ARCHIVE: AAdvantage Gold & Platinum Elite Status Challenges 2004 - 2011
Oct 2, 2009, 7:18 pm
#3961
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Here there everywhere
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, BA Silver, Aegean Gold, Aeroplan 25k, AA EXP
Posts: 2,825
Can someone please clarify whether for challenges tickets have to be on AA stock (ie 001 ticket) or whether they can be ticketed/plated on another airline? I presume it is only the flight number that is looked at but want to make sure.
Oct 2, 2009, 9:34 pm
#3962
Join Date: May 2007
Location: ORD, DEL
Programs: AA (Plt Pro; 1.5 MM)
Posts: 6,185
True, but challenge is an undocumented feature and whatever the person with the highest authority in AA decides, that's what it is. 
So, you should be OK. However, "trust but verify", so check your status after all of your flights and be prepared to take a short MR if it comes to that.
So, you should be OK. However, "trust but verify", so check your status after all of your flights and be prepared to take a short MR if it comes to that.
Oct 3, 2009, 12:08 pm
#3963
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: AA Platinum, OneWorld Sapphire
Posts: 103
AAdvantage Gold Qualification Mileage Calculation
I currently do not have any elite status with AA. My account summary indicates that I have 8560 Elite Qualifying Miles YTD. I will be flying JAX-MIA-SSA-REC-MIA-JAX next month. The JAX-MIA segment is in class Q and all other segments are in class N. I recently signed up for the double EQM promotion. Should this be enough to qualify for AAdvantage Gold?
Oct 3, 2009, 12:10 pm
#3964
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AA EXP (2.5MM), Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,859
I currently do not have any elite status with AA. My account summary indicates that I have 8560 Elite Qualifying Miles YTD. I will be flying JAX-MIA-SSA-REC-MIA-JAX next month. The JAX-MIA segment is in class Q and all other segments are in class N. I recently signed up for the double EQM promotion. Should this be enough to qualify for AAdvantage Gold?
Oct 3, 2009, 3:30 pm
#3965
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 26
True, but challenge is an undocumented feature and whatever the person with the highest authority in AA decides, that's what it is. So, you should be OK. However, "trust but verify", so check your status after all of your flights and be prepared to take a short MR if it comes to that.
So, you should be OK. However, "trust but verify", so check your status after all of your flights and be prepared to take a short MR if it comes to that.I just ran into a brick wall with AA.
My platinum challenge was already paid for and started.
The miles have finally started to come in. However, my status didn't change
after I crossed over the 10,000 points threshold. I called AAdvantage and the
rep looked into it. After several minutes... she came back on the line....
it turns out that I do not qualify because
my AA ticket was paid/purchased outside
of the USA. (not US dollars)
The trips starts in Argentina, with stops in Chicago, Tokyo... and ends in Singapore.
The ticket only shows two airlines, AA and JL. The ticket is on AA stock.
My AAdvantage acct address on file has always been in the US. (my home address)
Had I known that tickets purchased in non-US$ and originating outside of the US
would not quaflity for the platinum challenge, I would have never paid the $200.
Called AA a couple more times and spoke to two supervisors... got the same reply....
While I'm not happy about it, I can understand it if it's their policy. Fine by me,
but now I'm mad because they refused to refund me the $200.
I have called my credit card company(Discover Card) and disputed the charge...
I am extremely upset by AA's underhanded tactics. When I first called to sign up
for the challenge, the rep looked at my reservation and fare basis. She told me that
my trip would qualify, so I happily allowed them to put $200 charge on my card.
Now they have my money, they tell me I don't qualify my challenge because my
ticket was purchased outside of the US using foreign currency?
This is pure fraud.
Last edited by Argen_Tina; Oct 3, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Oct 3, 2009, 5:21 pm
#3966
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I think this is a great case to upgrade to the corporate office - you were told you qualified and the trips qualified for a Platinum Challenge (did you get the e-mail?) and then, after the fact, were denied and denied a refund. They surely can't have it both ways?
Here is a link to a page with humans you can contact. Acuerdate - succinct, but covering all the necessary information, and ask for what you want granted, whether it is your Platinum status or your $200 returned. No threats, but certainly a statement that the results of this request will directly influence whether you ever fly American Airlines in the future. (After all, LAN Argentina + Lan Chile et al are also a way to get status and flights on oneworld.)
Here is a link to a page with humans you can contact. Acuerdate - succinct, but covering all the necessary information, and ask for what you want granted, whether it is your Platinum status or your $200 returned. No threats, but certainly a statement that the results of this request will directly influence whether you ever fly American Airlines in the future. (After all, LAN Argentina + Lan Chile et al are also a way to get status and flights on oneworld.)
I just ran into a brick wall with AA.
My platinum challenge was already paid for and started.
The miles have finally started to come in. However, my status didn't change
after I crossed over the 10,000 points threshold. I called AAdvantage and the
rep looked into it. After several minutes... she came back on the line....
it turns out that I do not qualify because
my AA ticket was paid/purchased outside
of the USA. (not US dollars)
The trips starts in Argentina, with stops in Chicago, Tokyo... and ends in Singapore.
The ticket only shows two airlines, AA and JL. The ticket is on AA stock.
My AAdvantage acct address on file has always been in the US. (my home address)
Had I known that tickets purchased in non-US$ and originating outside of the US
would not quaflity for the platinum challenge, I would have never paid the $200.
Called AA a couple more times and spoke to two supervisors... got the same reply....
While I'm not happy about it, I can understand it if it's their policy. Fine by me,
but now I'm mad because they refused to refund me the $200.
I have called my credit card company(Discover Card) and disputed the charge...
I am extremely upset by AA's underhanded tactics. When I first called to sign up
for the challenge, the rep looked at my reservation and fare basis. She told me that
my trip would qualify, so I happily allowed them to put $200 charge on my card.
Now they have my money, they tell me I don't qualify my challenge because my
ticket was purchased outside of the US using foreign currency? This is pure fraud.
My platinum challenge was already paid for and started.
The miles have finally started to come in. However, my status didn't change
after I crossed over the 10,000 points threshold. I called AAdvantage and the
rep looked into it. After several minutes... she came back on the line....
it turns out that I do not qualify because
my AA ticket was paid/purchased outside
of the USA. (not US dollars)
The trips starts in Argentina, with stops in Chicago, Tokyo... and ends in Singapore.
The ticket only shows two airlines, AA and JL. The ticket is on AA stock.
My AAdvantage acct address on file has always been in the US. (my home address)
Had I known that tickets purchased in non-US$ and originating outside of the US
would not quaflity for the platinum challenge, I would have never paid the $200.
Called AA a couple more times and spoke to two supervisors... got the same reply....
While I'm not happy about it, I can understand it if it's their policy. Fine by me,
but now I'm mad because they refused to refund me the $200.
I have called my credit card company(Discover Card) and disputed the charge...
I am extremely upset by AA's underhanded tactics. When I first called to sign up
for the challenge, the rep looked at my reservation and fare basis. She told me that
my trip would qualify, so I happily allowed them to put $200 charge on my card.
Now they have my money, they tell me I don't qualify my challenge because my
ticket was purchased outside of the US using foreign currency?
This is pure fraud.
Oct 3, 2009, 8:36 pm
#3967
Moderator: New York City and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: AA PLT, Natl EC
Posts: 10,855
As the OP presumably has no status, there is no minimum 500 EQM per segment guarantee. So, JAX-MIA-SSA-REC-MIA-JAX = 8791 mi (Great Circle Mapper, AA.com may differ slightly), and with DBLEQ, that totals 17,582. With YTD EQM, still enough for GLD at 26,142 total.
Oct 4, 2009, 12:44 am
#3968
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM
Posts: 2,080
Don't forget that the SSA-REC and REC-MIA legs do not count separately (unless there is a stopover in REC). It's a direct flight, so the return to MIA earns the same as the nonstop MIA-SSA leg on the outbound.
Oct 4, 2009, 10:04 am
#3969
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Good point - if the OP is on the smae flight number, even if same type aircraft are changed or there is a "change of gauge" - the flight earns as if it were nonstop.
Oct 4, 2009, 11:15 am
#3970
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 230
Status extension upon earning 50K EQMs?
I recently completed a successful Platinum Challenge. I started the challenge in August, and therefore my Platinum status is valid till Feb 2011. I will accumulate over 50K EQMs for the current year in a few days. Question: Will that extend my Platinum status to Feb 2012? My own hunch is that it will NOT, but it will obviously be nice if it does.
Oct 4, 2009, 11:23 am
#3971
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP 1.5MM, AC Member, Marriott Platinum, HHonors Diamond, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 513
I recently completed a successful Platinum Challenge. I started the challenge in August, and therefore my Platinum status is valid till Feb 2011. I will accumulate over 50K EQMs for the current year in a few days. Question: Will that extend my Platinum status to Feb 2012? My own hunch is that it will NOT, but it will obviously be nice if it does.
Oct 5, 2009, 2:37 am
#3972
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SEA (moving to FAI soon :( )
Programs: AA Platinum(new, via challenge), UA 1K(since '06), BR Diamond(since '08)
Posts: 32
last flight made me a Platinum, but I cannot see status on my account?
My most recent AA international flight was just posted today. The elite qualifying points shown is a couple hundred above the Platinum requirement. 10230 points to be precise. I guess this means I'm Platinum as of this moment. When I was looking at my account online, it looked the same to me. Nowhere does it say "Platinum" and I also did not receive the Platinum bonus miles for the last flight. How long does it take AA to update my new Platinum status? Is it necessary for me to call them and ask? I have no AAdvantage elite status prior to this because I'm using the AAdvantage Platinum status-match challenge.
Please help me because I'm a newbie to the frequent flyer game. Thank you for your assistance!
Please help me because I'm a newbie to the frequent flyer game. Thank you for your assistance!
Last edited by SwissYankee; Oct 5, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Oct 5, 2009, 3:28 am
#3973
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,452
I seem to remember my family rolled over to PLT about 72 hours after they deplaned at FRA. (This was early September)
Oct 5, 2009, 3:34 am
#3974
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,452
I predict that soon you will soon find other things to stress out about, like why haven't your domestic upgrades cleared and it is less than 24 hours before your flight, and why do the unwashed masses think they can use the priority lane and will the BA lounge dragons let me in without a PLT card*....
*Based on 11 BA flights this summer I would say it's 50/50.
Oct 5, 2009, 3:39 am
#3975
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: AA PLT, PC PLT, BAEC, QFF
Posts: 118
be patient my friend... Last time I did my platinum challenge it took about 2 days for the status to be updated. And as for the bonus miles for the last leg, mine was manually entered after the status change.
In short, my recommendation is to wait for another day or 2 (unless you are scheduled to fly in that time) and if nothing changed then call AAdvantage customer service and they should be able to sort it out for you.
In short, my recommendation is to wait for another day or 2 (unless you are scheduled to fly in that time) and if nothing changed then call AAdvantage customer service and they should be able to sort it out for you.