AAND

Has anyone been able to / heard of anyone achieving EXP through segments or other means? I am a PLT but will fly about 120 segments this year, mostly 500-milers... I know AA is tight-fisted with EXP status, but it's strange that I could qualify for PLT twice-over in the same year with no additional benefits. Thanks for any advice you might have!

richarddd

120 segments at 500 miles each is 60,000 miles. You can't do EXP on segments unless you do 200 segments. There are a bunch of posts on the subject.

JDiver

Welcome, AAND!

Not sure why you feel that way (why someone should be awarded EXP for flying 60,000 miles that may only be because of the 500 mile miniomum, not even 60,000 "butt-in-seat"miles) - the system is set to reward frequent customers in a scalar progression. So, AFAIK, the only short cuts to EXP are to fly 100,000 miles, earn 100,000 pints, or use the "shortcut" of flying 200 segments to earn a minimum of 100,000 miles.

I think, lest you feel lonely, you will find a number of people who fly moderately and are Platinum year after year. Seniority only counts in unions. .

fly co to see the yanks

the problem is that the system is set up to rewAArd people that fly the most number of miles which could have no relation to how vAAluAAble they are or how much money they spend.

there are plenty of expensive short hops. this person flying 120 short hops on business probably spends more than someone that flies the JFK-NRT WebSAAver fAAres to pAAd his/her mileAAge total.

CO FF

FWIW: I went to our director of administration last month to "suggest" a cost-savings idea to him. Our corporate travel rules reimburse upgrades, but don't pay domestic bus/first fares (with few exceptions). We have a travel deal w/AA for discounts on refundable fares. I suggested that in negotiating for 2005 he try to reduce the discount in exchange for getting anyone from the company with over 75,000 miles to EXP status (yes, I will do over 75,000 miles!).

He said that he's tried to get EXP "perks" for years now (we do over $2.5mm/year in AA travel), and the most they would do is offer it as a benefit to our Chairman of the Board (who is a political figure, and thus one of the exceptions to the "coach only" rule) as a personal favor.

Of course, as director of administration he spends half his time on the road, and requalifies for EXP by July 1 every year...so he doesn't care!

YMMV

Spyder

Logic would dictate that fares be priced per mile flown and that mileage awarded be based on dollars spent. I mean it does cost more to fly further and you would want to reward your highest paying pax.

However, reason has no place in AA operations and marketing.

For this reason you see people earn EXP for $3000 while people spending 30K per year may struggle to make platinum.

dspringer28

Switch to delta

fly co to see the yanks

almost nothing could be farther from the truth. airline pricing has, for the most part, AAbsolutely nothing to do with distance flown. it has to due with competition and, more specifically, low-fare competition.

continental charges $450+ to fly from newark to boston because there is little competition on the route. but, you can fly from philly to boston for under $100 easily. but, philly is farther from boston than newark.

and, you can fly newark to los angeles regularly for not much more than $200 on CO because the route is competitive.

AAND

Thanks for the welcome! I enjoy reading all the posts, particularly on this part of the site.

Point taken, JDiver, but the measure for a "frequent customer" is pretty arbitrary. You could say that status should be based on flights taken, with a possible shortcut available if you take really long flights (obviously AA doesn't feel this way) - after all, I have to deal with checking, boarding, upgrading, etc. a lot more (2-4 times/wk) than someone who flies overseas once every 1-2 months.

Really though, it would seem that they should decide based on how much money you spend, since this is a revenue-generating program in the end. In this case, I would bet that my fellow short-hop customers and I would probably be competitive at the least.

Maybe they would let me give my 'second platinum' to someone else?

JDiver

flyco, I won't even pretend to be here to address logic and airline fare pricing... I don't use those kinds of drugs.

If they actually used a dollar-spent award system, such as only basing status on EQP, it might be more equitable to travelers, but then again... 120 short hops may or not make it to the finish line. And I doubt they'd ever set up a system where they said "last year, you got Platinum, so this year, sice you flew the same, we're going to upgrade you to EXP," and I think that was a goodly part of the OP's question.

Oops, I used the words "logic" and "airline fare" in the same sentence; I am so sorry!

FWAAA

If your company will reimburse upgrades, why not convince your company to pay for a couple of well-planned mileage runs to get over 100k points or miles this December? A couple of cheap LHR Saturday-Sunday no-stay turns should do it if you have over 75k miles. You land at LHR early on Sunday morning, shower at the AC and in a couple hours you're back on your return flight having breakfast. Shouldn't take more than 20 hours or so.

EDIT: oops - you are exiled to LA. Make that about 25 hours - still possible in a weekend, but will take more time than if based in NYC.

Reduce your corporate discount? Are you mad?

Convince AA to grant EXP at a reduced level in exchange for a smaller corporate discount? Clever, but I think the MR idea above has a greater chance of success.

And the VIPs you earn mean that the company can save on some J fares for international travel - you can book economy and hope for an upgrade.

I'd try to sell your boss on the mileage run idea.

r3guru

Sorry no sympathy for OP. I get nothing extra for flying 150,000 or 175,000 miles, once you've hit 100,000 you max out. Maybe he thinks he should be double plat, I think I should be double EXP.

Seriously, if your at 75,000 take a MR from east coast to Jakarta or somewhere, if you have to use purchased upgrades on your 120 segments next year a small $1,500 MR now will get you EXP and free upgrades next year, a good ROI. Except, they could change the rules, or you fly RJ's.

askworldtraveler

I'm not certain, but it would seem under the new rules every time you roll over 100,000 miles you would requalify- I've been looking for posts with this answer. Given the new rules issue the vips on the day you pass 100,000 and expire 12 months later -vs the old system where Dec 31 and Jan1 were the magic qualify dates and Feb 28 issue dates.... I'm going to post this and now call the EXP desk....

Spiff

Two words: hefty bribe

JonNYC

There is no way to earn more than 8 eSWU's per year (not including MM ones, obviously)-- if that's what you're gettin' at.