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So with the expiration of access to AA/US Clubs, what did you do?

View Poll Results: How did you respond to the loss of AA/US lounge access?
Will keep Centurion or Platinum open for 2014.
57
42.86%
Canceled Centurion or Platinum before 3.22.2014.
12
9.02%
Will cancel Centurion or Platinum during 2014.
32
24.06%
Use Citi Executive AAdvantage MasterCard for lounge access.
48
36.09%
Use Citi Prestige MasterCard for lounge access.
5
3.76%
Use AX credits to buy an AA or US Membership.
7
5.26%
Use AX credit to buy day passes.
3
2.26%
Use AX credit for other purposes.
18
13.53%
Still evaluating options.
23
17.29%
None of the above, see my post for details.
2
1.50%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 133. You may not vote on this poll

So with the expiration of access to AA/US Clubs, what did you do?

Old Mar 24, 2014, 9:13 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: AA LT Platinum, WN CP, National EE, Hertz PC, Avis PC, Hilton Diamond, Sheraton Gold
Posts: 278
So with the expiration of access to AA/US Clubs, what did you do?

Couldn't figure out how to create a poll? Maybe I don't have permissions?

a) Buy Admirals Club Membership
b) But US Club Membership
c) Get Citi World Exec Card
d) Take the additional credit and apply for other uses (if applicable)
e) Canceled Platinum Card
f) None of the above

I used part of my credit to (a) Buy Admirals Club Membership (received $500 credit, AC membership was $450 - new/aa platinum member). I figured I'll use the credit provided by American Express for its "intended" purpose - to ease the impact of lounge access going away. We'll seee what happens next year..

Surprisingly, the SNA AC seemed awefully crowded this morning.. Maybe its all the new Citi World Elite card members?
nyc2socal is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2014, 9:21 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAS, ZQN
Programs: UA PP (2MM), BA gold
Posts: 2,170
I bought the Citibank AA MasterCard. 100K for $10K spend in 3 months and membership. $450 fee which I chalked up to the cost f the miles. Will try for 1 year.
zebranz is offline  
Old Mar 25, 2014, 5:35 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: AA EXPLT, Marriott Titanium (LT PLT), HHonors Gold, AMEX PLT, UA Silver, National EXC
Posts: 1,055
Considering the MC w/ 100k still, but $450 fee (minus $200 credit) PLUS $10K spend is a LOT OF SPEND for me and I'm not sure if I want to do MS to get it all.

For now, the PLT Amex remains open. I have 120K MR points with AMEX, I suppose i could just downgrade to PRG.

The way it turns out, I used me regular $200 fee credit, got it credited for a PLT AA Challenge. Now I have OneWorld Sapphire, which gives me BA lounge access on international flights.
fotoflyer88 is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2014, 7:38 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: RDU
Programs: Soon to be free agent...
Posts: 96
Current plan is to get BA Silver, and access all ACs via Oneworld Sapphire status. Some existing BA short-hauls this spring in conjunction with the smoking JFK-LAX-DEN deals in AA F should do it. Most of this travel was planned already, so just had to add a flight to reach 4 qualifying BA segments and change all of the miles crediting to BA. It also helps in that I am finding increasing value for Avios, so we'll get more out of this than just lounge access.
aabrock2187 is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2014, 5:37 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: AA Gold, HIltonHonors Diamond, KrisFlyer Silver, BW Diamond
Posts: 109
Already got my $200 credit in GC's. I applied for the 100K CitiMC and will use that for lounge access, since I am based in CLT and almost always have flown US Air or AA. (CLT has a couple of nice US Airways clubs.)

Also since my Plat Amex annual fee will be due in June I will cancel at that time. I was offered a $500 US/AA credit for the loss of club access which I already have used for GC's. (Already have the Amex credit.)

Since I am not that frequent a traveler I can get by with Admirals Club and the free Chase (Lounge Club) access program. The credit is perfect since I am booking AA (via CX) to Asia this summer. Already have a free (miles) Business ticket and will use the $700 to buy tickets for family.
wolfie52 is offline  
Old Mar 28, 2014, 1:45 pm
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: AA LT Platinum, WN CP, National EE, Hertz PC, Avis PC, Hilton Diamond, Sheraton Gold
Posts: 278
Got my credit for my Admirals Club Membership yesterday.. Quicker than I thought it would..
nyc2socal is offline  
Old Mar 28, 2014, 5:12 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: AA Gold, Bonvoy Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 1,192
Got Citi Exec, used amex credit for gift cards, will cancel either the citi or the amex in a year likely depending on travel patterns and retention offers. Amex did lose out on $10k in merchant fees going to Citi.
WheelsFirst is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2014, 11:44 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Anywhere
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 670
Got the Citi Exec. $350 for 100k miles was too good a deal to pass up (already got the bonus miles!). So for the next year I'll have both cards, then will have to decide which one to let go.

I really like the Centurion lounges, but they need to open more. I basically stopped using the Amex Plat though. I was using it all the time before, now it's all going to Citi Exec to get to $40k and get the 10k EQM.
upinsmoke is offline  
Old Apr 1, 2014, 7:21 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: UA 1K, DL Diamond, Hyatt Plat, AA Plat, SPG Plat/Lifetime Plat, Amex Plat / PRG, DClub
Posts: 307
I find I don't get to the airport early enough to reliably use the lounge. Will do without in those few instances where it would be helpful. Sad to lose the option, but not worth getting another card.
mapletree is offline  
Old Apr 1, 2014, 4:52 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 142
I opened the AA executive and am cancelling my Amex Plat when I return from Europe. I'm all in on AA/US, so the Platinum card and MR in general make no sense for me.

The Plat was very useful while I had it. $400 in AA gift cards, global entry credited for me and for my wife (TSA precheck is amazing), and we got 50k bonus points. Listing all that makes me feel a little bad to cancel, but I wasn't spending anything on this card and can't make use of the vast majority of benefits if offers now. More cent lounges would be awesome, but the ones that exist now don't do me much good.

Perhaps things will change in the future, but for now the benefits of the AA Exec are tailored to my exact needs.
Bigserver1 is offline  
Old Apr 4, 2014, 12:59 am
  #11  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,334
Are there any AA or US lounges that belong to PP?
MSPeconomist is offline  
Old Apr 4, 2014, 5:09 am
  #12  
mia
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,884
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Are there any AA or US lounges that belong to PP?
There were, but this also ended on 3.22.2014.
mia is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2014, 8:44 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Home, where we should all be
Programs: Who knows anymore. It's a f---ing pandemic.
Posts: 273
I recently got both the United Club Card and the Citi Exec. 100k bonus card. I know it's a lot in annual fees, but I figure it's a $67/mo. subscription to almost every U.S. lounge except Sky Lounges, and the 100k is going to help take my mom and me to Europe next year, so for now, it's worth it.
rstlsgirl is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2014, 6:50 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,945
So far, I opened the Citi Exec, primarily for the 100k bonus. I have the Amex $500 credit waiting ($700 total since I haven't used the normal $200 yet either). I can't decide whether I'll keep both, or if I'll use the $500 Amex credit to buy a club membership and close the Citi once the bonus posts. I may push the decision until next year - keep the Citi for lounges this year and buy $700 in GCs with the Amex.

I'm keeping the Platinum though. Amex has tremendous customer service compared to Citi and Chase and I still get a ton of value out of FHR alone. Plus, starting this year I'm flying AS more (status match), and the PP Select is nice for their lounges.

I'm curious to see what Amex does next year. This year they threw $500 at me to buy a membership. If I use it for that purpose, I wonder if they'll keep it going. It's a lot of money, but if you only do it for the cardholders actually using it to purchase the lounge membership, I bet it's worth Amex's while - at least on those of us that use the card for everyday spend as well.
PWMTrav is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2014, 6:55 pm
  #15  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: LAX/SNA
Programs: AA, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,887
For those in the situation above, buy the membership, then get the Citi card, AA will refund a pro-rated annual fee as long as 2+months are left on the membership.
PainCorp is offline  

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