Musing on status issues
Mileage run discussion, American AAdvantage, or oneworld? That is the question—which forum does this query best fit? Since I really only have ever posted here on oneworld re airline program issues, it landed here. I am 9600 EQM short of qualifying for EXP in AAdvantage. I am 1869 BIS miles short of qualifying for Lifetime Platinum in same program. Reaching each of these milestones yields 4 SWUs, which along with oneworld sapphire status, is really the main benefit of LTPlat since the devaluation of this status tier. Both sets of SWUs are good for the rest of the year earned and the next year. (I called.) I don’t need 8 in one year. This was not an issue until my mom fell and broke her hip, thus causing me to postpone my DONE4 that I should be on as we speak. Instead, I’m in Palo Alto lending a hand and moral support during rehab. I would have been on CX, JAL, BA, MA with no AA metal. I would have qualified for EXP by now, and would have become LTPlat during normal course of flying next year, carefully avoiding any more 2016 AA trips other than the one back to DFW this month. I would love opinions on the following:
>I for sure don’t want to miss EXP—that is goal #1. I’ll probably never do it again. I’d rather give away the unused SWUs than risk missing qualifying. However, going forward, I’ll have $12K in my pocket every year and a lot of banked miles, and staying loyal to AA doesn’t seem so advantageous. But oneworld will continue to be my alliance of choice due to being Sapphire forever.
>I have award miles for positioning—any suggestions for exceptional value Business or PE flights on oneworld partners to garner the 9600 EQM. I’d need to fly 6400 actual miles at 1.5 EQM miles per actual mile flown, which seems to be the earning for business or premium economy on all the partners I checked. Any favorite tools to find these fares?
>could I try to trade SWUs on coupon connection if I just go ahead and qualify for both this year? I’ve given them away there before, but is trading legal? Would it even sound attractive to say I’d swap one to four this year for one to four next year or the year after?