Originally Posted by quazor
I just did that. I am currently Plat on NW but due to a change in assignment, I needed to switch to Star Alliance or OneWorld. I called AA up and told them about my plans. They said they wouldn't comp status but would sign me up for the Platinum challenge. Earn 10,000 Q points within 90 days and you get Platinum. The only downside is that AA Platinum is equivalent to NW Gold. You could sign up for the Gold challenge and get the equivalent of NW Silver relatively easy if you are going to do much travelling at all. All it took for me was one business class trip from YYZ to MEL and bingo, Platinum Status
Actually NW Gold is closer to AA EXP. I am 42/42 w/upgrades on NW this year and they didn't cost me anything. As an AA PLT you only get 4/500mile upgrades for every 10,000 miles flown. Any additional upgrades cost $25/500mile upgrade.
The same 42 segments on AA as a PLT this year would have cost me $650 plus my 16 earned 500mile upgrades.
There is no challenge for EXP, you have to fly 100,000 miles to get to EXP. Only then do you get free,unlimited(if available)upgrades.
The upside though is that award availability is much better with AA.