I am trying to work out if I should bother with an AA Plat Challenge. Here is some of my background info:

Anyway, I have one upcoming Business class JFK-YYZ-LHR/LCY-SNN-JFK return coming up over the thanksgiving weekend. I have registered for a promo that will reward me with 30,000 bonus RDMs for this trip and as such have decided that it should obviously be credited to AA rather than my QF account. This flight would also get me over the line of EQPs required for the plat challenge.

What I am trying to work out is if it is worth me becoming AA Plat, essentially is it work the extra $250 to do the challenge?

Will I have any chance at domestic upgrades?

Will I still be able to use my QF card for lounge access even if crediting the flight to my AA account?

Ay insight would be appreciated. Thanks

For $250...maybe.

You'll get some 500 mile upgrades, but those aren't a big deal. What you will get that's worthwhile is 100% RDM bonus on every flight as well as complimentary upgrades to MCE or preferred seats on domestic flights. You just missed a really awesome promo for platinum status unfortunately, but anyways here is a link with the major benefits broken down by status on AA: http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/el...fits-chart.jsp

Thanks, I saw that EXP promo when it was live but obviously didn't think it would be pulled immediately so didn't drop everything to sign up. By the time I was back online a few hours later it was gone

Will I get the 4 500 Mile Upgrade certs once I do my first 10k miles total or just first 10k after qualifying?

Basically I will be crediting the return trip to the UK to my AA account anyway due to the huge bonus RDM promo I registered for however I am trying to decide if it is worth paying for the Platinum status. Does platinum status help with making award bookings?

As a QF Gold I already get MCE and preferred seating on AA so that benefit doesn't phase me. All I really care about is the possibility of free upgrades even if they only clear at the gate.

You only start earning 500 mile upgrades once you have AA status, but the flight that puts you over the threshold (even if it's on a challenge) will count.

Will you get domestic upgrades? Yes, depending on the routes and times you fly. You likely won't earn enough 500 mile upgrades (or "stickers") to upgrade every flight you take, so if you're not willing to buy any, you won't have too many upgraded flights.

Shouldn't be a problem using your QF card for lounge access even when crediting to AA.

For making award reservations, PLT members get the expedite fee waived (if you book an award flight <21 days out, but not much else. PLT also gets you priority when you call in to AA Reservations, so that might help. And of course, you get 100% RDM bonus, so that helps you get more miles.

OP, I'm currently comp'ed Plat as part of the free targeted promo found elsewhere on FT and participating in that challenge and would opine that, if you plan on staying in the US and flying domestically over the next year, it's worth it.

As a 1W Sapphire, check the AC access parameters for that perk on domestic. AFAIK, Plat won't help there. IIRC, you should get access, something I as a domestic Plat do not, except if as part of an international trip or if a member.

100% RDM bonus - fast RDM builder

Access at booking to exit rows and MCE - big draw for me

Upgrades - got 20 with the promo and, as I've been flying paid F I haven't been using them; however, I've been holding phantom bookings on major routes close-in (within the Plat window) and finding the majority of them are clearing. Experiments on that parameter continue.

Plat status until end of February 2015. Nice perk of doing the challenge this time of year.

For myself, so far, it's been the RDM build which has been the most obvious perk. As I move back into economy flying, MCE/exit and upgrades will become more important. I've flown some inexpensive F tickets on necessary trips to save on flight time/miles since EQP's get a bump on F tickets to 1.5x versus .5x on the normal fares I fly.

Good luck.

I enrolled yesterday for the Plat Challange and it is $200 not $250. Period: OCt 1 to Dec31.

Allow me to join the chorus: yes. QF is a crappy programme if you're anywhere other than in Oz taking a good number of Oz domestic flights.

I was reasonably loyal to QF for quite a while, but back in 2012 I realized that as someone living outside Oz my 5 TPAC flights that year wouldn't get me above QF Silver/OW Ruby for 2013. 1 TPAC crediting to AA on their plt challenge got me AA plt and everything that goes with it. With a bit of manufactured spending & two intl flights I went from 0 to 250,000 points in less than 4 months. That's got me a couple of J award tickets to Europe and an F award ticket to NZ and back on QF over the new year. Total cost to me? ~$1500 for two flights to PVG plus a bit of personal time while out & about doing other things to get the manufactured spending. (Thank you, FT!)


I'm getting 100% success on upgrades so far this year on various combinations of SEA/STL/DFW/ORD flights. Obviously, YMMV.



Do it. There's no real downside.

If you'll have a US address and social security number, and your schedule permits the mild amount of running around needed, I'd suggest looking at a bit of manufactured spending as well.

Yes
Yes
Yes

As one famous brand states it: "Just Do It!"

Thanks everyone for some great insight, looks like I will do the challenge then.
For those talking about upgrades clearing; are you using the 500 mile certs or just buying a regular cheap ticket and receiving an entirely free upgrade without applying anything?

As an EXP, I have priority and free domestic upgrades. I can speak for my wife, who, until recently, was just a GLD, and she cleared more than 50% of the time if booked far enough ahead. PLT moves you up on the priority.

Depends on your routes. I can tell you ORD-SFO-ORD and ORD-LAX-ORD is well below 20% for me as a Plat. I usually book a week or so in advance.

As a GLD or PLT you'll have to accumulate enough 500 mile stickers in order to upgrade. For example, after you buy a regular cheap economy ticket for a 1600 mile flight you'll still need 4 stickers to get a chance to be upgraded. AA will issue you 4 stickers after you fly every 10,000 miles as an elite. You can also buy stickers for $30 each. As you can see even if you're lucky and there are available F seats on the flight, you won't be able to upgrade for free on most of them.

Most people posting here are EXP, to them these considerations do not apply. After my next flight I'll have 12 stickers in my account, received by flying only, no promotions. Still haven't had a chance to be upgraded with them.

So there is absolutely no free upgrades for AA Platinums unless they use a 500mile sticker? If you use a sticker do you earn miles at the originally booked fare bucket or the new higher cabin fare bucket?

Also is that 4 stickers for every 10k EQPs, EQMs, RDMs, or just actual bum in seat miles?

No free upgrades unless OP-UPs come into play (in your favor). Chances are enhanced for PLTs vs GLDs. EQM are earned per BIS miles, w/500 mile minimum per segment for AA elites. RDM is the same formula with 100% bonus for PLTs/EXPs (1000 mile minimum per seqment). EQP is based off of original booking fare bucket.

4 500 mile stickers for 10K BIS miles flown. Counter resets at the beginning of March (i.e., if you flew 38500 miles b/w now and end of Feb, you'd only earn 3 X 4 500 mile stickers)