Just made EXP / Executive Platinum! Resources, ask questions, brag (pre-2017)
 

I usually don't check the 500 mile upgrade box if I have a systemwide in play. I've had agents tell me in the past it's better to handle it that way, but I've seen others here do just the opposite, so don't know if there is a single answer to that.

Congratulations!

My guess, though, is that once you have had a few monfhs of flying as an EXP, you'll be hooked and do what you need to to requal every year, LT PLT or not.

--woodstock

I cut it close in 2013
 

Flew LAX-SFO turnaround on Dec 31 to obtain the last 326 miles needed for EXP. Totally worth it! Now onto 2014…only 62K to go till I hit 3 million lifetime miles! Gotta have goals to keep the business travel fun...:p

I reached EXP for the first time in December:
YTD Elite Qualifying Points 96,936
YTD Elite Qualifying Miles 100,512
YTD Elite Qualifying Segments 62

Last weekend I had my first experience flying as an EXP. Some of it was awesome, some disappointing.
* Flagship lounge in LHR doesn't seem to have a dedicated staff (there is a desk but it was unmanned). The normal staff in the AC next door are friendly but have messed up upgrades for me in the past so I was disappointed that the FL didn't have its own staff.

* My connecting flight from DFW was delayed. I called the EXP desk and pressed the option for a callback. I went to the bag recheck area and asked whether I could go on a different flight. The bag recheck staff at DFW said it was full, but put me on the standby list. The AC staff in terminal D also said it was full and I may not be able to travel in F (was traveling on a miles+copay upgrade). The EXP desk called back just after I finished my shower in the D AC said they could confirm me on that flight right away and offered me any one of 6 available seats in F ... Awesome.

First time EXP, qualified on 12/31 with HKG-JFK.

YTD Elite Qualifying Points 62,756
YTD Elite Qualifying Miles 104,818
YTD Elite Qualifying Segments 54

MR to PEK this weekend, already T-100, no upgrades cleared and waitlisted for SWU...

Requalified again for EXP in early December. Still no email or anything from AA with congratulations. Has anyone else experienced anything similar?

I made EXP for the first time in mid December. So far no email congratulating me. More importantly my boarding passes correctly show EXP and I have 8 SWUs to show for the accomplishment!

I requalified mid-December. Got the 8 new SWUs but that's it so far. I'm interested in how the new EXP tags look. Have seen a few pics posted here but have yet to see one on a bag.

I dont think they send out an sort of congratuations, either electronic or regular mail, it would be nice if they at least sent you an email, but what can you do...

Yes, they do. They send an email with the subject along the lines of "you have reached a major milestone in the AAdvantage Program," usually a few weeks after qualifying. In my last several years of being EXP, this is the first time I didn't receive this email after qualifying.

Here's what they sent me in 2012:

"We are happy to welcome you to another year of American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum® membership and benefits!

Your new card will arrive by mail in just a few weeks, but in the meantime I want to express my appreciation for your business. We are pleased that your status is now extended through the next elite membership year, and will work hard to ensure your loyalty is rewarded.

Along with your membership comes a range of benefits designed to make your travel more enjoyable. Whenever you wish to review your membership privileges, we invite you to access your Benefits Guide online at aa.com/aadvantageexecutiveplatinum.

As one of our valued elite members, you are especially important to us. Thank you for your support of American Airlines and the AAdvantage® program."

I received them last year as well. This year, they have a whole lot of issues with their IT system upgrade - wonder if this is somehow related?

or

[tinfoil]
Doug Parker is evil and hates the EXP status and will rename it. This is why they aren't advertising it anymore
[/tinfoil]

1st time EXP here...

i booked a flight phl-dfw last nov. This will be my fist EXP flight. the flight is next week. i just logged on to see that i am now in 6A (S-80 plane). my question is how does AA notify me that i have been upgraded?

It's somewhat inconsistent whether I get them, but they're supposed to email. Here's an example:

When Awaiting Upgrade, Check In at T-24 or Later?
 

Looks like any complimentary upgrade that comes thorough for my Saturday flights may do so after T-24. So to maximize chances, is it best to wait to check-in until the last minute, or conversely check in right at T-24? Is there still some unpublished opportunity at T-4 to jump the queue?

AND, when turning around in 4 hours, does AA check you in for the entire round trip at one time?

Thanks....

There used to be an advantage to checking in right a T-23:59. They fixed that; as far as I know, when you check in no longer has any effect on your odds of an upgrade, at least up to the point where they start wondering if you're going to be a no-show at about T-(45min)

On domestic flights, if your departure is within T-24 of the return, you can check in for both at once.

Account finally updated to EXP after qualifying on the 31st. Excited!

Correct. Both sticker and SWU upgrades are based on time of request (elite status/full fare also)

Just made EXP / Executive Platinum! Resources, ask questions, brag (master thread)
 

When will updated cards/luggage tags arrive?

Is this true even on held reservations for 24 hours? Or do you only get on the list once its ticketed?

EXP Desk Assistance with IRROPS on Mileage Runs?
 

Unfortunately I have a 35-minute connection at BOS this weekend. The complete itin is SFO-JFK-BOS-DFW-SFO and then on to another AA ticket. Will the EXP desk facilitate an early turnback at JFK if things look bad, with ORC credit provided? Or will I need to continue to BOS and sort things out there, with a probable impact on my subsequent ticket? How about protection on other carriers?

I'll need either ORC or the ability to reschedule the second trip without fee.

Thanks!

Calling and immediately getting through to someone at the EXP desk is awesome. Just used my first SWU and everything went through immediately, sweet.

If you work on it at JFK, you can ask the $$ back for the BOS-XXX portion of the flight based on "trip in vain" policy.

Thanks for that link and policy information. Definitely something to keep in mind for future trips...

But I'm not ready to bail here at JFK....might make it to BOS on time as the flight's looking good so far....

Under what circumstances will AA route you on another airline, in this case UA, to avoid a significant delay or catch up on your itinerary?

In all my years traveling AA, I think I've been placed on another carrier twice. It would depend on the reason for the delay - and weather isn't going to be one of them.

i'm at BOS now. weather is perfectly fine (overcast, dry) so you have that working in your favor. good luck.

Cinch of a connection. Sorry to hear about AA's policy on rerouting via other carriers, though.....sounds a bit more restrictive than the old UA.

I qualified for EXP (first time) early Dec as well.

• Status showed at AA.com within a few days,
• SWUs appeared soon as well, but
• no "congratulations" email or anything,
• eSummary email just showed the status next time.
• Bookings/online check-in on other OW airlines didn't see the new OW Emerald status until a few weeks later.

I asked the customer service online late January if the EXP card was lost in mail or when it would arrive (sometimes lounges etc. ask to see the card), and got the following response:

I have the iOS AA app, which does show a "virtual card" but it has the "Executive Platinum" in extremely small text, and a very small OW Emerald color blob, not very clear for someone to see.

AA seems to be having some issues and delays, hopefully soon sorted out.

PS. Once I was rerouted on JetBlue by AA at JFK when I missed a connection due to delayed incoming flight. I arrived at the destination just a few hours later, instead of the next morning, so it was OK. Needed to ask via email for "original routing credit" to get the points for that leg, though.

I know it's exciting to qualify or re-qualify, but what do you do with your cards? I've never carried mine except when I might be using a foreign airline lounge. I think I've shown it once in 10 years or so.

I keep it in my wallet, although the only time I used to use it -- beyond the foreign airline lounge -- was to log into the check-in kiosks... since they have had mobile check-in even that's gone. :)

I keep the old one in a box, although a few have been sacrificed to spread heat-sink compound.

more interested in luggage tags

Do they still give the luggage tags w/requalification?

The web page said they did -- as of a few months ago, around when I qualified. I'm still waiting on mine, and with the merger, who knows?

I'm not EXP, so maybe I have no business posting in this thread, but as counter datapoint, during the icemageddon of last december in DFW, I was offered a flight on United so that I could get to my final destination quickly without going through DFW where my original flights had been cancelled. (I ended up declining this option.)

I believe that EXPLAT are the only ones getting them, could be wrong,
mine came with the card in the mail..
not sure you would get 2 more upon requalifaction, seeing how your card is still valid, still waiting for my "appreication" bits, asked AA for more, but they would not provide me with any, even though I flew well over 225K last year, explained that I have a lot of people to thank at AA, but no luck

Upgrade Success Datapoint
 

So far in January, I've flown 17 segments on AA, and only one segment failed to clear an upgrade, for a success rate of 94%. There is no way that would happen on UA as a 1K, when flying less than Y or B fares. My success rate at UA probably wouldn't have exceeded 33%; a higher fare would have been necessary on the overseas flights; and where upgraded on meal flights the food would have been noticeably worse and electric plugs less common. Where I failed to upgrade, I wouldn't have received a free sandwich (or any food) on UA - and I would have needed a paper coupon for a free alcoholic beverage.

Of my 17 AA segments, I did support 2 intercontinental and 6 domestic segments with SWUs, of which only 3 cleared immediately. But the others came through at least 24 hours ahead. In future, I probably won't bother to commit SWUs to any North American itinerary, even red-eyes, since the odds of clearing are so high.

Of the 8 segments where I cleared complimentary 500-mile upgrades, some were last-minute and in a couple of cases I was upgraded after boarding. On one segment I was traveling standby on an overbooked plane, but the upgrade still came through.

Very impressed with EXP status! In February, I have three AA trips booked, and am hoping for SWUs to clear on ORD-PVG-ORD. Other segments have already cleared, or were booked into First/Business on cheapo runs to Colombia.

I hear ya! 16 segments this year so far on AA, all but one upgrade cleared, all domestic. What a huge difference this year flying up front on mainline aircraft with hot meals and friendly FAs. Goodbye UAX.

I made the jump to the Admiral's Club too even though my UC membership is still good for 2 months. The ACs in DFW are night and day better than the UCs in IAH, ORD, IAD, and DEN IMHO.

Booked a J flight to Brazil in March and am wait listed for F using a SWU. The year is off to a good start. Should re-qualify EXP in July.

... just wait until you get to use the BA Galleries First lounges at LHR.
:cool:

I actually enjoyed one coming back from Mumbai, along with the Flagship Lounge at ORD. Talk about being spoiled. ^^

I'm surprised though, that there is no Flagship Lounge at DFW.

^

My wife and I enjoyed Galleries whilst celebrating new EXP status two years ago on our way to Amsterdam.

I'm 2 for 2 on upgrades this year. Cleared via SWU GRU JFK and cleared comp u/g to Miami. Flying all paid J or F so far this year.

I have asked, they have no idea, and now with the merger it looks sorry,
I always try to avoid ORD on my connections to India, because the weather is so iffy, so for me its either DFW or MIA, you would think that with the amount of international flights going out of both airports, it would be a no brainer...