alhcfp

I have not seen this thread yet, I may have missed it.

In past few years AA has allowed EVIPs to be used for travel afer 2/28 if booked before expiration.

Has anyone had any experience this year?

THANKS

ihdihd

Was able to book 2 open C seats post 2/28 to PVG using 2011 EVIPs. This may be due to a few factors:

1. inventory was available so it was processed pre 2/28 (In my past experience it gets real difficult if travel is after 2/28 and there is no C inventory open before 2/28, almost impossible if today>2/28 and travel>2/28 and there is no inventory.)
2. I didn't really have a choice between 2011 or 2012 as my status renewal hasn't yet processed (they may theoretically feel less bad about it if you have both 2010 and 2011 unused SWUs in your account)
3. It's still 2010 and they may not have yet had a policy/belt-tightening deluge of requests that force CS managers to make strict policies and enforcements of such

Edit: corrected 2010 SWUs as 2011 expiring SWUs

abk

I had both 2010 and 2011 evips and they pulled march 2011 travel from the 2010.

flyermatthew

A couple of months ago, I booked an international ticket departing in late February and returning the first or second weekend of March. Without asking, they pulled my last two SWUs from the set expiring 2/28/11. I'd renewed EXP and crossed the 2MM level, so I had some SWUs expiring in 2012 that were available.

(I can't remember exact dates because I'm trying to cancel the trip. Since the TSA shows no sign of respecting the privacy of my clothing, I'd rather not make the trip. Had Smurf hands down my pants a few weeks ago, and I'd like to avoid the experience in the future, even if it means falling back to my lifetime Platinum status.)

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

Generally, if you have March 2011 travel booked before 3/1 you can use SWUs expiring 2/28/2011. If the EXP TA says no, thank her/him, and call back.

RChavez

In previous years, this has been handled via an internal policy adjustment that is not published in any public rules around eVIP usage. As such, it can't be relied upon from year to year.

That said, I think the advice to make such requests now before we get to the February rush to burn expiring eVIPs is wise. Right now the agents may be operating in a "limbo" period before an official communication has been made that may result in stricter application of the official rules around their expiration.

I also agree w/ newyorkgeorge in trying a different agent though.

JumboD

I'm not EXP and haven't used AA SWUs before, but with every other instrument I have used that has an expiration date (vouchers, unused revenue tickets, changed award tickets) it has to be redeemed by a certain date (as in reservation made), not actually used by that date. Not sure if this would apply to these instruments as well.

Spiff

We've been given "extensions" on eVIPs in the past.

UncleDude

I have tried to waitlist a friend for a March flight using a 2/11 expiring E-VIP and was declined by Res Agents.. I followed the old Frequent Flyer Adage and tried again later and was also declined.

Has anybody managed with either a Confirmed Upgrade after 1 March using 2/11 E-VIPs, or maybe the unwritten rules have now been abolished.

Hyperacusis

I have been able to use 4 expiring EVIPs on future reservations (one for myself, and one for a companion).

RChavez

It has been discussed over on TB that there is criteria attached to the extension policy whereby some customers (presumably with a higher value rating) will be given extensions on current year eVIPs, and others will not be.

This criteria, also presumably, is relatively visible to EXP agents, hence why some people may be experiencing a consistent "No" response while others are having their upgrades extended without question.

YMMV.

Link.

mmgm

I think there are 2 separate questions. One is can you use a VIP for a confirmable reservation after March 1. That may depend on how the VIP is pulled. I was told it is pulled automatically.
The other question is can you waitlist a VIP for March 1 or later and that seems to get a no.

JDiver

This has been discussed in the main SWU/VIP thread, iirc. The way I believe it will work (this time - sometimes AA does not allow this): The 28 Feb 2011 expiring SWUs will be allowed to remain valid, as long as they have been encumbered to flights occurring after the drop-dead date.

So, you must luck out or use the various tools at our disposal (KVS, ExpertFlyer, telephone, etc.) to find flights with the appropriate class available, book the flights and encumber the SWUs for them (on at least one segment - the remainder may then be waitlisted).

As I understand it, if one does this and later makes changes, the SWU is lost. And no, one can not waitlist an expiring SWU for a flight on or after 1 March 2011 with no segments upgraded.

VickiSoCal

Note that if at least one segment is avialble now, you cna waitlist the remaining segments, but if you don't get them you can't get the SWU back.

JDiver

Good point - I will add that to my post. ^