AAdvantage Upgrade Awards Changes

AAdvantage Upgrade Awards Changes

Effective March 1, a nonrefundable co-payment of $150 will be required to claim upgrade awards with most discount coach fares when traveling between the continental U.S., Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean and Hawaii. These upgrade awards can still be claimed for 15,000 miles, but now members must also make the co-payment. Additionally, the co-payment that applies to upgrade awards between North America and Europe, India, Japan/Northern China and deep South America will increase to $300 from the current $250. These awards are 25,000 miles plus the co-payment. The co-pays apply only to discounted coach fares. Full fare coach and above fares do not incur a co-pay when using miles for an upgrade. Members have until the March 1 date to claim upgrade awards to Hawaii without the co-pay and to claim upgrade awards to Europe, India, Japan/Northern China and deep South America at the current $250 co-pay. Upgrade awards cannot be booked online — call the AAdvantage service center to claim your awards. American anticipated that some AAdvantage members will not be happy with these changes and has addressed some of their concerns through an FAQ section at aa.com.