sany2

Hello.

I will be traveling DTW-LHR-DEL and return on BA WT+, so will do the AA plat challenge, and if possible the gold challenge at the same time.

My question is this:

If we are able to do the gold challenge at the same time, will the gold status have posted within two weeks, and will we be able to use the BA NCW checkin in DEL?

On the same topic, I know that other posts have said that if you want to do both gold and plat at the same time, to sign up for gold first and then plat at the next date.. I think the 17th of the month. My question is, is it possible that they would not let you sign up for hte plat challenge if you already signed up for the gold challenge earlier that month/last month.

Thanks.

JDiver

I'd hang onto my boarding passes from every flight and keep track of my ticket numbers (your PNR ultimately recyles, ticket numbers do not, even if they are from e-tickets.) My experiences with BA and flights posting to my account have been less than stellar. (You won't even have to worry about anything posting for DTW-LHR-DTW, only LHR-DEL-LHR.)

If your Goldness posts properly, you would theoretically be entitled to use BA Business check-in - but proving it might be difficult, as BA tends to prefer cards tendered and not BPs or paper. Maybe a printout of your aa.com account will help.

It is true that AA's undocumented Challenge should not allow concurrent Gold and Platinum - and it is just as true that many have accomplished them by signing up at different times, e.g. Feb 1 and Feb 15, even if they were told their Gold challenge would be cancelled. I have heard things said like "Since I am on this much longer trip than I originally thought I'd be taking, I decided I should really have signed up for the PC..." (None of this is saying they COULDN'T cancel your Gold challenge, but I wonder if 1) they catually can't because of the software, or 2) they just give cancelation lip service.)

If someone at AA actually refuses to allow you to sign up for the Platinum challenge, you could expect to have problems with your telephone connection and have to call again to speak to another AAgent.

Swanhunter

If it does post, and you do try to use the Club line at DEL make sure you take a print out with you and be prepared to have a fairly detailed conversation with the ground staff. They do patrol the premium lines and weed out those that are not eligible. Explaining that the BA Gold card in your hand means you can use the F line isn't that easy, so a piece of paper explaining your Ruby status (which doesn't exist on BA) will need some patience.

Dave Noble

To me, it seems a pointless risk. They do say that doing 2 concurrent challenges is not allowed though there are reports of being successful; is it really worth risking not getting platinum for the sake of 1048 bonus miles?

Dave

Fly AA J all the way

How long are you going for? I thought it could sometimes take a few weeks for the miles to post.

Dave Noble

ime, BA post miles pretty quickly as long as the FF number is correctly showing in the booking

Dave

JDiver

People contemplating that need to be aware of and measure the risks, IMO. Cancelling the Platinum challenge seems not to be much of a risk - losing out on a Gold challenge is definitely possible, but we know a number of people who have achieved both within the same points-earning window, using the methods previously pointed out.

IMO, I probably wouldn't do it, but that's me.

sany2

Actually.. it has nothing to do with the bonus miles. To me, miles are not really valuable at all, unless they are on an international carrier. The more important issue would be the Business line. Would it be worth the hassle for that?

Having, in recent memory, not used a regular line, I have no idea what to compare to.

Dave Noble

Without the card, you may not be able to use that anyway; assuming OLCI is available ex DEL, then use that and get a decent seat. I wouldn't risk it just for the one off use of a check in desk

Dave