Programs: AS MVPG, UA 1K, NW Gld, AA Gld, PC Plt/RA, SPG Gld
Posts: 2,766
I had to think real hard about it, but in the end I just paid up $649 to keep plat.
What tipped me over the edge is a trip I need to do next week; I have to get to ATL for an am meeting, and I can do this on AA with a 6pm flight to DFW, overnight at DFW then an early flight gets me to ATL at 9:20am.
I went searching on UA or CO or DL for a way to do this, and my options were to set out at lunchtime, or take a red-eye (or both) - neither of which were palatable for me.
I've done the overnight in DFW before, and it works pretty well. I appreciate it more now that I've found out that you can't do the same thing in DEN on UA, MSP on NW, IAH on CO, etc.
I had been planning on going for UA 1k this year, but this just changed my mind....
Oh well... I haven't flown on AA at all during 2007.
At least I can do challenge but will have to keep flying this year in order to renew my status for the following year.
Hmm.. I may be wise to keep this opportunity for 2009.
For those who think the price is too high, don't think about defecting to UA. I was 2400 miles short on UA and the price is higher than AA, where I was off by 19,000 miles.
For Plats I would think it is an easy call, you are buying a 75% mileage bonus on all travel, plus lounge access, etc.
As a Gold, I am tempted to do it in order to retain the ability to do "sticker" e-upgrades on all fare classes, not to mention the priority lines, etc. And the price is far < the cost of a challenge.
Programs: AS MVPG, UA 1K, NW Gld, AA Gld, PC Plt/RA, SPG Gld
Posts: 2,766
Quote:
Originally Posted by mvoight
What does the trip next week have to do with paying $649 to keep PLT?
You are still PLT next week, even without payment.
One option would have been to wait until March, then just challenge.
That the trip is next week is not really material. It was just that this particular trip showed me that it was worth paying to keep status even if only for the handful of trips of this type that I take each year.
Programs: AS MVPG, UA 1K, NW Gld, AA Gld, PC Plt/RA, SPG Gld
Posts: 2,766
Quote:
Originally Posted by alpharosean
Oh well... I haven't flown on AA at all during 2007.
At least I can do challenge but will have to keep flying this year in order to renew my status for the following year.
Hmm.. I may be wise to keep this opportunity for 2009.
The way I look at it is that even if I only take a few trips this year then I will soft land to gold for 2009, then possibly be able to buy back for 2010, then challenge back up to plat for 2011 (all assuming that they keep on offering things like this in the future).
My travel patterns change in relatively unpresdictable ways - I was within a couple of cheap MRs of EXP a couple of years ago, and have a heap of UGs in my account, but don't fly AA so much at the moment.
Do I a) pay for both of us or b) pay for just one?
I appreciate one will get extra miles and the other one will not, however we always travel together, so my concern is getting access to lounges and booking in at business check in etc.
Will it make any difference if only one of us is Platinum?
Also if my children travel with us, what rights do they have at check in and lounges, if say we all travel on coach class?
Programs: AA EXP 1.8MM, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Traveler's Aid JFK Volunteer
Posts: 5,525
It also matters in terms of upgrade lists. Remember that if only one of you is PLT, then you will need to list the non-PLT as a companion in order to get PLT-level priority for both of you. In this scenario, upgrades would clear only if 2 seats were available. By contrast, if each of you were PLT independently, you could list separately and at least one of you would be more likely to clear.
Now, that might not matter if you would rather sit together than have an upgrade. But it's something to consider.
Programs: AA Ex Plt, 1.6MM, BMI Diamond, HH Diamond, SPG Plt
Posts: 5,690
Quote:
Originally Posted by GentleGiant
I appreciate one will get extra miles and the other one will not, however we always travel together, so my concern is getting access to lounges and booking in at business check in etc.
Also if my children travel with us, what rights do they have at check in and lounges, if say we all travel on coach class?
Yes, if you travel together, you will be allowed to check in together and you may bring one guest into the lounge.
It also matters in terms of upgrade lists. Remember that if only one of you is PLT, then you will need to list the non-PLT as a companion in order to get PLT-level priority for both of you. In this scenario, upgrades would clear only if 2 seats were available. By contrast, if each of you were PLT independently, you could list separately and at least one of you would be more likely to clear.
Now, that might not matter if you would rather sit together than have an upgrade. But it's something to consider.
You can link separate PNRs and have the non-elite inherit the elite member's status. The upgrades can clear one-by-one.
Programs: CO Plat, AA Plat, HH Gold, *W Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 10,144
$649 is a fair chunk of change. You might want to run some analysis and look at your flying patterns and figure out how much more it would cost you just to purchase first class / YUP fares. They're usually only slightly more than the expensive coach fares, assuming the inventory is available. You'll obviously save the cost of stickers, you'll have a much higher "upgrade" success rate and the 1.5x EQPs will make it easier to qualify for status the following years.
While I doubt you'd be able to fly FC every flight for a year for an incremental $649, but the differential might not be much more. And on flights that are considered easy upgrades, are dirt-cheap in coach, and have exit rows available, maybe don't bother with the FC and try for the Gold upgrades.
(Although you mention Lounge Access as a Plat which hints you're talking about at least some international travel, in which case paying for Business will definitely NOT make financial sense.)
I paid the money, not so much for upgrades, but for the mileage bonus--I am rapidly homing in on 2 M miles and want to do that ASAP.
Then I won't have to worry about not making PLT every year.
I think US$649 seems too much for lounge access and bonus miles. AA members can only have lounge accesses on international itineraries. The way I look at this is:
* Paid lounge accesses are much less expensive.
* One international roundtrip may already qualify a Plat challenge.
In this case, the OP would not be allowed to Challenge for lost status.
It may be cost effective for the OP to purchase status for one, as two travel together they would have access on international oneworld itineraries, and benefit from Platinum status for upgrades. It is likely they would have to purchase significant numbers of upgrade stickers for a lot of "domestic" flying, unless the OP has a stash already.
A paid Admirals Club membership would also allow access, even on "domestic" travels on AA, and would be cheaper if purchased while the OP is Platinum. But the upgrade and miles-earning situations for Gold are less than brilliant.
It'll be interesting to see what GentleGiant comes up with for a cost-benefit analysis.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cxfan1960
I think US$649 seems too much for lounge access and bonus miles. AA members can only have lounge accesses on international itineraries. The way I look at this is:
* Paid lounge accesses are much less expensive.
* One international roundtrip may already qualify a Plat challenge.
__________________ Lend a hand up with Kiva; far more than a hand out.
And the price is far < the cost of a challenge.
