flytoeat

No need for you to prove anything, or be defensive. You're an outlier. My whole point was business travel has been destroyed, and that's the source of most elite status.

wanderlust4life

One benefit that no one has mentioned is a dedicated phone line with the most trained and experienced agents. What I love about AA's EXP line is the ability to call and get through to someone usually within seconds. These agents tend to bend the rules or make miracles happen and are so helpful during IRROPS. Now with AS, I have experienced several schedule changes over the last year due to COVID and wait times are unsurprisingly longer than usual even when calling the MVP priority line. As far as I know, it seems that the phone line only expedites your place in line and doesn't connect with you a certain agent for your tier. And it doesn't make a difference in wait time when you are an MVP vs 75k. I tested this on Sunday when I experienced many flights cancel after Saturday night's schedule changes were made and my partner is an MVP and as a 75K, we called same time and were quoted the same hold time and my partner actually got through first.

In sum, I just think a VIP phone line with a special team would be a valuable benefit to even expand for both 75ks and 100ks because there would be enough people in those two tiers to justify this soft product benefit. By creating new benefits for the 100k tier, Alaska could still offer a reduced version of a certain benefit to the 75k tier and even Gold tier, which would be a win-win for all.

Eastbay1K

As a former UA Premier Exec (in the days when that status received UGs about 75% of the time) and a former 1K (when that status received UGs about 95% of the time), the best thing going for UA were its dedicated phone lines (both 1P and 1K lines went to dedicated very experienced call centers) and the 1K airport service centers. Ask reasonably, and you shall receive. Quickly, professionally, and with a smile.

How about a special service agent in the lounges for the 75/100Ks? Yes, it is a big expense. The other airlines have full service agents in their lounges able to serve passengers. And I understand why the current AS setup doesn't permit this. But I don't know that the current setup doesn't permit a separate desk within the lounges to handle IRROP or other difficult matters for the top tiers.

Perhaps the "most shocking event" (comments of hyperbole welcome) in my early days as a MVPG ca. the early days of the Clinton administration, was when I had a flight issue, went to the front desk in the BR, and sent out to a customer service counter. I've been singing "every rose has its thorn" ever since! This topic came up more than once during my tenure on the MVPG Advisory Board.

So, yes yes yes. A phone line with experienced agents who don't need to transfer calls for all but the most complicated and obscure situations, and a place in the lounge with an experienced agent with ticketing authority that doesn't need to call for help or permission for all but the most complicated and obscure situations.

ctporter

I will be one of those MM that earned my status with half my flights on the Q400 (to exotic destinations such as Portland, Spokane, Montana, and Idaho) and lots of SEA-SFO, SEA-SJC, SEA-OAK trips with a few trans-cons each year. So, finding myself dealing with my lifetime gold becoming the equivalent of a current MVP is a bit disheartening. Actually, it is only the Horizon crews that acknowledge my status, none of the AS crews on either the Boeing or Airbus flights I have taken since last September ever do that which tends to show that it is really not that big of a deal anymore anyway. At least if I do get a chance for international travel I could earn miles and get options for seating that are not available to me now.

mtofell

You should get auto-100K just for that I know those Q400 have kind of a cult following but after a couple flights I'm fine never setting foot on one again. At 6'4" and 225# those planes really weren't made for me. I should have known I was in trouble when they took my small carry-on bag as I was boarding because it wouldn't fit in the overhead.

ctporter

Oh I feel your pain! What makes them enjoyable is the crew, they are some of the friendliest, nicest FAs around. Its rare to get one that merely does just the minimum. When I fly them I tend to bury myself into a book trying to shut out the plane experience itself. Thankfully, the flights are not that long. Some, like SEA EAT are very short (one of the few that never has service) but the airport is fun. The hertz group always greets me with "hi! we have your Dodge Charger ready just for you!" cause they know I hate that car

Eastbay1K

I still haven't recovered from my handful of Q200 flights. There was a never ending buzzing vibration (not the kind that people pay extra for) that one never forgets, nor ever really recovers from.

jsguyrus

The Q is a great experience. Since they fly lower, the northwest views out the window are just amazing. I also second the fact that QX crews are some of the best ever, almost always have a great experience in the Q!

Waitlisted

. James, if you travel that much on AS partners, aren’t you better off crediting to that partner to build up enough elite status to get some upgrades? For instance if all my travel was international, I’d switch to AA to get a (real) first class seat or other upgrades. It’s much nicer to sit in business or first on a 9 hour flight vs a 2 hour one. If I didn’t use AS for much west coast flying from As heavy PDX I’d switch to DL for that reason too. Just curious as you are such a prolific traveler and I always appreciate your comments.

NoLaGent

Completely agree, especially about the QX crews. I also really like row 2 on the right side bulkhead. It's basically first class on the Q.

keitherson

Many people, often with no connection to AS (they don't even live in the US or fly AS), will use AS as a miles bank for all their flying on partners.

This is why AS instituted a metal requirement.

For example, for the longest time, nationals in Asia were booking intra-Asia flights on CX/JL because of the one-way stopover loophole and extremely generous AS pricing (22.5/25k one way in J on JL/CX), so they could book KUL-TYO//TYO-SIN and fly Business extremely cheaply. Even buying miles straight from Mileage Plan would mean a J ticket for these flights would cost $400-500 for normal revenue ticket prices of $2000+

No surprise, AS shut that down once it got out of control.

nall

AA is offering an EQD waiver for Platinum Pro if you spend $30k on a cobranded card, so there's an easy workaround. ExPlat, on the other hand, not as much

Flying for Fun

Indeed, I am aware and have posted about that too. As you say, not so much for achieving ExPlat and more reason to get OWE through AS. They can continue to fly AA in F and earn 150% EQM on AS plus a whole lot more distance based RDM. Getting the requisite AS segments is easier when the carriers are cohabitated. Flying the requisite AS segments in F affords 263% EQM during the first half of the year.

Before Covid-19 and reduced qualifications, I could have qualified for AA ExPlat on 10 Partner flights for ~$4300. The reason I never did was because the RDM earned paled in comparison and I would have had a relatively small 12 month rolling EQD for upgrades.

James

beckoa

There was that one special middle seat too...

Yes, I flew a few of the Q200's... well, a bit more.

J.Edward

Any thoughts on AS restricting their 100k tier to AS only metal?