AnnaS

I had been working on a comp for AA status for a while now & finally got an answer back from AA. Although I'm currently a 1K (top tier) on UA with Prem Exec (mid-tier) in the bag very shortly, AA has seen fit to only comp me at Gold rather than Plat. telling me to do the Plat challenge. Now, maybe I was hoping for too much, but is it wrong for me to be disappointed in this, especially in light of AA's recent handing out of Gold like candy without a comp? How well does AA treat Golds, especially out of ORD? I'm trying to see if this is any real incentive for me to switch especially since I know that UA only treats their lowest tier slightly better than the average Joe (sometimes the phrase "You're only a Premier" is quite common). Have I just wasted my once-in-a-lifetime comp w/ AA? Any and all insights would be appreciated, thanks.

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Regards,
- Anna

ExpoTrac

I can only give you my observations from a Gold perspective. On paper the only advantages I could find for PLT over Gold was a better mileage bonus (50% vs 25%) and confirmed upgrades earlier (48 vs 24 hrs). I missed PLT last year by 2600 miles, and didn't do a mileage run as the benefits didn't seem that much better. If you fly coach, all levels board in Group 1 now so no advantage there. I'm sure there are others with more experience in this who can enlighten me as well on some other PLT benefits.

clacko

i think that the plat mi bonus is 100%, the odds of upgrades on stickers go up quite a bit. also a plat phone # for res , etc. i'm exp & love it. can't compare to otres because my trips are all personal, & can't afford more than 1 elite status.

SuperSlug

The bonus is 100%. Also, the upgrade window is 72 hours, but it doesn't matter--you're still before gold and after EXP. I've had much better luck upgrading as a PLT compared to gold.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't ORD have different check-in lines for Gold and PLT (Business vs. First, like they do in MIA)?

yyz-den

AnnaS,

Didn't I once read something about not looking a gift-horse in the mouth?

There is another way to get AA to give you Plat. status - it is not very popular at the moment, but it works very well - it is called 'earning' the status - novel concept, eh?

All you have to do if fly 50k or 60 segs in a calendar year and Bingo!! - a lovely plat coloured piece of plastic will arrive in your mail - you don't even have to argue, cajole, or whine.

Efrem

AnnaS,

Some benefits of PLT over GLD are real, but the PLT phone # is not a big deal. It and the GLD # go to the same people. The PLT # has a higher priority in the queue, so you may not have to wait quite as long - but the Gold wait is usually pretty short anyhow. (EXP has its own reservations crew, but that wasn't the question.)

If you fly internationally a lot and are not an Admirals Club member, lounge access on the day of your flight is another PLT benefit.

As for comping, this is not (AFAIK) governed by a firm policy. If you have a travel agent or company travel desk, see if they can do anything for you through their sales rep. AA has comped PLT in the past. (I am a case in point, spring '99.) They may have tightened up comping to get people to do challenges, but I don't think they eliminated it completely.

AnnaS

I'm hoping that the sarcasm in your answer is due to misunderstanding of my post as I wasn't "whining". I have no problems with flying to earn status, I do that right now with UA. My post relates to how AA treats their Golds. When you are used to a certain level of perks as an elite with an airline, if another airline wants your business, comps exist as an incentive to switch or else elites would only leave their current programs due to serious mistreatment, erosion of benefits or lack of service for routes you fly. Granted, I could probably do the Plat. challenge starting next month & get Plat. the beginning of Nov. at my current rate of business travel but until I would hit that level, I was looking for the honest scoop of what to expect as a Gold, particularly out of a hub like ORD.

I hope this clears things up as sarcasm helps no one.

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Regards,
- Anna

[This message has been edited by AnnaS (edited 08-15-2001).]

afang

anna, first I would like to welcome you to the AA family!

Secondly, I would like to tell you about my experience as a Comped Gold on AA. I was CO Gold, i didn't fly 50 segs to get it...got it from a 5 RT in 2 month promotion that they had last year. CO's board was pretty intense when they heard ppl like me getting Gold, but that's another story.

I emailed AA about my comp status, they replied rather quickly and asked me for the statements on CO and NW, after receiving those statements...they gave me a letter saying how valueable Plat is and they cannot just give them out because that would be unfair to the hard-earned Plat out there...therefore they offered me Gold, which they mentioned was also very valueable, at least untill the recently
All of a sudden, my company stoped flying AA...and i don't think i got enough flights to tell you how good or bad they treated gold...but i can tell you this...the time when I flew them...I just flew them on Monday AA and TW...they treated me very nice....checked-in and boarded with the Plats and Exe Plat and all that good stuffs..

Now, i am thinking to do the Plat challenge...because i like the 100% bonus period.

Hope this helps...


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Al

yyz-den

AnnaS,

Sure looks like a whine to me, and a pouty one at that!

Anyway, my objection was to your 'expectation' that you would be given something for nothing merely because you had bought someone elses product in the past; then, having recieved the gift, complained that it was not good enough, most ungratious in my mind.

The fact is that it is AA's 'club', they make the rules, and if they 'see fit' only to give you a small gift when you are expecting a large gift, get over it, or try asking some other airline to give you a gift more in keeping with you expectations.

FlyByMike

They have one check-in for First, Gold, and PLT, and another one for EXP.

FlyByMike

Hi AnnaS. I was comped Gold through my company and I fly out of ORD every week. I've never had any problems or anything to really say about being gold. Generally I've had excellent service, what I would expect being gold or not being gold. Although, I just scheduled my 60th segment for next week so I'll let you know if my Platinum experience is that much better. I found out about the PLT Challenge way too late. One very important thing not mentioned here is that PLT gets luggage tags while Gold doesn't Also, one time I got bumped I got a meal voucher for $15 while my non-status friend got $7. I wonder if PLT gets even more.

summerdawn

The AA board has always had a reputation for being one of the most civilized, if not THE most civilized on FT...

When someone who has more than 600 posts to their credit is jumped on by someone who is apparently a newbie..I expect the AAers to come to her defense.

For the information of the board..even tho' I'm low on posts I've been around a long time..some people lurk you know..and AA has obviously made it a habit if not a policy to comp status for status up to but apparently not including their Executive Platinum.

I think Anna S asked a legitimate question and I think that she was answered extremely rudely by someone on this board and I would ask you sir or madam to apologize

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What would you do if you weren't afraid?

Plato90s

Honestly, I think one of the reasons AA decline to comp to Platinum any more is because they have challenges.

I would imagine some of the animosity regarding Anna's comments isn't about her at all, but more of a lingering reaction to AA's "hand out Gold to everyone" promo.

yyz-den

Summerdawn:

Sorry if I offended you - I will wait 'till I have more posts before I dare to offer another opinion.

You are quite right, Plato - my comments were not intended to be personal - but they were intended to comment on the prevalence of the something-for-nothing mentality that seems to have pervaded this board lately.

For that I will not apologize, and I stand by what I wrote.

Edited to add a comment to Plato

[This message has been edited by yyz-den (edited 08-15-2001).]

[This message has been edited by yyz-den (edited 08-15-2001).]

rpmkwpw

I'm glad you apologized yyz-den.

We now have a goddess in our midst. Yes, I have met her (though only in passing (at the Catman Deux Trois I think) and she wouldn't remember), but her renown is huge.

Personally, I welcome AnnaS to our fine community with open arms, no matter her status.

Being human, I understand how one can misread a post. These are simply characters on a monitor after all, no facial expressions, no tone, etc. But, what I know about AnnaS is that she is a die-hard flier who deserves not only our respect, but our encouragement. You see the only thing we can slight her for is having spent so much time on the dark side with that 'other' company.

She's healed now and I'm really glad to have her.

To answer your question AnnaS... I dropped from Plat to Gold this year and will have that oversight repaired next weekend through my first challenge after years with AA. I suffered incredibly, but it was only emotional... Gold level, if you're on your way up, is quite tolerable.

Knowing what I know about you, I expect you're of the ilk NOT to demand perks beyond those to which you are entitled. You'll do fine as a gold.

Now, pull up your socks and start flying!