Jan - Feb 2009 VIP AA bonus miles from RN; AA VIP for $150 ends Mar '09
(From OP on thread regarding demise of "Rate Your Dine Bonus": It looks like SDS search's warning was well advised as the United link above now shows that the page has been withdrawn.)
In addition, I just saw a bonus offer from AAdvantage dining that provides a bonus of 1,500 miles for $400 in dines (cumultive) by 2/28/09.
The above bonus combined with the Fast track bonus and the now 5 miles/$ just scrapes by at 10 miles to the $1 if you complete all the terms and conditions.
Bottom line -- they have definitely cut back on the program and I won't be utilizing them as much this year.
(Moderator note: This post has been copied from the "Rate Your Dine Bonus" expiry thread, as it deals with this bonus; other posts have merely been moved in most cases.)
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Great to Know -- Good to Go!
Last edited by JDiver; Jan 7, 09 at 9:02 pm.
Reason: add explanatory notes
On the left the side the site says spend $300
When you bring up the full promotion it says spend $150
Here's the language in the full promotion:
We'll help you get the New Year off to a great start with 2,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles during our VIP Select Bonus* available only to select VIP members.
Here's how to jumpstart your 2009 dining miles:
1. Register for the VIP Select Bonus by logging in above.
2. Spend $150 at participating restaurants by 2/28/09.
3. That's it. You'll automatically earn 2,000 bonus miles ... on top of the 750 regular miles you'll earn as a VIP dining member!
Now do we get to stack the fast track promotion on top of this?
SInce it says it's available on to "select" VIP members, it may be targeted.
And, in particular, the amount required to spend may be targeted. I got $400 like NJUPINTHEAIR, while 236Dakota got something else. (236Dakota, what did your invite message, over in My Messages, day the required cumulative was?)
But hold on about the stacking with the Fast Track bonus:
From the VIP Exclusive Bonus T&Cs: "Offer is not combinable with other AAdvantage DiningSM bonuses."
What exactly does that mean? Does that mean the first four $25+ dines don't count toward your $150 or $300 or $400, because they only count toward your Fast Track bonus? Or that no dines count until you've finished Fast Track if that's what you registered for first?
(I seem to remember something similar happening with two competing Delta SkyMiles Dining bonuses late last year, but I don't think the circumstances were exactly identical.)
Not combining the bonuses is even worse than I thought, although it is anybody's guess how they will interpret that language and I just don't care enough to contact them on this issue.
I certainly will be -- and have been -- cutting back on Idine restaurants I patronize.
There is, however, one double miles restaurant near me, as well.
A lousy 5 miles to the dollar or even 5% cash back is not enough for me to bother much with them.
10 miles to the dollar and sometime bonuses were sufficient for me to accumulate miles/points, even though the airline FF programs have been devalued what with the fuel and baggage surcharges, etc. Now, it really is not very much worth the trouble to go out of one's way to dine at these restaurants, I am sorry to say.
Instead, I will just broaden the restaurants that I dine in and likely will put on an equal footing with IDINE those restaurants where one can earn a discount via Restaurant.com (and their deep discounts of now up to 80% -- they at least have been discounting the cost of their certs in greater and greater amounts) and the Entertainment book, as well as simply those restaurants that might have a better price point for my dining needs.
Bottom line, my pursuit of the almighty FF mile/point will be much more constrained and likely be earned more by using my affinity charge cards and less by IDINE affiliated restaurants.
It was nice while it lasted but not really worth the trouble now.
We'll help you get the New Year off to a great start with 2,000 AAdvantageŽ bonus miles during our VIP Select Bonus* available only to select VIP members.
Here's how to jumpstart your 2009 dining miles:
1. Register for the VIP Select Bonus by logging in above.
2. Spend $150 at participating restaurants by 2/28/09.
3. That's it. You'll automatically earn 2,000 bonus miles ... on top of the 750 regular miles you'll earn as a VIP dining member!
VIP Select Bonus Details
*This bonus is open to select VIP members only who have received a special VIP Select Bonus email invitation directly from the AAdvantage DiningSM program. Invited members must opt in to receive emails in order to qualify, so make sure you have elected to receive emails from the AAdvantage DiningSM program and that you have provided us with a valid, deliverable email address when you register. You must continue to satisfy other VIP level criteria to maintain VIP status.
To qualify, dines must be at participating restaurants, bars or clubs after your advance online registration in the VIP Select Bonus (via the link above) and by February 28, 2009. Dines must be on days when benefits are being offered, and must be paid for with a credit or debit card registered in the AAdvantage DiningSM program. Offer is not combinable with other AAdvantage DiningSM bonuses. Limit one VIP Select Bonus per member. All account inquiries related to this bonus must be received by April 28, 2009. Please allow 6-8 weeks for any bonus miles to post to your AAdvantageŽ account.
Some restaurants offer mileage awards only on certain days of the week, times of the day or up to a maximum spending amount per month. For complete program Terms and Conditions, guidelines and restrictions, and the latest benefit schedules, visit aa.rewardsnetwork.com. Other limitations may apply.
SInce it says it's available on to "select" VIP members, it may be targeted.
And, in particular, the amount required to spend may be targeted. I got $400 like NJUPINTHEAIR, while 236Dakota got something else. (236Dakota, what did your invite message, over in My Messages, day the required cumulative was?)
But hold on about the stacking with the Fast Track bonus:
From the VIP Exclusive Bonus T&Cs: "Offer is not combinable with other AAdvantage DiningSM bonuses."
What exactly does that mean? Does that mean the first four $25+ dines don't count toward your $150 or $300 or $400, because they only count toward your Fast Track bonus? Or that no dines count until you've finished Fast Track if that's what you registered for first?
(I seem to remember something similar happening with two competing Delta SkyMiles Dining bonuses late last year, but I don't think the circumstances were exactly identical.)
I got my invitation by looking in my Idine mail box.
FYI, I did bother to call Idine about combinability. This is what I was told:
The VIP Select is the prioity bonus. After 3 $25 dines you get 2,000 miles.
After that the Fast Track to VIP kicks in and after $25 more dollars are spent you get the 500 additional miles, even though I'm already a VIP.
I asked if I could "take that to the bank" or is this subject to further review.
He said "You can take it to the bank"
We'll see.
I also see there is now another thread on the VIP Select Bonus.
Location: California; DO-RAGS: Old Gold tagged, PIP, LatPass 1/2, AA 3MM, HH Diamond, *Wood Gold, Omni
Posts: 4,302
fwiw
We'll help you get the New Year off to a great start with 1,500 AAdvantageŽ bonus miles during our VIP Exclusive Bonus* available only to select VIP members.
Here's how to jumpstart your 2009 dining miles:
1. Register for the VIP Exclusive Bonus by logging in above.
2. Spend $400 at participating restaurants by 2/28/09.
3. That's it. You'll automatically earn 1,500 bonus miles... on top of the 2,000 regular miles you'll earn as a VIP dining member!
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Never used an emoticon, never will.
Offer is not combinable with other AAdvantage DiningSM bonuses. Limit one VIP Select Bonus per member. All account inquiries related to this bonus must be received by April 28, 2009. Please allow 6-8 weeks for any bonus miles to post to your AAdvantage® account.
bolding mine: I am registered for the fast track bonus and this bonus, and I suspect many of us have registered for both bonuses.
Will both be awarded if one spends >$150 over four dines? If this is truly not combinable, which bonus will be awarded? I'd hope the 2000 miles rather than 500 obviously?
If both, $150 over four dines could result in 3250 miles (750 + 2000 +500)--almost 22 miles/$--not bad, and it won't even require rating dines with the same tired blather.
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