FAQ: American Airlines and AAdvantage - Please check here first!
Welcome to the American Airlines Forum! If your question is not answered in this FAQ, please try the following key resources prior to posting your question in the forum:
• FlyerGuide AA Wiki – Central resource with detailed information about American Airlines and the AAdvantage program, created and maintained by members of the AA Forum.
• Search the AA Forum – Your question has probably been asked before, so try searching for a previous thread on the topic!
If you have suggestions or corrections specifically for this FAQ, please feel free to post them directly to this thread. (Trailing posts will be removed periodically.)
There are three elite levels, Gold (GLD), Platinum (PLT), and Executive Platinum (EXP), with increasing benefits at each level, including preferred seating, check-in, security lines, and boarding; bonus miles; and various free upgrade instruments, discounts, and fee waivers.
AAdvantage members can qualify for elite status annually based on calendar year butt-in-seat elite-qualifying miles (25K / 50K / 100K), elite-qualifying points (25K / 50K / 100K), or elite-qualifying segments (30 / 60 / 100). All fares on AA earn 100% elite-qualifying miles, 50–150% elite-qualifying points, and 100% elite-qualifying segments, except O fares between North America and Latin America (Central and South America excluding Mexico). Flights on oneworld partner airlines and Alaska Airlines also earn elite-qualifying miles, points, and segments, but may be subject to various fare restrictions and multipliers. Flights on other partner airlines do not earn elite-qualifying miles, points, or segments. Non-flying miles (credit card, dining, etc.) do not count toward annual elite status qualification but do count toward Lifetime Status.
N.B.: From Sep 2–Dec 15, 2009, AA is running a Double Elite-Qualifying Miles (DBLEQ) promotion. Registration prior to travel is required. A previous promotion (DBEQM) ran from Mar 18–Jun 15, 2009.
Status matches are offered only by invitation for a very small number of top fliers. However, AA does offer unpublished Challenges to obtain GLD or PLT status more quickly. Note that these 3-month Challenges are subject to enrollment fees, have defined start and end dates that can affect how long your status lasts, and are based on elite-qualifying points (5K / 10K), not miles. Status is conferred upon successful completion of a Challenge. Officially, there is no corresponding EXP Challenge, although a very small number of targeted fliers may be invited to participate in an analogous offer.
Yes, AA offers unpublished lifetime GLD status at 1 million miles from all sources (flying and non-flying), and lifetime PLT status at 2 million miles from all sources. At 1 million miles, U.S.-based flyers also receive eight 500-mile / sticker upgrades while non-U.S.-based flyers receive four systemwide upgrades. At each million mile increment thereafter, all flyers receive four additional systemwide upgrades. There is no lifetime EXP status. Note that lifetime status does not give a ‘head-start’ on achieving the next higher elite level annually.
• I just missed requalifying, will AA make any exceptions or can I buy back status?
Unofficially, AA has provided automatic exceptions for elites who come close to requalifying on points or miles (24,500 GLD / 49,000 PLT / 99,000 EXP), however, this exception is unpublished and may change at anytime. Exceptions are not offered before the end of the requalification (calendar) year, by which time it is too late to requalify via the normal methods should the exceptions be discontinued. Officially, in each year since 2003, AA has offered a status buyback / repurchase program for elites who did not requalify; again, this offer is not available until after the end of the requalification (calendar) year. Finally, AA has an unpublished ‘soft landing’ policy, whereby elites never drop by more than one level per year, regardless of miles flown.
ConciergeKey Services are provided to a select group of VIPs to facilitate travel on AA. The program is by-invitation only and is targeted at customers who control travel policy for large organizations. Services provided include airport escorts and assistance with reroutes, flight changes, seat changes, and upgrade requests. ConciergeKey status is reportedly not linked to elite status.
AAirpass is a prepaid, fixed-rate travel account program, valid for one or more years, typically for individual or corporate flyers who book high fare tickets. AA has also offered lifetime AAirpass accounts in the past, although they are not currently available. AAirpass does not confer elite status directly, but does come with certain benefits, such as preferred check-in and boarding and complimentary Admirals Club membership.
Business ExtrAA is a separate rewards program for businesses, including small businesses. One Business ExtrAA point is credited to the company account for every $10 in base fare traveled. Business ExtrAA points can be redeemed for a variety of awards, including award travel, upgrades, Admirals Club membership and daypasses, and complimentary GLD status. Business ExtrAA awards are distinct from AAdvantage awards and carry additional restrictions regarding eligible fares. Business ExtrAA points expire on December 31 of the second year after the year in which they are earned. Individual travelers also receive their own AAdvantage miles for travel as usual.
Proprietary discount codes, including DealFinder codes, should not be requested or posted in the AA Forum, and such posts will be deleted by the moderators. However, purchasing a 2009 Entertainment Book will give you immediate online access to a 5% discount code (blackout dates apply, expires at end of calendar year), and a second 5% discount code when your book arrives in the mail. The 2010 Entertainment Book offers a fixed $10 discount, $20 discount from certain cities, and 5% off an AA Vacation. A current list of public bonus offers can always be found listed on AA.com.
• Will I still earn AA miles if I use a discount or promotion code?
In general, the answer is yes. Use of a discount code does not affect AA mileage earning. As long as your ticket books into an eligible fare class, you will receive AA miles and points according to the normal calculations. Further, while the use of a companion code is officially supposed to disqualify the companion from earning any AA mileage, this has historically not been the case, although there is no recent data on this following the termination of the TrAAvelPerks program in 2008. However, use of a discount code will disqualify a ticket from earning Business ExtrAA points.
The AA Reservations line is the main point of contact for AA, at +1-800-433-7300 (other numbers can be found on AA.com and in the Wiki). While each elite level also has its own phone number, published in the corresponding elite guide, AA’s phone system recognizes each caller’s elite level based on their AAdvantage number. Only EXP members’ calls are routed to a specific desk with a subset of agents. All other calls are routed to the general agent pool, although PLT and GLD members reportedly receive priority in the call queue. EXP agents are the only agents who can process SWU / eVIP upgrades, and sometimes handle overflow from the general pool. AA does not outsource its U.S. call centers overseas, although foreign call centers are generally staffed by local agents.
The AA Reservations line uses a voice recognition system that often has problems with short words (such as ‘no’, which needs to be elongated for the system to pick it up) and when the caller is in a noisy environment. Fortunately, when entering one’s AAdvantage number, the system does recognize the NATO alphabet, as well as certain common names, in place of letters. (All AA agents also know the NATO alphabet, which can be used to spell out PNRs). AAdvantage members can use AA’s Remember Me feature to associate specific phone numbers with their AAdvantage number automatically. Importantly, although this is an unpublished feature, menu selections can also be made using keypad numbers corresponding to the position of each menu option in the sequence presented. Dial 0 (zero) at any time to be connected to an agent.
All published fares are eligible for 500-mile / sticker and EXP upgrades on AA flights within North America, the Caribbean, and Central America, with the exception of upgrades from Business to First on 3-class domestic flights.
As of October 6, 2009, all published fares (including I, O, and Q overseas) are also eligible for award (miles + copay) or systemwide (SWU / eVIP) upgrades!
Before you even get there, AA offers customers a number of ways to insure that tickets are booked correctly. The first is the Hold Reservation feature of AA.com, which allows customers to place a reservation on hold at the prevailing price for at least 24 hours (until midnight of the following day), giving time to confirm correct dates, times, and other travel plans. Note that advance purchase requirements of fare rules still apply, so prices of held reservations may increase when those requirements are not met. Occasionally, prices of held reservations will increase incorrectly when attempting to complete purchase, and this can be rectified by calling AA Web Services (+1 800-222-2377).
The second chance to catch an incorrect reservation after purchase is to call AA before its status changes from ‘Purchased’ to ‘Ticketed’ on AA.com and request that the reservation be canceled or changed.
The third chance to catch an incorrect reservation after purchase is to call AA within 24 hours of ticketing. AA allows its agents to correct ‘mistakes’ to reservations within this timeframe without charging a change fee, although cancellations and refunds are not allowed at this point.
After that, changes or cancellations to non-refundable fares will require payment of a change fee, which is published in the fare rule (usually $150 for domestic fares, $250 for international fares). Fare rules usually grant fee waivers for death of a passenger or traveling companion (domestic or international) or for serious illness of a passenger or traveling companion (international only). Residual value from canceled tickets is recorded by ticket number and must be applied to the purchase of a new ticket for the same passenger for travel within one year of the original ticketing date. Any remaining value will be refunded in the form of a voucher.
Finally, note that AA does intermittently make systemwide schedule changes, and does allow passengers booked on affected flights to make free changes to their itineraries, including cancellation for a full refund. Some agents may cite a minimum time change to allow this (≈30 min, unless a Minimum Connecting Time is violated), in which case, the customer can call back and try a different agent.
FAQ: American Airlines and AAdvantage - Please check here first!
