One World and AX Member Rewards
Feb 23, 2011 | 8:12 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: New York
Programs: AA, USAIR, SPG, HYATT, IHG
Posts: 40
One World and AX Member Rewards
Couldn't find a sticky, so, I will post my question here since everyone is so helpful.
I have a friend who knows even less than I do about awards (I find that simply unbelievable but true) and we were discussing One World RTW award tickets. I have the SPG AX card so I know how that works but he has the AX MR. From what I can see with the mileage conververter it just doesn't pay to transfer AX MR to a One World partner - am I correct or reading this wrong?
It seems he would get 1:1 with Continental or Delta but not with any of the OW partners. It also seems that the RTW on One World is many less miles than with Star Alliance - am I correct in this - I would hate to misinform another newbie
He has about 300,000 MR's and is a member of AA and CO
From our conversation it sounds to me that Africa and or Australia would interest him and he would like to fly first.
Many thanks
Sincerely
GA
I have a friend who knows even less than I do about awards (I find that simply unbelievable but true) and we were discussing One World RTW award tickets. I have the SPG AX card so I know how that works but he has the AX MR. From what I can see with the mileage conververter it just doesn't pay to transfer AX MR to a One World partner - am I correct or reading this wrong?
It seems he would get 1:1 with Continental or Delta but not with any of the OW partners. It also seems that the RTW on One World is many less miles than with Star Alliance - am I correct in this - I would hate to misinform another newbie
He has about 300,000 MR's and is a member of AA and COFrom our conversation it sounds to me that Africa and or Australia would interest him and he would like to fly first.
Many thanks
Sincerely
GA
Feb 23, 2011 | 8:22 pm
#2
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 12,544
All the award rules are particular to individual airlines' frequent flyer programs, not the alliance's. There's sometimes confusion when Oneworld member airlines (e.g. American) offer "Oneworld" awards; but it's the American FF plan, and not Oneworld, that sets the rules for those sorts of redemptions.
IIRC you can transfer AX points into both British Airways and Iberia. So you would need to look at those airlines' FF programs to see if there was an award scheme/feature that would take you around the world. Note that with most airlines "around the world" is not any one award; one can book a RTW using miles/points redemption just by putting a string of flights together; there's no particular "RTW" award product or tier. With AA, you can use the AA "Oneworld" award to put such an itinerary together, or you can use a string of "all-partner" awards to do the same thing.
IIRC you can transfer AX points into both British Airways and Iberia. So you would need to look at those airlines' FF programs to see if there was an award scheme/feature that would take you around the world. Note that with most airlines "around the world" is not any one award; one can book a RTW using miles/points redemption just by putting a string of flights together; there's no particular "RTW" award product or tier. With AA, you can use the AA "Oneworld" award to put such an itinerary together, or you can use a string of "all-partner" awards to do the same thing.
Feb 23, 2011 | 8:32 pm
#3
Moderator: Asiana & Qantas Frequent Flyer
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: STR/SYD/SMF
Programs: QF LTG / P1 , LH LT SEN / HON, OZ LT Diamond +, Marriott LT PT, HH Diamond,
Posts: 15,152
To what program you can transfer your MR points to depends on the country and type of Amex card. As Gardyloo has pointed out, in the US you can transfer to IB and BA, in Australian you can transfer to QF or CX.
While a RTW award is nice, your friend might be better off with a normal award and some stopovers which might give her what she wants without flying RTW.
While a RTW award is nice, your friend might be better off with a normal award and some stopovers which might give her what she wants without flying RTW.
Feb 23, 2011 | 9:04 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: AS Platinum, AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,668
One advantage of BA partner redemptions is that they permit unlimited enroute stopovers on one-way awards (as long as all travel is on a single partner airline). For example, one can fly from JFK to Perth, with potential stops in L.A., Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide on QF...and a business class one-way award for such an itinerary is 80k BA miles. From there one could build a one-way trip on CX to South Africa or virtually anywhere in Asia with an enroute stopover in Hong Kong. The reward chart is at http://ba97.com/partner.htm.
Feb 23, 2011 | 9:08 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Sydney
Posts: 5,775
One advantage of BA partner redemptions is that they permit unlimited enroute stopovers on one-way awards (as long as all travel is on a single partner airline). For example, one can fly from JFK to Perth, with potential stops in L.A., Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide on QF...and a business class one-way award for such an itinerary is 80k BA miles. From there one could build a one-way trip on CX to South Africa or anywhere in Asia with an enroute stopover in Hong Kong. The reward chart is at http://ba97.com/partner.htm.
AND the ticket is good for one year from issue not 1 yr from date of first flight like QFF
Feb 23, 2011 | 10:29 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: New York
Programs: AA, USAIR, SPG, HYATT, IHG
Posts: 40
I knew I came to the right place! Thanks so much everyone. I was just checking American - I will learn..just slowly.
Really appreciate the time and effort everyone extends.
Thank you
GA
Really appreciate the time and effort everyone extends.
Thank you
GA
Feb 23, 2011 | 10:32 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: AS Platinum, AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,668
One well-known problem with BAEC partner awards with stopovers is that they must be made over the phone, and therefore attract significant booking and service fees (that could be avoided on simpler itineraries booked online). Changes also must be made over the phone, to the same BAEC office that made the original reservation, so one must keep track of the hours and telephone number of the BAEC office where the reservations were originally made. The relevant fee schedule is here:
https://www.britishairways.com/trave...club/_gf/en_us
Feb 23, 2011 | 11:49 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 16,683
I didn't know that date change restrictions applied to partner redemption awards. We changed dates on a BA miles redemption after the first flight in 2009 on LA (from IPC to SCL) with no trouble. I think either that things have changed since then, or that you are perhaps referring to redemptions on BA metal (where BA's rules tend to be much stricter than on partner airlines). Can you please provide a link to T&Cs that mention this prohibition?
One well-known problem with BAEC partner awards with stopovers is that they must be made over the phone, and therefore attract significant booking and service fees (that could be avoided on simpler itineraries booked online). Changes also must be made over the phone, to the same BAEC office that made the original reservation, so one must keep track of the hours and telephone number of the BAEC office where the reservations were originally made. The relevant fee schedule is here:
https://www.britishairways.com/trave...club/_gf/en_us
One well-known problem with BAEC partner awards with stopovers is that they must be made over the phone, and therefore attract significant booking and service fees (that could be avoided on simpler itineraries booked online). Changes also must be made over the phone, to the same BAEC office that made the original reservation, so one must keep track of the hours and telephone number of the BAEC office where the reservations were originally made. The relevant fee schedule is here:
https://www.britishairways.com/trave...club/_gf/en_us
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...rd-ticket.html
and this from the ultimate BA guide:
You can also redeem miles on oneworld partners. You can even now do this online First of all you need to search for the route you require as usual. After the search has been run (even if it turns up no results) you will be offered the option to search partners instead. This sounds cumbersome but works well enough and is designed this way to ensure BA options are exhausted first. To coincide with this genuine enhancement, Partner Awards have now got more flexible (they used to be totally non changeable, non refundable):
1. You can change the date and time on partner bookings free of charge up to 24 hours before outbound departure
2. But you cannot change the route, i.e. you cannot change NYC-LAX with AA to NYC-SFO with AA
3. And you cannot change the airline, i.e. you cannot change from LHR-NRT with JL to LHR-NRT with BA
4. As will all redemptions (BA or partner) you cannot change the point of origin
5, You can can cancel all partner redemption bookings and receive a full refund of your BA Miles, provided you cancel 24 hours in advance.
1. You can change the date and time on partner bookings free of charge up to 24 hours before outbound departure
2. But you cannot change the route, i.e. you cannot change NYC-LAX with AA to NYC-SFO with AA
3. And you cannot change the airline, i.e. you cannot change from LHR-NRT with JL to LHR-NRT with BA
4. As will all redemptions (BA or partner) you cannot change the point of origin
5, You can can cancel all partner redemption bookings and receive a full refund of your BA Miles, provided you cancel 24 hours in advance.
Changes to redemptions after travel
Changes to redemption bookings after the journey has commenced is something we hope to change in the very near future but we have not implemented this officially as yet which is why there is no update to the Ts&Cs or communication around this. I did issue communications to our service centres advising that if we received requests from members wishing to change the time/date after they have flown that we should be flexible where possible. It sounds as though this is where the confusion has arisen and I will re-issue this comms again but if you have any specific outstanding issues please PM me your details and I will do what I can to help.
Please note - you need to contact your own service centre to do this for the moment.
Changes to redemption bookings after the journey has commenced is something we hope to change in the very near future but we have not implemented this officially as yet which is why there is no update to the Ts&Cs or communication around this. I did issue communications to our service centres advising that if we received requests from members wishing to change the time/date after they have flown that we should be flexible where possible. It sounds as though this is where the confusion has arisen and I will re-issue this comms again but if you have any specific outstanding issues please PM me your details and I will do what I can to help.
Please note - you need to contact your own service centre to do this for the moment.
And from ba.com:
14.1. Changes to bookings for Award travel on flights operated by British Airways or Airline Partners are permitted only in respect of date, time, class of service and (subject to Clause 14.2) route. Such changes may only be made by the Member or an individual nominated in accordance with Clause 3.13. If more than one Part Cash Part Miles price option is available for a British Airways flight, it is not possible to change the price option chosen by a Member after a booking has been made. All permitted changes are subject to capacity limitations and may not be made after the time 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure of the first flight in the Award travel itinerary. A fee as specified on ba.com may be payable for each permitted change. For the avoidance of doubt, name changes are not permitted.
Last edited by jerry a. laska; Feb 24, 2011 at 12:18 am