What are Level 1 and, especially, Level 2 on AmAirlines Advantage tickets?
 

My eyes are crossed from trying to figure out the miles needed for a trip from California to France, either free business-class tickets or upgrades. The chart is like a maze! We printed it and have been poring over it to get the specifics but have reached the point of throwing it into the air and giving up. Please help! We want to go in mid-September 2015 or early October.

First, booking won't open until 330 days prior to your flight, i.e. either next month or November.

AA's current "saver" requirement for US < > Europe in business class is 50,000 miles each way, or 100,000 miles round trip. This would allow you to fly on AA or any of AA's partners, including British Airways, Airberlin, Iberia or Finnair, or any combination.

"AAnytime" awards require at least 110,000 miles each way (level 1) and more for level 2 - this has to do with specific dates. Basically, "AAnytime" awards apply to any open seat on the plane, vs. much more limited availability with "saver" seats.

For Europe, I'd presume that the "level 2" periods will be peak-of-peak times, e.g. midsummer, major holidays, etc.

Again, remember all awards using AA miles are now for one-way travel, so double it for round trips.

One other thing is that AA supposedly will be integrating its frequent flyer program with US Air's (they've merged) sometime in the coming year, so there <i>might</i> be changes to all sorts of aspects to the program. It's all very hush-hush, of course.

As for upgrades, basically you pay for an economy ticket, then - if available - you can upgrade for 25,000 miles and $350 in co-pay in each direction. This also is a crapshoot - often there aren't any seats available, and if you do the math, it reduces the value of your miles hugely compared to a straight redemption. I am not fond of AA's upgrade rules, although (amazingly) they're more liberal than many other airlines'.

Also be mindful that AA will tend to push award trips to Europe onto British Airways-operated flights, as BA has more flights over the Atlantic than AA. If you fly using BA planes, your "award" ticket will be subject to very large fuel surcharges imposed by BA. In business class, you'll probably be looking at close to $1000 for a round trip, in addition to any legitimate taxes or airport/security fees already applying. This also reduces the value of your miles hugely.

So when you find a trip that works, be very careful to see what additional (cash) costs apply. In general, avoid BA flights on award trips, even if you have to phone AA to see if there are Iberia or other airlines' flights as an option.

Thanks very much. Last time around we flew AA to London, then BA to Nice, but I gather that AA flights are perhaps not as readily available as they used to be.

If you fly AA to London then you take a short hop on BA the fees aren't so bad, hence the AA flights to London will book up first.

Flights on Iberia are still cheap but they don't appear on the web site so it might be worth making a phone call.