brp

It's funny. Each and every time there is a promotion for non-current members, these kinds of comments arise. And I'd bet that 90+% of the people who make them stay with AA. So, it seems like AA are doing the right thing with the way they target these.

Many companies do promotions for new customers only. And of course they know that the existing customers will find out. Some whine about it, some don't. I'd guess that most stay,

From a marketing standpoint (if folks can step back from the feelings of insult to look more objectively), this makes complete and absolute sense, and allowing existing lower-tier member do "buy up" with this makes none at all.

But the cries of foul will certainly continue in this, and similar threads.

Note: As I said above, I don't really like this "free for all." But, if it's going to be done, this is absolutely the right way to do it - exclude current elites - from any non-self-serving standpoint.

(I'd also guess - without evidence - that most of the people making these complaints are bottom-feeder, el cheapo elites like me )

Cheers.

TAWS

There will be lots of elites on other airlines jumping to AA because of this promotion.

amolkold

Raises hand

william142

Kinda makes it look like the merger is over or significantly delayed (ie a couple years). I find it hard to believe they would offer this if they were planning on combining programs soon. Looks like a run on us, dl, and ua elites!

PETEFLYS

I just registered my wife since she has no status and a trip planed to ICN in Oct. Platinum will be easy now I have to convince her she needs to fly around another 15K to become EXP since I have PLAT for life and no chance of making EXP this year. Honestly I like the promo to get to PLat because of the bonus miles at that level. I just saved hundreds not having to buy the status with a challenge. I also will say that as someone who has had to make EXP the hard way for many years with BIS miles I do not approve of this fast track to EXP.

britenbsas

Correct! This bottom-feeder el cheapo elite has just emailed AAdvantage CS to register my displeasure! The fact I already have more than enough EQMs booked during the last 4 months of the year to make EXP under this promo but will still end the year as a PLT is

LAXJetter

Where did this offer originally come from?

Doing a quick web sleuthing, I only found blogs linking to the page on AA.com so it is hard to tell if this is targeted or not.

TheBOSman

I'm the bottom feedingest, el cheapoest elite out there (I'm only 1K on UA as I challenged using EXP and got all of my flights to meet the challenge at 2.5 cpm ), and I just can't see too many people who A. Haven't hit 25k this year yet and B. Would want to fly 30k on AA after not flying that much before this year to become EXP. I feel bad for the Golds, a transcon and a short flight (or even a properly routed transcon) by anyone would make a current non-elite Gold, and that is much more likely. 2 transcons and a mid-length flight (again proper routing would cut this to just the 2 transcons) would have someone reach Platinum. But I can't see many who haven't already flown 25k with AA that would suddenly want to fly 30k with AA. The only people I can see doing that would be those who are already elite with other airlines and may have requalified for the level over there (i.e. DL Platinum Medallions who just hit 75k, have 30k to book, but have no shot at Diamond Medallion due to it being 125k). And honestly, those are people AA likely wants. I just feel bad for the people currently in the 25,000-69,999 range on AA, they could fly 30k the rest of the year and not hit EXP but someone who hasn't flown an AA flight would get EXP with the same amount of flying. If these levels were 33% higher (aka 40k instead of 30k for EXP) I'd be a bit happier with it.

Welcome aboard, though we don't allow much of that EQM CC earning over here, unlike all the CC PMs I know of over on that Atlanta airline .

SDQBound

LinkedIn

deeruck

That's exactly my position. As noted, accelerated GLD and PLT has been available (for a fee). It's the easy availability of EXP that is new...

Can only hope, as brp suggested, that the two week sign-up window keeps this tight.

teemuflyer

They already offer status matches all the time. Sure some folks will be in the sweet spot and this will be a windfall for them, but once again, these are going to be only those who: 1) find out about this.. not everyone spends time of FT or AA.com if not a FF of AA, 2) have reached their top tier on their current preferred carrier and find this as an exciting challenge, flying 30K miles w/o EXP benefits while forgoing those similar benefits on their current preferred airline.

LINDEGR

That is how EQP already works D, I, J, A, F = 1.50, no?

suvayanr

All of a sudden I'm so much happier I booked AA on my two Asia trips this Fall!

amolkold

We just had a nasty devaluation today, and seeing as how I'm no longer ATL-based and now LA-based, a switch should have happened a while ago. This is just the kick in the pants I needed.

And AA does have CC EQM, though it's $40K for a paltry 10K EQM. I got 30K EQM from signup + $50k spend from DL . Add to my flights and 24K rollover and I'm sitting pretty at PM with 85K MQM.

dimmedlights

Some of you complain but remain loyal to AA