AA changes Aadvantage Award program

Hey Not sure if this is news to you guys but I just came across this.

https://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p= ... mepage_Top

Beginning October 1, 2008, mileage levels will be changing for select AAdvantage award tickets and upgrade awards. The changes are applicable to American Airlines (AA) awards as well as corresponding AAdvantage participating airlines awards.

Also, effective October 1, 2008 a nonrefundable co-payment of $150 will be required to claim Upgrade Awards used with most Discount Economy fares when traveling between North America and Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, or Venezuela.

The charts below reflect the new award structure with the changes highlighted. From now through September 30, 2008, AAdvantage members may book and ticket any of the current awards, and travel is valid for up to one year. On October 1, 2008, the new award structure will apply.

Alex

That means you ahve to pay $150 to get an award? Then whats the point of the award...

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Originally Posted by stuart schechter

That means you ahve to pay $150 to get an award? Then whats the point of the award...

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No, they mean upgrade rewards. Right now it is 15,000 miles to upgrade from any fare to First Class.

However according to the new change if your fare basis code was a Deeply Discounted Fare, they require you to pay 150 dollars on top of 15,000 for a confirmed upgraded First Class ticket.

Which is how I am reading it.

Alex

AA is nuts

AA's been charging $300 for upgrades to Europe for years now plus 25k in miles. They've also been charging $40 for domestic upgrades plus 15K if you request an Advantage upgrade within 40 days of your departure.

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Originally Posted by Alex T

No, they mean upgrade rewards. Right now it is 15,000 miles to upgrade from any fare to First Class.

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Not accurate. IT is 15K miles to upgrade to the next cabin of service, thus it depends on how many classes are on the flight.

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Originally Posted by T-Bird76

AA's been charging $300 for upgrades to Europe for years now plus 25k in miles. They've also been charging $40 for domestic upgrades plus 15K if you request an Advantage upgrade within 40 days of your departure.

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The $300 upgrade to Europe is correct. And the $40 is correct. But they have increased the upgrade fee by not 40%, not 100%, but 200%?

Just tell me how they aren't alienating their leisure travelers. :roll:

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Just tell me how they aren't alienating their leisure travelers.

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Eh leisure travelers belong in steerage...they take up precious F class space that my ass is entitled to ;) :twisted:

Tom, I have no problem with them pampering your ass.

Road warriors do have to deal without the creature comforts of home.

But stop trying to be RyanAir and Silverjet in one company. AA is desparate, going from legacy to all out crack *****, just trying to score whatever they can.

As much as I hate paying $$$+miles to upgrade, at least AA still gives you the option of upgrading from the lowest economy fare. Some airlines like CO and UA require you to buy the not so cheapest coach fare and then pay a copay on top of that.