Originally Posted by
MattNeedsMiles
I just happen to be sitting at 74,407 miles with no plan to travel in the next 20 days. Are you saying there is actually a reason for me to go do a quick mileage run?
Upon further review, I don't think that's true.
Here's
what they've said:
On March 1, 2015, your elite status will be determined based on your elite-qualifying activity in each program individually.
There will still be four levels for Dividend Miles Preferred members until programs combine in second quarter of 2015.
And then:
In the second quarter of 2015, we'll integrate our Dividend Miles program into the AAdvantage program with three elite levels.
Dividend Miles accounts will be transitioned to the AAdvantage program
Your mileage balance, elite-qualifying activity and million mile balance will be moved into a new AAdvantage account or merged into your existing AAdvantage account
New elite upgrade benefits start on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines and US Airways
Redeem miles to upgrade and use systemwide upgrades on flights marketed and operated by American and US Airways
But here, they say:
For much of 2015, we'll operate as two separate airlines with two reservation systems and two websites.
Some benefits, like elite upgrades, will vary by airline until we combine reservation systems at the end of 2015
So, I now read these statements to mean that there will be no Platinum level as of some point in Q2 (April, May or June), when DM rolls into AA. But you will have Platinum upgrade status and priority until that time, should you earn it.
But upgrade processes of the two airlines will vary until the reservations systems are combined.
A question is what exactly that will mean on the US side. Upgrade priority within a tier has historically been prior year elite miles in the first part of the year; then YTD elite miles for the rest of the year. But I've never seen that publicly stated by the airline, nor heard when the break-point is.
But it seems clear that, upon combining the programs and until the reservations systems are merged,
best case, you might get upgrade priority on US flights based upon your 74K EQMs over another AA Platinum with 51K -- but that there is no real incentive to strive for 75K, as Platinum won't be recognized come the FF program consolidation in Q2.
However, as I mentioned, Q2 is April, May or June. Their target date could also slip -- this is a big integration. Until that FF program consolidation date, Platinum status on US-operated flights will still mean what it does today. That could be worth a quick run to hit the 75K.