bdemaria

Details....

Did any of the other requirements change?

Did this make you change your mind regarding signing up?

jamflyer

Thats all the changes, everything else remained the same. My co-worker was not interested in signing up after he heard of the fee.

brp

It seems to be working already.

I wonder if they would waive the fee (after the fact) for someone that does the challenge as a shortcut and then qualifies "the real way" in the same year for that status.

Cheers.

AAlonghorn

it went into effect today...doesn't matter when you start the challenge...so if you call today for an october 16th challenge...the fee is in effect...if you call today for a november 1st challenge...the fee is in effect...basically the fee is there to stay...also, keep in mind that since this is an unpublished way of getting elite status changes can happen over night...and also, for those of you that enjoy the idea of buying your status one year and then challenging the next year...and continuing the cycle and never getting status on your own...you might be in for a shock very soon *smiles* --- i think American is finally trying to maximize it's elite program and weed out the bad apples...

passinginterest

I don't trust all this "speculation"

AAlonghorn

okay let me try to clear the air before misinformation get's too far...
starting today (october 15) to sign up...nonrefundable fees are as follows...if you don't make it...there is no calling and asking for your money back...
gold challenge $80
plat challenge $150
still no EP challenge

also if you go on a gold challenge and make the plat points (10k points) you can call them and pay the $70 to get your plat status...it does not work in reverse though...if you go on a plat challenge and make gold (5k points) you can call and be made gold...but you do not get the $80 back...hope that helps with the questions and rumors that i'm sure will be floating around after today

AAlonghorn

and no the fee will not be waived in this case either...you are getting the benefits before you tech. qualify for it...so you are paying for the ability to short cut...

passinginterest

I was joking about the "speculation"-- this exact information has been available for quite some time over here:
http://www.travelingbetter.com/forum...ead.php?t=2922
But some here said they didn't trust it until there was an "announcement"

justforfun

Just to set the record straight, the information was posted here, on FT, first by YenSid1222. It was then picked up by BT.

Thank you to YenSid1222 for subtly alerting us to the change so that people could sign up before the change. Thank you to AAlonghorn for providing confirmation and details.

brp

My reason for wanting this, in principle, is that the challenge is really supposed to be a way to "give status quickly" as a means to influence future patterns. A number of other airlines will simply do an immediate, free, status match for this purpose. AA has a hoop to jump through. However, if it does bring about the change, I would think it would be reasonable to refund the fee since the additional spend has been demonstrated. A challenge versus a simple match already put AA at something of a disadvantage; this just adds to it if they don't reward the behavior that they're trying to cultivate.

As others have said- thanks for the information and clarification ^

Cheers.

brp

To also set the record, the notion that there were changes coming was there long before there was anything here. Much as I don't like the way the other location is administered from the standpoint of dissent suppression, the reputation for having information early is well-deserved.

Cheers.

IMH

Perhaps the compromise will be to continue to allow (a limited number of) repeat challenges, which would keep AA less strict than those airlines doing status matches.

There's been enough posted here for us to assume that they won't allow unlimited repeat challenges, which is fine by me.

brp

I don't think that's a compromise, though. In one case we're talking about a one-time challenge and rewarding the actual goal of the challenge- measurable loyalty change- by waiving the fee. Simply reducing the number of times that people can repeat is not the same thing. I'd be fine with one-time-only challenge, or maybe after not having status for, say, 5 years as a restarter. Encouraging the actual behavior (and spend) change should have some benefit over the repeat challenger.

Cheers.

IMH

Hmm, looking at it again: you're right. The status match and challenge approaches really are quite different, and my attempt to compare aspects of them failed miserably.

I would agree that actually keeping one's part of the deal needs to be rewarded, but we need to remember that the current reward isn't to be sniffed at: status benefits (for up to two and a half years without meeting any further targets, if you time a PLT challenge right). Maybe some kind of "in kind" bonus could be added, though, roughly corresponding to the challenge fee - stickers come to mind.

We should also remember that AA is (AFAIK) unique in offering a short cut to status to people who aren't already elites with another airline (and don't have corporate travel departments with clout). I came to AA without prior status, having flown TATL on five different airlines (in all three alliances) in the year before, and being able to challenge for status was what tipped the balance in AA's favour. I think AA has done all right out of it, but so have I - and I would still think so if it had cost me $150.

supraman7

Hello...I'm new to Flyertalk and had a question.

I qualified for Platinum using the Challenge in late 2007. My status is due to expire in Feb 2009; and I have accumulated 24,937 miles this year. I am not sure if I will be able to do a MR in the next few months, so the questions I have are:

1) Do they still do exceptions where I am so close that they will give me Gold anyway for next year.

2) If I am currently Platinum but do not accumulate enough points, do they just downgrade me one level to gold or will I lose all status?

Thanks!