WilcoRoger

Don't OW also use the FFP and FFS fields? True, even if they do, hardly any agent knows how to input it.

Other way around it - OLCI with one FFP, print out the BP with higher status, then go back to the OLCI, modify OLCI, enter miles-collection FFP, print out again.

This way you can show the OWE-BP whereever you need to, but the miles go to the other one. Done it in HEL number of times, when wanted to collect AA miles, but had/have OWE with BA. Of course the manifest will show the last entered FFP, so onboard you'll be "lower ranked" except if you wave the higher value card.

FFlash

Good tip.
There are number of other reports (not here on AY forum) who tell the first entered FFP number may stick and ghost there even if you change it afterwards and risk getting miles into wrong account... go figure.. you may not want to do this if you are betting on the last qualifying miles on your status year, but if flexible, then why not try. I will try this later....

FFlash

Back to the thread title.

I see some of you here who are BA elites are telling coming back to AY. That must be due to recent BA enhancements?

I have been last months pondering to switch to AA or BA and have been studying their programs. First impression, they look very generous. I was just about to make decision to move over to BA and the same day came the "enhancements" which made me retreat and hold. I dropped the BA idea. Now been looking at AA, who are very generous for crediting AY flights. I am hesitant though, as they are having US merger ongoing and the program is "too generous" to be true, so I am awaiting program changes involving devaluations. I will wait some more time: I will have 6 longhaul AA flights upcoming and I will wait at least until then before making decision to jump over to AA.
On AY side, I am not expecting devaluations, since the program has been pretty stagnant for long time, and so "bad" that I cannot believe in devaluations!

WilcoRoger

For me the BA devaluations were just a secondry reason, the main reason was a very busy longhaul spring on AY metal and code.

If my BA membership year was 1 month earlier, I'd stuck to BA - 1050TP (or so) in the first three months would have made requal (1500TP) a breeze. As it were, half of these TPs would have credited to the "wrong" year, making OWE requal a bit shakier (probably would have made it, as I normally end up in the 2500TP range)

Now with AY, the qual year just lined up nicely and I thought what the heck, let's try. 110k points or so in the first 3 months booked, so I'm quite confident, I'll make it. Nothing to lose really, as I have BA OWE till March/2016 and the worst case scenario is OWS - a far off dream for many a mortal

I was ever so long eyeing AA and their Plat challenge - the plat challenge would've been done in a month and 100k EQM/EQP by year's end just as well possible, but I find it very hard to fly 4 legs on AA/US codes, as I don't fly TATL for work and have no plans for holiday there this year. E.g a friend called directly AA to book HEL-LON-PAR return with AA code (yeah, same reason), the agent could see the flights, but couldn't book them

Aside from status, IMO AY Y fliers are best off with AA - min 100% on all AY coded flights, much lower redemptions with generally no YQ and if you finish a Plat challange (200USD) you'll get 100% elite bonus. Plus you can buy back your status if you can't qualify for a few hundred bucks at the end of the year.

So - choices, choices...

Courmisch

AFAIU, you can only buy those segments as feeders to/from TATL. You can still buy them and not show up for the TATL segment, but that makes no financial sense.

WilcoRoger

Makes absolutely no sense, as the return would be cancelled, if I'm no show for the TATL. But thanks for clearing this, I suspected something of the same.

Courmisch

I am neither stupid nor rich enough to try. But looking at the ridiculous prices that OTA give for AA and JL codes on European return flights, I guess it is possible to build a fare structure that allows it - just not financially viable.

kauppias

Aa requires the 4 segments annually but ex arn you can get decent 4 segment runs for 446€ making a weekend of it I went the BA route then after minting my BAEC gold left them immediately when they announced the enhancements now Im sitting on zero TPs and booked 93000 eqp 😜 the aa 4 segments is a drag but exp gets 8 systemwide upgrades which can make the MRs feel comfy

Thats my 3 cents worth

TTL

Not that it would be of much use, AB replied quickly, that they will not status match any more anyone earlier status matched, as I was for three months in 2012. Despite providing two *A Gold cards with decent intra-EU flight history and a good intention to make BER my future hub . I guess I should have applied for a new account before attempting this status match?

WilcoRoger

It's still not too late

intuition

I will have "surplus" AY+ points this memberhip year, and by that I mean I will overshoot the 150k points needed to renew. Normally, I don't care much but among the upcoming tickets there are some that will only earn 50%.

Now with the constant reminder here that "AA credits no less than 100%" I started to think if it would be a good idea to send surplus miles somewhere else. Like credit at a decent rate and then use (or transfer) them rather quickly again.

We are only talking about 15k miles BIS on AY and CX, so it is not that much. However, credited to AY will yield around 10k points, and you all know that 10k is not much to brag about.

I had a quick go at the (to me dreaded) BAEC pages, it seems they credit exactly 0 avios and 0 TPs for some Finnair flights in econ. Unless an error in calculator, BAEC is out.
AA generally gets recommended here, but I know nothing about th aaaadvatange prograaaam - So what can all the street-smart-AY-flier-nonAY-program-FTers suggest me to do with this?

remymartin

Deep discount AY Y attains 25% with BAEC and 100% with AAdvantage. With CX, many fares attain 0% to AAdvantage, while 25% to BAEC.

Which program is better really depends on individual flight patterns - therefore I credit flights to both programmes. Feel free to contact me for more in-depth calculations.

WilcoRoger

AFAIK all revenue tickets earn something with BAEC, no 0% bucket. I strongly believe that AAdvantage will always have at least equal earning on AY compared to BAEC.

I'd ask for a status challenge with AA (90 days - check out the long thread on the AA forum) and credit all "superfluous" AY flights there. I don't have a clue about CX earnings, but spreading out to 3 FFPs might be an overkill.

intuition

Yes, spreading miles is bad. I was thinking if there is somewhere where AY flights earns better and where I can get something instantly redeemed.
Otherwise they can go to AY+. I can redeem a Finnair citybus r/t ticket (maybe even 2!) for those points.

WilcoRoger

10k AA is a European Y shorthaul