People say maintaining status is easier because when you fly as an existing elite, you get to enjoy all the elite benefits as you renew the status.

Unless you have status match or receive status ahead of time, your first time qualifying would require you to be a nobody on that airlines, and you don't preferred seating, lounge access, etc.

Normal PLT qualification on by April 2013 will get you status through Feb, 2015. However, since you are doing a status challenge that starts in the first half of the year, your status will only last until Feb 2014.

You should get exit row seating on all AA flights and preferred seating on virtually all oneworld partner flights.