SR20kads

Does anyone know if it is better to do a PLT challenge in the first half of the year vs the 2nd half? If I recall correctly, if I qualify in the first half of 2012 then I would be PLT until Feb 2013. However, if I qualify in the 2nd half of 2012 then I would be PLT until Feb 2014.

Is this correct?

Thanks for your help




This is the ARCHIVED thread of the Help Desk: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenge (Gold and Platinum). A number of changes have occurred to the AAvantage Status Challenge since the Help Desk was begun in 2009; many posts in this thread now contain obsolete information.

pandaperth

Yes. You are correct

Up to you which is 'better' for you

For information see the first post in this thread and also the wiki

britenbsas

If you sign up for the DEQAA promo you will have platinum status after flying 25k miles (although you'll have to wait 6-8 weeks for the bonus EQMs to post). You'll save yourself the $200 or so challenge sign-up fee and, even more importantly, your status will be good through Feb 2014. If you do the challenge, your status will only be good through Feb 2013 and you will then need to qualify the normal way in 2012 to extend it for the next membership year. Just thowing in another option you may not have considered

TheBOSman

Wasn't it Tom Petty who sang, "The waiting is the hardest part"?

If flying deep discount economy for all challenge flights, you are correct. However, doing the PLT challenge will net you 10k RDMs, since you'll have the status that much faster. I did the math for myself since I am facing that exact situation, and it is semi-close to whether or not I do the challenge or not, since I could always put the $200 towards a ORD-SFO round trip during January (I can currently get $300 RT AI BOS-ORD-SFO and reverse before any promo codes or gift cards). The obvious advantage to that is not having to actually fly with the challenge. I'm going to call tomorrow, but if they don't give me GLD upfront so I can earn stickers and the 25% RDM bonus on those early miles and the ability to pick preferred seats free, then it might not make sense. I might actually just book an extra flight BOS-ORD-SFO-ORD-BOS, which gets 14544 EQMs and 9118 RDMs when qualifying for both DEQAA and DEQ11.

kyunbit

My understanding is that with DEQAA, I will qualify for PLAT until Feb 2014, just by flying 30K BIS miles in Jan. So, the fact that the challenge gives me status until Feb 2013 is probably not a concern.

If I go for the challenge and dont get Gold status upfront, I would earn ~10K more RDM and 4 stickers. Probably that is worth ~$200, given that it is better to have status in case of IRROPS. Not sure.

If I get gold upfront, its probably a no brainer. I would get ~15K RDM, 12 stickers. Moreover, I would have checked bags on two of the trips, so I also save $50 in checked bags.

Am I missing anything?

TheBOSman

Your math looks good to me, I didn't check it exactly but it sounds very similar to mine. I've decided that I'm only going to do it if I get GLD upfront. I could get a $300 fare BOS-ORD-SFO as noted, get 9118 RDMs, 14544 EQMs. Roughly 10k EQMs and 6000 RDMs for the $200 (using it as 2/3rds of the fare). I'd also get 5400 BIS miles, basically earning 2 stickers. Basically it is trading $100 and 1000 RDMs and 2 stickers and some flight time for 14544 EQMs. I don't plan to bother with the GLD challenge, with DEQAA I'll hit GLD on the same one way itinerary, just a difference of the beginning of it or the end. I don't need the checked baggage or truly need exit row seats, being 5'7 I fit alright into Y seats. Finally an advantage to being shorter!

Sagy

TheBOSman is making a good point - DEQM does change the economics of the challenge. If you are using discount fares then the EQM/EQP ratio is 4. If you can take advantage of the ORD/DFW-LAX/SFO bonus the ratio can be as high as 6. When the ratio is over 5, you will make the status faster without the challenge. Even At a 4 to 1 ratio the benefit of the challenge are limited - you get 100% bonus on the last 2,500 + qualifying flight miles and you get the same amount head start on collecting stickers - overall value probably around $100 (if your qualifying flight is DEL-ORD, it will be much higher)

Getting Gold at the start of the challenge does make a difference since you get, using 4 to 1 ratio (40K EQM = 20K flight miles = 10K EQP), the following extras:

1. 25% bonus => 5K RDM
2. 4 stickers/10K flight miles => 8 stickers
3. 500 miles minimum
4. As kyunbit pointed out, checked bag fee

The total value is probably between $200 and $400. If the ratio is higher the value of an early gold goes down (less RDM and less stickers). It is also the case that the longer you qualifying flight is the lower the value (since you will get Plt benefits on it anyway).

kyunbit

The problem is that the DEQM doesnt hit the account for 6-8 weeks. In my case, I would be flying ~50K BIS miles in the next three months. Without the challenge, and DEQM not posting, I would just hit Gold at the end of Jan. The value of the challenge would just be to ease the transition..i.e. the first 25K BIS miles.

Sagy

kyunbit that is an excellent point. The true value of the challenge in this particular case is getting the status 6-8 weeks sooner.

TheBOSman

My main thought is that the $200 for a PLT challenge, since you're paying it to AA anyway, represents $200 less to spend on airfare. I honestly think I'm better off spending $300 on the BOS-SFO flight, and for me, ORD-SFO may be longer but I get 600 extra BIS miles and better connections BOS-DFW-SFO, so I actually get 500 more EQMs but 138 less RDMs that way (yes, the advantages of having days off to work on these numbers!). The main issue is that the PLT challenge will not earn me more EQMs, whereas flying under DEQ11 and DEQAA will. I forgot about the 500 mile mins, I have two short legs before I'd be GLD through normal means, worth about 500 EQMs getting the mins on those segments. I do think, in the time of DEQ11 and DEQAA, some may be better off flying extra segments instead of doing the challenge. I put myself in that camp in light of the other flying I'm doing. I think the benefits of being significantly closer to EXP outweigh the other extras. It is impossible to predict if there will be another TEQM opportunity this year. (Speculation follows) I believe there will be more DEQMs this year, but getting one stackable like DEQAA and DEQ11 is less likely.

TheBOSman

It is, and that is a decision everyone has to make for themselves. I'll get GLD on pure BIS without any DEQM promos before I really need the status for something, so I am not worried about the posting timelines. I can live in regular coach, I know a lot of others don't want to do that. I have AC access so I can go rest up in the lounge and shower and enjoy a drink or two before/during/after my runs. I also don't want to spoil myself too much early, I like having something new and better to look forward to .

It is definitely interesting how both promos really change the economics of the challenge.

ckendall

Thank you FT! I just asked for the plat challenge. noted that I had a flight DCA-JFK-MXP and that DCA-JFK would not get me 500 miles and am happy to say that I was given Gold as part of the challenge.

Thanks again to all who provided advice on this thread.

silverforumsurf

To clarify is there a price difference between the first half and second half of the year? What's the current pricing levels?

FlyerChrisK

I do not know the current prices. If you're interested, call AA and they'll happily quote you the current price (you don't have to commit right away). In Fall 2010 when I did my AA PLT challenge, it cost $240. Spring challenges ran around $120.

The main distinction is the validity of the status earned. If you do a challenge early in the year, your status will be good for that year. If you do challenge in the fall, your status is good through the next year (my PLT status from Fall 2010 would have been good until Feb. 2012 had I not worked my way up to EXP).

kyunbit

I may be wrong but I think the current price for plat challenge is $200. $120 is for the Gold challenge.