I'm going to take a contrarian view. AA is doing so many fast track to elite status on all three of the elite levels; Gold, Platinum, and Executive Platinum. It's been diluted. Once they merge the program, there are going to be changes.
Years ago, if you were Platinum you'd have a decent chance of using your stickers to upgrade (out of LAX). Now, if you're not EXP, you can forget it.

If you have the opportunity to get Platinum/Sapphire with AA now, get it. Once they merge the programs and announce changes, then you go from there.