Platinum Challenge Electronic Upgrade Qualification?
Jun 30, 2007, 6:53 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Barbados
Programs: AA PLT 6MM
Posts: 633
Platinum Challenge Electronic Upgrade Qualification?
I have enrolled my son for the Platinum Challenge. He currently has no qualifying mileage/points for the year. Will he receive 4 electronic upgrades when he qualifies for Platinum - he will have flown 11,500 miles (and points) on the challenge when he qualifies, and every 10,000 thereafter?
Jun 30, 2007, 7:27 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida, USA
Posts: 886
He will receive 4 upgrades for every 10K miles flown once he gets Plat status.
He will not receive 4 upgrades for flying 10K miles/points during the challenge.
He will not receive 4 upgrades for flying 10K miles/points during the challenge.
Jun 30, 2007, 7:58 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,455
Miles flown during the leg upon which the status is earned do count toward the 4/10k stickers.
Jun 30, 2007, 8:02 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: OneWorld
Posts: 20
I was under the impression that you do get a few stickers right when you qualify for platinum. Is that never the case? Or just not the case when you qualify using the challenge...
Jun 30, 2007, 8:12 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: AA Ex Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz President's Club, Marriott Silver
Posts: 64
I thought so too, but I just made gold on segments and now I see the miles started accruing as I made gold.
Jun 30, 2007, 8:12 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Where the West begins !
Posts: 987
That is not the case. I am not aware of stickers issued upon a qualification except for million mile status.
Jun 30, 2007, 8:36 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: STL
Programs: AA 2MM, AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,966
It is not the case, no matter how you qualify. If you qualify normally, you will make Gold when you pass 25,000 miles, and your upgrade mileage counter will start then, so you will have gotten 8 stickers (4 for 10,000 miles times 2) and be 5,000 miles along toward your next set of 4. But there are no "bonus" stickers for crossing into another elite level (no bonus anything, really, just the enhanced benefits of the new elite level) for achieving Gold or Plat status. There is a bonus for achieving EXP.
Jun 30, 2007, 8:38 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,517
Way way back when, they did give stickers on initial qualification. Not sure when it was discontinued, but it was still in the days of actual, non-electronic stickers. I got 4 "longs" when I made Gold in 1994.
Jun 30, 2007, 2:20 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: 2.18 miles east of 23R at MAN
Posts: 1,042
It's a shame that miles towards elite upgrades don't roll over from one membership year to the next.
Jun 30, 2007, 2:38 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: STL
Programs: AA 2MM, AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,966
I have gotten 4 stickers each year for the last couple of years. Had 9000+ miles both years. Of course, that doesn't mean they will do this next year.
Jun 30, 2007, 2:54 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: 2.18 miles east of 23R at MAN
Posts: 1,042
When it rolls over, if you have substantial "orphan miles", you can call and ask nicely, and they will give you partial stickers. For example, if you had 8000 miles, you would likely get 3 stickers. There is always a thread or 12 here beginning about Feb. 1 on how to do this. Normally works best if you wait until a few days after March 1, so they know that flights from Feb. 28 have posted and you won't get the stickers you grovel for and then more from a late February flight posting.
I have gotten 4 stickers each year for the last couple of years. Had 9000+ miles both years. Of course, that doesn't mean they will do this next year.
I have gotten 4 stickers each year for the last couple of years. Had 9000+ miles both years. Of course, that doesn't mean they will do this next year.
Jun 30, 2007, 3:07 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: STL
Programs: AA 2MM, AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,966
Jun 30, 2007, 3:46 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,517
Since we're veering off the original topic here, I'll jump right in. It's always struck me that the fairest thing would be to make each upgrade credit good for 1 mile, with 1 credit earned for every 5 miles flown, credited when the flight posts. That's the same ratio as today, but it solves the "wasting" that comes when flying flights just over the threshhold, like the 4 sticker 1560 mile DFW-BOS. And I post this here because this would also avoid the loss that occurs at the Feb counter reset, and the need for the annual plea call to customer service. Heck, with this system, they could might as well scrap the reset altogether.
Probably not worth the IT costs, in AA's eyes though.
Probably not worth the IT costs, in AA's eyes though.
Last edited by swag; Jul 1, 2007 at 8:30 am Reason: typo
Jun 30, 2007, 5:38 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2003
Location: RDU
Programs: TSA/INS/FBI Platinum (stopped last 12 of 13 int'l returns - the computer broke once)
Posts: 2,638