Observations & Ruminations about AAdvantage Account Numbers (consolidated)
Apr 2, 2010, 8:29 pm
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
Posts: 13,157
If I was a technical grandee at AA, I would certainly give up the reliability of the check digit just for the pleasure of watching a 4 page thread develop at FT over this new Dan Arpey mystery. Bring in the Hardy Boys.
Apr 2, 2010, 8:31 pm
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
Posts: 13,157
(Note that, originally, AAdvantage numbers had numerical characters only. Then, around the early 90s, they started using three letters followed by four numbers. Nowadays, it's a random combination of numbers and letters, but, as we both seem to have noticed, they always end in an even number.)
Apr 2, 2010, 9:25 pm
#65
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: san jose,calif
Programs: AA explat,Adm Club,Priority Club, and all nonsense in my comic book mind.
Posts: 746
Ditto 2 alphas followed by numbers mid 80s.
I was told by AA customer service years ago that the account numbers always end in even numbers. I guess I was remiss in not posting that information on FT!! (OK..it was probably before I'd ever heard of FT).
I was told by AA customer service years ago that the account numbers always end in even numbers. I guess I was remiss in not posting that information on FT!! (OK..it was probably before I'd ever heard of FT).
Apr 2, 2010, 9:49 pm
#67
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: stl
Programs: AA LT Plat/8.1mm now with 1350 miles left in my account and proud of it.. SPG LT Titanium.
Posts: 3,079
it amazes me that of all the things we have beaten to death in this forum that we have just figured out that all our advantage numbers end in an even number.
Apr 2, 2010, 10:13 pm
#68
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Plat
Posts: 699
Checked my family's, fiancee's, and a few coworkers.
Nine in all, all even. My own ends in 666.
Nine in all, all even. My own ends in 666.
Apr 2, 2010, 10:53 pm
#69
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA GLD .25MM, CO, UA, US, DL, HH, SPG (all cardboard)
Posts: 1,951
We haven't yet, not all AAdvantage members have checked in. We need a couple dozen million more posts before we can be sure.
Apr 2, 2010, 11:14 pm
#71
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: New York City/NY22
Programs: AA Platinum 2.3MM (Lifetime PLT)
Posts: 5,285
The following is purely anecdotal information that I've heard from employees, namely that AA used a format that worked through the 26 letters of the alphabet twice (e.g. A000000-Z999999 followed by AA-00000-ZZ-99999) before mixing letters and numbers.
What the truth is, who knows?
I think it's unlikely that there is no reason behind all membership account numbers ending in even numbers. This is a company that doesn't dump an ashtray without a plan.
Apr 2, 2010, 11:26 pm
#72
Join Date: May 2001
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, LH SEN *, HH Gold
Posts: 3,075
A000000-Z999999 is 26 million combinations (or 13 million if they only use even numbers). AA00000-ZZ99999 is another 67.6 million (33.8 million even numbers). How many members does AAdvantage have?
Last edited by Hagbard Viking; Apr 3, 2010 at 1:58 am Reason: typo correction
Apr 2, 2010, 11:43 pm
#73
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: New York City/NY22
Programs: AA Platinum 2.3MM (Lifetime PLT)
Posts: 5,285
Apr 2, 2010, 11:55 pm
#74
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA GLD .25MM, CO, UA, US, DL, HH, SPG (all cardboard)
Posts: 1,951
Apr 3, 2010, 1:22 am
#75
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: san jose,calif
Programs: AA explat,Adm Club,Priority Club, and all nonsense in my comic book mind.
Posts: 746
[QUOTE=Landing Gear;13701113]I do not agree. I know for a fact that by February, 1985 when I joined, AAdvantage was using a single letter followed by six numbers as my friend and I both joined at around the same time. That month they were up to "S."
The following is purely anecdotal information that I've heard from employees, namely that AA used a format that worked through the 26 letters of the alphabet twice (e.g. A000000-Z999999 followed by AA-00000-ZZ-99999) before mixing letters and numbers.
Well... I joined Dec 1985..my aa number begins with "A".however as I said before , is followed by another alpha.. then 5 numbers.
The following is purely anecdotal information that I've heard from employees, namely that AA used a format that worked through the 26 letters of the alphabet twice (e.g. A000000-Z999999 followed by AA-00000-ZZ-99999) before mixing letters and numbers.
Well... I joined Dec 1985..my aa number begins with "A".however as I said before , is followed by another alpha.. then 5 numbers.