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AAdvantage Upgrade Award Changes |
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Effective March 1, 2007, a nonrefundable co-payment of $150 will be required to claim Upgrade Awards used with most Discount and Deep Discount Economy fares when traveling between the Continental U.S. / Canada / Mexico / the Caribbean and Hawaii. Additionally, effective March 1, 2007, the co-payment that applies to Upgrade Awards between North America and Europe, India, Japan/Northern China, and Deep South America will be increasing to $300.
Even with a co-pay, Upgrade Awards provide AAdvantage members with exceptional value since they can be used with deeply discounted tickets. With fares so low, the disparity between Discount and Premium Class fares is too great to be offset by miles alone. Rather than limit Upgrade Awards to full-fare tickets only, the addition of a co-pay will allow members to continue to use their miles to upgrade even if they purchase discounted fare tickets.
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Most Discount Economy to Business |
Full Fare Economy to Business |
Business to First |
| Continental U.S. / Canada / Mexico / the Caribbean to/from Hawaii |
15,000 miles + $150 |
7,500 |
15,000 |
| North America to/from Europe |
25,000 + $300 |
10,000 |
25,000 |
| North America to/from India |
40,000 + $300 |
30,000 |
40,000 |
| North America to/from Japan / Northern China |
25,000 + $300 |
15,000 |
25,000 |
| North America to/from Deep South America* |
25,000 + $300 |
10,000 |
25,000 |
* Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay or Uruguay
View All Upgrade Awards
Upgrade Award Co-Pay - Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why are you requiring a co-pay when I used to be able to use just miles to upgrade to Hawaii?
A: The reality today is that the disparity between Discount and Premium Class fares is too great to be offset by miles alone. The addition of a co-pay allows members to continue to use their miles to upgrade to the next class of service even if they purchase discounted tickets.
Q: Why don't you just raise the mileage level instead of charging a co-pay?
A: Raising the mileage level would give many members less opportunity since it would require them to have more miles available. Members already have the opportunity to use MileSAAverSM or AAnytime® awards for travel in our premium cabins. The Upgrade Award provides the same opportunity, but at a lower mileage level since it is combined with a revenue ticket. Supplementing that low fare with a co-pay enables members to continue to upgrade for the same amount of mileage they are accustomed to.
Q: Why don't you just exclude certain Deep Discount fares from use with Upgrade Awards, and not charge a co-pay on the rest?
A: We don't want to reduce members' opportunities to upgrade by reducing the types of fares that are eligible. Unlike many of our competitors, we understand that customers want low fares and still want the opportunity to upgrade them. Furthermore, we think it's inherently unfair to expect customers to purchase a higher fare ticket with the hope of upgrading when there's no guarantee that the upgrade will be confirmed. At American Airlines, we won't collect the co-pay until the upgrade is confirmed.
Q: If I pay the co-pay, will I have a better chance of confirming the upgrade? Are you making more seats available?
A: The co-pay is not collected unless the upgrade is confirmed, at which time miles are deducted from your account. Our Revenue Management analysts constantly monitor our seating inventories to ensure that the maximum possible numbers of seats are available for upgrades, given our primary goal of selling our Premium services at full Business and First Class fares. The addition of a co-pay does not alter this procedure.
Q: Can I buy a fare that does not require the co-pay?
A: Absolutely! Full-Fare Economy Class tickets (booking codes Y and B) continue to be upgradeable with no co-pay and with lower mileage levels for the applicable Upgrade Award. Full-Fare Business class tickets (booking code J) are also upgradeable with no co-pay.
Q: Do elite status members have to pay the co-pay?
A: Yes. All members who choose to
use their miles to upgrade from a fare that
requires the co-pay, will be charged. However,
elite status members also have the opportunity
to use 500-mile upgrades or systemwide upgrades
to/from Hawaii.
Q: Will the co-pay apply when I use a
systemwide upgrade in the markets with a
co-pay?
A: No. The co-pay only applies when you redeem miles for an Upgrade Award valid with most Discount and Deep Discount Economy fares for travel to/from Hawaii and between North America and Europe, India, Japan/Northern China and Deep South America.
Q: Can I still book my reservation with my travel agent?
A: Yes, your travel agent can still issue your revenue ticket for you and check for upgrade inventory as well. However, as soon as the upgrade inventory is confirmed, you'll need to contact American to have the award claimed, the co-pay collected and the ticket reissued.
Q: Can I book Upgrade Awards and pay the co-pay on AA.com?
A: No. Currently, Upgrade Award travel cannot be booked online.
Q: Is the co-pay refundable if I do not travel?
A: Once the upgrade is confirmed and the miles are deducted from your account, the co-pay is collected and it is not refundable. If you choose not to travel, you may reinstate the miles; a standard reinstatement fee applies. But if you're simply changing your travel date and the upgrade can still be confirmed on the new flight, then only the ticket change fee applies, not another co-pay.
Q: Will I have to pay the co-pay to Hawaii or the increased co-pay on international upgrades if I request my upgrade prior to March 1 but don't get it confirmed until after March 1?
A: No. The co-pay to Hawaii and the increased co-pay on international upgrades will only apply to upgrade bookings made on or after March 1, 2007. The co-pay is collected only when the upgrade is confirmed and the miles are deducted from your account.
Q: Why are you increasing current co-pays on travel between North America and Europe, India, Japan/Northern China and Deep South America?
A: In the years since these co-pays were introduced, AAdvantage members continue to recognize the value of these awards, and demand generally
exceeds the number of upgrade seats available. One of the reasons for introducing co-pays was to make these upgrades accessible to the members who
most value them — and were willing to supplement their miles in order to obtain them. Likewise, increasing the co-pay in today's environment will help make
Upgrade Awards in the most desirable markets available to the members who are most eager to enjoy them.
Q: Why weren't we given more advance notice?
A: By giving our customers over two months notice, we hope to minimize the impact of the increase. But, frankly, no matter when such a change is announced, there will unfortunately be customers whose plans are impacted.
Q: Isn't this going to make the AAdvantage program non-competitive?
A: On the contrary, AAdvantage upgrade policies are extremely liberal, both domestically and globally. Even with the addition of a co-pay on the Upgrade Award to Hawaii and the increase to current co-pays, AAdvantage members enjoy numerous opportunities to upgrade from discounted fares. The majority of carriers do not permit Upgrade Awards in conjunction with many Discount Economy fare tickets, restricting their use to only the highest fare classes. Or, if mileage upgrades are permitted from discounted fares, then a co-pay of $200 to $450 is collected, based on the price of the purchased ticket. In addition, AAdvantage elite members are offered various upgrade programs, all of which provide AAdvantage members with exceptional value, since they offer access to our Premium cabins for less than Premium fares.
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