jrockway

I think you basically answered all of your own questions correctly.

You should be able to do the PLT challenge next June, as long as that program still exists next year. I booked a Europe trip a few weeks ago and e-mailed customer service yesterday about starting a PLT challenge on 8/1 (the trip starts on the 11th). It went through fine, although admittedly I already have 30,000 EQM or so this year with another 20,000 booked... so it wasn't very "risky" on their end. This just gets me PLT slightly sooner.

(One random comment, I love e-mailing customer service. They replies I get back are never form letters, always answer my question, and are polite, complete with correct word use and grammar. Reading them is a real treat in this day and age of useless "thanks for emailing customer support. we don't really care about your problem, and hope you will go away if we cut-n-paste in some irrelevant document." that I get from everyone else.)

Anyway, I think you are right about everything else. You won't pay a checked baggage fee if you are in first class. I am not sure why P isn't refundable, though.

wwta

Wirelessly posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I607/UCHA1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 6.12) UP.Link/6.3.1.17.0)

I would reccomend not contacting AAdvantage Customer Service until less than a month before you want to begin a challenge-that makes it easier on everyone.

AA Novice

I wasn't going to. I just wanted to make sure that it didn't matter if I had a reservation this far out and then called in in June to begin a challenge.

wwta

Wirelessly posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I607/UCHA1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 6.12) UP.Link/6.3.1.17.0)

No problem, as long as the challenge rules don't change.

AA Novice

Thanks!

gcsmith

I've started a challenge for myself after flying the first leg -and just did the same for my mother (slipped my mind). As long as it hasn't posted you should be good, and they are ok with backdating (say it is the 17th and you need to start on the 15th). Hope the program is still there for you.

kremedonut

Finishing the Platinum challenge next June will only get you PLT through Feb 2010. In order for your status to last until Feb 2011, you'd have to fully qualify for PLT (50K Miles/Points or 60 segments). Otherwise, you'd drop to GLD in Mar 2010.

pkerr

If you were to start the challange in July and then finish sometime after that, then you would have PLT until 2011. (That's how I did it)

wwta

Wirelessly posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I607/UCHA1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 6.12) UP.Link/6.3.1.17.06.3.1.17.0)

Any challenge starting on or after June 15/16 2009, if accomplished, will carry status through Feb 2011.

oklAAhoma

That's true, but that really has nothing to do with the question asked. The poster you quoted will not be finishing the challenge next June, he'll be starting it then.

flying chef

So...I will make platinum after 3 legs of my challenge.

Flying YYZ-LAX in G
LAX-BNE in W
MEL-LAX in Y This flight will put me over the top, since I get 1.5 for it.

LAX-YYZ in G

Am I eligible for any bonus`miles? If so, can anyone give me a rough idea as to how many miles ( status+non-status) this will get me?

As always, thanks!

jrockway

My understanding is that you get the 100% bonus miles on the leg where you qualify. So if you are at 9999 miles as you depart on the MEL-LAX leg, then you will get the bonus on that leg.

JDiver

You begin earning bonus miles as Platinum on the flight you earn it on - as you say it is MEL-LAX, in full Y, then that is when you would begin earning 100% bonus miles. This assumes you are on AA and AA codeshares, as W on QF LAX-BNE, near as I can see, earns bupkis, whether for Challenges or other.

And, in AA G you do understand you only earn a half EQ point per mile flown, yes?

To put it another way, you are on AA or AA codeshares, right? Only way to succeed at a Challenge. If so:

YYZ - LAX in AA G: ~2174 EQ Miles / 1087 EQ Points
LAX - BNE in AA W: ~7160 EQ Miles / 7160 EQ Points

MEL - LAX in AA full Y: ~7920 EQ Miles / 11880 EQ Points / 7920 100% bonus miles

Total redeemable miles = 2174+7160+(2x7920)=25174 redeemable miles (assuming I haven't fat-fingered the figures)

On any one else but AA or codeshares, zip, nada, bupkis for Challenge...

flying chef

All of my flights are AA numbers, so I guess I'm good to go. I guess my final flight, LAX-YYZ will get me 100% bonus miles too...so in the end, I could be looking at over 27K redeemable miles....life is good!

JDiver

I missed the LAX-YYZ leg because it was amazingly similar to YYZ-LAX, but yep, since it's all AA codeshares, it will earn you 100% bonus miles too. Let us know, so we can congratulate you!

We'll be in BNE, but not 'til November 23 -25 (there will be a small FT Do there, probably Nov 23.)

If you are into seafood, in BNE see if you can find Marron some place - it's a large freshwater crayfish from South Australia, up to 4 lbs worth, delicious! And for lobster tail, ask for "Moreton Bay bug."