A couple of questions from an AAdvantage newbie

[serfty]

... I'm particularly excited about the 500 mile upgrades (as I'm not far from Gold) and the super nice burn rate. ...

These are useful for "space available" Upgrades. You cannot confirm an upgrade with them weeks out, but if there's spare seats one class above that booked they go to EXP¹, Plat, Gold then High Fare Y in that pecking order.

Each one is good for 500 miles of segment (with a 50 mile leeway). i.e. A 450 mile or a 534 mile flight burns one - a 1350 mile flight burns 3.

¹ Once you reach EXP, they don't give them to you any more since you get "free" space available upgrades.

 

[drron]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

As an Australian based Aadvantage member you can swap your 500 mile upgrade certs for extra miles.You contact Aadvantage customer service through aa.com asking if you can and they send back an email saying this isn't a feature of the Aadvantage program but as a once only favour they will do it this time.
Has worked for me twice.When in the USA most of my flights are on DONEs so already in F.

 

[Isochronous]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I see casanovawa's latest question hasn't been answered and I have some AAdvantage newcomer questions of my own so hopefully someone can help us both.

I've joined AAdvantage but I'm having trouble getting my head around the dynamics of it. At this stage, I'm crediting only (some) domestic QF flights to AAdvantage.

Can someone point me to some basic, base level information on the program?

Does AA have a points earning calculator like QF?

If I fly, say, PER-MEL (1681 miles) in a flexi saver or fully flexible QF Economy ticket, what's the AA points earning?

Would it be fair to say that, particularly as a QF WP, flights booked as red e-deals and super saver fares are better credited to QF?

How do Elite Qualifying Miles and Elite Qualifying Points differ?

Is any one-way flight on the domestic QF network 12,500 AAdvantage points?

And is status with AA earned points or miles or segements (not a combination)?

I have a similar question - I'm someone who for the past two years (entirely self-funded traveller) has earned approx. 250 SCs p.a. (just short of Silver) on QF Domestic and one or two trips internationally, usually a mix of HKG/LHR/LAX. Would I get any status benefit by shifting to AAdvantage?

 

[drron]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

This is a link to the earnings table on other airlines-just click on the airline you want-
https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/earnMiles/travel/airlines/main.jsp

No easy answer to your question.Mostly status is harder to earn on AA.If you travel full fare economy or Y+ though it can be easier.

 

[rcn]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Would calling the Australian number to arrange the bookings, then calling the US number to pay for for it, work? (There by saving the difference in the telephone fee)

 

[wandering_fred]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I have a similar question - I'm someone who for the past two years (entirely self-funded traveller) has earned approx. 250 SCs p.a. (just short of Silver) on QF Domestic and one or two trips internationally, usually a mix of HKG/LHR/LAX. Would I get any status benefit by shifting to AAdvantage?

In the past the 50% accrual on AA for most QF fares has made my re-qualification life more difficult. However BA now credits full mileage on all fares to the AA program. Just be aware that BA has no ruby status level and as an AA Gold there will be no status bonus from BA. Long haul in the Y cabin works much better for AA than QF.

The real benefit for an Oz resident with the AA program is the 10K one way economy award in Australia/NZ. Though rather more useful to a Perth based flyer.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[Danger]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

As an Australian based Aadvantage member you can swap your 500 mile upgrade certs for extra miles.You contact Aadvantage customer service through aa.com asking if you can and they send back an email saying this isn't a feature of the Aadvantage program but as a once only favour they will do it this time.
Has worked for me twice.When in the USA most of my flights are on DONEs so already in F.

Is the conversion rate simply one 500 mile upgrade cert equals 500 miles?

Do the upgrade certs expire?

 

[drron]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

They dont expire as long as your account is current.The last time I did it was a while ago and it was 250 miles per upgrade cert,I think.

 

[NM]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

They dont expire as long as your account is current.The last time I did it was a while ago and it was 250 miles per upgrade cert,I think.

that's not a very good rate of exchange. I have 60 of them and was hoping to exchange them for miles prior to the end of November but was hoping they were worth a little more 15,000 miles. Oh well, I guess I am never going to use them as upgrade certs so might as take whatever I can for them. Just waiting to see if my last CX flight is enough to score the next 4.

 

[wandering_fred]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

that's not a very good rate of exchange. I have 60 of them and was hoping to exchange them for miles prior to the end of November but was hoping they were worth a little more 15,000 miles. Oh well, I guess I am never going to use them as upgrade certs so might as take whatever I can for them. Just waiting to see if my last CX flight is enough to score the next 4.

Last year I turned in 20 for 10K miles, so 500 each, but that may be EXP related. Wondering whether I should turn in the another 10 (leaving 2) as it would take a major miracle for me to retain EXP status. And of course I am 75K short of LTG.

PS the BA code share on QF (SIN-PER) did credit full mileage to AA (plus status bonus). A couple of days longer in posting but still fast enough to ensure no concerns.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[NM]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Last year I turned in 20 for 10K miles, so 500 each, but that may be EXP related. Wondering whether I should turn in the another 10 (leaving 2) as it would take a major miracle for me to retain EXP status. And of course I am 75K short of LTG.

I will wait until Tuesday. CX flights tend to post on Tuesdays and then my bstatus will once again show as EXP so may be best chance of getting 500 miles/cert.

I will still be about 300K miles short of Lifetime Platinum (2MM) but every bit closer helps.

Did you need to make the request via email or can it be done over the phone?

 

[drron]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

As I said my request was a while ago and my memory can be faulty.
I do know however that I made my request using the contact us form on aa.com ie internal email.

 

[Danger]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I'm seeking some help understanding AA's other airline awards.

I know, for example, that 10k AAdvantage miles gets a one way flight with Australia and New Zealand but I'm sketchy on how it's applied. I understand that that 10k is perfectly valid for a flight, say, PER-xMEL-AKL. Is this correct? If so, would PER-xMEL-xBNE-AKL be valid for 10k? I'm assuming not, obviously because it isn't economical for AA. So where is the line drawn? Similarly, I note 45k will get you a one way flight from South Pacific to the Middle East in J. This would mean, I think, a business seat on Emirates from SYD-AUH. But it would it also include, say, SYD-xAUH-LHR?

 

[casanovawa]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I was planning, if i redeemed one of those 10k AA awards within Aust/NZ, to see if i could take a fairly indirect routing, get a few extra flights maybe to airports i had never visited and make my flight map look more interesting but I guess it would really be up to what the AA operator would allow, not sure if there is anything mandating rigidly within OZ that you take the most direct route, without being silly of course...

And to fly to the Middle East, would Emirates be allowed??? Its not OW is it although may be an AA partner, not sure?? I was thinking they would probably stick you on CX or RJ to get there... And with that other routing of yours (SYD-xAUH-LHR) you would end up in LHR so no that wouldn't be included in a SP-ME J fare and seriously doubt you would get SYD-xLHR-AUH i imagine as that is pretty indirect...

 

[serfty]

It's 10K for a one-way journey with no stopover; limited to 16 segments.:shock:

So PER-xADL-xCBR-xSYD-xBNE-AKL would be valid as long as X class is available for each flight.

(Also, it's 17½K for Business and U class - same deal as far as routing goes.)

 

[casanovawa]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Ah, good, that's what i thought, not sure about the 16 segments bit but i had thought about going PER-DRW-CNS-BNE-SYD-(NZ wherever) maybe with a few just less than 24 hour transits to hop out and have a quick squiz at the cities if AA will allow domestic transfers of greater than 4 hours here in OZ (don't think they do in the US)...

Also looking at AA partner airlines they list Etihad as one so that might be a ME option...

 

[djfuzz]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Recently made an Aadvantage partner award booking on QF through the US desk. For some reason they couldn't process my Australian CC (never had that issue previously) and advised me to pay the +++ and get it ticketed at the airport. Turned up at the QF sales desk and they said they could see the booking but couldn't ticket it as it was on Aadvantage points, and hence couldn't process any payment for the taxes. Will be giving AA a call back, but a little bit concerned at the moment.

 

[drron]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

AA can be flexible with the 4 hour rule,but not the 24 hour rule with occasional exceptions.So on my recently completed Circle Pacific I was allowed MCO-DFW arriving~1500 and then DFW-LAS at ~1330 the next day as a transit as we had already used the maximum stopovers.
I have also done JFK-LAX arriving at 2315 and taken the next days LAX-BNE at 2355 as they agreed the connection time was too short.
Previously on an Aaward was able to do NRT-LAX and then LAX-ANC the next day ~20 hours later and still have it regarded as a transit.

 

[Danger]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

It's 10K for a one-way journey with no stopover; limited to 16 segments.:shock:

So PER-xADL-xCBR-xSYD-xBNE-AKL would be valid as long as X class is available for each flight.

Great. Thank you. But the comments below have me confused on the stopover/transit/segment restrictions.

AA can be flexible with the 4 hour rule,but not the 24 hour rule with occasional exceptions . . . Previously on an Aaward was able to do NRT-LAX and then LAX-ANC the next day ~20 hours later and still have it regarded as a transit.

So what's this four hour rule? And why the concern on a transit? If I've understood the above correctly, I can theoretically have as many flights as I want provided I stay no more than 24 hours in one port.

Ah, good, that's what i thought, not sure about the 16 segments bit but i had thought about going PER-DRW-CNS-BNE-SYD-(NZ wherever) maybe with a few just less than 24 hour transits to hop out and have a quick squiz at the cities if AA will allow domestic transfers of greater than 4 hours here in OZ (don't think they do in the US)...

Again with the four hour thing. Sorry, I'm clearly not getting it all.

Also looking at AA partner airlines they list Etihad as one so that might be a ME option...

Yes. Etihad. My mistake. So it sounds like SYD-xAUH-LHR would be permissable for 45k in J.

 

[serfty]

See here from FT: (oneworld Awards Using American Airlines Miles info (NOT info for All-partner awards) - FlyerTalk Forums)

(1) The American Airlines English-language website formerly quoted the applicable stopover rule to be as follows:

"Stopover is defined as more than 4 hours for domestic flights, and 6 hours for international flights. If there are no scheduled flights within this timeframe, regardless of availability, you must take the next scheduled flight but may not exceed 24 hours. If the connection exceeds 24 hours, it will be considered a stopover."
​

Now this FT thread has all you ever wanted to know but never though you would:

AA and All-Partner Award info, stopover & routing rules (NOT for oneworld Awards) - FlyerTalk Forums

According to that, you have 23H59m to connect:

Travel Wholly Within or Between All Other Regions
These awards do not allow a connection via North America and therefore, do not include travel on American Airlines.

• Passenger must travel the most direct routing.
• Connecting travel is not allowed outside the region or regions.
• Passenger has 23h59m to connect, regardless of availability.
• A connection with more than 24 hours will be considered a stopover. A stopover is allowed within Mexico for travel wholly within Mexico, as Mexico is considered North America.