STATUS FOR SALE-- *including EXP*
#151
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Plano, Texas USA
Programs: AA EXP, 8 MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,893
Originally Posted by Awal
Just a thought but I believe the nonrefundable tickets can be canceled and you will still have one year to use the funds for future flights. Then you can rebook with the prepaid card. Maybe someone with more experience can comment.
If the objective is to sell lots of these, (and otherwise why would they offer it ?), I'd think all they would have to do is make the status (and the eVIPs) good for a longer period. Even May would do it for many (yes I know about the extension and the eVIPs are not included in the extension).
#152
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Dallas, TX & Philadelphia, PA
Programs: Platinum AAdvantage, Gold HiltonHHonors, SPG, USAir, Delta Skymiles, A+ Rewards
Posts: 102
Do Prepaid Travel Cards Earn You Credit Card Points?
My credit card gives me a special benefit if I purchase airline tickets with it. They recognize the flight purchase transactions which show as flight departure and destination on my credit card statement. If I buy this prepaid travel card, my credit company will most probably consider the purchase as a regular merchandise purchase versus a flight purchase. I think the idea is great but for me this won't work for that exact reason...
#153
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Plano, Texas USA
Programs: AA EXP, 8 MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,893
[QUOTE=tokatya]My credit card gives me a special benefit if I purchase airline tickets with it. They recognize the flight purchase transactions which show as flight departure and destination on my credit card statement. If I buy this prepaid travel card, my credit company will most probably consider the purchase as a regular merchandise purchase versus a flight purchase. I think the idea is great but for me this won't work for that exact reason...[/QUOTE
Youve raised a great point in my opinion. My AX card provides travel accident insurance. I will contact them.
Youve raised a great point in my opinion. My AX card provides travel accident insurance. I will contact them.
#154
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: AA EXP, Hertz 5*, Marriott PLT
Posts: 1,092
Originally Posted by workandski
If they would make the status and the funds good for a slightly longer period I would grab this. I easily spend $10,000 a year on travel but will probably never make EXP or earn an evip in the normal course. Except for one foreign vacation a year, most of my trips are short notice, high fare, domestic flights where someone else reimburses me for the fare and I use stickers to upgrade if I can. One example: I flew LAX to Des Moines last Sunday and returned on Monday. The coach fare was around $1300. I easily do a dozen trips like that in a year. I would probably squeeze in another international vacation (or two) if I had some evips to get started with and I MIGHT be able to earn EXP the honest way if I did that. The timing on this offer is bad because I am not going to be able to travel for ten weeks this fall.
#155
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: AA EXP, Hertz 5*, Marriott PLT
Posts: 1,092
I wonder if there would be more success by marketing to companies instead of individuals?
Certainly some companies spend more than $10k on specific people. Lets say AA approaches Company xyz and says your Employee 123 spent $15k last year but never made it beyond PLT, here's an offer to prepay $10k and give them good benefits to start. Employee wins and AA wins. I'm not so sure about company winning and with Sarbanes-Oxley, this card would be another thing to keep track of when the funds are actually used versus held as an asset.
I just don't see who the target audience is for this. I'm thinking companies but how many are going to want to park funds into AA. Travel arrangements are often on the lowest price, not investing in certain airlines. If enough people buy these cards (or gift cards for that matter) AA could slightly increase prices knowing that a certain percentage of people are going to fly AA just to use the cards they have value on.
Certainly some companies spend more than $10k on specific people. Lets say AA approaches Company xyz and says your Employee 123 spent $15k last year but never made it beyond PLT, here's an offer to prepay $10k and give them good benefits to start. Employee wins and AA wins. I'm not so sure about company winning and with Sarbanes-Oxley, this card would be another thing to keep track of when the funds are actually used versus held as an asset.
I just don't see who the target audience is for this. I'm thinking companies but how many are going to want to park funds into AA. Travel arrangements are often on the lowest price, not investing in certain airlines. If enough people buy these cards (or gift cards for that matter) AA could slightly increase prices knowing that a certain percentage of people are going to fly AA just to use the cards they have value on.
#156
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 63,623
I would think the worst negative impact is on RTW ticket sales.
When you can spend the $10k for EXP status and pick your travel, the running around for RTW fares will lose incentive.
But this is a tempest in a teapot, because I doubt AA will sell enough of these cards to make a noticeable impact on mileage-EXP's.
When you can spend the $10k for EXP status and pick your travel, the running around for RTW fares will lose incentive.
But this is a tempest in a teapot, because I doubt AA will sell enough of these cards to make a noticeable impact on mileage-EXP's.
#157
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: New York City, United States.
Posts: 2,625
Is AA canabilizing rev by forgoing $300 co pay & 25K miles upgrades???
1-do other think it should have been FOUR evips as this is a prorated explat status?
2-I would have to figure that if purchasers actually requalify for ExPlatthat evips would roll over with them.
seven months is an awful short self life on VIPS.
What effect do our expert FT's think that this short term glut of VIPS will have on those desiring miles and cash upgrades?
back in the good old days upgrade were 25,000 miles.
then 25,000 miles AND $300-.
Now 25,00 miles and $300 AND you can't get it.
I would have to think that this is a PR- goodwill nightmare for AA.
If someone spends 10K and actually takes AA metal international filghts and does not clear, I can see an angry customer. I would have to figure that AA would "extend" evips one year even if the purchaser of the card did not requalify for ExPlat.
2-I would have to figure that if purchasers actually requalify for ExPlatthat evips would roll over with them.
seven months is an awful short self life on VIPS.
What effect do our expert FT's think that this short term glut of VIPS will have on those desiring miles and cash upgrades?
back in the good old days upgrade were 25,000 miles.
then 25,000 miles AND $300-.
Now 25,00 miles and $300 AND you can't get it.
I would have to think that this is a PR- goodwill nightmare for AA.
If someone spends 10K and actually takes AA metal international filghts and does not clear, I can see an angry customer. I would have to figure that AA would "extend" evips one year even if the purchaser of the card did not requalify for ExPlat.
#158
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: New York City, United States.
Posts: 2,625
good luck to NON explats trying to clear on E vips!
What effect do our expert FT's think that this short term glut of VIPS will have on those desiring miles and cash upgrades?
Hey cash is king.
So say a corporate road warrior( not a mileage runner) spends $40,000+ flying and earning ExPlat status, now his elderly parents or teenage daughter has a snowball's chance in hell of using their son's (or dad's) EVIP
Hey cash is king.
So say a corporate road warrior( not a mileage runner) spends $40,000+ flying and earning ExPlat status, now his elderly parents or teenage daughter has a snowball's chance in hell of using their son's (or dad's) EVIP
#159
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
As I've thought about this today, the extension clause makes this more palatable. Committing to $10K by Feb could be tight. But really, it's 10K by May, for the fee. If I have $2K unspent by Feb, it costs me 5% = $100 to extend that. And if the offer were a simple $100 to buy EXP for the next 7 months, I'd be all over that in a heartbeat.
#160
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,237
Originally Posted by writetorich
What effect do our expert FT's think that this short term glut of VIPS will have on those desiring miles and cash upgrades?
#161
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PIT/DFW/MEL; AA Exec. Platinum & 4MM, QF WP
Posts: 7,689
Originally Posted by Awal
Just a thought but I believe the nonrefundable tickets can be canceled and you will still have one year to use the funds for future flights. Then you can rebook with the prepaid card. Maybe someone with more experience can comment.
#162
Join Date: May 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EX PLT
Posts: 1,428
Having read this entire thread, I do feel there wil be some dilution to the EXP program. But hey, I would rather have the dilution if it means AA will be profitable.
#163
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Diamond, AA 2.5 MM, United Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,460
Originally Posted by Awal
Just a thought but I believe the nonrefundable tickets can be canceled and you will still have one year to use the funds for future flights. Then you can rebook with the prepaid card. Maybe someone with more experience can comment.
"If you use the Card to make a refundable purchase, any refund (less any applicable fees and charges) will be credited to the Account only. Your ability to obtain a refund depends on the fare rules that apply to the ticket(s) or other products or services you purchase. Please allow a minimum of 12 weeks for receipt of credit. Refunds will not be credited to your Account after it expires on February 28, 2007, unless you purchase an extension, as described below."
#164
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 262
already answered? - can i use this to buy AS tix?
i looked for the answer but couldn't find it...can I use this to buy AS tix?
#165
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Madrid, Spain & Santiago, Chile
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3,181
Originally Posted by christep
So could I buy this as a OneWorldExplorer ticket (AONE3) on AA stock using this card?
ORD-DEL(AA292)//HKG-JFK(AA6090)-ORD(AA4133)
(I know it's a valid AONE3 routing - the question is does it meet the terms as being an AA product)
ORD-DEL(AA292)//HKG-JFK(AA6090)-ORD(AA4133)
(I know it's a valid AONE3 routing - the question is does it meet the terms as being an AA product)