sdsearch

Award Nexus lets you search through both BA and/or QF (behind the scenes) using the same user interface (much nicer IMHO than the user interface at BA). And it's free (up to a point) for Flyer Talk members; go to www.awardnexus.com and click "more signup options" under the green Purchase button to sign up for free with your FlyerTalk login info.

Please note that some partner airlines will give you "ghost" availability if you search connections, and you may have to search one leg at a time to see the true award results. (But OTOH sometimes awards are only available in "married" combinations of flight segments. So you have try to both ways?)

LovePrunes

I agree with this assessment and with efforts AA is making to simplify.

As another poster said, CK is the elite status of AAs best customers, not exec plat or anything else.

I could care less about being announced so I get "recognized" in front of those waiting to board, i just want the agent to tell me if it's my turn to board yet, and for him to tell those who haven't been called to wait and step aside.

The various "executive" and precious-metal-named-credit-cards do indeed confuse rookies. I have a family member who keeps insisting they are "gold with American" because they have a gold Citibank credit card.

Sorry to those who don't feel as important as they perceived themselves to be to AA in the past, but it really isn't that big a deal.

moonwoo

So when I boarded a DCA to STL American eagle flight last week, a bunch of people stood up and went ahead, boarded the flight when they announced CK, First class, active military. I thought man that's a lot of CK and First class passengers. Turns out most were in coach. No one stood up when they called group 2 and 3.. Perhaps credit card holders are still thinking they have group 1? Although the AA site says preferred boarding (meaning group 5), when I log onto my Aviator Silver cards account, benefits page is yet to be updated - still says group 1.

I don't know why the gate agent let the 20+ people board (what are the chances you would see that many CK members without seeing a single EXP) on a E175 flight? There certainly weren't any military folks w uniform on either.

I also agree that there's no reason to announce status. Announcing boarding group is just fine in my mind. As long as it works seamlessly. Maybe it'll get better as the year goes on.

Stripe

Back to the original topic... I would assume these changes will result in fewer EXPs next year, which, for those who do make it, will itself be an improvement in the form of less competition for upgrades. But overall, EXPs are in a much worse position compared to even two or three years ago. Half the number of SWUs and many fewer opportunities to use them (even on domestic flights), less consistent customer service, fewer miles earned on flights, and poor award availability. "Expanded" award availability for EXPs, never very common, is now a myth.

I'll make EXP again this year, mainly due to buying F and J outright in many cases. But in the context of that buying pattern, elite status doesn't get you much more. Will probably start booking more DL later this year.

NavSTL

Well, failure to enforce the blanketyblank boarding sequence is a sempiternal pain in the tuchus--especially on the smaller craft AA is increasingly running in and out of STL. Having first claim on those CR7s counts for a lot. No amount of good-on-ya-valuable-flyer-guy backslapping offsets getting zoomed by a whole plane's worth of passengers in those cases.

rjw242

I'm not even sure that's a safe assumption.

diver858

Even if there may be less competition for upgrades, Parker is making a concerted effort to sell all biz/first seats, significantly reducing the number available for upgrade.

CityFlyerNYC

Been EXP for close to a decade. The decline in the EXP desk is noticeable with a number of new or misinformed agents. Have also been told three times in the past month that they are unable to get me on any earlier flights (mostly on Sundays - ex-MIA, CLT, LAX) on both Y and F tickets. Have had to throw away my AA tickets and have subsequently purchased tickets on DL and had a great experience with them - on-time and happy FAs. Not really sure what the point of EXP is if they can't get you on a flight? Understand loads are tight but you can't carve out a seat or two? I remember at one point EXP used to say it guaranteed you a seat on any flight. Guess that provision got dropped. On a very basic level all I want from EXP is the ability to get where I am going expeditiously. That's what the old AA did so well.

AlwaysAisle

I can only speak of my example. When AA announced introduction of revenue based EQDs last year I was not sure how I will end up for year 2018.

At this moment for sue I will have enough EQMs to re-qualify for PLT, possibly enough for PLT PRO. With use of AAdvantage Aviator Master Card looks like I will have enough EQDs to re-qualify for PLT next year.

At this moment looks as I will maintain PLT status for 2018. No change of status for me.

JonNYC

Full Y fare only-- big difference from what you're talking about.

And if you're saying you're actually on Y fare basis, then there still has to be a physically available seat, that's nothing new

The decimation in quality of the EP desk, however, is a huge and undeniable loss.

imapilotaz

No there doesnt have to be a physical seat, but it has to be 24 hours in advance. So you cant use this as a last minute, switch flight things.

I've used this perk recently to get on a flight to a small market with 3x daily service, and the only two flights I could use were sold out. I overbooked it with a full Y ticket, paid through the nose and got on without a problem.

bosman

Might be interesting to start a survey on this topic. Could be as simple as "Based on the new EQD requirements I expect: a) no change in elite level, b) to fall to a lower level" or as complex as

a) no change in level
b) fall Exp to Plat Pro
c) fall Exp to Plat
d) fall Exp to Gold
e) fall Exp to no status
f) fall Plat to Gold
g) fall Plat to no status
h) fall Gold to no status

bse118

It might be interesting, but it almost certainly wouldn't be meaningful or indicative of the overall AA-elite population outside of FT.

Biggie Fries

I could have written this, too; and then written it again for the 4 that my wife had (I sort of pushed her into making Exec Plat to compensate for the 8 to 4 loss). Anyhow, I can't kick about that, although when you are flying leisure with spouse (or whoever) you sort of lose something in not knowing until day or two before / last minute whether you are going to have a nice start (end) to the vacation or not.

We've both also cleared on all domestic upgrades this year.

But there haven't been so many. AA identified me (us) for the chiselers that we are, and after (for me) five years as US CP or AA Exec Plat, I'm done. We'll probably both clear into Plat and book ahead so that we can get exit-row aisles next year in Y on domestic. I'm working Amex MR points as hard as I can to book (cheap) paid J to Europe in future trips, maybe on AA, maybe not.

Even for someone who spends way too much time traveling and on this hobby, the pettiness of the EQD stuff and the impossibility (for me, using so many different pay mechanisms [TYPs, MRs, booking on BA, etc.) of figuring out how many EQDs you get until after the fact ... I'll miss the status, but I lack the energy (and money, I guess) to keep it going.

ellinj

In regards to SWUs at least I can buy Y+ and be satisfied with my seat. I have been booking BA Y+ rather than risk not getting an upgrade.