The Great AA Mileage Race to "D-Day" (MM change day) - 12/1/11
Aug 24, 2011, 3:14 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,905
The Great AA Mileage Race to "D-Day" (MM change day) - 12/1/11
Well all,
With the AA announcement today that Million Miler status qualification will officially change as of 12/1/11, many of us are wondering how and what we're going to do to get to that next Million Mile threshold. Whether its folks who are racing to get their First MM out of the way and finally get the Lifetime Gold benefits, striding forth to 2MM and Lifetime Platinum, or beyond - all of us who've been involved in this Great Mileage Race now have an actual deadline:
12/1/11
In the interest of full disclosure, I sit at roughly 1.3MM and would've liked nothing better than to make 2MM by sometime next year. Like most of you, I accrue with Citicards, Bankdirect, and Fidelity. I also used the Wells Fargo mortgage option on 3 properties.
Beyond that, I use National Car Rental 365 days/year and send it all to AA (long term business relo). Take the AA mileage option on all HH hotel stays and, of course, transfer SPG and Diners Club whenever possible. I use Energy Plus, DirecTV, AT&T Wireless and Netflix. And as nealy all of you do - I use e-shopping, Flowers, and AAdvantage Dining to its fullest.
So, 2 BIG questions ...
How are you going to make it to your next threshold before the big day? and...
What are you going to change in terms of "lifestyle earning" after 12/1/11 ??
With the AA announcement today that Million Miler status qualification will officially change as of 12/1/11, many of us are wondering how and what we're going to do to get to that next Million Mile threshold. Whether its folks who are racing to get their First MM out of the way and finally get the Lifetime Gold benefits, striding forth to 2MM and Lifetime Platinum, or beyond - all of us who've been involved in this Great Mileage Race now have an actual deadline:
12/1/11
In the interest of full disclosure, I sit at roughly 1.3MM and would've liked nothing better than to make 2MM by sometime next year. Like most of you, I accrue with Citicards, Bankdirect, and Fidelity. I also used the Wells Fargo mortgage option on 3 properties.
Beyond that, I use National Car Rental 365 days/year and send it all to AA (long term business relo). Take the AA mileage option on all HH hotel stays and, of course, transfer SPG and Diners Club whenever possible. I use Energy Plus, DirecTV, AT&T Wireless and Netflix. And as nealy all of you do - I use e-shopping, Flowers, and AAdvantage Dining to its fullest.
So, 2 BIG questions ...
How are you going to make it to your next threshold before the big day? and...
What are you going to change in terms of "lifestyle earning" after 12/1/11 ??
Aug 24, 2011, 3:23 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 104
Unfortunately I think I'm going to close my Citi card and just throw in the towel. I'm not sure if I will use AA as enthusiastically.
Aug 24, 2011, 3:29 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: OH
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, Marriot Lifetime Gold
Posts: 9,539
I just transferred 20k SPG points for 25k AA miles. That, along with a round-trip LAX-SCL next week, will take me over the 2MM level.
Aug 24, 2011, 3:37 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA LT Platinum, SPG Gold
Posts: 12
Just got my 2M letter and It's says I'm vested Platinum for lifetime. I'm assuming that us for the program, right?
Aug 24, 2011, 3:40 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 94
1. Buy 40K+10K Bonus Miles for 1000$.
2. Use Mileage maximizer for Triple miles.
3. Sign Up for Citi Executive MasterCard for the year.
4. Fly a couple of Double/Triple Mileage routes.
2. Use Mileage maximizer for Triple miles.
3. Sign Up for Citi Executive MasterCard for the year.
4. Fly a couple of Double/Triple Mileage routes.
Aug 24, 2011, 3:46 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP 1.5MM, Asiana Club Silver, KE Morning Calm, Hyatt Platinum, Amtrak Select
Posts: 7,161
No big rush from me; already at 1.5MM so I already have LT GLD. 500k more to reach LT PLT means only 46 roundtrips LAX-NRT. I can manage that. 
Aug 24, 2011, 3:50 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: AUS / DXB
Programs: BA Silver | AA LT Gold | EY Silver | Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,838
I'll hit 1 MM before 12/1 based on my planned travel already, so no sweat.
Aug 24, 2011, 4:00 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,535
Nothing. I'm closing in 3MM, but no hurry. mrs. brp is at about 1.69M. She'll be beyond 1.7M at the end of the year. Then 3 years of EXP will get her to LT PLT.
I simply don't understand the rush to spend lots of money or burn far-more-valuable (my judgment) hotel miles when folks are already close. Seriously, what's the rush?
Cheers.
I simply don't understand the rush to spend lots of money or burn far-more-valuable (my judgment
) hotel miles when folks are already close. Seriously, what's the rush?Cheers.
Aug 24, 2011, 4:01 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM 1MM, AA Plat 2 MM, Marriott Ambassador & LTP, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Hilton Gold, United Silver
Posts: 264
Aug 24, 2011, 4:04 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 396
I am about 270K short of 1MM. I've already done the 75K citi personal card offer. Any other easy or affordable ways to get a lot closer? I'm willing to "buy" miles (i.e. pay a premium for goods/services) for about 1c each, if possible.
Aug 24, 2011, 4:25 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: OKC
Programs: IHG Spire, National Exec, AA Plat
Posts: 2,274
Aug 24, 2011, 4:38 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: AA LT Gold
Posts: 33
When BankDirect posts in Sept, I will reach 1mm!!! Looking forward to booking those exit row seats for my 6'5" husband!
Aug 24, 2011, 4:55 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: OKC
Programs: IHG Spire, National Exec, AA Plat
Posts: 2,274
Personally, I'm waiting for all the theories to start flying about moving to another OW based FF program that will offer a better deal. I don't know much about the other OW programs yet, but I'm sure at least some have already thought of it, and it's only a matter of time before we see the posts outlining all the details.
Aug 24, 2011, 5:06 pm
#14
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: UA Gold, AA Gold, Hyatt Plat, SPG Gold, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Hertz Pres Circle, etc etc
Posts: 382
Ways to get AA miles by 12/1 eff date of new lifetime rules?
Now that we know the new AA lifetime rules let's all focus on best ways to get our remaining needed AA miles in by the 12/1/11 deadline.
Ones I have thought of so far:
Maximize spend on Citi AA cards
Do BankDirect 2 yr CD for $200k to get 200k miles upfront (and other BD products to get
more; already have max in checking there)
Buy 50k miles by 8/31 from AA for $1030 (2.06cpm) (how do they post on CC- can get 3x as airfare on MR as well to further reduce net cost?)
transfer SPG 20k to get 25k AA
mileage runs (I won't do as rather not spend the time)
I've got about 540k now. Through an incoming 75k card bonus and 3 months of 20k BD monthly credits that will hit before 12/1 I'll have 675k. If I buy 50k from AA, do a BD CD for 200k I can get to 925k.
Hate to transfer SPG into AA as need hotel points way more than airline miles, but could pick up 25-50k there. Can do more spend on Citi AA cards to get another 10-20k. Would put me about 5-40k short by the 12/1 rule change date.
What other easy and or cost effective ways to get AA miles in next 3 months am I missing?
Ones I have thought of so far:
Maximize spend on Citi AA cards
Do BankDirect 2 yr CD for $200k to get 200k miles upfront (and other BD products to get
more; already have max in checking there)
Buy 50k miles by 8/31 from AA for $1030 (2.06cpm) (how do they post on CC- can get 3x as airfare on MR as well to further reduce net cost?)
transfer SPG 20k to get 25k AA
mileage runs (I won't do as rather not spend the time)
I've got about 540k now. Through an incoming 75k card bonus and 3 months of 20k BD monthly credits that will hit before 12/1 I'll have 675k. If I buy 50k from AA, do a BD CD for 200k I can get to 925k.
Hate to transfer SPG into AA as need hotel points way more than airline miles, but could pick up 25-50k there. Can do more spend on Citi AA cards to get another 10-20k. Would put me about 5-40k short by the 12/1 rule change date.
What other easy and or cost effective ways to get AA miles in next 3 months am I missing?
Aug 24, 2011, 5:33 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: NorCal
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott GLD, HH PLT, Hertz 5*
Posts: 766
currently sitting on 703k and need to get 46k EQMs to renew to EXP, so planning to achieve that, which will put me around 800k by year end (I know its 1/12/11, not 31/12/11 for the MM deadline).
Plan to get 2x 75k citicard, transfer 25k SPG point, and will then need about 20k from somewhere........ Looks like I might have to put my hand in my pocket and buy some miles...
BM
Plan to get 2x 75k citicard, transfer 25k SPG point, and will then need about 20k from somewhere........ Looks like I might have to put my hand in my pocket and buy some miles...
BM