Eujeanie

If I book a flight now when I am Gold and use a GGU, but at the time of flight (next year) I'll just be MVP, I'm still locked into the F ticket?

What about if it is not a GGU, but just a regular Gold upgrade?

obnoxoid

Finkface

The above is true for a regular Gold upgrade; it should stick provided you (or AS) don’t make any changes requiring a reissue. However with all the schedule changes we seem to get nowadays, I wouldn’t count on it. Or unless (until?) AS updates their IT system to automatically revoke the comp upgrade when status drops. Fortunately, that hasn’t happened yet.

If you use a GGU, it will 100% stick as GGU’s aren’t tied to, nor do they require, any status. If you do get a schedule change, they should be able to honor the GGU’d upgrade and keep you in F provided there is still F space. That has always been my experience. If you make a voluntary change though, you will lose the upgrade and you won’t be able to get the GGU back as only Golds can request this.

Eujeanie

Thanks all. I'll just have to take my chances - the regular Gold was the same price as the GGU (which does not always happen) so I used the regular Gold, will save the GGU for something else.

I'm going to hate not being MVPG anymore

Finkface

I hear ya! While I am already good for 2019, every year I wonder if my flying will change and I won't get enough BIS to make Gold. I always qualify solely on AS metal but with the dearth of U space these days, I have been forced to buy F. And when I do, I will take a cheaper, more convenient option. I already have two flights in September on other airlines just for this reason although I am already at 40k AS for this year so it was a no-brainer. I have always been fiercely loyal to AS despite cost and convenience but the lack of U space has caused me to cheat on Chester a bit. The big motivation to keep Gold is the change fee waiver, for me anyway.

PDXPremier

bbinchi

I understand; I may be in the same boat. Having been laid off and unemployed for several months killed my travel plans for this year. Happily, I'm employed again and I'm starting to regroup and focus on traveling. I might still make MVPG for next year but it seems unlikely.

Eujeanie

We did it because we really tried to do it - traveling monthly, all leisure, making extra hops when we didn't need to - but that is hard to sustain, and while I'm not complaining about all the places we went, when you add up all those hotel nights that we didn't "have" to take you wonder if it's Fool's Gold.

Even as Golds, we almost never get upgraded anymore, if I don't lock us in with a time-of-booking upgrade it never happens, which is fine as long as we are in the exit row, but even THAT has become a cluster recently.

The year after next we'll start using up our miles.

dave1013

DTW was 3x EQM - a once in a lifetime experience that I exploited quite rigorously.

Eujeanie

That was the first year I became Gold, too - that was fun.

Flying for Fun

Do you have plans of what you would like to do with your miles? Two years is a long time to hold AS Miles as AS is well overdue for a partner devaluation. I am 75K (90K with partners) reaching that in October last year. I will agree that it is a lot of flying. Last year I reached MVPG in May while this year I have yet to reach MVP. Maintaining Status is even more difficult if you are also flying on awards too.

With the miles we had accumulated I booked J & F awards for a 2 month RTW itinerary that started on January 1st and we returned home on March 1st after flying over 50K miles with only a handful of EQM.

I have 37 flights booked between August & November on AS & AS partners, crossing the Pacific 5 times and the Atlantic once. I know I am crazy but love to be Flying for Fun. lol

James

lalala

I requalified for 75K in late 2016, but it took ages for my status to reflect that change and my status went back down to Gold until they could update things. I still managed to get my upgrades based on my old status, but they had to go in and change all the rest of my reservations (booked in the first few days of the new year) to reflect my 75K. So, unless you make changes, they should stick with your old status.

I am behind by about 12K for this year thanks to three cancelled sea-was trips due to older parent issues I will make 75K (mostly. work travel), but I dread any extra flying that I have to do beyond the work travel especially in the last part of the year.

Bonne chance.

pbelmore

I thought I'd dig up this thread to ask a related question about companion upgrades.

I'm Gold right now but will only be MVP next year (I'll be about 10k short, not worth the mileage runs for me). We're booking a trip last weekend of January, and to book into Main and upgrade to Premium Class would be about $240 total, while booking into a Premium Class upgrade fare is only $120. What do you think the chances are of us getting bumped out of Premium due to the companion upgrade after my status drops to MVP? I'm guessing pretty low but just curious if anyone has any firsthand experience.

CalanMan

be_rettSEA

You should be fine as long as nothing changes. I'd be hesitant to change seats, etc., but as long as no equipment swaps or other craziness happens, you should be fine.