Can I Use American Upgrade Certificates With Waward Travel?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Upgrades on award tickets.

AAdvantage Executive Platinum

®

members can use complimentary 500-mile upgrade benefits on AAdvantage

®

award tickets for travel within North America on American

.

Can you use AA systemwide upgrades on British Airways?

You may purchase a flight through British Airways, for example, that is marketed by British Airways but operated by American, in which case it is an American aircraft. Even in this scenario,

you cannot use the upgrade since the ticket was not purchased directly from American

.

Can you get upgraded on an award ticket American?


You cannot upgrade award tickets in most cases

, and most discount fare classes are not eligible for upgrading with miles either. If you're after an AA upgrade to first class, you're usually better off earning more AAdvantage miles and booking the award fare you want.

Can 500 mile upgrades be used on international flights?


All American elite travelers are eligible for complimentary upgrades on domestic and short-haul international flights

through the 500-mile upgrade program.

Do aa 500 mile upgrades expire?

It's worth noting that these 500-mile certificates

will not expire

, so if you earn them and then advance to a higher tier in a subsequent year, you can still use those previously earned 500-mile upgrades towards upgrading a companion, which will be discussed later.

Can I use SWU on award tickets?

Which fare classes are eligible for an SWU? A huge advantage of SWUs is that all published fare classes are eligible.

A few exceptions include award tickets

, military and government fares, charters, companion tickets, infant tickets, employee fares and now basic economy tickets.

How many miles do you need to upgrade on American Airlines?

Elite status Type of ticket/upgrade Executive Platinum

500-mile

upgrades on award tickets

Can you pay to upgrade to first class on American Airlines?

There is no single price option for upgrading to first class on an American Airlines flight as the price in cash or miles is based on the route you are flying and the fare class of the ticket you wish to upgrade. Upgrades are also subject to availability.

How can I get a free upgrade to first class?

The best way to get upgraded to first class for free is to

earn elite status

. Complimentary upgrades are offered to frequent fliers on all the major airlines, although not necessarily on every route.

Can I use American Airlines miles for British Airways?


No, you cannot transfer American Airlines miles to British Airways

. You can redeem American Airlines miles for British Airways flights, though, because both airlines are part of the “ONEWORLD” alliance.

Do American Airlines Systemwide Upgrades expire?


All systemwide upgrades earned in 2019 and 2020 are now valid through July 31, 2022

. The updated expiration date has now been processed on the back-end and can be seen in your AAdvantage account wallet.

Can I use Alaska miles to upgrade on British Airways?


Yes it is

. You can fly on British Airways, credit to Alaska and upgrade that flight with Avios. In case you aren't familiar with the concept of upgrading using points, it's a fabulous way to pay less and fly more.

Can I upgrade American Airlines basic economy?

Can I upgrade from Basic Economy on American Airlines?

No, Basic Economy customers aren't typically eligible for upgrades

, though you might be if you have elite status.

How do I get American EQDs?

Fortunately, you can earn more EQDs by

meeting qualifying spending requirements on select co-branded AA credit cards

. You can EQDs for spending on the following AA credit cards. AAdvantage

®

Aviator

®

Silver Mastercard

®

— Earn 3,000 EQDs after spending $50,000 in a calendar year.

How do I get gold status on American Airlines?

To requalify for Gold status, you need to

fly at least 30 qualifying segments or earn 25,000 qualifying miles or points during the calendar year

. It takes 60 qualifying segments or 50,000 qualifying miles or points during the calendar year to reach AAdvantage Platinum membership.

How many miles do you need to upgrade to business class?

If you want to use points, going from most economy fares booked into in M, H or W booking classes to premium will require 47,000 points each way. If you want to go all the way to business, figure upon

90,000 miles

for a one-way upgrade between the USA and Asia.

What does a 500 mile upgrade mean?

All elites receive complimentary upgrades on flights less than 500 miles. Golds and Platinums, though, must use 500 mile upgrade certificates for

upgrades on longer flights that they request to have processed during their upgrade window

.

How do I get Platinum status on American Airlines?


When you reach 2 million miles flown on American Airlines

, you'll earn lifetime Platinum status and 4 one-way system upgrades. After that, you'll earn an additional 4 one-way system upgrades for each additional million miles flown.

Can you upgrade to first class after purchase?

Post-purchase upgrades may be the same as, or sometimes more expensive than, purchasing in the shopping path as a fare. If I Purchase Basic Economy, Can I Upgrade To First Class?

Customers, regardless of elite status, who purchase Basic Economy cannot upgrade to First Class

.

Is it cheaper to upgrade to first class at the airport?


First-class upgrades are a better value on long-haul and international flights

, especially on planes and airlines that have lay-flat seats and truly luxurious amenities like on Emirates and Cathay. The other consideration is price. If the upgrade is free, it's always worth it.

How much is 50000 miles Worth American Airlines?

The cash value of 50,000 American Airlines miles is

$645, on average

, or the equivalent of at least one round-trip flight between New York and Los Angeles on American Airlines. AA miles are worth about 1.34 cents per mile, slightly less than average for a major airline.

How much are upgrades on American Airlines?

You can buy 500-mile upgrades at a rate of

$40 USD per upgrade

. 500-mile upgrades can be purchased: On aa.com or on the American app. At the airport during check in.

Is American Airlines first class worth it?


Booking American Airlines first class gets you a lot more than just a nicer seat than economy

. Benefits of flying in American Airlines domestic first class include priority airport check-in, priority boarding, extra baggage allowance, a better seat, free drinks, snacks on shorter routes, and meals on longer routes.

How do you get a free upgrade on a flight?

  1. Earn airline elite status. …
  2. Fly with someone who has airline elite status. …
  3. Ask an elite member for their unused upgrades. …
  4. Volunteer for an oversold flight. …
  5. Purchase upgrades with the right credit card. …
  6. Use miles to upgrade. …
  7. Pay for a last-minute upgrade.

How much is a first class upgrade?

Depending on your destination and the class you originally booked, a first class upgrade will cost either 15,000 miles or 25,000 miles. To upgrade from all classes besides business, you'll also have to pay a dollar amount anywhere from

$75-$550

, depending on your class and destination.

Is the main cabin first class?

Bottom Line: Main Cabin Extra is considered part of the

economy class cabin

, and it's not a separate area for the purposes of using miles or instruments to upgrade.

David Evans
Author
David Evans
David is a seasoned automotive enthusiast. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering and has a passion for all things related to cars and vehicles. With his extensive knowledge of cars and other vehicles, David is an authority in the industry.