Originally Posted by Green Dragon
So, conceivably I could fly to one place -- say, Europe -- on AA and earn enough for a Gold tier status in the 'challenge' format?
Once you earn the status for 2005, for instance, do you reset on January 1, 2006, or does that status hold true until you lose it by not flying enough by the end of 2006?
If you found a routing to Europe that is at least 10,000 miles round trip, which would be indirect from Florida, and paid a modestly discounted (not deep-discount) economy fare, yes. Or you could find a routing that is at least 6,667 miles round trip and pay full economy, business or F.
AA status lasts from when you earn it through the following program year. A program year is March 1 - Feb. 28/29, so status earned the normal way today lasts through Feb. 28, 2007. Status earned through a Challenge in the last half of the calendar year is the same. However, status earned through a Challenge in the first half of the calendar year is only good for the then-current program year, so if you were to complete a Gold challenge today, your status would last through Feb. 28, 2006. You'd have to qualify in the normal way during calendar 2005 to keep it. (Status miles/points accrue by calendar year, even though the status so earned holds for a program year. This began in an era when they needed time after Jan. 1 to figure out who had earned what. Today computers do it in seconds, but they still keep the program as it was in this regard.)
If anyone wants to follow up on AA's program, the AA forum would be a better place to do it. There are stickies at the top of that forum that will also answer many questions.