Senior Moderator/Moderator: American AAdvantage, iDine, and Talkboard Topics
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF
Programs: AA EXP / 5.1 MM; HH Diamond; SPG Gold; Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 30,824
Help Desk: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenge (Gold and Platinum)
Help Desk: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenges (Gold and Platinum)
Elite Status Challenges are unpublished offers from American Airlines AAdvantage designed for those who want a shortcut to AAdvantage Gold or Platinum status because they will be flying American Airlines frequently and wish to enjoy elite benefits more quickly. These three 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, 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 frequent fliers with the highest status on another airline and/or influential travel-related work position may be invited to participate in an analogous offer. Direct elite status matches are offered only by invitation for a very small number of top fliers.
Please see the following resources for full details on Elite Status Challenges:
Additional Information on AAdvantage Elite Status:
There are three elite levels, Gold (GLD), Platinum (PLT), and Executive Platinum (EXP or EP), 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.
To assist members with questions about Elite Status Challenges that they have not been able to answer on their own using the above resources, the AA Moderator team has decided to try out a new type of thread in the forum, designated as "Help Desk". The previous thread on this topic has effectively worked this way for several years, and based on how things go with this first thread, we will consider similar threads on other commonly broached topics in the future.
New threads on this topic will be merged into this one and bumped by the moderators as necessary. As such, we do not expect that this thread will develop into a searchable database, but that it will nonetheless provide a valuable resource to members. As well, we may shed / pare down posts from time to time to a trailing thread or similar device.
Our goal is to provide a place where members can feel welcome to post such questions and expect helpful, accurate responses. In this way, we hope to accommodate the needs and desires of both new and veteran members - those who aren't sure they are interpreting the available resources correctly can ask for help without fear of snarky-appearing responses; those who do not wish to participate in such threads are invited and, indeed, encouraged, to ignore this thread.
Please be forewarned: This thread will be subject to heavy moderation. Posts that are incorrect will be subject to deletion without notice - DO NOT POST answers unless you are 100% sure your answer is complete and correct. Posts that are unhelpful or off-topic will also be subject to deletion without notice - DO NOT POST unless you can be friendly, helpful, concise, and salient.
Finally, a few guidelines for members posting queries to this thread:
Please DO make an effort to review the above resources before posting here.
Please DO try to give as much information as possible related to your Challenge plans, flights, etc.
Please DO understand it could take some time for answers (especially on holidays and weekends.)
Please DO thank helpful members volunteering to reply to your questions.
Sincerely,
The AA Moderator Team
P.S. Yes, this thread is intended to replace the unwieldy Challenge thread, and eventually it is likely more Help Desk threads will be deployed, linked to in the Wiki and the Sticky (rather than actually being stuck themselves.) This thread is temporarily "stuck" for members' familiarization and convenience.
Please use PM or RBP for comments, suggestions, recommendations, etc.
P.P.S. Our thanks to Moderator dstan, who did much of the conceptual and design work on this idea.
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Last edited by JDiver; Mar 6, 11 at 12:25 pm..
Reason: added link to EXP Challenge exception thread
I just signed up for a Platinum Challenge starting 1 January 2010. I'll be flying to the Persian Gulf for about a week, I figured I might as well get PLAT for making that trip!
Now the question. I arrive in Bahrain on March 13, I leave the 21st, will my status post by then? I might as well enjoy some of the benefits on my longest flight of the year on my way back.
My itinerary during those days is
IAD-LAX Feb 11 2288 Miles, 1144 EQM
LAX-DFW-DCA Feb 16 2427 Miles, 1213 EQM
DCA-DFW-LHR-BAH Mar 12 9111 Miles, 9111 EQM
BAH-LHR-DFW-DCA Mar 21 9111 EQM, 9111 EQM
I'll be at 11'468 EQM by the time I get to Bahrain.
Programs: AA EXP, 1 MM, AC, HH Diamond, Marriott Silver, Hertz 5*
Posts: 4,015
Quote:
Originally Posted by elmothehobo
I just signed up for a Platinum Challenge starting 1 January 2010. I'll be flying to the Persian Gulf for about a week, I figured I might as well get PLAT for making that trip!
Now the question. I arrive in Bahrain on March 13, I leave the 21st, will my status post by then? I might as well enjoy some of the benefits on my longest flight of the year on my way back.
My itinerary during those days is
IAD-LAX Feb 11 2288 Miles, 1144 EQM
LAX-DFW-DCA Feb 16 2427 Miles, 1213 EQM
DCA-DFW-LHR-BAH Mar 12 9111 Miles, 9111 EQM
BAH-LHR-DFW-DCA Mar 21 9111 EQM, 9111 EQM
I'll be at 11'468 EQM by the time I get to Bahrain.
I think your figures are mixed up.
First, EQM doesn't matter, it's EQP. You probably have the correct EQP figures for IAD-LAX and LAX-DFW-DCA (0.5 EQP per mile on deep discount tickets). But if you're traveling in a deep discount fare class DCA-DFW-LHR-BAH, you'll only get 4556 EQP and would still be short of PLT.
If you're traveling on a fare where you get 1.0 EQP per mile flown on the Bahrain trip, then you'll make the PLT challenge and there's a good chance your status would update before the return.
You beat me to it, but I was going to post something very similar. Elmo may have some re-calculating to do.
Also, I'm wondering why the OP signed up for the challenge as of Jan 1 since it appears the first flight is not until March 13. Seems to me it would be better to wait until Mar 1 to begin the challenge.
Programs: AA (current EXP, occasional PLT, 0MM); UA; US; DL
Posts: 4,135
elmothehobo: Could you please post the airline and booking code for each of the four flights? If you don't know the booking codes, please call AA or your travel agent and find out. A reliable answer to your question will need this information.
I just signed up for a Platinum Challenge starting 1 January 2010. I'll be flying to the Persian Gulf for about a week, I figured I might as well get PLAT for making that trip!
Now the question. I arrive in Bahrain on March 13, I leave the 21st, will my status post by then? I might as well enjoy some of the benefits on my longest flight of the year on my way back.
My itinerary during those days is
IAD-LAX Feb 11 2288 Miles, 1144 EQM
LAX-DFW-DCA Feb 16 2427 Miles, 1213 EQM
DCA-DFW-LHR-BAH Mar 12 9111 Miles, 9111 EQM
BAH-LHR-DFW-DCA Mar 21 9111 EQM, 9111 EQM
I'll be at 11'468 EQM by the time I get to Bahrain.
First, EQM doesn't matter, it's EQP. You probably have the correct EQP figures for IAD-LAX and LAX-DFW-DCA (0.5 EQP per mile on deep discount tickets). But if you're traveling in a deep discount fare class DCA-DFW-LHR-BAH, you'll only get 4556 EQP and would still be short of PLT.
If you're traveling on a fare where you get 1.0 EQP per mile flown on the Bahrain trip, then you'll make the PLT challenge and there's a good chance your status would update before the return.
I meant EQP!
DCA-DFW-LHR-BAH vv is booked in L, so it's 1.0 EQP, the trip to Los Angeles is in deep discount, so .5 EQP.
I'm also flying AA codeshare to Bahrain, on BA. Turns out American and Gulf Airways don't codeshare anymore, which is too bad, I was looking forward to trying them out.
Once your status registers on your AA page give them a call and make sure your return reservation is linked to your new status.
Your only issue is access to BA lounges, as you won't have your shiney new PLT card yet.
BA dragons are known for wanting to see the plastic, though I have gotten into several BA F and J lounges without a card. I would carry a printout of your online statement just in case they ask. Will a statement work? Who knows, bust it's worth a try!
Quote:
Originally Posted by elmothehobo
I meant EQP!
DCA-DFW-LHR-BAH vv is booked in L, so it's 1.0 EQP, the trip to Los Angeles is in deep discount, so .5 EQP.
I'm also flying AA codeshare to Bahrain, on BA. Turns out American and Gulf Airways don't codeshare anymore, which is too bad, I was looking forward to trying them out.
I was signing up for the gold challange today and the rep was going through my itenerary to verify that it would be sufficient miles to get me to GOLD status (Agent's suggestion, not mine).
3 of my 4 segments are listed as LAN Argentina (operated by AA) and Quantas (operated by AA). The agent told me that those would not qualify for the challange and that I would receive no miles.
Is this correct?
I was signing up for the gold challange today and the rep was going through my itenerary to verify that it would be sufficient miles to get me to GOLD status (Agent's suggestion, not mine).
3 of my 4 segments are listed as LAN Argentina (operated by AA) and Quantas (operated by AA). The agent told me that those would not qualify for the challange and that I would receive no miles.
Is this correct?
So just to clarify...you say that those flights are operated by AA, but are listed as LAN and Quantas. I presume that they are not AA-marketed flights (i.e. AA flight numbers)? If that's the case, then the agent is correct.
For the purposes of your Gold Challenge, you can take flights operated by other carriers, but they MUST be AA flight numbers to count. (AA-operated flight with another carriers' flight numbers do NOT count.)
(RPB has already been sent in for potential merge with the Help Desk thread.)
Help Desk: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenge (Gold and Platinum)
