Island,
Don't believe that your answer is entirely correct. A number of people I know who are TWA Platinums have been matched to AA EXP, and have received membership kits, upgrade certificates, etc. Indeed, all of the literature from AA has stated that they will match TW Elite to AA Gold, Elite 1 to Plat, and Plat to EXP...and have done so, to my knowledge.
In the past on TW, earning a higher level of status than the one previously held anytime after Jan 1 of a year entitles you to that Elite level through the remainder of that calendar year as well as the following year. So, if one passed $20000 in June 2000, you would get TW Platinum Status through the end of 2002. I'm hoping the same will hold now, so someone making Plat now on TW would earn EXP on AA through Feb 2003.