Originally Posted by
laotzu
What exactly do we gain between lifetime 1M and 2M?
Doubled RDM on your flying on future years where you don't make PLT on your own is the main one I was looking forward to; lounge access on international Y itineraries is also pretty nice.
Originally Posted by
MauiTigerShark
1) SPG Amex has always been a better option if you wish to maximize AA miles so why weren't people using that anyway?
Is that still true with the pretty consistent 1.2x and 1.5x miles promos that Citi has been running the past year or two?
3) If you're giving up the CitiCard to get a non-AA MC or VC then clearly you won't be earning AA miles...which begs the question: were you really doing all that CC spending just for MM status? Seriously?
The spending itself, or directing that spending to your CC rather than cash, another reward program, or submitting a PO rather than putting it on your own card and expensing it?
Originally Posted by
tom911
On the other hand, though, you end up with a pool of miles that can be used towards off-peak awards at 40K to Europe and South America, something you won't find at UA, and also can be used towards One World awards with up to 16 segments, another feature not offered at UA. Those miles have lots of value outside using them towards million miler status. You do intend to use those miles you've accrued in some manner, don't you?
^^^ Indeed. The incremental value of future RDM earning has gone down a little, but only a little - most of the value has always come from the ability to redeem them.
Originally Posted by
kebosabi
But I have to question what incentive does a high value flyer have to achieve MMer status if only base miles count?
The same incentive as everyone else, instead of having it easier than everyone else.
IMO, including class of service (full fare Y/B, J and F) and elite bonus miles to the lifetime counter should also be given a second review as they are part of actual flight miles.
As someone who's kept PLT pretty consistently for a decade, I'd love it if they did that. I'm not sure how it's particularly in AA's interest, as opposed to just in some of ours.
Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair to distinguish between:
A person flying on an AA LAX-NRT flight on an O fare earning 5451 mi to the lifetime counter
vs
Another AA LAX-NRT flyer on J earning the same 5451 mi to the lifetime counter
vs
A high value EXP on AA LAX-NRT in F earning the same 5451 mi to the lifetime counter
It would be reasonable for them to distinguish either or both. It is equally reasonable for them not to, and their reasons from business perspective purely a matter of speculation on our part.
It's not at all clear that any of the options (distinguish none of them, one or the other, or both) is inherently more fair than the others: fair, as usual, depends on your perspective.