Using AA miles to upgrade
 

Dear CX experts,

How difficult is it to use AA miles to upgrade on CX flights from J to F? Are there fair amount of availability? Can I waitlist for an upgrade? What is your experience?

Thanks for any comments!

Carfield

The first big caution is that the original ticket needs to be issued on AA stock. Not CX stock, not CXleverage, nothing other than AA. I'm sure someone here will say they have done otherwise. However, I'm quite certain of this requirement. The 2 times I've done this I didn't have any problem. Maybe I've been lucky.

Carfield,

I just did this getting AA to make the reservation and issue it on their stock from YYZ - HKG. The booking class they used was 'A'.

Francis

I have not done this before , but from the
previous posts/infos gathered here :
- tickets have to be issued on AA stock
- C ticket can be booked in D class
( discounted/sub class for business class
( need not be in full J )
- The upgraded FC has to be booked in A
- The upgrade and reissue has to be done
directly by AA with certificate

Since the upgraded flight is booked in "A", does this mean that I can get the 50% class of service bonus?

What is the reason for having AA reissue the ticket on their stock?

So that:
1) They have control of the original booking as well as the upgrade.
2) They can then see that the fare is 'normal' and not discounted or through a consolidator.
3) It is easier for them to do an 'issue' in exchange in case of changes.

Thanks for the information but I am still not sure what the procedures are. Let me try to list the procedures and please tell me if I am right or not!

1. Call AA and find out if A inventory is available!
2. Buy a J class ticket from CX (on CX stock)!
3. Call AA again and to confirm the upgrade!
4. Then bring the tickets to AA and reissue them

Am I right here? I guess these long procedures also try to dissuade people from using the upgrade awards...

Well, it may be complicated, but at least it is still an option.

Carfield

An easier way would be:

1)Call AA EXP/PLT/GLD etc. desk, tell them you want to upgrade your J ticket to First Class using the 40,000 mile upgrade award on CX.

2)Have AA check availability for the dates you want (in both "J" and "A").

3)Then have AA issue the "J" ticket and upgrade it to "A" while they deduct the 40,000 miles from your account, and charge the "J" fare to your credit card.

3A) Call CX and make sure you are confirmed in First Class on the flights you want and choose your seats.

4)Wait for the guy from the courier company, post office etc. to deliver the paper ticket.
(already upgraded)

I just called AA to change the date of my award travel. Upgrade from full fare business to first. Orginally when my ticket was issued it was in "A" Class but when I asked the guy what class he was booking me in he said "Z" Class. So which one is it ? Does anyone know ?

Thanks Guys.

Z class is used for award tickets--I am suprised they would also use this for upgrade tickets.

Thats what I thought. If they use Z Class as the booking class I probably wont recieve miles. I better call them and sort it out.

For CX awards on CX there is no difference in class booked between upgardes and full awards. I have always automatically got credit for the underlying mileage when using upgrades (and I have done this on different occasions crediting the miles to AA and CX).

CX uses Z and U class for their awards and upgrade codes. There will be an 'internal' remark on your reservation system that notifies CX that your reservation is an upgrade and that you should get your miles on class of ticket purchased. If not, just keep your documents and send them in if they don't get posted. This is what I've been doing even on flights made through Asiamiles themselves. Sometimes they post, sometimes they don't.

Thanks for your help all CX Experts. I still don't quite undertstand why the Class basis on my AA Ticket says "A" hmm was it a mistake by the AA ticket agent ?