Using pts For AA but not a AA point.....
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 5
Using pts For AA but not a AA point.....
Sorry for the opening. I have the Amex card that i can not transfer pts to AA. However i can transfer them to BA or QA. If i do this will i be able to use those points to buy the tickets i need from AA? Sorry new to the whole transfer thing. want to make sure before i transfer 500K miles to BA or QA. If i do this do i have to use BA webstie or can i use AA webstie? Thanks in advance Aaron
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,917
cavesrus Welcome to FT
By QA do you mean Qantas QF or Qatar QR airline? [FT is big on abbreviations~jargon]
If you have BA avios you can "buy" award flights on AA if available. The cost in BA avios will not be the same as the cost in AA miles. Plus any cash surcharge, which can be a lot. You buy from the BA web site. Need to be a signed up member of BAEC.
BA forum thread--> https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...1-edition.html
Same process with other airline frequent flyer programs.
Amex MR Transfer Membership Rewards points to which airline or hotel program? From Jan 2022
Where do you want to fly from/to? Class of travel? 1 person?
500,000 is a lot of MR's. Award flights are *never* guaranteed. Many people want awards.
Be 110% sure awards are available before transferring. Others can grab awards while transferring or are faster.
Different ffp's have different rules & cost in miles/points/avios.
Sorry for the opening. I have the Amex card that I can not transfer pts to AA. However I can transfer them to BA or QA. If I do this will I be able to use those points to buy the tickets I need from AA? Sorry new to the whole transfer thing. want to make sure before I transfer 500K miles to BA or QA. If I do this do I have to use BA website or can I use AA website?
If you have BA avios you can "buy" award flights on AA if available. The cost in BA avios will not be the same as the cost in AA miles. Plus any cash surcharge, which can be a lot. You buy from the BA web site. Need to be a signed up member of BAEC.
BA forum thread--> https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...1-edition.html
Same process with other airline frequent flyer programs.
Amex MR Transfer Membership Rewards points to which airline or hotel program? From Jan 2022
Where do you want to fly from/to? Class of travel? 1 person?
500,000 is a lot of MR's. Award flights are *never* guaranteed. Many people want awards.
Be 110% sure awards are available before transferring. Others can grab awards while transferring or are faster.
Different ffp's have different rules & cost in miles/points/avios.
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,917
The chances of getting 4 off first class awards on AA with BAEC avios is very low.
AA has a very different award cost structure
AA forum--> New AA Award Chart with Dynamic Pricing
A very broad guide-->https://www.awardhacker.com/
But need to read the ffp rules.
Info--> https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/glossary.php
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,917
Need to phone for some awards/routes.
https://www.awardhacker.com/#f=MIA&t...=1&c=y&s=0&p=1
Other US airlines look to fly to BON
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flamin...tional_Airport
Edit
Looking at AA.com first class is not sold MIA-BON. Sold as business class. Same aircraft/seat as "first" class for USA domestic flights.
Using Amex MR points as defacto cash can work for some. Then no issues with award availability.
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Apr 23, 2023 at 4:14 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 34,994
For comparison purposes, on Monday, May 1, AA is offering MCI-MIA-BON one way in Business Class for 25,000 miles/person:
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 34,994
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 26,113
So if your dates are fixed, you probably can't use another airline's miles unless you gamble that the AA.com rate will drop at the last minute, and maybe then it'll become available on BA like that May 1 example above. But that may be less likely for summer dates than for current spring (but past spring break) dates, like the May 1 example above.
But if you want to use Amex points, you might want look into Delta, with is a partner of Amex. According to a web search I just did, Delta also flies from Kansas City to Bonaire, with the plane change in Atlanta rather than Miami. Btw, in hurricane season, ATL is slightly lower risk of connection problems than MIA. You don't want to have your flight cancelled if a hurricane is affecting south Florida but not affecting your final destination of Bonaire.
Just keep in mind that what you think of as "first class" on these shorter North American flights is actually called business class from a booking perspective. It's the new same for the bigger seats up front. Delta's up-front seats are not that much different from American's up-front seats on these flights.

