Changes to AA/BA Partnership

[ChAiM'l]

"We have just made the Executive Club even more rewarding for our Blue members with increased awards. At the same time, a new transatlantic joint business will bring extra rewards and a better service your way too.

Let’s start with the mileage and tier points you’ll now earn when flying Discount Economy. Here, at a glance, is the good news:

Mileage and tier points

We’ve increased the BA Miles you can now collect when flying Discount Economy from 25% to 100% and doubled the Tier Points on Discount Economy from 25% to 50%, so you can now collect Tier Points faster.

Not only have we increased the rate, at which you’ll earn BA Miles, we also offer more opportunities to do so.

Our new transatlantic joint business with our partners American Airlines and Iberia means that customers will have access to a global network of more than 400 destinations, better scheduled travel time, more convenient connections and greater access to discounted fares by being able to book, for example British Airways and American Airlines fares, on ba.com.

What’s more, you can now fly transatlantic with American Airlines and either earn or redeem BA Miles. And wherever you fly with them, anywhere within their network, you’ll now earn 100% of the mileage in Discount Economy.

You will be awarded BA Miles based on mileage flown when flying with American Airlines, rather than a minimum mileage amount.

British Airways same day international arriving or departing First or Club World passengers using American Airlines Admirals Club domestic lounge network will now be able to access complimentary Wi-Fi - please ask for details at the front desk when you arrive at the Admirals Club.

With Iberia, you can now earn 100% of the mileage when traveling in Discount Economy on “joint business routes”, i.e. those routes directly between the EU, Switzerland, Norway and the US, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico only.

You can use your BA Miles to upgrade from full fares on either partner by booking with British Airways.

These new changes are for travel from 1 October 2010."

LINK

[AsherO]

Our new transatlantic joint business with our partners American Airlines and Iberia means that customers will have access to a global network of more than 400 destinations, better scheduled travel time, more convenient connections and greater access to discounted fares by being able to book, for example British Airways and American Airlines fares, on ba.com.

What’s more, you can now fly transatlantic with American Airlines and either earn or redeem BA Miles. And wherever you fly with them, anywhere within their network, you’ll now earn 100% of the mileage in Discount Economy.

I got this too, Dan predicted this and was looking forward to it (I think).

I'm hoping we could book TATL AA with no fuel surcharges.

[aussiebochur]

This is bad!!!
From now on AA will charge a fuel surcharge on all BA redemptions.
Here are details from AA.com about the rules.

[AsherO]

This is bad!!!
From now on AA will charge a fuel surcharge on all BA redemptions.
Here are details from AA.com about the rules.

Gah!

So are my BA miles now worth more or less?

[aussiebochur]

Gah!

So are my BA miles now worth more or less?

BA always charged a surcharge...

[AsherO]

BA always charged a surcharge...

Not on AA tickets (e.g. BA redemption for AA flight NYC-LAX), AFAIK.

[aussiebochur]

Not on AA tickets (e.g. BA redemption for AA flight NYC-LAX), AFAIK.

Correct.
What has changed is that when using AA miles to fly on BA there is now a surcharge, which there never used to be.
AFAIK, BA hasn't changed their rules.

[AsherO]

Correct.
What has changed is that when using AA miles to fly on BA there is now a surcharge, which there never used to be.
AFAIK, BA hasn't changed their rules.

So my AA miles may (potentially) be worth less?

[Dan]

So my AA miles may (potentially) be worth less?

It's a loss and a gain.
We do get access to BA tickets which have incredibly good availability, especially in First.
However we need to pay a fuel surcharge on all BA redemptions, which does stink.

[AsherO]

It's a loss and a gain.
We do get access to BA tickets which have incredibly good availability, especially in First.
However we need to pay a fuel surcharge on all BA redemptions, which does stink.

Do you predict the value of AA miles going up or down?

What about BA miles?

[Dan]

Do you predict the value of AA miles going up or down?

What about BA miles?

I don't think it will affect the value of AA miles in any major way. 
It's no longer worth redeeming for economy BA tickets, but it's very much worth redeeming for First class on BA.
But there's still Cathay Pacific, JAL, Qantas, and other great OW airlines with great premium class products.
And there's still AA's excellent award availability and one-way award charts.

BA miles on the other hand should go way way way up with the ability to redeem on AA TATL with no surcharge.

[aussiebochur]

It's a loss and a gain.
We do get access to BA tickets which have incredibly good availability, especially in First.
However we need to pay a fuel surcharge on all BA redemptions, which does stink.

I my opinion its more of a loss.
Before there was always a work-around to use AA miles on BA and now there is a fuel surcharge on all BA flights.
Lets at least hope the availability remains good...

[AsherO]

I don't think it will affect the value of AA miles in any major way. 
It's no longer worth redeeming for economy BA tickets, but it's very much worth redeeming for First class on BA.
But there's still Cathay Pacific, JAL, Qantas, and other great OW airlines with great premium class products.
And there's still AA's excellent award availability and one-way award charts.

BA miles on the other hand should go way way way up with the ability to redeem on AA TATL with no surcharge.

Thanks for the quick responses.

[Dan]

I my opinion its more of a loss.
Before there was always a work-around to use AA miles on BA and now there is a fuel surcharge on all BA flights.
Lets at least hope the availability remains good...

There is definitely a great loss in AA going to a YQ (fuel surcharge) model.  I just pray it doesn't go any further.

However the workarounds (flying BA from Canada or the Caribbean to London) were weak at best.  Most of those flights don't offer First class and BA generally has amazing First class availability on the flights that offer it.  Their business availability is not nearly as good.

We now have BA First available from tons of US cities, which even with a surcharge can be a great value.

Yes it's a loss, but not one that will materially affect the value of an AA mile, especially because of the gain of TATL flights and the myriad of other AA partners that we can always use (OW+El Al, etc.)

[kivabb]

BA miles on the other hand should go way way way up with the ability to redeem on AA TATL with no surcharge.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what's TATL?

[Dan]

Sorry for my ignorance, but what's TATL?

Trans-atlantic.

[kivabb]

Trans-atlantic.

I thought BA doesn't allow you to use AA on Trans-atlantic flights? Is that what's changing?

[aussiebochur]

I thought BA doesn't allow you to use AA on Trans-atlantic flights? Is that what's changing?

Now you can use your AA miles to fly BA on transatlantic flights. But now AA is charging a fuel surcharge...

[Deal Guy]

Although AA will charge a fuel surcharge on BA, BA won't charge you on AA?
If so what is the cheapest combinations you guys can come up with from NYC-TLV rt using BA miles?

[Dan]

Although AA will charge a fuel surcharge on BA, BA won't charge you on AA?
If so what is the cheapest combinations you guys can come up with from NYC-TLV rt using BA miles?

Anything not involving a BA flight would have no surcharges.