More, Flying Blue, VA, Accor
Posts: 51
I believe the Avios earning may also differ slightly, but I guess it would be easy to argue that the price savings could make up for any potential disadvantages.
Apr 13, 2022, 2:45 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: GLA
Programs: Chevalier de la Gallentrie - Knight of the Platinum Hair Brush, BA Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,389
Maybe it's just your luck when you've been doing your search, as i'm seeing those same flights on a BA ticketed ITIN with about £20 of a difference. Yeah, it's still marginally dearer (£816.16), but not to the extent your search was throwing up below.
Out of interest, does it have to be that weekend, as even a week further out, I'm seeing some pricing sub £500 for that route.
Out of interest, does it have to be that weekend, as even a week further out, I'm seeing some pricing sub £500 for that route.
Apr 13, 2022, 4:01 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: BAEC, Ib+, Accor, HHonors
Posts: 609
Almost every single UK - USA flight I've looked at for the next few months (albeit in Y, and with a connection on AA) has priced up more on BA than AA.
E.g. looking at booking LHR - MCO. Return is indirect (via ORD) because I need to arrive earlier than 09:10, and also don't want to go to LGW.
I'm OWS. I believe I'm actually more beneficial to book via AA as even in basic economy I would get a baggage allowance.
So the long and short of it is, is there any disadvantage? The only negative I can see is I can't UUA and wouldn't be offered a POUG? But I can AUP at the airport?
E.g. looking at booking LHR - MCO. Return is indirect (via ORD) because I need to arrive earlier than 09:10, and also don't want to go to LGW.
I'm OWS. I believe I'm actually more beneficial to book via AA as even in basic economy I would get a baggage allowance.
So the long and short of it is, is there any disadvantage? The only negative I can see is I can't UUA and wouldn't be offered a POUG? But I can AUP at the airport?
Apr 13, 2022, 4:13 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Nottingham
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,326
The benefit on the return is that, if I understand correctly, I can check my bags in on the connecting American Airlines flight, and they will be through checked all the way to the UK. Therefore, I would get my baggage allowance on the return flight (based on the picture I've posted in the first post).
Apr 13, 2022, 4:16 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Minutes from ATL
Programs: DL
Posts: 436
One thing to note is that the BA fare has a GBP 150.00 listed reissue/revalidation penalty while the AA fare does not. Both are non-refundable, but you will be at the mercy of the current BA policy for rescheduling without a penalty.
Apr 13, 2022, 4:22 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Nottingham
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,326
Would you be able to explain that it layman's terms? Assuming I don't want to reschedule (which I don't because it's so last minute!), this shouldn't affect me should it?
Apr 13, 2022, 6:42 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD, LHR, FCO
Programs: BA Gold, etc. etc.
Posts: 1,402
If it's a 001 ticket, you may well be offered upgrades for the flights with AA flight numbers. The upgrade offers will pop up on the AA app (you don't need to log in as an AAdvantage member, just use the booking code and first/last names) or when you look up your reservation on AA.com. They are on a by segment-by-segment basis, i.e. you may be offered upgrades on one or more than one flight at the same time.
Apr 13, 2022, 7:01 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Minutes from ATL
Programs: DL
Posts: 436
In addition to any points implications, AA vs BA Fare:
- AA phone vs BA phone support up to 24-72 hours in advance of departure (AA wins right now I think)
- Operating carrier will take over within 24-72 hours
- AA has twitter support
- AA generally has no change fee on the fare while BA has their book with confidence policy which requires BA marketed routes and bookings to be completed by 30 Sept
- AA wins because it applies to bookings beyond 30 Sept
- BA's only advantage is the fare validity may be extended to 30 Sept 2023 in some cases, or if the AA fare also has a change fee
- For refundable with a fee fares, AA generally charges $400 to refund while BA generally charges $200 to refund
- Applies to a limited set of F/J fares
- AA ticketed BA operated flights have issues with APIS and online check in right now
- AA's booking system doesn't play so nice with BA's APIS for some reason
- There are some workarounds involving re-entering APIS at check in time, but YMMV
Probably missing some but that's my list.
Apr 13, 2022, 7:56 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: STL
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 504
As a point of reference, I have frequently noted that the AA.com website offers BA flights in the premium economy cabin at a significant discount to the exact same flights offered on the BA website. I recently booked some family members for travel in May at about 60% of the cost offered on BA, a discount of about 600 pounds per ticket, a huge saving. You have to go to the US version of the website though, and you also have to book with a US credit card. The savings are not always that large, but they frequently are very worthwhile.
Apr 13, 2022, 8:03 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: ba silver
Posts: 729
I would go with AA. I find their CS easier to reach, even if you have to settle for a callback. North American based call agents are easier to work with
in case of schedule changes in my experience. Went through fifteen changes over a fourteen month period. I found AA agents quite helpful in my situation, willing to open I space on any of their flights and willing to use OW codeshares also, unlike BA agents who could not offer more than what their computer allowed.
in case of schedule changes in my experience. Went through fifteen changes over a fourteen month period. I found AA agents quite helpful in my situation, willing to open I space on any of their flights and willing to use OW codeshares also, unlike BA agents who could not offer more than what their computer allowed.
Apr 13, 2022, 10:18 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2019
Programs: AA
Posts: 342
As a point of reference, I have frequently noted that the AA.com website offers BA flights in the premium economy cabin at a significant discount to the exact same flights offered on the BA website. I recently booked some family members for travel in May at about 60% of the cost offered on BA, a discount of about 600 pounds per ticket, a huge saving. You have to go to the US version of the website though, and you also have to book with a US credit card. The savings are not always that large, but they frequently are very worthwhile.