ARCHIVE: AAdvantage Gold & Platinum Elite Status Challenges 2004 - 2011
#5551
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AA EXP (2.5MM), Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,859
I paid $100 yesterday to sign up for the AA GLD challenge (to begin May 1st) and realized today that I will likely attain 10,000 EQPs by the end of July. I called today and was told that it was too late to change it to a PLT challenge.
However, the AA customer service rep did tell me that if I reach 10,000 EQPs before July 31st, I can simply pay an extra $80, upgrade to the PLT challenge, and immediately get PLT status. He told me that, had I elected the PLT challenge yesterday, I would have paid $180 upfront and, if i didn't reach 10,000 EQPs by July 31st, I would lose the full $180 and not have attained any elite status.
I am very skeptical of what I was told for one big reason: why would anyone pay the $180 upfront, with the possiblility of attaining nothing, when they could simply start with the GLD challenge, re-assess their EQPs, and upgrade the challenge during the three-month window as appropriate? Why would anyone not retain that optionality?
Thanks.
However, the AA customer service rep did tell me that if I reach 10,000 EQPs before July 31st, I can simply pay an extra $80, upgrade to the PLT challenge, and immediately get PLT status. He told me that, had I elected the PLT challenge yesterday, I would have paid $180 upfront and, if i didn't reach 10,000 EQPs by July 31st, I would lose the full $180 and not have attained any elite status.
I am very skeptical of what I was told for one big reason: why would anyone pay the $180 upfront, with the possiblility of attaining nothing, when they could simply start with the GLD challenge, re-assess their EQPs, and upgrade the challenge during the three-month window as appropriate? Why would anyone not retain that optionality?
Thanks.
#5552
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: used to be PER, now it's nowhere/eveywhere
Programs: QFF NB, AA GLD
Posts: 3,461
why would anyone pay the $180 upfront, with the possiblility of attaining nothing, when they could simply start with the GLD challenge, re-assess their EQPs, and upgrade the challenge during the three-month window as appropriate? Why would anyone not retain that optionality?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Well - Mrs P will be enrolling in the PLT challenge prior to her one flight - AA7308 - the codeshare on the QF flight SYD-DFW, flying in J. This one flight gets her more than 10,000 EQP.So why would she enrol in the Gold challenge?
#5553
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3
Am I better off fighting this fight after I reach the 10,000 miles? Or hearing right up front that the AA rep was misinformed and that I don't really have that PLT Challenge upgrade option?
#5554
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,546
As pandaperth said, many people complete a PLT challenge in a single roundtrip. Others might have enough travel already booked that flying 10K is virtually certain.
#5555
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3
I think that is true as long as you call before the end of the challenge. OTOH, there was a report a while back that if you started a PLT challenge but only flew 5K, you could still get gold. Since the rep you talked to contradicted that, I'm not sure what to think. If it makes you too nervous, you can call back and try to get another rep to upgrade the challenge immediately.
As pandaperth said, many people complete a PLT challenge in a single roundtrip. Others might have enough travel already booked that flying 10K is virtually certain.
As pandaperth said, many people complete a PLT challenge in a single roundtrip. Others might have enough travel already booked that flying 10K is virtually certain.
I spoke to another AAdvantage rep yesterday who confirmed that I can, in fact, upgrade my challenge from GLD to PLT anytime during the original challenge window if I cross the 10,000 EQPs during that time. The cost to upgrade is $125, not $80, which means that it's not free optionality - it actually $45 more than starting with a PLT challenge from the beginning.
I didn't confirm that I'd get conferred GLD status if I started a PLT challenge and only reached 5,000 EQPs, but, by starting GLD and upgrading to PLT, I'll pay $45 more in the long run, but guarantee that I end up with some Elite status, provided I reach at least 5,000 EQPs.
Hope this helps.
Fly safe.
#5557
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: AY Silver, Marriott Silver, AA, SPG, SKEB
Posts: 4
My first post to FT, so hello all, and thanks for a great resource.
OK...
I just started the PLT challenge on May 1st, so I'm looking forward to my next trip even more than usually. The plan (already ticketed) is as follows:
HEL-ORD-BOS, YUL-ORD-DFW, DFW-AUS-DFW, DFW-SEA-YEG, and SJC-ORD-HEL. All within a 2-week period.
The rest of the trip will be on non-AA tickets, in case anyone's wondering.
The AA tickets are in L, V, and Y, and I've done the math, so I should be happily over the 10 000 EQP mark, and in PLT before the wheels touch down in YEG.
Now the question. How long does it typically take after the flight for the points to show in the system? I'd like to make sure that I can enjoy the PLT benefits immediately on the final leg of my trip SJC-ORD-HEL (preferred seating etc). So do I need to wait before calling the service desk to ask them to update the status on the rest of my itinerary?
When I signed up for the challenge, I asked the AA rep to match my current OW (AY) ruby status and give me immediate GLD, but she kindly refused and commented that they can only match corporate clients.
In your experience, would it be worth the trouble to be persistent about getting the initial GLD status match, or should I just wait for the inevitable PLT...
OK...
I just started the PLT challenge on May 1st, so I'm looking forward to my next trip even more than usually. The plan (already ticketed) is as follows:
HEL-ORD-BOS, YUL-ORD-DFW, DFW-AUS-DFW, DFW-SEA-YEG, and SJC-ORD-HEL. All within a 2-week period.
The rest of the trip will be on non-AA tickets, in case anyone's wondering.
The AA tickets are in L, V, and Y, and I've done the math, so I should be happily over the 10 000 EQP mark, and in PLT before the wheels touch down in YEG.
Now the question. How long does it typically take after the flight for the points to show in the system? I'd like to make sure that I can enjoy the PLT benefits immediately on the final leg of my trip SJC-ORD-HEL (preferred seating etc). So do I need to wait before calling the service desk to ask them to update the status on the rest of my itinerary?
When I signed up for the challenge, I asked the AA rep to match my current OW (AY) ruby status and give me immediate GLD, but she kindly refused and commented that they can only match corporate clients.
In your experience, would it be worth the trouble to be persistent about getting the initial GLD status match, or should I just wait for the inevitable PLT...
#5558
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,747
In your experience, would it be worth the trouble to be persistent about getting the initial GLD status match, or should I just wait for the inevitable PLT
#5559
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Texas
Programs: AA EXP, UA Premier Plat, Alaska MVP Gold, HHonors Diamond, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 2,053
When I signed up for the challenge, I asked the AA rep to match my current OW (AY) ruby status and give me immediate GLD, but she kindly refused and commented that they can only match corporate clients.
In your experience, would it be worth the trouble to be persistent about getting the initial GLD status match, or should I just wait for the inevitable PLT...
In your experience, would it be worth the trouble to be persistent about getting the initial GLD status match, or should I just wait for the inevitable PLT...
#5560
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: AY Silver, Marriott Silver, AA, SPG, SKEB
Posts: 4
Especially nice since I was now able to get seat 21B for my 767-300 transatlantic flight.
#5561
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,409
Welcome to FlyerTalk and the AA forum, planejmpr! Glad it worked out for you and best of luck with your Challenge! ^
#5562
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta Plat, UA Plat, Hilton Silver... Former AA Plat
Posts: 41
hi all. i will be travelling crazy in the next few weeks and i am glad i found this forum. i never knew there exists elite challenge, otherwise i would have been platinum a few years back!!!
my itinerary...
ATL-MIA-JFK-HKG, then coming back HKG-NRT-DFW-ATL, and finally ATL-DFW-AUS.
of course i signed up for PLT challenge! now the questions...
i upgraded my MIA-JFK and now it shows class "A" as the booking code. originally it was class "N" = 50% of 1090 EQP. does that mean i will now get 150% now?
if that's the case, then i will have...
ATL-MIA - class N = 298 EQP
MIA-JFK - class A = 1635 EQP
JFK-HKG - class M = 8072 EQP (not sure if it's 8072)
-----------------------
Total: 10005 EQP after first trip! (lol i swear i didn't even realize until now!)
wow, i hope my calculations are right so when i arrive in HKG i will be a platinum already! please help make sure. tks!
my itinerary...
ATL-MIA-JFK-HKG, then coming back HKG-NRT-DFW-ATL, and finally ATL-DFW-AUS.
of course i signed up for PLT challenge! now the questions...
i upgraded my MIA-JFK and now it shows class "A" as the booking code. originally it was class "N" = 50% of 1090 EQP. does that mean i will now get 150% now?
if that's the case, then i will have...
ATL-MIA - class N = 298 EQP
MIA-JFK - class A = 1635 EQP
JFK-HKG - class M = 8072 EQP (not sure if it's 8072)
-----------------------
Total: 10005 EQP after first trip! (lol i swear i didn't even realize until now!)
wow, i hope my calculations are right so when i arrive in HKG i will be a platinum already! please help make sure. tks!
#5563
formerly known as daveland
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: NY, NY, USA
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LTP, Delta Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 2,967
Assuming that "A" means you upgraded to First in cash (and not miles, etc) then yes. If you used miles/eVIP, then no...
#5564
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Texas
Programs: AA EXP, UA Premier Plat, Alaska MVP Gold, HHonors Diamond, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 2,053
I think if you BUY A (straight-out) vs. *any* upgrade method to A is the differentiator... so it treats cash+miles, miles-only and eVIP the same - the originally-purchased class.
#5565
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,409
Depends. I got A from a cash+miles upgrade, and was told I get the ORIGINAL booking code rate. I booked in deep-discount (G/Q/O/N/S).
I think if you BUY A (straight-out) vs. *any* upgrade method to A is the differentiator... so it treats cash+miles, miles-only and eVIP the same - the originally-purchased class.
I think if you BUY A (straight-out) vs. *any* upgrade method to A is the differentiator... so it treats cash+miles, miles-only and eVIP the same - the originally-purchased class.