If I read this right, you were able to get some kind of offer as an apology for not being in the $499/25K group, and you don't even have to sign up for the $999/35K?

I have mixed feelings about the "apology" token that they provided. I am, on one hand, pleasantly surprised that they would offer that in the first place and glad to hear that they appreciate an elite. On the other, it seems overly generous to provide those options as an apology. This sets a dangerous precedence.

I wonder if the CS agent thought this completely through. For all the former 1K's that didn't get the $499/25K offer but got the $999/35K offer, all they need to do is call or write to question/complain about it and can try to angle for something like what the OP got. An offer being posted on the internet will surely be used as "He/she got that offer, I want the same offer" attempts.

I think if the offer was made on the condition the person does pony up for the $999/35K, then I think it is a little more justified.

For full disclosure and to provide a data point, I got the $499/25K promo and had 51K miles last year, based in LAX, and was 1K-lite due to the 2xEQM from the year before.

I happen to agree this is a targeted marketing attempt, and it seems LAX may be one of those focus cities (another poster mentioned to prevent defection to DL possibly).