aaworker24

ok here is the official scoop..effective Jan 15th 2004 current gold members who flew at least 15,000 elite miles this year will be able to purchase a Gold Extension for $395. Any Platinum member who flew atleast 30,000 elite miles this year will be able to purchase a Platinum Extension for $595..The Program is expected to last until mid April. Also anyone who purchased the extension last year will NOT be allowed to purchase it again this year...it is a 1 time extension. and of course this only applies to Gold and Platinum members Executive Platinum must be earned the normal way... check out aa.com/elite after 01-15-04 for more details...

PlatinumFlyer

IMHO.... this is a really dumb/unfair program. I thought you earned elite status because you flew with the airline - NOT because you have a big bank account and can afford to buy your way in.

Awhile ago there was a posting about a mid-level Gold? Where you got only some of the benefits because of how the status was earned/applied.

I think if that exists then it should be applied here.

I've been EXP for a couple of years and have re-qualified for next year. I buy tickets. I FLY. I think if the rules are such for top status, then they should apply across the board.

I know this will probably piss a lot of Gold/PLT people off who aren't going to qualify any other way. Well, think about it. If you worked hard during the year to make the time to fly, pay for flights, etc. enough to qualify for status how would you feel if anyone with enough cash - and not even CLOSE to what you paid to fly for status - could just write a check and *poof* they get all the same benefits as you?

If you could really see it from that perspective, I have a feeling you may better understand of what I have posted here.

Just my $.02...

Have a nice day!

[This message has been edited by PlatinumFlyer (edited Dec 09, 2003).]

aa4ever

I think this is a great idea. All it is really doing is letting you split the flying and cost of becoming an elite. I know that while I can easily fly 18-20 thousand miles a year, it is incredibly difficult for me to do the 25000 per year. However, for just under 400 dollars, I could do it so basically it just lets you pay, but doesn't require you to do the actual flying. It is a win-win situation. The passenger wins (buys miles, doesn't fly) and the airline wins (how much does elite status cost them and they don't have to fill up a seat anymore -- can use that seat for someone else)

aa4ever

bstndance

I agree with PlatinumFlyer.
Although maybe if they raised the threshold for buying it wouldn't be a bad idea. Such as if you had flown 43000 miles you could buy into Plat.


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AA GLD

Dave Noble

"I know this will probably piss a lot of Gold/PLT people off who aren't going to qualify any other way. Well, think about it. If you worked hard during the year to make the time to fly, pay for flights, etc. enough to qualify for status how would you feel if anyone with enough cash - and not even CLOSE to what you paid to fly for status - could just write a check and *poof* they get all the same benefits as you?"

It wouldn't bother me. Most regular travellers, I put forward, travel because they have to , not for the sake of getting miles and getting status. This doesn't allow people to do it annually, just once. As stated, those that purchased before cannot do it again. Other schemes do similar. Qantas, for example, will renew status (even top status), even if you don't qualify, if you have been a good customer prior ( without even charging for it). The main difference is that it isnt advertised , just that near renewal date a new platinum card with a nice OW emerald logo appears in the post unexpectedly, whilst AA is making it known to all, plus getting $595 out of them.

Dave

[This message has been edited by Dave Noble (edited Dec 09, 2003).]

FWAAA

Selling Gold and Plat status for $$$ doesn't bother me in the least. Imagine if AA could convince 500k regular part-time flyers to pony up $500 for Gold or $1000 for Plat (regardless of this years' q-miles).

AA could bring in maybe a Billion dollars with such a program.

But not gonna happen, since not all regular members are that status-hungry.

Bottom line - if infrequent flyers buy status instead of flying to get it - then it won't hurt anyone, since they rarely fly anyway.

MeLike2Travel

As a plat who will requalify this year, I have no problems with this idea. I think it's a great way to bring in some additional revenue to AA.

jakob

plus, as mentioned in the 1st thead, people who renewed last year by paying will not be qualified to re-qualify by paying again this year.

ESpen36

Exactly. This is a perfect response!

My thoughts:

1) It helps AA to offer this option because it is pure revenue - no need to fly the passenger anywhere to take advantage of it, just the minimal cost of producing and mailing the elite card. Also the pax does not gain any additional award miles from the transaction (aside from the minimal miles if using a Citi AA card).

2) The people who will take advantage of this offer are not very frequent travelers (or, at least, not road-warriors like some of us). So, actually, they will not have many opportunities to use their benefits. Consequently, we won't see much of a change.*

*Drawback: A higher number of light-flying elites means that we should be patient around the holidays, spring break, etc., where everybody and his/her uncle is traveling and will be using up upgrade inventory, etc. But that is the only drawback, aside from possible AC crowding in these situations.

socalgal

Sorry, don"t agree with the "selling" of Plat status. I earned Plat thru the challenge earlier this year and busted my butt and wallet to keep it and earn 1M mile status. I am a leisure flyer, no expense acct at the other end.....can't afford all the travel next year...think they will offer it after 30,000 miles next year? Cheaper than the air fare/hotels......

SeAAttle

How would you feel about letting EXP requalify for, say, $1000? I do not mean to start a war between PLT/GLD and EXP, but we had this debate last year. In most cases, EXP thought buy-ins were just fine, as long as EXP was not available.

Thought we should just get that out in the open.

aceflyer2

Well, this is one where there's going to be some who agree and some who disagree. I would be curious what AA's reasoning is for doing this. If AA doesn't stand to make a good deal of money from it, then why are they doing it? If the fees were higher, it might make more sense from their perspective.

mgm

I don't have such a problem with this, because when you think about it one or two creatively structured mileage runs to Europe for $395 or $595 could generate 10,000 or 20,000 q-miles respectively. From AA's perspective this is a better deal than flying the passenger given the associated operating costs and cost of awarding miles.

ElmhurstNick

Well, I paid less than that, but it did cost me a couple of days of my life. It cost me about $210 to pick up eight of the segments I needed (a pair of ORD-STL-MCI daytrips), but I also got an extra 10k program miles. I end up with exactly 60 segments next Wednesday.

Indo-flyer

Where can I find the link for this "official scoop"? The one in the post is old info.