Confused, need help!

I'm a little confused as to why you're confused, but if it were me, I would go with British Airways—lower cost, you can select seats, and no additional charge. I would go with them anyway over American Airlines, just on general principles, but it seems to me to be a no-brainer. I wouldn't pay that much for a one-way ticket, but that's me.

Keep in mind that even if you book it, you have 24 hours to change your mind and cancel the flight with a full refund

Thanks Mardee. The cost is just so different I just keep thinking there must be something I’m missing!

Also I forgot to mention that is the price for two tickets. Oops!

Just curious, why one way? How are you getting back?

Using points to get back. I can’t seem to find points flights there within a reasonable amount of time before our tour starts. We are going a couple days early but the cost of additional hotel for more nights would negate points benefit even if we had enough points to come and go on points.

Exact same flight.

American and BA are partner airlines; but which airline is actually operating the flight? If it's British Airways, that's most likely why you can't get a seat map through American. I can't explain the price difference but just because it's the same flight doesn't mean the partner has to charge the same price.

I would ALWAYS book with the airline actually operating the flight (the detail should clearly tell you who it is) unless there is a compelling reason not to. That's because when things go sideways, if you booked through one but the other operates the flight, they may point fingers at each other instead of resolving the problem quickly and easily.

Thanks! Good information!

I would ALWAYS book with the airline actually operating the flight (the detail should clearly tell you who it is) unless there is a compelling reason not to. That's because when things go sideways, if you booked through one but the other operates the flight, they may point fingers at each other instead of resolving the problem quickly and easily.

Not always. I've sometimes booked flights with KLM,/Flying Blue, especially using points, because the cost/points are almost always lower than Delta's, but Delta is usually the airline operating the flight. And I've never had any problems resolving issues with the two of them.

Also I forgot to mention that is the price for two tickets. Oops!

Ha ha, that makes a difference!

It looks like you're booking a code share flight. Sometimes BA has the lower fare, sometimes AA is lower.

If the operating carrier is BA, you will not see the seat map on the AA website. Seat selection is only available on the BA website for BA operating flights.

Also BA allows free seat selection 24 hrs prior to travel with their lowest PE fare. Their Flex fare currently includes free seat selection at time of booking.

Besides the price, the fare rules (change and refund policies...) of the 2 airlines may be different. Typically, AA is more generous than BA.

I also live in Austin and I just returned from visiting London.

I booked through American using my Citi Card but was placed on British Airways. This was RT economy.

I chose to pick my seat in advance and it cost me something very expensive like $300 so I believe.

By booking through American, I did get one checked bag free and earned rewards.

I do not remember if I tried to book through BA directly just to see what the cost might be. I wanted to stay with American so as to get a free checked bag and rewards.

It sounds like you have done a mock booking through both American and then through BA from beginning to total price.

Do not understand why American would be $300 more for each of your tickets.

Just because you can purchase something via different means does not mean they
have to be the same price. For air travel, this is more true for using points IMO than
$$$, though.

Some of it may be different fees, etc, terms and conditions not exactly the same,
currency rates, etc.

If you book through AA for a BA flight, you should get a BA record locator code that
will allow you to access the flight on ba.com and choose seats, etc. I do see that
on some airline alliances the same record locator now works for both airlines.

If you have perks on an airline via credit card (as I suspect bostonphil7 does for AA),
those may not be valid if you book directly with BA.