Mar 21, 2013, 3:13 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
HELP DESK: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenge (Gold and Platinum)
Challenges may no longer be enrolled in as of 6 Oct; hard end date 23 Dec 2015 -
but some reporting success 6 Oct backdating to 23 Sep by supervisors
This is the archived thread about the now defunct AAdvantage elite Gold and Platinum status challenge. The current thread can be read here.
Challenges may no longer be enrolled in as of 6 Oct; hard end date 23 Dec 2015 -
but some reporting success 6 Oct backdating to 23 Sep by supervisors
This is the archived thread about the now defunct AAdvantage elite Gold and Platinum status challenge. The current thread can be read here.
NOTE: Challenges were closed off September 23 2015, at least for the remainder of 2015 - some have succeeded in enrolling and backdating to 23 Sep.
It is possible a new, remodeled challenge will be announced in or for 2016. That discussion is here: Original Gold / Platinum Challenge Ended 23 Sep '15. New program to come?
This thread is now dedicated to requests for assistance and responses to clarify challenge requirements for those members currently engaged in challenges and related issues. To discuss the potential and form of any future challenge, please use the link provided above.
NOTE: The rules for the Challenge at the time of closure are preserved below. The date by which the last person would have completed this challenge would be 23 December 2015.
It is possible a new, remodeled challenge will be announced in or for 2016. That discussion is here: Original Gold / Platinum Challenge Ended 23 Sep '15. New program to come?
This thread is now dedicated to requests for assistance and responses to clarify challenge requirements for those members currently engaged in challenges and related issues. To discuss the potential and form of any future challenge, please use the link provided above.
NOTE: The rules for the Challenge at the time of closure are preserved below. The date by which the last person would have completed this challenge would be 23 December 2015.
Note: The four AA segment minimum required for regular status qualification does not apply to completing the challenge.
Class of service, status or other bonus miles are redeemable miles and thus do not count for the challenge. Class of service is the reigning factor in calculating the points earned per mile flown: the base points per mile charts for the various fare buckets on qualifying airlines are here.
Note: The "Reach elite status faster" promotion awarding 2 or even 3 EQ Points per mile for flying premium fares through 2015 does not apply to the challenge; challenge flyers will only have a maximum of 1.5 base EQP per base EQ Mile considered for challenge-earned status. The extra points are considered bonus points and are only applicable for earning "normal", non-challenge status.
Though one earned status bonus miles on the qualifying flight at one time, that is no longer possible. Status bonus miles will accrue on the next eligible flight after your status qualifying flight.
Also see (FT) Help Understanding Status, Points / Miles & Segments: EQM vs EQP (merged thread) for further assistance with the miles-EQMiles-points issue.
For miles calculations, many use the Great Circle Mapper tool
*for Platinum, Jan-Jun $200, Jul - Dec $240 - presumably for the max nine months of status vs. the max of 20 months $240 of status. Occasionally, there are "sales" reductions; they seem to be about 10%.
Challenges begun before June 16 of a given year earn status for the remainder of that year and the first two months of the following year (8-14 months total); challenges begun on or after June 16 grant status for the remainder of that year, the following year, and the first two months of the year after (14-20 months total). Challenges can begin anytime (not previously the case) and can even be backdated up to two weeks as far as we know (as of Nov 2013).
To sign up for a challenge, call AAdvantage Customer Service at +1-800-882-8880.
Link to cyclingpilot post about being granted a back-dated challenge (2 weeks)
You cannot use a challenge to requalify for status. There is no longer a "soft landing" to the next lower level of status. The flight on which the challenge is completed no longer earns the redeemable miles bonus for the new status level.
Some have been granted Gold status whilst flying a Platinum challenge, particularly those with current elite status (any level) on an airline of a competing alliance, but this is not a given.
Based on multiple reports from FT members, as of mid-2015 AA is only allowing one status challenge over a five year period.
August 2014 e-mail received by a Challenger, shared by ashill:
Thank you for registering for an AAdvantage® challenge.
To enjoy AAdvantage PLATINUM status through February 2016, please earn 10,000 elite qualifying points between now and [redacted]. Qualifying flights on American Airlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection®, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas, US Airways and their eligible codeshare flights count toward your challenge.
Since the number of elite qualifying points you earn is based on the fare you purchase and the miles you earn, you can view these details for each airline:We wish you every success in attaining the elite status level you desire.
Sincerely,
Janet L F[redacted]
Director
AAdvantage Customer Service
Thank you for registering for an AAdvantage® challenge.
To enjoy AAdvantage PLATINUM status through February 2016, please earn 10,000 elite qualifying points between now and [redacted]. Qualifying flights on American Airlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection®, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas, US Airways and their eligible codeshare flights count toward your challenge.
Since the number of elite qualifying points you earn is based on the fare you purchase and the miles you earn, you can view these details for each airline:We wish you every success in attaining the elite status level you desire.
Sincerely,
Janet L F[redacted]
Director
AAdvantage Customer Service
ARCHIVE: HELP DESK: AA Elite Status Challenge (CLOSED: "hard end" 23 Dec 2015)
Mar 1, 2015, 8:44 am
#736
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,927
That is certainly a clue, however the other odd thing is that there is no longer a soft landing and so if your PLT expired you should have fallen to nothing unless you qualified for Gold anyway. It was Nov/Dec 2014 I assume.
Mar 1, 2015, 9:08 am
#737
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IND/NYC/MEX
Programs: AA PPro BA Bronze SPG Gold HH GLD Hyatt Exp
Posts: 1,134
I wonder if it has to do with the bulk of my qualifying activity occurring on BA.
You're right on your timeline Phil.
Mar 1, 2015, 9:27 am
#738
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,927
I barely qualified for gold without the challenge. If I didn't meet the challenge, I don't see a reason as to why I got the congratulatory email.
I wonder if it has to do with the bulk of my qualifying activity occurring on BA.
You're right on your timeline Phil.
I wonder if it has to do with the bulk of my qualifying activity occurring on BA.
You're right on your timeline Phil.
Mar 1, 2015, 9:48 am
#739
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IND/NYC/MEX
Programs: AA PPro BA Bronze SPG Gold HH GLD Hyatt Exp
Posts: 1,134
Mar 1, 2015, 10:07 am
#740
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,725
Do I understand that only partner flights with an actual AA flight number count for the challenge?
There are a bunch of Alaska flights next week that would easily put me over for my Plat challenge, but the ones I want don't show in the AA search engine.
There are a bunch of Alaska flights next week that would easily put me over for my Plat challenge, but the ones I want don't show in the AA search engine.
Mar 1, 2015, 1:18 pm
#741
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Mar 1, 2015, 2:33 pm
#742
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 26
Question: Can current AA Gold apply for AA Plat challenge? Or should I create a new AA account?
Note: I qualified for AA Gold in 2014 w/o the challenge. And I apologize in advance if the answer was somewhere in the Wiki..
Note: I qualified for AA Gold in 2014 w/o the challenge. And I apologize in advance if the answer was somewhere in the Wiki..
Mar 1, 2015, 2:45 pm
#743
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
If it weren't allowed though, I doubt that opening a new account would change that.
Mar 1, 2015, 3:04 pm
#745
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,725
So... if it doesn't show on the AA website, with an AA flight number, my assumption is that it doesn't count as an "eligible codeshare flight", but I'm hoping someone with more knowledge can tell me whether I've got that correct.
Thanks!
Mar 1, 2015, 3:24 pm
#746
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I did read that, but it didn't answer my question about the specific details of "eligible codeshare flights", since some Alaska flights earn points and some don't.
So... if it doesn't show on the AA website, with an AA flight number, my assumption is that it doesn't count as an "eligible codeshare flight", but I'm hoping someone with more knowledge can tell me whether I've got that correct.
Thanks!
So... if it doesn't show on the AA website, with an AA flight number, my assumption is that it doesn't count as an "eligible codeshare flight", but I'm hoping someone with more knowledge can tell me whether I've got that correct.
Thanks!
All AA published fares, regardless of the operating airline, earn the same and are eligible. If AS operates the flight and it is available, purchased and flown as an AA flight, it works.
OTOH, no AS marketed flight is eligible, regardless of whether the flight operates in conjunction with an AA codeshare. AA marketed flights / codeshares are sold by a number of sources, not just aa.com. If yourvAS flights aren't offered as AA flights, they won't count. If you already purchased the AS flights and fly them as AS, it really doesn't matter if AA sells them as codeshares, you must fly them as AA flights. (Your boarding pass on AS or otherwise ineligible airlines must display the AA codeshare.)
Last edited by JDiver; Mar 1, 2015 at 3:34 pm
Mar 1, 2015, 5:03 pm
#747
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,725
That's what I'm looking for, yes.
If I buy an AS flight through the AA website, it still doesn't count unless it's assigned an AA flight number.
This leaves the question of why some AS flights are codeshare and others aren't, but I digress.
If I buy an AS flight through the AA website, it still doesn't count unless it's assigned an AA flight number.
This leaves the question of why some AS flights are codeshare and others aren't, but I digress.
Mar 1, 2015, 5:05 pm
#748
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,725
In which case, the last question is, if I've bought a properly-codeshared AS flight, on AA ticket stock with an AA flight number, how are the EQP calculated for a flight of 137 miles, if I'm a Gold member flying on a B-class fare?
I ask because it's the difference between me passing my Plat challenge, or not, by a few dozen miles.
I ask because it's the difference between me passing my Plat challenge, or not, by a few dozen miles.
Mar 1, 2015, 7:51 pm
#749
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Mar 2, 2015, 8:16 am
#750
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ORD
Programs: 2015 kettle
Posts: 653
$1000 for status challenge
Hi AA gurus. I am leaving the UA world and I would like to do a status challenge on AA starting after June 16th and I have a $1000 voucher on AA to use. I have to make a trip from ORD to LAS around the 5th-8th of September (and possibly 21-23rd of June) so I was playing with routings like ord-mia-lga-dfw-las-ord on a P first class fare (was around 1,400 bucks). I know it was short on points by a couple of thousand for a platinum challenge which is what i would like to do. Anyone care to help find something that works? Mods--please move to other forum if better placed in mileage run or other. Thanks to all for the help.