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-   American Airlines | AAdvantage (Pre-Consolidation with USAir) (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage-pre-consolidation-usair-445/)
-   -   AA vs CO - elite status (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage-pre-consolidation-usair/546622-aa-vs-co-elite-status.html)

oklAAhoma Apr 10, 2006 6:59 pm


Originally Posted by hhoope01
As a Platinum, if you happen to be flying on a Y or B fares, you can request complementary upgrades. IOW, you won't have to use the 500 mile upgrade coupons.

That benefit is not exclusive to PLT. All elite members may request upgrades for themselves on a paid Full-fare Economy Class (includes fares booked in Y or B, excluding military/government fares) ticket.

925 Apr 10, 2006 7:00 pm

Your upgrade chances on AA will be much higher than on CO - but you will have to pay $30 per sticker to get them.

CO packs more people in, sells out as much of FC out on discount fares as possible, occasionally gives a choice few free upgrades to high elite members, and leaves the rest hanging.

Go for a Plat challenge with or after your Gold challenge on AA, and be happy.

Fly AA J all the way Apr 10, 2006 7:01 pm


Originally Posted by oklAAhoma
That benefit is not exclusive to PLT. All members may request upgrades for themselves on a paid Full-fare Economy Class (includes fares booked in Y or B, excluding military/government fares) ticket.


Yes, but they are only free for elites. General members must buy the stickers/use ones they earned previously as an elite (as they don't expire).

hhoope01 Apr 10, 2006 7:04 pm


Originally Posted by Fly AA J all the way
Are you sure? I've never heard of this before. The only thing you get upon qualification is the appropriate mileage bonus added to the qualfying flight. Is this new? I qualfied for both GLD and PLT, and, of course got nothing, but last year I also qualified for GLD on my own, and didn't get any extras.

No, I'm not sure, that is why I mentioned that this may not be a normal benefit. Since I didn't acheive my Platinum status last year through flying, I was going off of something someone else had mentioned to me. Of course, they could have just been talking about the normal 4-500 mile coupons achieved at a 10K milestone, and I just misunderstood.

(Now I did achieve EXP status by flying, AA wouldn't comp me that level. And I did receive my eVIPs. :) )

LuckyTarget Apr 10, 2006 7:06 pm


Originally Posted by hhoope01
I pretty much flew Northwest until last year. AA status matched me to Platinum early last year, and I flew them fairly exclusively. With that said, I would add the following:

1. As a Gold/Platinum on AA, you will earn 4 500-mile upgrades for every 10K of miles flown. These can be used to upgrade on your US based flights.

Not only US. Bermuda, Bahamas, Caribbean, Central America, Mexico and Canada.


Originally Posted by hhoope01
2. I don't know if when you achieve Gold or Platinum level, one would normally receive an initial deposit of 500 mile upgrades. But when I was status matched, I did not receive any. You will have to either purchase them, as mentioned previously, or earn them through 10K miles of flying.

The sticker counter starts once you have status, not before.


Originally Posted by hhoope01
3. One thing I did receive a couple of times last year were operational upgrades on some of my international flights. Last year as a Platinum, I was upgaded on two of my Trans-Pacific flights to Narita. So that was definitely a nice unexpected perk.

You were very lucky but I would not tell newbies that this should be expected. I've been EXP for 4 years now and not 1 op-up.


Originally Posted by hhoope01
4. As a Platinum, if you happen to be flying on a Y or B fares, you can request complementary upgrades. IOW, you won't have to use the 500 mile upgrade coupons.

HTH.

Correct.

Fly AA J all the way Apr 10, 2006 7:07 pm


Originally Posted by hhoope01
No, I'm not sure, that is why I mentioned that this may not be a normal benefit. Since I didn't acheive my Platinum status last year through flying, I was going off of something someone else had mentioned to me. Of course, they could have just been talking about the normal 4-500 mile coupons achieved at a 10K milestone, and I just misunderstood.

(Now I did achieve EXP status by flying, AA wouldn't comp me that level. And I did receive my eVIPs. :) )


I mean maybe they do this for people the very first time they hit GLD with BIS miles, though nobody has ever posted such. And I'll never know (hopefully) because since I challenged for GLD a few years ago, I've alwys had status.

ijgordon Apr 10, 2006 7:18 pm


Originally Posted by Fly AA J all the way
I mean maybe they do this for people the very first time they hit GLD with BIS miles, though nobody has ever posted such. And I'll never know (hopefully) because since I challenged for GLD a few years ago, I've alwys had status.

I think they used to do this years ago, but I could be mistaken.

cbender Apr 10, 2006 7:47 pm


Originally Posted by Fly AA J all the way
I mean maybe they do this for people the very first time they hit GLD with BIS miles, though nobody has ever posted such. And I'll never know (hopefully) because since I challenged for GLD a few years ago, I've alwys had status.

I just checked my old AAdvantage statements, and they didn't do this for me when I got GLD (for the first time) last year through BIS miles. The statement dated after I got GLD shows an upgrade account balance of zero.

JonNYC Apr 10, 2006 7:49 pm


Originally Posted by NYGabriel
Just rechecked my email...it clearly states fly 5,000 miles by July 15.

Could you please cut 'n paste that e-mail? That would be great.
Could have something to do with this:
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ight=challenge
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ight=challenge

georgehf Apr 10, 2006 8:04 pm


Originally Posted by NYGabriel
Just rechecked my email...it clearly states fly 5,000 miles by July 15.

I got an e-mail like that about 4-5 years ago but it was 10,000 MILES for Platinum by March 31st. I was Gold at the time.

JonNYC may correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that they do target a few people with the MILEAGE challenge e-mail (versus the standard EQP challenge). Seems very rare though!

troyintn Apr 10, 2006 8:07 pm


Originally Posted by oklAAhoma
That benefit is not exclusive to PLT. All members may request upgrades for themselves on a paid Full-fare Economy Class (includes fares booked in Y or B, excluding military/government fares) ticket.

They charge the non elites 35- 50 bucks. Also The Y & B clear at the normal time, versus CO & NW will upgrade Y at time of purchase.

JonNYC Apr 10, 2006 8:11 pm


Originally Posted by georgehf
I got an e-mail like that about 4-5 years ago but it was 10,000 MILES for Platinum by March 31st. I was Gold at the time.

JonNYC may correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that they do target a few people with the MILEAGE challenge e-mail (versus the standard EQP challenge). Seems very rare though!

You probably know more about it than I do. I -do- definitely remember occasional targeted 5000/10000 mile (as opposed to point) targeted challenges. What I'm trying to find out is if there has been some kind of global change in the challenge process simultaneous with the change to no-repeat-challenges. It seems, circumstantially, like something has changed.

Fly AA J all the way Apr 10, 2006 8:20 pm


Originally Posted by JonNYC
What I'm trying to find out is if there has been some kind of global change in the challenge process simultaneous with the change to no-repeat-challenges. It seems, circumstantially, like something has changed.


Do we have a volunteer from somewhere who either has a base-level account, or a friend/family member with one that we can test this with by signing up? I'd volunteer, but thanks to me, all my friends/family have already successfully completed challenges, if they have AA memberships :).

21A Apr 10, 2006 8:31 pm


Originally Posted by nygabriel
Does the AA terminal at JFK or LGA have an elite (preferred) security line?


Originally Posted by vasantn
No.

Actually, yes at JFK:
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...elite+security

vasantn Apr 10, 2006 8:35 pm


Originally Posted by 21A

In theory, you are correct. But in practice, I have not seen an open elite line recently at JFK, either in T8 or T9.


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