darcie_InsideFlyer

InsideFlyer magazine is reviewing American AAdvantage in our February issue and would like your input.

If you would like to participate, please post your response in the thread with the pros and cons of membership in AAdvantage and grade the program from A to F (A being the highest grade). You can include a plus or minus with the rating.

You can also respond directly to the editors at InsideFlyer at [email protected] if you would prefer.

Thank you.

brp

Can I suggest putting some sort of poll into this? Without that, I have a feeling that a bunch of general comments may be too scattered to be useful.

Cheers.

Thunderroad

+1

I welcome the chance to participate, especially since I have mostly good things to say. But some kind of survey might better suit the needs of InsideFlyer and its readers. You can always supplement the survey with more open-ended questions or by simply soliciting any additional comments folks might want to offer.

Kremmen

Pros:
* One-way awards for half the return award cost.
* Good value awards in business class on good airlines. (e.g. Cathay)
* Frequently discounted prices to purchase miles.
* Many ways to earn miles, such as via SPG.
* Premium cabin award availability on Qantas is a tiny fraction of the miles/dollars of Qantas' own scheme.
* Awards allow a stopover at North American gateway.

Cons:
* Some reward partners can't be booked online.
* If you need to book rewards on partners which can't be booked online, you need to use other sources (e.g. awardnexus.com, the Qantas web site, etc), because AA's agents are unlikely to find anything complex (i.e. using more than one airline) for you.
* Awards don't allow stopovers at non-gateway cities, and AA's main gateway cities suck.

Grade: A-

Copilot23

AAdvantage used to be my favorite loyalty program because I was able to get most anywhere using MilesAAver awards by being very flexible. Even though I like the option of using my miles one way, I've found that since they transitioned with the change, the return dates 7 days out (typical for vacations even if I start them midweek) are usually limited to AAnytime rewards or requires a higher class award no matter what date I choose. This has been frustrating.For my most recent vacation in November, I actually chose to pay fare on a competing airline as it was more favorable than spending premium points. It also appears that MilesAAver award travel has often been limited to later flights with overnight connecting layovers for those dates they offer MilesAAver awards. Just my observation.

Kremmen

In the opposite situation, one-ways are just so much less hassle. I remember when UA had return awards only and I'd book an award flight 9-11 months out with some bogus return date and put it on hold, then ring back several times to extend the hold. Or ticket it and then have to change it once my actual return date became bookable and/or available.

grahampros

This is very market and date specific, You'll find that on pretty much any airline. The dates you want to travel may well be the dates everyone one else for the vacation wants. No award availability generally means it's a high traffic period.

Carolinian

AAdvantage is the best ff program out there, head and shoulders above its North American competitors. As a Plat who travels mostly TATL here is how I look at it

Pros:
+ good availibility
+ no inflated milage demands for awards ala DL
+ off season reduced milage awards between some regions (TATL particularly)
+ one way awards at half the milage
+ good upgrade percentage on domestic legs with sticker system
+ 100% Plat bonus, much better than stingy UA's 50% or US' 75%
+ full milage earned on all fares with all partners I use unlike the shortchanging by many DL and UA partners on leisure fares
+ access to exit rows, Main Cabin Extra, and other premium seats at booking, and I have not found that it impaired my access to them that Golds also have access. For Golds that is a huge advantage of AA over UA which denies those seats to their Silvers.
+ lounge access on international flights, particularly the access to the wonderful Galleries lounges of BA
+ good choice of gateways. I hate JFK, but can always find routes through MIA, ORD, or DFW.
+ two free checked bags
+ early boarding, check-in in 1st/Biz line
Cons:
- YQ on BA awards

Overall, an A- (compared to D for DL, and C- for UA)

bhomburg

Exactly what Carolinian said. I'd also give them an "A-".

- tangible and useful benefits even for low-tier Golds that go way beyond what other airlines offer. The priority aacess and complimentary access to MCE/exit row seats at booking is indeed unique to AA.

- really good award availability TATL, especially since AB with their nonstop Westcoast flights was added as a partner. Redemption rates (50k for premium cabin) nicely low, too.

minus:
- oneworld network especially intra-European isn't as strong as Star Alliance, and having to go through London on BA almost everytime I want to go anywhere in Europe when flying from my home airport is less than ideal (and impossible with a pet).

ontheway

I agree with the above as wel as finding that since chapter 11 award travel at the lowest level has been much more difficult. I have transitioned most award travel to United and found more availability.

SOBE ER DOC

GOOD:

1. Milaege bonuses for elites
2. Access to priority security and boarding
3. Free checked bag for elites
4. Exit row and MCE seating
5. Decent award availability if you're flexible

BAD / UGLY:

1. Non-EXP elites still have to pay for UGs (they're free on other legacies)
2. Most european trips via LHR which has the ridiculous luxury taxes


Personally, I grade as follows (on as it relates to FF program):

AA: A-
DL: B-
UA: B-
US: B

Spock Seat

PROS:

1) First Class Lounge Access for all Emerald/EXPs on International Itineraries including CX Wing and Pier.
2) Extra award space for EXPs
3) On-line award bookings for AA Metal
4) Free food and drink on the pay-for Y food trans-con service for EXP's! Yes! Helps when bozos try to hog the 1st Class upgrades (seeing 20 names for 1 seat on the screen in LAX all the time, ridiculous).
5) Double Mileage and good promotions (from time to time)
6) Upgrade availability (EXP's best, had no problems when PLT either based on my itineraries)
7) Partners are terrific. CX, JL, hell yeah!
8) Checked bag policy for elites is terrific.
9) E-VIP inventory terrific and utilization is even better.

CONS:
1) HKG-NRT awards are inflated. 40K RT for ~3400 Miles (RT)----come on now. Should always be 20K RT like they used to v. DL 25K.
2) EQP policy nothing to brag about, but only a minor complaint.
3) The destruction of gateway award stopovers replaced with a 1 way, more miles if you want to stopover version----you can stay in the US one time, though....ah, no, what for.
4) Domestic upgrade policy at 3 hour window ridiculous if cabin won't release one. Many LAX flights have 1 seat, 20+ people trying for it. Should make an announcement "forget it, everyone, you're in Coach"

I grade it an A- because of the gateway stopover issues (as I fly to Asia). Without CX and JL 1st Class Lounge access and seating, it would be a B-.

Spock Seat.

billgrates3

I suspect many of my fellow EXPs will disagree here, as this policy makes more upgrades available for us, so I rate AA as A. (I may change my mind if I ever fall back to my LT PLT status)

Cafe Specific

Most of my flying now is international, so my outlook is a little skewed...

The Good:
Reward availability- even last minute- have never had a problem getting to desired destination

The Bad (since bankruptcy):
Partner miles take ages to post- if at all. This year I've chased so many outstanding car/hotel miles to be credited to my AA account I've been forced to deposit those now to UA since last month. Still battling with AA over a Hertz rental in August even after forwarding all the required documentation twice.

Therefore I rate AA & UA both a B. As for DL- I gave up on them 5 years ago.

bcj1949

I would add as a pro "companion upgrade policy".