First Time on British Air- do I go with AA miles?
 

I am flying BA from PDX to Vancouver, BC to LHR to JNB and to BNR and back. Going on an Around the World fare in economy. I might do this trip again this year. With BA being partners with AA, I thought that applying this flight to AA would be better since I live on the west coast in the U.S. In the past I have made a couple of European trips as well but have always been on DL. So, I guess my question is, should I start an AA account and put my BA miles on there- would it be beneficial? Or would I be better off having a BA account and applying any domestic AA or Alaska miles to it? AA is having a special right now so I could possibly earn double miles on part of the trip. I am not entirely clear if I can make Gold if none of my flight is AA. BA and Quantas. I appreciate your input!

You should be able to earn AA miles for entire trip.

Effective July 1, 2003, AAdvantage members may earn and use miles on British Airways transatlantic flights to/from Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. British Airways transatlantic flights to/from the U.S. are not eligible for mileage accrual or redemption

Most of the Bonus programs require metal.

AA forum might be better source on AA qualification.

I can't tell you which ones, but most economy BA fares earn only 25% of the actual miles flown regardless who they're assigned to. The only way to earn 100% of the AA miles plus any status miles in cheap/discount economy is if the YVR-LHR has AA codeshare AA flight # and that's the way you ticket it.
This would have been a better post on the AA or BA forum. Just give it some time and I'm sure the moderator will move it. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Welcome to FT ADU! Hopefully some AA and BA experts can help you out. I'm more of a CO and DL journeyman http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

You might be better off getting an Alaska account, which allows you to earn 100% miles on BA and AA flights.

Since both BA and AA give only 25% credit for BA discount coach tickets, three considerations are a) which airline you expect to fly more in the future, b) on which airline you would expect to redeem miles and c) credit towards elite. For a), as a North American resident AA or AS might be the best options. Given c) I would recommend AA. Even though AA will only credit 25% for discount coach on BA (the same as BA), these will count for credit towards elite on AA, whereas on BA you will earn 0 tier points towards Silver/Gold status. If you do this trip twice in one year, even at 25% earnings you may still make AA Gold, particularly if you have much other travel on AA (note 4 segment minimum on AA). Also, if you fly this route in the future you could fly AA via LAX or ORD, thereby qualifying for 100% miles and credit towards elite on the transatlantic (also enjoying MRTC instead of the purported horrors of BA World Traveller).

Wow, what a fast response! I realize I should have put this in the BA or AA forum- live and learn. Sounds like I won't be earing elite on anything on this trip. Found that I am BA to get there and Quantas to get back. I don't know what the class of ticket is but I imagine it is deeply discounted economy. Really no other reason I would need to go from PDX to LHR to get to JNB....there is a shorter route. I think I will go for applying the miles to AA and just take the hit on the number of miles. I will make a couple of PDX-MCO trips this year so sounds like the best route. THANKS!!

Careful - there's no airline called "Quantas". However, there is one called "Qantas", which is originally an acronym.

And its either BA or British Airways - no-one has ever heard of an airline called British Air!

I'd say your best bet would be AS as you earn 100% miles. A Y class RTW books in L class - deep discounted Y which only earns 25% on the AA, BA and QF schemes.

QF Frequent Flyer might be an option to consider for the QF sectors though.

British Air is, of course, not the correct name, but it is used quite frequently in the US (not by FlyerTalk members of course http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif).

British Airways. Qantas.

I won't let it happen again.

Just want to correct this....

Sounds like I won't be earing elite on anything on this trip.

....because as few miles as you will earn on this trip, if you do put them in the AA program, they will count towards elite status.

To get back off topic, QANTAS still is an acronym. Queensland And Northern Territories Aerial Service for those wondering.

Just to clarify, flying AA in L earns 100% in AAdvantage. Flying BA in L would earn 25% in AAdvantage. According to AA.com, flown L on QF is not eligible for AAdvantage credit from 1 January 2004, though prior to that date L on QF earned 70% in AAdvantage. From 1 January 2004, QF flights in M,V,G,N and S earn 50%, and QF flights in B,Y,H and K earn 100%. You may wish to confirm in what class your flight on QF is booked.

AA sounds like a good option if PDX-MCO will also be a frequently flown routing, assuming that AA offers reasonable fares/frequencies on this route.

Apologies for my earlier cock up. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

ADU - BA offers a pretty decent Y product, but it is not their desire to attract discounted pax, hence the very stingy miles on offer.