Location: Huntington Beach, CA; AA EXP, AA 1.7 MM, SPG Gold, Hhonors Diamond, IC Platinum Ambassador
Posts: 1,833
I wouldn't chance it. You still have 2 and a half months. You can do a mileage run from LAX to somewhere in Europe in a weekend (a 3-day weekend if you want to spend a night there), usually not much more than about $500 (including the trip from Chicago) in the dead of winter, and not have to worry whether they will let you buy back your status.
How many EQP's have you had the previous 3 years, just at or above 100k or have you gone over. Sometimes they will take points from other years and apply them to this one if you've significantly exceeded the 100k requierement and will only be near or around 10k short this year. I would call them now and see if they'd be willing to based on your history. They won't bump you up now, not till december timeframe, but they can give you direction on if you should go on some MR's or if they can confirm that your past history will warrant a free bump.
Talked to exp desk earlier this year, but I did fly 199k eqp last year...they were at that time willing to upgrade me only if i made into the mid-80's for requal this year.
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott Platinum; Starwood Platinum; HH Silver
Posts: 1,854
Quote:
Originally Posted by aaflyer1
Talked to exp desk earlier this year, but I did fly 199k eqp last year...they were at that time willing to upgrade me only if i made into the mid-80's for requal this year.
Programs: AA CK/EXP/3MM, BA Gold, PC Ambassador, HH Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,432
Quote:
Originally Posted by aaflyer1
How many EQP's have you had the previous 3 years, just at or above 100k or have you gone over. Sometimes they will take points from other years and apply them to this one if you've significantly exceeded the 100k requierement and will only be near or around 10k short this year. I would call them now and see if they'd be willing to based on your history. They won't bump you up now, not till december timeframe, but they can give you direction on if you should go on some MR's or if they can confirm that your past history will warrant a free bump.
1. I don't think it works quite this way- there is not a concept of carrying points over, but they might give you a small grace allowance- probably under 5,000 miles/points.
2. No guarantees, or definitive notification before 12/31.
Talked to exp desk earlier this year, but I did fly 199k eqp last year...they were at that time willing to upgrade me only if i made into the mid-80's for requal this year.
This contradicts what you said earlier. This, I believe...they gave you a grace here for greatly exceeding the requirements last year. They did not, however, move any points from one year to another. Yes, there is a difference, and misinformation like that sets up an expectation that points can be moved.
There is an unofficial exception policy for members who come close to qualifying, but don't quite make it. The automatic exceptions are as follows:
24,500 miles or points for Gold Status
49,000 miles or points for Platinum Status
99,000 miles or points for Executive Platinum Status
As well there is a manual exception policy to get Executive Platinum if the member has flown 95,000 miles and has accrued 90,000 points. You will have to call for a manual exception.
The Exception Policy can change at any time.
Retrieved from "http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Elite_Levels_%28AA%29"
The information about 95K miles being enough if you also have 90K points dates back to when the points/miles ratio was less generous than it is now. With Y and even B earning 1.5 points per mile today, and another half dozen more deeply discounted economy fare classes earning 1.0 points/mile, a ratio of 0.95 (more or less) points to miles no longer says "heavy spender" as it did then. I have not read any recent reports of EXP status being granted on this basis, and doubt it still is.
Another thing to keep in mind is that all the exceptions, including the 99K-mile leeway for EXP, are granted after the calendar year ends - when, if you don't get one, it's too late to do anything about it.
Location: MSP (and will only fly NWA in re-routes if I HAVE to)
Programs: AA EXP (4.5MM), hotel programs as needed
Posts: 5,802
Quote:
Originally Posted by Efrem
....Another thing to keep in mind is that all the exceptions, including the 99K-mile leeway for EXP, are granted after the calendar year ends - when, if you don't get one, it's too late to do anything about it.
Except WHINE about it here.
OR BRAG about it here and exagerate the details and tell everyone that this is the new total global rule for everyone.
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I give up on snappy sigs .. then again, I don't steal sodas from the galley....
Location: MSP (and will only fly NWA in re-routes if I HAVE to)
Programs: AA EXP (4.5MM), hotel programs as needed
Posts: 5,802
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3Cforme
That's a sharp reply, but we are still nearly 90 days from the end of the year (qualifying period), so I like it. People need to fly.
The response was in relationship to Efrem's comment about the fact exceptions MAY exist but we have no idea about the details until it is tooo late to really qualify. And since the expections are granted post qualification period .. what is a person going to do if AA denies their request?
If someone would do a search (I am too lazy tonight) .. I think usually about mid-October the forum gets many threads about these exceptions and the buy-back from people who do not value the 'rules' enough to fly to make the tier. I am soooo close I want an exception .. will AA grant it??
Also, from past history, about late November the forum gets lots of threads wanting to know about buy-back. As I mentioned, historically (when BuyBack has been offered) it has been announced from December 12th to the 15th.
Would Donald Trump (or Rosie for that matter) ask for an exception? Personally, any employee of mine who asks for an exception to published 'rules' certainly looses credibility in my eyes.
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I give up on snappy sigs .. then again, I don't steal sodas from the galley....
I changed a nonstop LGA-MIA to a one-stop LGA-DCA-MIA on December 31, 2005 because I would have been 11 EQM short of 100,000 if I had taken the nonstop.
I changed a nonstop LGA-MIA to a one-stop LGA-DCA-MIA on December 31, 2005 because I would have been 11 EQM short of 100,000 if I had taken the nonstop.
Don't expect favors; fly the required miles.
Yup, I flew to Bellingham from Seattle last December 27th for the same reason. I barely beat TH to the airport and she drove from SEA to BLI after dropping me off.
This year I am at 45K points and 40K miles. You think they'll extend me? I stayed at home a lot because I refused to fly anywhere that American wouldn't fly and my job wanted me to go.
Programs: AA CK/EXP/3MM, BA Gold, PC Ambassador, HH Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,432
Quote:
Originally Posted by vasantn
I changed a nonstop LGA-MIA to a one-stop LGA-DCA-MIA on December 31, 2005 because I would have been 11 EQM short of 100,000 if I had taken the nonstop.
Don't expect favors; fly the required miles.
My near disaster averted was in December 2000- my first EXP qualification- coming on what i thought was my last flight of the year- the CX flight HKG-JFK that stops in YVR, on 12/23, just getting me to 100K. But my calc was based on the miles flown (8,800), not the great circle HKG-JFK of 8,000- leaving me short 2-300 when the flight posted a day or two after Christmas. As I had been out of the office for 2-3 weeks I couldn't really spare a day for the cheapest MR I could find, so for about $400 I went HPN-BOS-HPN in the early morning, and was in my NYC office for lunch.
