CoPay for AA Miles Upgrade to Increase 3/1/07
Dec 20, 2006, 3:44 pm
#46
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: OW/AA, DL, UA; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,936
No kidding. I guess I'm glad I shot for EXP again, and decided to do the 125K bonus eVIP thing. Of course, now there's this new incentive to "keep" it.
I would agree with others in wondering if fees for using eVIPs are a future possibility. Years ago, one would have never imagined paying these kinds of co-pays for using the miles they earned.
Dec 20, 2006, 4:55 pm
#47
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Lahaina,HI USA AA PLT 9 Million Miles+, Hyatt Courtesy Card, Avis Presidents Club, Hertz No. 1 Club Gold, Starwood Platinum,OnePass Gold Elite,+++
Posts: 478
Hmmm...
$800 HNL r/t plus 30000 miles and another $300 for guaranteed F -or-
$1330 YUP for guaranteed F -or-
$800 HNL r/t and free sticker upgrades as EXP for probable upgrade to F
Actually the decision is real easy for Plat and Gold elites: YUP
Much more difficult for EXP as 8-10 hours is a long time to be stuck in the back if in the off chance the ug doesn't come through. Although this policy shodul mean more availability for sticker upgrades.
hmmm...
For international, glad I got those EVIPs this year. Also, B w/10K ug or I fares seem like a better deal once they run out, or for those that aren't EXP.
$800 HNL r/t plus 30000 miles and another $300 for guaranteed F -or-
$1330 YUP for guaranteed F -or-
$800 HNL r/t and free sticker upgrades as EXP for probable upgrade to F
Actually the decision is real easy for Plat and Gold elites: YUP
Much more difficult for EXP as 8-10 hours is a long time to be stuck in the back if in the off chance the ug doesn't come through. Although this policy shodul mean more availability for sticker upgrades.
hmmm...
For international, glad I got those EVIPs this year. Also, B w/10K ug or I fares seem like a better deal once they run out, or for those that aren't EXP.
With both my wife and myself being EXP, we almost always get upgraded to Maui, but I'd happilly purchased a YUP if I could ever find one for less than $2,000 out of DFW!
Dec 20, 2006, 5:15 pm
#48
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 11,801
I view this the same way I viewed the original $250 copay on international u/gs. That is, this must be the resut of some market/sensitivity analysis by the counters of beans or their running dogs. Ratio of PO'd Plats v. proles who will pony up... like that. Who does AA's market research? Internal?
Dec 20, 2006, 5:35 pm
#49
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA
Programs: AA Platinum Member, (4MM+) Starwood Preferred, Marriott Rewards, Hertz Gold Plus
Posts: 107
AA Stop Nickle & Diming Us!
Dedicated and Loyal Elite members such as us pay their salaries and they shlould be thanking us and not continuing to keep nickle and diming us!
They keep taking amenties away from us and charging for almost everything!
Soon we'll be loading & un-loading our own bags and cleaning the lavs!
My wife and I have sent 4 e-mails to AA to complain about this increase.
Copay was $250 to Europe, soon $300...after that..who knows.
Will this trend ever stop?
OK, that was my venting on AA!
They keep taking amenties away from us and charging for almost everything!
Soon we'll be loading & un-loading our own bags and cleaning the lavs!
My wife and I have sent 4 e-mails to AA to complain about this increase.
Copay was $250 to Europe, soon $300...after that..who knows.
Will this trend ever stop?
OK, that was my venting on AA!
Dec 20, 2006, 5:41 pm
#50
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,137
This is AAnnoying! 
How much less in terms of service are they expecting us to take before we take our business elsewhere!! Since upgrades to Europe and Hawaii are both getting extremely expensive, it's even more likely than I'll be suffering in coach instead of upgrading. And can AAnyone claim that AA is better or just as good as others in coach? 
not for long-haul flights!
How much less in terms of service are they expecting us to take before we take our business elsewhere!! Since upgrades to Europe and Hawaii are both getting extremely expensive, it's even more likely than I'll be suffering in coach instead of upgrading. And can AAnyone claim that AA is better or just as good as others in coach? not for long-haul flights!
Dec 20, 2006, 5:42 pm
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
Dec 20, 2006, 5:43 pm
#52
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,370
YA GOTTA BE KIDDIN ME. THIS IS B-S--T!!!
Never paid the $250 one and never gonna pay the $300 one.
Don't pay the co-pay people.
Never paid the $250 one and never gonna pay the $300 one.
Don't pay the co-pay people.
Dec 20, 2006, 6:03 pm
#53
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Vancouver, WA
Programs: AA PLT 2.9MM
Posts: 113
I was Platinum in 2002,2003,2004,and 2005. Flying 3 times a year to Europe plus other flights. Then came the co pay announcement in the fall of 2004. I had already purchased a ticket to Florida in Jan 05 at the time. I have only been traveling award tickets since the copay took effect. The most revenue they get from me now is the fee they charge for phone assistance on awards. AA bean counters
Dec 20, 2006, 6:09 pm
#54
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 487
Options
To Asia, CX and now possible JL offer better service and priced than AA. They have good discounts to select markets which make the fair, miles and co-pay within 20% of a J fare. Also ... in the additional elite miles and bonuses.
Now to London we have Max jet etc for 1- 2 K. When do people who can or will pay colse consider giving up miles and status flying for money.
Dec 20, 2006, 7:06 pm
#55
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,370
At what point do elites even those on this board look at all other options??
To Asia, CX and now possible JL offer better service and priced than AA. They have good discounts to select markets which make the fair, miles and co-pay within 20% of a J fare. Also ... in the additional elite miles and bonuses.
Now to London we have Max jet etc for 1- 2 K. When do people who can or will pay colse consider giving up miles and status flying for money.
To Asia, CX and now possible JL offer better service and priced than AA. They have good discounts to select markets which make the fair, miles and co-pay within 20% of a J fare. Also ... in the additional elite miles and bonuses.
Now to London we have Max jet etc for 1- 2 K. When do people who can or will pay colse consider giving up miles and status flying for money.
Dec 20, 2006, 7:12 pm
#56
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: London (and Cayman Islands)
Programs: AA 3MM
Posts: 810
If my main route was JFK/LHR with no connections, I'd be all over MaxJet at this point.
However my main route is MIA/LHR with connections (ie AA/BA on OneWorld), and I have noticed that the since the $250 co-pay started, demand has been such for the AA J cabin on this route that it has simply got tougher and tougher to use upgrades... even with the $250 copay.
It is simply supply and demand, ladies and gents... after Mar 7, 2000 (when Nasdaq tipped 5,000, marking the end of the stock market bubble), and certainly after 9/11, it was SO easy to use miles to upgrade... I barely ever had to waitlist. Those were the days.
At some point the co-pay will get high enough that it makes sense to buy a B fare and use 20k miles rt instead of 50k miles + $600, but not quite yet.
I hope that the $300 makes it easier to get seats... but I don't think the $50 will make much difference.
As to those getting so righteous and indignant, just remember, AA has only one loyalty, and that is to their shareholders.... so why are they putting up the co-pays ? Because they can
Dat's life !
However my main route is MIA/LHR with connections (ie AA/BA on OneWorld), and I have noticed that the since the $250 co-pay started, demand has been such for the AA J cabin on this route that it has simply got tougher and tougher to use upgrades... even with the $250 copay.
It is simply supply and demand, ladies and gents... after Mar 7, 2000 (when Nasdaq tipped 5,000, marking the end of the stock market bubble), and certainly after 9/11, it was SO easy to use miles to upgrade... I barely ever had to waitlist. Those were the days.
At some point the co-pay will get high enough that it makes sense to buy a B fare and use 20k miles rt instead of 50k miles + $600, but not quite yet.
I hope that the $300 makes it easier to get seats... but I don't think the $50 will make much difference.
As to those getting so righteous and indignant, just remember, AA has only one loyalty, and that is to their shareholders.... so why are they putting up the co-pays ? Because they can
Dat's life !
Dec 20, 2006, 7:23 pm
#57
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I've never paid the co-pay and I never will. For those who collect AA miles for upgrades, ever since the co-pay went into effect, the miles became less valuable; and they'll become less valuable again with the hikes in the co-pay.
Dec 20, 2006, 7:26 pm
#58
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: NY/CHICAGO
Programs: AA Exec Plat; SPG Platinum; Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 373
I think this is really an attempt to "stick it" to the business traveler. Leisure travelers are more likely to want free tickets (e.g. 90,000 mile J to Europe) than upgrades. Business travelers will expense their coach ticket (most of us are required to buy the cheapest coach ticket when traveling) but are then stuck with 50,000 miles + $600 to upgrade. With this change, a free round-trip J ticket to Europe is 90,000 miles, whereas an upgraded coach ticket to Europe is equivalent to about 125,000 miles (using a fairly conservative conversion of $600 to miles) PLUS to base coach fare!
and, as we know, aadvantage is all about fairness.....
Dec 20, 2006, 7:29 pm
#59
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Austin
Posts: 4,629
I bet this is AA's plan to pay for the new seats.
Dec 20, 2006, 7:31 pm
#60
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: AA EXP, DL Plat, US Chairman, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IC RA
Posts: 1,436
Gosh, I can't remember the last time AA filed an O fare to Hawaii...