Austin FF

I just got the following email - note that I was Platinum last year, but did not fly enough to requalify for even Gold. I did just get one of those fancy AA cards with the 100K mile bonus and access to the Admirals club, so I guess I'm only getting a 25% mileage bonus during the free-gold period. Not much inspiration to fly the 6k miles to qualify going forward. Indeed, the million miler lifetime gold that I'm fast approaching doesn't seem terribly exciting either. Maybe I'm just bitter they devalued the 100K credit card miles the day after I applied.

I guess I could get excited about the 10 500 mile upgrades, but I doubt I will ever clear on a flight that is worth upgrading on. I'd already written off the 20+ 500 mile upgrades left in my account.

Oh well, didn't cost me anything....
-----

Hello Austin FF,
AAdvantage Number: XXXXXX





AAdvantage® Gold Card
We see you have a reservation for upcoming travel. That's great because elevating your journey is important to us, so we're offering you complimentary AAdvantage® Gold status through September 15, 2014.

Enjoy your new elite benefits on your next trip, including:

•25% mileage bonus on eligible flights
•Priority check-in and boarding
•Free checked bag privileges
•Complimentary access to Preferred Seats
•50% discount on Main Cabin Extra seats
•Special upgrade privileges
How about Gold status through February 29, 2016?
Simply register, then start flying on American, US Airways or other select airlines* to earn 6,000 elite-qualifying miles or points between April 28 and September 15, 2014. And be sure to include your AAdvantage number in your reservation so you can earn miles for every trip you take.

As an added bonus, we'll deposit ten 500-mile upgrades into your account just for signing up.

Don't forget to register prior to travel and no later than May 23, 2014 with promotion code HVSG1.

We look forward to welcoming you on board soon.

WRCSolberg

I’m currently status-less and I got the same email. I also have the Citi Exec card so I wonder if it’s targeted at cardholders that don’t currently hold status?

I guess that says a lot about Gold status if they’re giving it away for free now.

ericgdukie44

I mean, if you have to take the flights anyway then they've given you something of value for free. Enjoy your extra miles and just request an upgrade for every flight you happen to take with them. 10% chance of upgrade is better than 0% chance, right?

donnde

My teenage son just received the Platinum version of the email including 20 upgrades. His last few flights have been award travel so he hasn't accumulated many miles recently. The timing is good though as he will be flying every few weeks this summer.

Austin FF

"My teenage son just received the Platinum version of the email including 20 upgrades. His last few flights have been award travel so he hasn't accumulated many miles recently. The timing is good though as he will be flying every few weeks this summer. "

Did he have status last year or was he gold this year?

Just trying to figure out what differentiates the free gold folks from the free platinum folks. Would much prefer the 100% mileage bonus of platinum.

Nice score on his behalf - especially with all that upcoming travel.

JonNYC

other times they did this:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html

Austin FF

Understood - just seemed odd to me after doing away with soft landings and offering to sell me the status for $600+.

I wonder if it isn't associated with the credit card - they aren't giving you much on top of what you already get with that, and therefore costs them less.

no1cub17

... - so what about those of us who actually filled dougie's coffers with real dollars? Nothing extra for us?

JonNYC

I see it the opposite way-- now that there are less Golds (the golds that don't exist this year precisely due to eliminate of soft landing) they will experiment more with a targeted version, to fliers/former elites they feel they have a better chance enticing. And the buyback I'd also personally see as not relevant to this offer.

freeflyin

I don't have any AA cards and I received the Gold version.

Had EXP from the UA match two years ago, dropped to Plat last year and to nothing this year.

mikelat

Nope. Apparently not.

grrizzli

Exactly. Where are our Elite Rewards for 2014: ELTA4?

mikelat

Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I do think we'll see Elite Rewards against in CY14.

donnde

He did not have status but did receive the Gold version of this last year. His last few flights have been on my awards. Also he has flown a few other airlines during the last year. No credit card other than being attached to my wife's MC Exec. My wife commented that she only received the $1200 keep your Platinum offer and my son gets this for who-knows-why.

f0xx

Signing up for? AAdvantage account?