Originally Posted by GrizShel
I'm likely to switch primary loyalty to AA late this year. Since I won't be able to make use of AA status much until 2010 (not that many flights left to schedule this year) I thought the best thing would be to request a Platinum AAdvantage challenge spanning the first couple of months of 2010. This deqm seems like such a deal - is there anyway it makes sense to participate in my situation? I'd have to do it almost entirely with mileage runs. I currently have no status with AA.
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Originally Posted by
gemac
Sure - there are lots of ways it could make sense, but we would need a lot more information to really get specific. DBEQM doesn't affect the challenge, but it would make it easier to retain status once earned (if you challenge now, it would expire in Feb. 2010). As a start, I would check current AA pricing on all my flights already booked on another airline between now and June 15. Since you seem to book pretty far in advance, it is certainly possible that you could cancel for a fee and re-book on AA. Once you know the flights where that seems realistic, I would consider how many EQM you would get for those flights and whether to do that, possibly sprinkled in with a few mileage runs.
Thanks for your comments. Right now I'm leaning towards doing one double or triple eqm trip (I only have time for one more trip of any size) with NW-DL instead this spring, building up at least some level of status there for 2010. I would then do the AA challenge period late this year / early 2010 so that I'll be able to get AA platinum status through early 2011. The advanage of this is:
(1) Premium fares are the only fares I can use my swu from NW on this year, so I could end up doing a very comfortable and easy run for a lot of miles on NW-DL this spring.
(2) This is probably the only way I can get status in two alliances next year without going out of my way with time consuming mileage runs.
(3) I want to retain at least silver status on Delta because AA does not fly everywhere I need to go; and besides, I have lifetime lounge access with Delta. (Delta award system is probably going to be of little value to me though going forward, and their Platinum level benefits, aside from Domestic upgrades, are inferior to everyone else's, so why bother trying to reach top tier with them anymore?)
I should add that the main reason that I can't easily add in many elite-qualifying itineraries this year is because I've got lots and lots of award travel booked this year.
What I'd probably end up with in such a case as I have outlined above is perhaps as much as Delta Gold (mid-tier) and AA Plat next year.