r3guru

Please, am I missing something? Perhaps the experts here can help me.

If I hit EXP mid-year, why shoud I continue to accrue aa q-points/miles. Is AA going to give me something extra for 150,000 or 200,000 q-miles? I know that as EXP I'll experience free upgrades (subject to..) and higher priority as EXP, but is that it? Obviously I get VIP's, but I'll get those if I fly 100,000 or 150,000, same with discounted AC membership, it's the same if I fly 100,000 or 200,000.

It appears that the tiered benefits just cease at 100,000.

Between now and the end of the year I expect to fly another 100,000 base miles or so. Shouldn't I jump to another airline, so I have their and AA's elite status for 2005? Or is there some other benefit for those continuing to fly past 100,000 q-miles.

brp

Some feedback on a related topic here. although yours is not specifically about MRs. Some of the posts address your question:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...&highlight=EXP

Cheers.

Always Travel Ready

The first thought that comes to my mind as to why you should continue flying AA, is to reach the 2 million mile mark where you lock in platinum status for a lifetime.

Efrem

I can think of a few reasons:

1. You'll get the miles. Isn't that what it's all about? (Unless it's all about the hokey-pokey, but that's another thread.)

2. If you have to fly anyway, you might as well use an airline that treats you well. You also presumably had some reason to pick AA in the first place, such as its routes & schedules fit your travel patterns best. Isn't that still the case? If it is, what would be the value of status on another (less useful) airline?

3. If you're really one of AA's top flyers, there's an undocumented and unofficial "super-EXP" level of attention you can get. It also depends on revenue: if you got your Q-miles on deep discount tickets, it won't count for much, but if you're worth a lot to them in revenue (you would probably have qualifed on points in that case, not on miles) or for some other reason, you might be well on your way to real red-carpet treatment.

LLZ

Surely, AA's eternal gratitude, for being a "valued customer," is enough isn't it?

But seriously, you get zero, zip, nada for your over-100K flying....but OTOH, what's the point in switching to UA, CO, DL, US, NW or US just for another status?

UA will still charge you for domestic upgrades, CO you may not get them, especially if you aren't inclined to pay $1500 dollars to get to the same place that a $300 ticket will get you, and CO is evidently playing games with their EUA system, not to mention their horrible redemption. DL - abysmal first class cabin....NW okay, but but bad redemption as well, and US is a basket-case, with unarguably the worst FC product out there, that most likely won't be around in 6 mos. What's there to like about any of these?

pauleeepaul

This is the first year I have had to give this thought some consideration myself as Q points should be in the 150K area this year. Obviously continuing to accumulate AA miles is an option, but some of the other OW carriers have neat FF program features (read BA upgrades on long haul international flights) that could be attractive, to fly in comfort and earn miles on that carrier or on AA in the future depending on the plan for the given year. (It would be nice to have the flat J option on BA for JFK-LHR too without losing out on FF miles.) There is a startup cost associated with making the change for the miles over 100,000- you will lose the double miles at least in the initial year- and possibly ongoing if you don't get to the Sapphire level on the second carrier. A side benefit would be "free" domestic AC usage- a savings of $300 or so. Evaluation of the pros and cons has so many variables I am getting a headache just thinking about it, so I'll probably just stay with AA. There's always Diner's Club to get BA miles if needed.

burgerwars

Gee, just enjoy your status now that you earned it. What's the point jumping ship and going to another airline to earn status, when you're status-less there while you're doing it?

Isn't the point of earning status is to enjoy its benefits? What your saying is like someone stating that now that I've earned my status I'm not going to fly anymore. So enjoy what you have!

r3guru

Ouch, zero, zip, nada, I was afraid that might be the answer.

Frankly If I fly another 100,000 miles I expect to get the same kind of benefit that I had for the first 100,000, i.e. at least 4 more VP's. It's probably too late this year for me to change strategy, but next year I'll try and do all international with BA and/or CX and domestic with AA.

r3guru

The point would be to ultimately enjoy status on AA and A N Other.
i.e. CX has a better Asian service than AA, or that BA has better service period.

Stevefrombc

Simple, do a mid tier status match with another carrier. UA should give you Premier Executive.

pb9997

r3guru has a valid concern that has always boggled me. Why have airlines limit themselves to 100K - and this happens all over the place. This year UA has created a new max, instead of 100k they've created 125 and 150k.

The issue is, why should there be a max, be it 100k or 150k to earn nice perks ?

I recall, if I'm not wrong..., LH M&More being the more you'd keep flying the more you'd keep earning... But recently they've changed their program, so not even sure that is still there.

The point is, if everyone has a top (100k or 150k) there MUST be a reason from a marketing point of view to stop offering additional perks- just fail to understand it. Would anyone care to elaborate ?

Me ? Well, I like the aim of trying and succeding. The thing is, once I get there... it's done and there's nothing else to achieve - I'm tempted to start flying a different carrier for the thrill or the fun... Am I the only one ?

BritBen

I joined AAdvantage in July 2003. I just crossed 150k miles, 25k miles this month, and I'm going to qualify for EXP status at the end of this month based upon Q-Points. (my account reflects 1.5 Q-pts per Q-mile at this point in time). I'm planning on switching to BA as soon as I get EXP, but your post was intriguing. Can you elaborate on the service you're alluding to, or even tell me that I don't qualify

Cheers !
Ben

vasantn

This is one of the very few areas where DL's program outshines AA's. For status miles over 100,000, DL gives you additional PMUs (analogous to VIPs) or other benefits such as status for a family member or friend.

clacko

in my situation, i continue on the a/l because of the benefits of status [ug's,double mi's,quick resolution of problems]...all my travel is liesure & paid for with after tax $s on low fares mostly [would like some to be lower!].

it would make no sense for me to try for status on another carrier, though i do use some when i have to & have multiple mile earning cc's. ocasionaly, award tickets are nice in business on other a/ls.