Will AA offer soft landing to those who received status match?
Jan 25, 2013, 8:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Programs: Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 261
Will AA offer soft landing to those who received status match?
I searched and couldn't find an answer to this, and maybe nobody knows.
I read that, traditionally, AA offers a soft landing - meaning, dropping one level only - if frequent fliers don't requalify for a category. I am a United Global Services who status matched to Exec Platinum last year, but haven't flown more than a few thousand miles on AA. At the end of February will my Exec Plat status drop down one level to regular Plat, or to nothing?
Anyone know? Or, any guesses?
Added correction: I didn't fly a few thousand miles, I flew 2 short regional express flights of about 200 miles each.
I read that, traditionally, AA offers a soft landing - meaning, dropping one level only - if frequent fliers don't requalify for a category. I am a United Global Services who status matched to Exec Platinum last year, but haven't flown more than a few thousand miles on AA. At the end of February will my Exec Plat status drop down one level to regular Plat, or to nothing?
Anyone know? Or, any guesses?
Added correction: I didn't fly a few thousand miles, I flew 2 short regional express flights of about 200 miles each.
Last edited by Chevelter; Feb 25, 2013 at 11:49 am Reason: added correction
Jan 25, 2013, 9:03 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
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Non one knows. There will be many guesses. They will have no value. (Of course, one guess direction will end up being correct, but we already knew that 
)
Cheers.
)Cheers.
Jan 25, 2013, 10:03 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: BA Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,260
They will offer soft landing based on a call I had with agent(while making a reservation).
But if you accept a status challenge for EXP and fail to qualify with 25K EQP's...I'm not sure if you go down to nothing or gold or plat....
But if you accept a status challenge for EXP and fail to qualify with 25K EQP's...I'm not sure if you go down to nothing or gold or plat....
Jan 25, 2013, 12:44 pm
#4
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
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I've got feelings and guesses, but they won't count for anything. We'll have to hear from those who find out March 1st when they check their account, or from reports.
Jan 25, 2013, 10:09 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: AAdvantage, Hilton
Posts: 3,191
Rumors within AAdvantage are definitely flying around that there will be some change to the soft landing policy. Obviously any such change would be implemented next year so presumably people are safe this year.
If the soft landing does go away, people would go from their current status to whatever new status they have earned so in theory an EXP can go from EXP to no status at all.
If the soft landing does go away, people would go from their current status to whatever new status they have earned so in theory an EXP can go from EXP to no status at all.
Jan 26, 2013, 1:19 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, B6 Mosaic, UA Platinum, others
Posts: 1,270
I was matched with the 55K offer last year. I didn't complete it, and I wrote to inquire what would happen. The response indicated I would have Platinum status through Feb '14 with opportunity to earn EXP by the usual rules.
Seems more than fair to me.
Seems more than fair to me.
Jan 26, 2013, 1:37 pm
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,583
I don't have any expectation that it will change, but don't see why AA would need to wait a year if it chose to change it
Jan 26, 2013, 1:41 pm
#8
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Hope not. The requalification was simple enough to achieve and if you hadn't even hit 50K you really don't deserve a double status comp which this would be tantamount to.
Jan 26, 2013, 2:59 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: AA SPG Amex
Posts: 4,644
If they do change the system I wonder whether AA will do what DL does and offer roll-over qualifying miles (so if you earn 45k EQM then 20k will roll over the following year)?
Jan 26, 2013, 3:10 pm
#10
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if they were willing to give away 1K and systemwides what's the harm in leaving a smaller carrot on the table for another year. If people don't fly on they are not competing with you. And if they are - well - that's what AA wanted to beging with the match. It's not like the market or AA situation is drastically different now...
Jan 26, 2013, 3:21 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New Orleans (MSY)
Programs: AA EXP, IHG PLT, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Amtrak, WN
Posts: 2,617
I would guess that those who matched would get a soft landing. After all, AA gives soft landings to elites who successfully complete PLT challenges.
IIRC, soft landing is not a published benefit of the program, be it for elites who flew enough BIS miles to earn it or for elites who just matched, so I guess AA can change the policy at will. I just hope they don't, because the soft landing is a great unpublished benefit.
IIRC, soft landing is not a published benefit of the program, be it for elites who flew enough BIS miles to earn it or for elites who just matched, so I guess AA can change the policy at will. I just hope they don't, because the soft landing is a great unpublished benefit.
Last edited by brewdog11; Jan 26, 2013 at 4:27 pm Reason: correction
Jan 26, 2013, 3:36 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Programs: AA EXP(4mm), DL Gold, UA Gold (1mm), HH Diamond, Bonvoy Amb(l/t Titanium). Former EA/PA elite
Posts: 994
I agree. There is absolutely no reason to give a "soft landing" to anyone that was previously "status-matched" and then did not meet the re-qualification requirements.
Jan 26, 2013, 3:43 pm
#13
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Cheers.
Jan 26, 2013, 4:21 pm
#15
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Actually only to those who earned PLT via a challenge, there is no "soft landing" for pax - regular or via challenge - who fail to requalify for GLD status.