BA or AA to collect miles?
May 15, 2023, 1:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Prague, CZ, Europe
Programs: Hilton Lifetime Diamond, BA Gold
Posts: 236
BA or AA to collect miles?
I'm going to fly monthly in C from the EU to the US, mostly on the AA metal. So far, I'm booking BA and collecting Avios (will become a Silver on my next flight).
Here's the question: for the best award flight options (which will be again EU to US in C), shall I keep doing this or move to AAdvantage?
Here's the question: for the best award flight options (which will be again EU to US in C), shall I keep doing this or move to AAdvantage?
May 15, 2023, 1:18 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,647
If you're based in Europe as seems the case from your bio, BA (and silver) probably gives the better options for redemptions. Also status is currently a bit easier on BA I think.
If you have a lot of onward travel in the US, the equation shifts a little.
If you have a lot of onward travel in the US, the equation shifts a little.
May 15, 2023, 1:24 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,573
« It depends » is the basic answer. It really depends on your own specific travel patterns (fares, airlines etc) and priorities (eg lounge v upgrades if flying domestically in the us at all). There are quite a few threads discussing that question so I’d recommend a search to see discussions of specific situations and differences. Obviously as added complication neither programme is guaranteed to stay as it is forever.
May 15, 2023, 2:18 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Prague, CZ, Europe
Programs: Hilton Lifetime Diamond, BA Gold
Posts: 236
My usual pattern will be something like PRG-LHR-DFW-SGF, booked in business, so upgrades and lounges are not an issue, it's the reward options in C what the most important to me. Also, if I stay with BA, I'll be a BA Gold by August. I used to fly LH a lot (SEN for many years) and liked their reward availability, but their current fares are not acceptable.
May 15, 2023, 2:22 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,056
It depends...
One nuance is that AA can generally see the same J award space as BA for BA metal HOWEVER, it doesn't charge extra miles for any connecting flights in Europe (or North America), unlike Avios. You will still pay the same surcharges. And you will almost never find J award space on AA metal.
Alaska or Asia Miles might be an even better idea than AA, if all you are looking at is earning ratio in BA J vs. reward pricing in J.
One nuance is that AA can generally see the same J award space as BA for BA metal HOWEVER, it doesn't charge extra miles for any connecting flights in Europe (or North America), unlike Avios. You will still pay the same surcharges. And you will almost never find J award space on AA metal.
Alaska or Asia Miles might be an even better idea than AA, if all you are looking at is earning ratio in BA J vs. reward pricing in J.
May 15, 2023, 2:43 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2004
Programs: BA GGL, LH FTL
Posts: 3,579
My usual pattern will be something like PRG-LHR-DFW-SGF, booked in business, so upgrades and lounges are not an issue, it's the reward options in C what the most important to me. Also, if I stay with BA, I'll be a BA Gold by August. I used to fly LH a lot (SEN for many years) and liked their reward availability, but their current fares are not acceptable.
May 18, 2023, 3:02 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Prague, CZ, Europe
Programs: Hilton Lifetime Diamond, BA Gold
Posts: 236
You're right, I'll stick to BA and see in about a year...
BTW, I anyway left the whole concept of chasing the miles for status quite some time ago. If LH was cheaper, I'd fly LH, but BA is consistently much cheaper on this route, hence my question.
BTW, I anyway left the whole concept of chasing the miles for status quite some time ago. If LH was cheaper, I'd fly LH, but BA is consistently much cheaper on this route, hence my question.