The Great AA Mileage Race to "D-Day" (MM change day) - 12/1/11
Aug 26, 2011, 11:12 pm
#166
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: varies
Programs: AA Plat; Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, BestW Plat
Posts: 202
Aug 26, 2011, 11:18 pm
#167
Join Date: May 2007
Location: ORD, DEL
Programs: AA (Plt Pro; 1.5 MM)
Posts: 6,185
Not really.
Aug 27, 2011, 8:08 am
#168
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Tampa, FL, USA
Posts: 88
Here's a good calculator for transferring points from one program to another:
http://www.webflyer.com/programs/mileage_converter/
http://www.webflyer.com/programs/mileage_converter/
Such a great calculator.. Thanks!
Aug 27, 2011, 8:56 am
#169
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west of DFW airport
Programs: AA LT Gold 1.9 MM flying my way to LT PLAT
Posts: 11,074
For a few AA miles 100/75, you can search with Bing.
As mentioned elsewhere on FT, Opinion Place survey can get you a few also with 75, 100, or 125 on offer about every 14 days.
You can write about travel and post photos on www.igoguo.com to collect points that you can trade in for AA miles.
and you can order more dog treats and toilet paper on Drugstore.com
As mentioned elsewhere on FT, Opinion Place survey can get you a few also with 75, 100, or 125 on offer about every 14 days.
You can write about travel and post photos on www.igoguo.com to collect points that you can trade in for AA miles.
and you can order more dog treats and toilet paper on Drugstore.com
Aug 27, 2011, 10:58 am
#170
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 701
Keep in mind to x-fer SPG to get a bonus you need 20k SPG, which at a ratio of 3 MR = 1 SPG that's 60k MR points, at double points, that's $30k spent on fuel & groceries. Here's a few like-by-like comparisons
AXP MR
$30k bonus category spend = 60k MR = 20k SPG = 25k AA
AXP SPG
$30k spend = 30k SPG = 35k AA
Citi AA
$30k spend without promo = 30k AA
$30k spend with 20% bonus promo = 36k AA
Aug 27, 2011, 11:17 am
#171
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 701
I don't think anyone's mentioned the ability to ShareAAMiles. Theoretically, if 2 people who were looking to hit LT status, person A can transfer 15K miles to person B. Person B can transfer 15K miles back to person A. Each person spends $180 with a net gain of 0 miles, but lifetime miles will be 15K miles higher. Not that I want to spend $180 for 0 miles, but an idea for those who are close to the threshold.
Buy & Share Miles
- buyAAmiles - 50k miles for $1,030 (0.0206/mile)
- giftAAmiles - 40k miles for $1,030 (0.02575/mile)
- shareAAmiles - 15k miles for $180 ($0.012/mile)
NOTE: shareAAmiles not incrementally new, just paying 1.2cents to move miles between accounts)
Citi ExecutiveSM / AAdvantage® World EliteTM MasterCard® 25k miles for $450 ($0.012857/mile)
I didn't see any first-time cardmember language & if you apply before Dec 2011 the spend on this card through Dec 2012 will count toward lifetime.
Aug 27, 2011, 11:21 am
#172
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,535
I bought 40,000 a few weeks ago when I was getting worried that this could happen at any time. I am now at 996,000+ miles and will clear 1MM when my credit cards post around Septemeber 15th. I'm just feeling lucky that I got in under the deadline, but I'm sorry Mrs. BLG won't get there. She's not very happy about that.
Cheers.
Aug 27, 2011, 12:42 pm
#173
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: USA
Programs: AA EXP, UA GLD, Bonvoy Titan, HH Dia, WoH Exp
Posts: 2,673
Below are four options to try to buy yourself closer to lifetime (130k total for $2,690 - not worth it to me, but an option for some)
Buy & Share Miles
Citi ExecutiveSM / AAdvantage® World EliteTM MasterCard® 25k miles for $450 ($0.012857/mile)
I didn't see any first-time cardmember language & if you apply before Dec 2011 the spend on this card through Dec 2012 will count toward lifetime.
Buy & Share Miles
- buyAAmiles - 50k miles for $1,030 (0.0206/mile)
- giftAAmiles - 40k miles for $1,030 (0.02575/mile)
- shareAAmiles - 15k miles for $180 ($0.012/mile)
NOTE: shareAAmiles not incrementally new, just paying 1.2cents to move miles between accounts)
Citi ExecutiveSM / AAdvantage® World EliteTM MasterCard® 25k miles for $450 ($0.012857/mile)
I didn't see any first-time cardmember language & if you apply before Dec 2011 the spend on this card through Dec 2012 will count toward lifetime.
Aug 27, 2011, 1:12 pm
#174
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 82
So the max you can get under this method currently is 65k miles (40k from buying/gifting + 10k bonus + 15k from share)
Hope I'm wrong as I could really use the additional 40k miles from gift.
Last edited by skymatty; Aug 27, 2011 at 2:22 pm
Aug 27, 2011, 1:37 pm
#175
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: DFW
Posts: 1,387
If you have a credit card that earns AA miles, couldn't you just buy some pricey fully-refundable tickets after your statement closes in November and return them before your December cut-off? If your cutoff date is on or after mid-month, you should have plenty of time to return the tickets; if your cutoff date is at the beginning of the month, this probably wouldn't work.
Aug 27, 2011, 3:27 pm
#176
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: AA, UAL
Posts: 545
If you have a credit card that earns AA miles, couldn't you just buy some pricey fully-refundable tickets after your statement closes in November and return them before your December cut-off? If your cutoff date is on or after mid-month, you should have plenty of time to return the tickets; if your cutoff date is at the beginning of the month, this probably wouldn't work.
Aug 27, 2011, 3:31 pm
#177
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: AA, UAL
Posts: 545
I guess what BLG is referring to as 'deadline' is that if he didn't get it before 12/01, collecting 40K BIS miles would have been a lot more expensive / lengthy process.
Aug 27, 2011, 3:35 pm
#178
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AA LT Plat - 2MM;HH Diamond
Posts: 239
Good luck to everyone chasing the next MM
I jumped on LT Plat earlier this year (bought a few miles, SPG transfers, etc.) when the Million Miler "glitch" was on aa.com.
I was under 1.5MM in April and my May statement shows over 2MM. I did all of this before the info that we would be given a few months notice, and this caused me to buy/share a few more miles than I needed because I am at almost 2.1MM now.
I did it for the 100% bonus for flight miles as well as priority baggage. I have been on 2 flights since and the priority baggage was nice. Also, some airports (I think SEA) don't show Gold on the list for the elite security checkpoint.
Dan
I was under 1.5MM in April and my May statement shows over 2MM. I did all of this before the info that we would be given a few months notice, and this caused me to buy/share a few more miles than I needed because I am at almost 2.1MM now.
I did it for the 100% bonus for flight miles as well as priority baggage. I have been on 2 flights since and the priority baggage was nice. Also, some airports (I think SEA) don't show Gold on the list for the elite security checkpoint.
Dan
Aug 27, 2011, 3:52 pm
#179
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: DFW
Posts: 1,387
Yeah, if the item is returned in the same credit card period as the purchase. But CC miles hit your account a couple of days after your statement cuts off in November. What happens if you pay your bill with a big credit from a return on your December statement? By that time, you'll have already hit your next million miles and have your SWUs. I've never heard of anyone having miles taken out of their Aadvantage account from a credit card issuer (I have for UA). And I can't imagine AA trying to rescind someone's status or take back SWUs - I don't think their system could handle it.
Last edited by singlemalt; Aug 27, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Aug 27, 2011, 7:22 pm
#180
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west of DFW airport
Programs: AA LT Gold 1.9 MM flying my way to LT PLAT
Posts: 11,074
Yes, the credit card issurers do take back AA miles for returned merchandise and tickets.
Buying something just to return it is a poor plan.
I cashed in some Bing points for AA miles and they posted in 24 hours.
Tomorrow I'm going out hunting for AA-Dine reward opportunities.
Buying something just to return it is a poor plan.
I cashed in some Bing points for AA miles and they posted in 24 hours.
Tomorrow I'm going out hunting for AA-Dine reward opportunities.