Big changes to the Barclays American AAdvantage cards went into effect May 1. I’m looking forward to trying out the $25 per day inflight food and beverage credit from my Aviator Silver card this coming week. I’m up front, but I plan to ask for a flight attendant’s help springing for a row’s food and drinks in back. I’m going to use that benefit every single time I can because even if it doesn’t benefit me directly it will benefit some flyers’.
The Aviator Silver has allowed cardmembers to earn a companion ticket (after $30,000 spend, that goes down to $20,000 now). You cannot apply directly for the AAdvantage Aviator Silver you can only upgrade the Red card to Silver. The Red card is the one that’s marketed on American Airlines flights.
The Red card now has a companion ticket available to be earned after $20,000 spend as well. And it’s now also available as part of the card’s initial bonus.
The new offer for the card is 50,000 AAdvantage miles and an introductory Companion Certificate after first purchase and paying the annual fee within the first 90 days of cardmembership.
The companion ticket is valid for one additional passenger at a cost of $99 plus tax. It’s valid for a year from date of issue and may take 8-10 weeks to post and become available. It’s not valid against the lowest fares but works with L, M, N, Q, S, V, G or O fares — you may need to buy a more expensive ticket for the first passenger in order to use the companion ticket so the value you’ll get may vary. (If you’re buying an expensive ticket to begin with that’s less of an issue, but some peak holiday travel dates are blacked out from using the certificate.)
You have to book travel at least 14 days in advance. I’ve had to mail in companion vouchers before my itinerary actually gets ticketed (this can also be done at the airport) hence the need for time.
(HT: Doctor of Credit)
Do you know if tickets booked with these certs can be upgraded with BXP1s assuming they meet the correct fare?
@Shaun they aren’t eligible for confirmed upgrades but are eligible for 500 mile upgrade
Maybe if they reverse course on Oasis…..Otherwise, no thank you American.
I’m sorry but 10% back on award redemptions was a much better benefit. I’ll still be canceling my red card when the AF is due…
Anything for existing Barclays AA card holders? Zilch?
If you arrived at the Red Aviator card via the old US Airways card , apparently the 10k bonus miles is going to credit this year when the annual fee comes due, and then you have 60 days to cancel and ask for a refund of the fee, probably what I will do. I bought award tickets and just beat the 5/1 deadline before the 10% rebate died. I got very lucky and found a rarity – 2 U tickets to Italy in July in each direction. Otherwise award availability is terrible on AA (but UA is possibly even worse). Sadly my life’s ambition is not to fly to the middle east in business class. 🙂
Big difference between this companion ticket and the old companion ticket was the old one allowed 2 companions whereas this deal only allows 1 companion.
Is the companion ticket for domestic flights only, or does it include international itineraries?
Can I use the companion pass with the Barclay’s Aviator Red card if I book my ticket with miles?
@Phil Buteyn – it’s a one time use ticket, and you have to buy a paid ticket with the Aviator card to use it
I called the reservation # and got conflicting information’s. First represenative said I can use my certificate to book flight from DFW – HNL but another rep informed me that I can not. However If you live in Hawaii or Alaska you can book flight from the respected states to mainland 48 states. Which I think it’s bogus and discriminating the card holder within the 48 states but they allow flights from HNL to DFW (an example) but not DFW to HNL.