Mar 21, 2013, 3:13 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
HELP DESK: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenge (Gold and Platinum)
Challenges may no longer be enrolled in as of 6 Oct; hard end date 23 Dec 2015 -
but some reporting success 6 Oct backdating to 23 Sep by supervisors
This is the archived thread about the now defunct AAdvantage elite Gold and Platinum status challenge. The current thread can be read here.
Challenges may no longer be enrolled in as of 6 Oct; hard end date 23 Dec 2015 -
but some reporting success 6 Oct backdating to 23 Sep by supervisors
This is the archived thread about the now defunct AAdvantage elite Gold and Platinum status challenge. The current thread can be read here.
NOTE: Challenges were closed off September 23 2015, at least for the remainder of 2015 - some have succeeded in enrolling and backdating to 23 Sep.
It is possible a new, remodeled challenge will be announced in or for 2016. That discussion is here: Original Gold / Platinum Challenge Ended 23 Sep '15. New program to come?
This thread is now dedicated to requests for assistance and responses to clarify challenge requirements for those members currently engaged in challenges and related issues. To discuss the potential and form of any future challenge, please use the link provided above.
NOTE: The rules for the Challenge at the time of closure are preserved below. The date by which the last person would have completed this challenge would be 23 December 2015.
It is possible a new, remodeled challenge will be announced in or for 2016. That discussion is here: Original Gold / Platinum Challenge Ended 23 Sep '15. New program to come?
This thread is now dedicated to requests for assistance and responses to clarify challenge requirements for those members currently engaged in challenges and related issues. To discuss the potential and form of any future challenge, please use the link provided above.
NOTE: The rules for the Challenge at the time of closure are preserved below. The date by which the last person would have completed this challenge would be 23 December 2015.
Note: The four AA segment minimum required for regular status qualification does not apply to completing the challenge.
Class of service, status or other bonus miles are redeemable miles and thus do not count for the challenge. Class of service is the reigning factor in calculating the points earned per mile flown: the base points per mile charts for the various fare buckets on qualifying airlines are here.
Note: The "Reach elite status faster" promotion awarding 2 or even 3 EQ Points per mile for flying premium fares through 2015 does not apply to the challenge; challenge flyers will only have a maximum of 1.5 base EQP per base EQ Mile considered for challenge-earned status. The extra points are considered bonus points and are only applicable for earning "normal", non-challenge status.
Though one earned status bonus miles on the qualifying flight at one time, that is no longer possible. Status bonus miles will accrue on the next eligible flight after your status qualifying flight.
Also see (FT) Help Understanding Status, Points / Miles & Segments: EQM vs EQP (merged thread) for further assistance with the miles-EQMiles-points issue.
For miles calculations, many use the Great Circle Mapper tool
*for Platinum, Jan-Jun $200, Jul - Dec $240 - presumably for the max nine months of status vs. the max of 20 months $240 of status. Occasionally, there are "sales" reductions; they seem to be about 10%.
Challenges begun before June 16 of a given year earn status for the remainder of that year and the first two months of the following year (8-14 months total); challenges begun on or after June 16 grant status for the remainder of that year, the following year, and the first two months of the year after (14-20 months total). Challenges can begin anytime (not previously the case) and can even be backdated up to two weeks as far as we know (as of Nov 2013).
To sign up for a challenge, call AAdvantage Customer Service at +1-800-882-8880.
Link to cyclingpilot post about being granted a back-dated challenge (2 weeks)
You cannot use a challenge to requalify for status. There is no longer a "soft landing" to the next lower level of status. The flight on which the challenge is completed no longer earns the redeemable miles bonus for the new status level.
Some have been granted Gold status whilst flying a Platinum challenge, particularly those with current elite status (any level) on an airline of a competing alliance, but this is not a given.
Based on multiple reports from FT members, as of mid-2015 AA is only allowing one status challenge over a five year period.
August 2014 e-mail received by a Challenger, shared by ashill:
Thank you for registering for an AAdvantage® challenge.
To enjoy AAdvantage PLATINUM status through February 2016, please earn 10,000 elite qualifying points between now and [redacted]. Qualifying flights on American Airlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection®, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas, US Airways and their eligible codeshare flights count toward your challenge.
Since the number of elite qualifying points you earn is based on the fare you purchase and the miles you earn, you can view these details for each airline:We wish you every success in attaining the elite status level you desire.
Sincerely,
Janet L F[redacted]
Director
AAdvantage Customer Service
Thank you for registering for an AAdvantage® challenge.
To enjoy AAdvantage PLATINUM status through February 2016, please earn 10,000 elite qualifying points between now and [redacted]. Qualifying flights on American Airlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection®, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas, US Airways and their eligible codeshare flights count toward your challenge.
Since the number of elite qualifying points you earn is based on the fare you purchase and the miles you earn, you can view these details for each airline:We wish you every success in attaining the elite status level you desire.
Sincerely,
Janet L F[redacted]
Director
AAdvantage Customer Service
ARCHIVE: HELP DESK: AA Elite Status Challenge (CLOSED: "hard end" 23 Dec 2015)
Mar 19, 2015, 1:04 pm
#826
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,550
Is there any advantage to booking a flight through AA directly, if the flight will be on a partner airline?
When I go to Australia, Qantas has the same flight AA offers on the website for about $400 cheaper. Do I earn less miles, or points or anything if I book through Qantas instead of through AA?
The AA site may well be offering the AA codeshare on the Qantas flight whilst QF will be offering the Qantas flight number
If you book the AA codeshare, then it will count as an AA flight with base mileage earning being 100% and then EQPs based on this
If you book the QF flight , then you need to check the earning for that fare. Some QF fares only earn 25% base mileage and the EQPs will then be based on this
from http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ea...nes/qantas.jsp
K, L, M, V earn 50% base miles and EQPs
N, G, S earn 50% base miles and 25% EQPs ( 50% of the 50% )
O, Q earrns 25% base miles and 12.5% EQPs ( 50% of the 25% )
If aa.com is offering the QF flight number ( same as Qantas is offering ) , then no benefit to book with AA and would recommend booking directly with Qantas
If aa.com is offering a AA codeshare, then you need to decide whether the extra miles are worth paying an extra $400 for
If short on completing the challenge - LAX-SYD is 7488 miles , so on a 50% earning AA fare basis you would still earn 7488 EQPs. Booked on an O or Q QF fare would be down to 1872 EQPs.
Second question..which I want to make sure I understand, is 500 mile upgrades. It seems I can buy them for $30 each or trade in miles to get them, as well as earning 4 for every 10000 miles flown.
Does this mean, in effect, that I could upgrade to business or first class for a fraction of the price?
When I go to Australia, if I have say 20 upgrades, could I conceivably use them all at once to upgrade my entire flight?
Does this mean, in effect, that I could upgrade to business or first class for a fraction of the price?
When I go to Australia, if I have say 20 upgrades, could I conceivably use them all at once to upgrade my entire flight?
Last edited by Dave Noble; Mar 19, 2015 at 1:10 pm
Mar 19, 2015, 2:33 pm
#827
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 29
OK, thank you all.
Is it correct that on a domestic flight of say 1400 miles, I could use 3 upgrades to upgrade to the next class of service (assuming my request was approved)?
Is it correct that on a domestic flight of say 1400 miles, I could use 3 upgrades to upgrade to the next class of service (assuming my request was approved)?
Mar 19, 2015, 2:46 pm
#828
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,550
You cannot upgrade from business to 1st
for 1400 miles, 3 500 mile upgrade credits would be required
If you hold no status with AA then you can upgrade on Y & B fares
If you hold status with AA, then you can do this on all economy fares
Mar 19, 2015, 4:36 pm
#829
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
If you book through a partner you may earn less miles (like 25%), so book on aa.com. I thought challenges were based upon points not miles. You can't use upgrades (stickers) for QF. Stickers can only be used for AA domestic, which includes Caribbean, Latin America (except MEX) and Canada. Based upon availability.
Mar 20, 2015, 2:35 pm
#830
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: AA Platinum, MR Gold, HH Silver
Posts: 3
Upgrading a challenge from GLD to PLT mid-challenge
I signed up for the GLD challenge in January (expiration 4/30) but wound up flying enough to hit GLD a couple of weeks ago. I'll be over 10k EQPs as of Monday so I will want to upgrade to a PLT challenge. I wanted to offer my experience on the mid-challenge "upgrade" process.
First off, it appears impossible to upgrade your challenge before you actually hit the 10k threshold, at which point you're supposed to call and ask to be upgraded and pay the $125 fee. Just wanted to clarify that you call after because I didn't understand that.
The first rep I spoke to today said if I upgraded, my PLT status wouldn't kick in until the last day (4/30) of the original challenge, not (as expected) the day after I hit the 10k threshold. So I called back and got even more confusion.
It was clear to me from my calls today that AA is cracking down on serial challengers. I have done two PLT challenges in the past decade and when I tried to upgrade by calling before my 10k-qualifying flight, they saw I was flagged in the system as having done two challenges within the last five years -- one of them being the one I just completed -- and were about to tell me no, I couldn't upgrade to the PLT challenge at all now.
I was able to get a supervisor who explained that the way to do it is to call after the qualifying flight and all is well, I assume (though I will report back next week if not). Nonetheless, the world of challenges remains pretty byzantine.
First off, it appears impossible to upgrade your challenge before you actually hit the 10k threshold, at which point you're supposed to call and ask to be upgraded and pay the $125 fee. Just wanted to clarify that you call after because I didn't understand that.
The first rep I spoke to today said if I upgraded, my PLT status wouldn't kick in until the last day (4/30) of the original challenge, not (as expected) the day after I hit the 10k threshold. So I called back and got even more confusion.
It was clear to me from my calls today that AA is cracking down on serial challengers. I have done two PLT challenges in the past decade and when I tried to upgrade by calling before my 10k-qualifying flight, they saw I was flagged in the system as having done two challenges within the last five years -- one of them being the one I just completed -- and were about to tell me no, I couldn't upgrade to the PLT challenge at all now.
I was able to get a supervisor who explained that the way to do it is to call after the qualifying flight and all is well, I assume (though I will report back next week if not). Nonetheless, the world of challenges remains pretty byzantine.
Mar 20, 2015, 4:21 pm
#831
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 799
Mar 20, 2015, 4:39 pm
#832
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 132
I regret not completing my challenge. I only needed 12,000 miles and had half the year to complete it. I honestly didn't fly AA much except then I got the MCE benefits and booked a few flights with AA.
I normally fly JetBlue to CA. I had plenty of chances to fly AA to Atlanta, but would have added an extra 2 hrs each direction with the layover and then flight back to Austin. However, looking back now, I definitely would value the MCE+ AA price when comparing equivalent flights on other carriers.
I normally fly JetBlue to CA. I had plenty of chances to fly AA to Atlanta, but would have added an extra 2 hrs each direction with the layover and then flight back to Austin. However, looking back now, I definitely would value the MCE+ AA price when comparing equivalent flights on other carriers.
Mar 21, 2015, 10:55 am
#833
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Somewhere today, somewhere tomorrow!
Programs: Delta DM
Posts: 6,768
So would a AA flight number on AA 9074 Operated by Etihad Airways qualify for the points? Waiting for a call back from AA before I buy any tickets today.
Mar 21, 2015, 11:12 am
#834
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Mar 21, 2015, 11:23 am
#835
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP / LT PLT / 3MM, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 35,366
Mar 21, 2015, 11:45 am
#836
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Somewhere today, somewhere tomorrow!
Programs: Delta DM
Posts: 6,768
Mar 21, 2015, 12:07 pm
#837
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 240
I just called to enroll and was told I need to call between Monday - Friday from 8am to 4pm CT.
Mar 21, 2015, 12:17 pm
#838
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
Presumably a targeted challenge, not a paid challenge.
Those are the AAdvantage customer service desk hours, yes.
Those are the AAdvantage customer service desk hours, yes.
Mar 21, 2015, 1:11 pm
#839
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: US Silver
Posts: 2
Does anyone know how the impending merger of the FF programs will impact people in the middle of an AA status challenge? Specifically, would US operated flights flown and credited to DM suddenly convert to AA miles/points applicable for the status challenge similar to how overall balances will be converted/combined and used to determine elite status?
I would ideally like to use my DM status get in a few final free upgrades and mileage bonuses before the merger but not if that would then make those flights ineligible for the AA platinum challenge.
Any opinions are much appreciated! Thanks!
I would ideally like to use my DM status get in a few final free upgrades and mileage bonuses before the merger but not if that would then make those flights ineligible for the AA platinum challenge.
Any opinions are much appreciated! Thanks!
Mar 22, 2015, 10:31 am
#840
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP / LT PLT / 3MM, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 35,366