American Airlines has revealed that it’s changing how members can redeem American AAdvantage miles for upgrades. I suspect that some people will like this change, while others won’t.
Continue reading: American Mileage Upgrade Changes: Instant Upgrades Replace Award Chart
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
The impulse “buys” in the lobby will be tragic. I think it’s a smart move though, miles for many don’t equate to dollars, much like chips in a casino. This CC elites who don’t do the math will be so happy they won’t even know how bad the conversion was.
What a fantastic change. Excellent way to use miles that just pile up in my account.
Bizarre blog/Flyertalk obsession with cpm set aside in the real world.
The miles cost nothing to acquire (by product of work travel) so no need to try to value them as if they are money. They arent.
So this means Miles + copay for international go away too? That’s a horrible change as there is generally good value there if you don’t have SWUs available.
If you're not seeing this for what it is -- a chance for American to massively raise the price of upgrades with points-- then you're fooling yourself.
Miles upgrades are going to go from ~25K + a few hundred bucks on a long haul to 100-300K. This is a massive devaluation.
That's YOUR situation. Others might have different situations. Can you conceive that others might have different views?
Can someone explain to me how systemwide upgrades work and if they are always available or only for certain flights? I have never been able to use them or am doing something wrong. Thanks.
Ben posted an excellent guide to AA's SWUs three months ago - https://onemileatatime.com/guides/american-airlines-systemwide-upgrades/
FWIW, I'm not having any luck using them either.
I'm most concerned about enabling upgrade from Y to P - soon they will announce that SWU do no longer upgrade Y to C but to P...
As I told the NYT months ago when interviewed: fly less, buy F, f*** loyalty. This move simply proves a point: Miles are a chump's game now.
This is probably the biggest devaluation in years for AA as most dynamic long-haul upgrades are going to cost far more than 25,000 miles + $350 copay. In general, I think you would want to pay cash for the upgrade as you dont earn LP when you pay with miles.
Really the only good use of miles now is award flights if you want them to be worth more than 1.0 cents/mile. This may force everyone to lower AA miles from the 1.5 cent/miles they used to be worth. I guess on the plus side, that may mean more availability of upgrades and make SWUs easier to use and more valuable.
I did my first 25K, $350 international upgrade from PE to Business in March. They never charged the card, nor subtracted the miles. That goes away with this new process
The answer as with everything is: it depends. In recent years, I’ve found it difficult to secure premium long haul award space to places I actually care to fly at reasonable rates via AA, even on partner airlines, leaving me with a still large pile of miles since I retired 4 years ago, With long haul international flights now with obvious excess capacity in the past few months, availability has suddenly gotten easier, so maybe options for using AA miles (including upgrades) will improve and be less dire than predicted for at least a while. That is, until flights start getting cut back to wait out the decline.
they will lose a ton of elites to other airlines if they do that. one of the last remaining areas AA outshines competitors.
I agree. Give ma and pa kettle their 100,000 mile “upgrade” as long as it helps AA get some miles liabilities off the books and prevents them from devaluing the partner award chart, I’m satisfied.
They could have implemented this without taking away the upgrade award chart pricing.
Let the chumps who don't research take the lousy offer advertised to them on the web, in the app.
And let true loyalists leverage the hard to find award chart deals.
Bad move American - and time for yet another transfer out of Bask Bank.
Not only that... It is also a nail in the coffin of complimentary upgrades for elites, since the process of upgrading by anybody becomes so much easier (even though not making sense economically but, as many have remarked, the majority of people do not do the math). You are right, Jake. This is a MASSIVE devaluation.
I find myself very fortunate at the right time: Just promoted to Platinum Pro for Life, it essentially means that I do not need to requalify, am free to fly with anybody and maybe get Elite with an alliance through a good offer, status match or otherwise. Skyteam has taken a head start. AA miles (from old trips and CC) can always be used exclusively through partners, the only remaining decent use. The same goes with status: Oneworld Emerald is infinitely more valuable than AA Platinum Pro or even Executive Platinum.
The best use for airline miles has ALWAYS been upgrades on international flights.
What are these numbers REALLY going to when evaluating international travel only? I suspect it's a lot worse than dropping from 1.2 cents to .99 cents value.
Whenever there's no tables and transparency, it's a lot easier for the airline to hide changes.
And lower it little by little, death by a thousand cuts.
AA never stop the squeezing to its customers. It is really impressive. It is never enough. More than that, this aberration of taking money from customers and if you do not use the service they simply keep the money (and btw the Government/DOT does nothing about it in complete collusion with airlines) it is a crime, as simple as that.
IE:
Now, AA announced that -when you pay in advance in their website for luggage-
all bag fees are non-refundable and apply per person, at each check-in location, each way, even if you purchase or get an upgrade that includes free checked bags (!!!).
Of course that there are all those tickets as well that they will give you one year valid voucher in case you do not fly, etc, simply steeling the money. But, how nice !!! You have the "optio" for a complete reimbursement.
IE: For a $ 500 ticket, you have the "option" for a refund but paying a fee of $ 100 minimum. In other words, you will pay 20% for your own money that you are paying them to get it back. Another complete aberration.
There were 56 upgrade seats from economy LHR to DFW when I booked and applies SWUs - flew in coach as they never confirmed them. I called DAILY as 1 by 1 seats were taken. But hey, my SWU worked to Cincinnati 🙁
I could not agree more - they move you up on the upgrade wait list (between Exec and CKey!). And you earn them after 250k Loyalty Points.
The last thing you want to see from the worst airline in America, if not the world, is: "...in order to serve you better." When you get that you can be sure you are about to get screwed. Yet again. Why would American implement a new program if it didn't produce more revenue, at your expense, for the company?
As an EP status member, this has been a nightmare. Absolutely no available upgrades . I have called and called and they say there is nothing they can due even though everyone is complaining.There is no reason to stay an elite member anymore.
ANyone have any insite?
This is a great idea for American to reduce incentive to fly AA, where a domestic r/t went from 25k to 100k miles. I worked hard to build my miles up, traveling only AA to earn miles, and now they shattered my dreams of a family vacation. Enough is enough, goodbye AA, heading to Delta or another airline that will convert 1:1 my 300k AA miles to their system in exchange for the same loyalty I once gave you.
AA Instant Upgrade on one leg offered at 367k miles. When I checked business class using miles for entire round trip, it was 260k miles, total. Ridiculous inequity. Much easier to upgrade on United.
Dan
The supposed 100-hour upgrade potential for Executive Platinum is a lie. I am flying to Cabo through DFW in 40 hours (i.e. LESS THAN 2 days) and have not yet been upgraded despite the fact that there are SEVEN OPEN SEATS in First Class on the flight to Dallas. Rather, they are still trying to sell those seats for $135 or 15K miles each. This is now the case for every flight....they will try to sell any First Class availability until the last minute. There are no 100-hour upgrades ever.