America West FlightFund (Discontinued Program) - Short of Elite for 2003

I was comped Silver elite from my Northwest account late last year.

After flying America West non stop PHX-BDL-PHX I was very imprssed with service and being my first non stop back home, loved not having connections.

I was wondering if anyone thinks Northwest would re comp me next year? If that doesn't work, would America West offer to give me Silver again for money? I see some of the other airlines are offering to let non qualifying elites pay for status, however I dont think comped members count.

Either way, I just want to atain Silver again for Fed 2003- Feb 2004 because I enjoyed them so much.

Note-

I only have around 4400 status miles for year

Eric

[This message has been edited by FlyBDL (edited 12-12-2002).]

Dupe

[This message has been edited by FlyBDL (edited 12-12-2002).]

FlyBDL,

I have not heard anything about buying HP status for next year.

Have you flown enough on NW to maintain status with them? If so, you can always contact HP and request a comp for next year. I don't know if anyone has ever actually tested whether there is a 'one time only' deal with them...

If you won't have any status on NW or anyone else next year, then there is one other option... Delta is running a special where they will comp you status thru 2003 (exp. 2/2004) if you send in a copy of your 2002 elite card from any other airline. Details about this were discussed in the MilesBuzz section a week or 2 ago...

You can then take your Delta status and request a comp from HP. Again, there is definitely no guarantee that HP will re-comp you. Perhaps if you included a letter describing your situation, that might help.

If you go the Delta route, you risk finding yourself having to shift business to Delta in the future and being denied a status comp/match because you have already used up your one chance. Then again, similar to HP, I don't know if they will refuse a second comp/match.

HP often runs various promos that offer status after flying a low number of miles or segments over a 60 or 90 day time period. Unlike the other airlines, these offers are not targeted and anyone can sign up for them. I remember one promo from this year that granted silver status with 6 segments and gold with 10 segments. You can always just wait for another similar promotion to come along...

I have retained Silver status with Northwest for the 2003 year (ex. 2/04?).


One question when you say America West sometimes offers Silver for 6 segments and gold for 10. Was this on any fare or just the higher yielding ones?


Eric


[This message has been edited by FlyBDL (edited 12-12-2002).]

It was on any fare. Sometimes the promo runs with the condition that you have to stay at a specific hotel brand for a couple nights.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
I remember one promo from this year that granted silver status with 6 segments and gold with 10 segments.
</font>

WHAT? Gold for 10 segments in 60 days. I must have been asleep. I don't know how I missed that one.

Seriously, I never knew that HP had challenges like AA.

------------------
God Bless America West and British Airways

HP - Platinum/970k miles
BA - Dirt/Soon to be Gold
NW - Dirt/Soon to be Plat
UA - Dirt/19k miles
AA - Dirt/Only using to get BA Tier points/miles.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by FlyBDL:
I was comped Silver elite from my Northwest account late last year.

&lt;snip&gt;

I only have around 4400 status miles for year

Eric

[This message has been edited by FlyBDL (edited 12-12-2002).]</font>


Eric-

You were comped silver. You flew 4400 miles on what appears to be one flight. You want them to extend your status. Why?

Jan

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jan_az:

Eric-

You were comped silver. You flew 4400 miles on what appears to be one flight. You want them to extend your status. Why?

Jan</font>


I want them to extend my status because I simply enjoyed HP over NW and CO... If they extend my status they sure can expect all of my travel to be on them for the years to come, evan though my tickets are always lowest fare class.


Eric

I tried checking the archives of www.insideflyer.com (http://www.insideflyer.com) to find the info on the deal, though because I am at school in Tempe, and all of my copies of the magazine are at home in Tucson, I am unable to sign in. However, I did find this old thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum12/HTML/000598.html

In it, it gives this link (to the promo that expired several months ago):
http://www.americawest.com/flightfund/promotions/ff_elitehilton.htm

[This message has been edited by MarshKing (edited 12-13-2002).]

I think my question was Why should they http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

As an HP PLT earned for many years, who will lose my status this yr, I sure dont expect them to do anything for me

Why should they? Well because I am a very very nice person who is a poor college student who hates to travel in coach! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


Eric

I hope that was a promotion intended only because of the slow travel business in 2002. Repeating such an offer, especially at the gold level, would be an insult to those who flew six times as often during the year to earn it.

I was compted from basic to Plat in 2002 because I travel 175K+ on domestic airlines and HP wanted some of the travel.

Makes sense.

Should they do it again in 2003?

Yes, if they want my business and yours!

Good Luck!

There's only one reason that an airline might want to give you comp status: $$$$

America west gave you a comp and you flew 4,400 miles on them. (probably on cheapo matches of Southwest fares.) Now you wanna be silver again 'cause: "I enjoyed them so much."

Maybe they should rename coach First Class, and then comp everybody who hasn't flown at least 25,000 miles. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

The title of your thread is "Short of Elite for 2003." You've flown 4,400 miles -- that's not short of elite; that's a long ways away from elite. I flew one round-trip on US Airways and, as a result, have more miles with them then you do with America West. Your elite status with HP should absolutely NOT be extended.