pswong3

Hi all, I am a newbie here.
If I sign up for PLT challenge now (May 09) and make it, when will the PLT status expire?
Phil.

oklAAhoma

Upon completion, a challenge started in May 2009 will earn status through February 2010.

Panamajon513

Phil,

If you can push your challenge off till after June 15, your PLT status will take you through to 2011.

vu0219

Need some help please

I am going to Vietnam in August and want to take the Platinum Challenge. Need some input on the best way to complete the challenge.
So far, I got:

Route will be DFW - NRT - SGN = 6,400 + 2,700 = 9,100 for departure trip.

Since I would cross the 10,000 points threshold on the return trip, I would get 100% bonus on the 9,100, which in total I would get 27,300 miles all together right?

OR,

Sign up for the Gold Challenge, then book an N class ticket (this would save me $100), I would get 4,550 on the departure trip. On the return trip, I would cross the 5,000 threshold, the 25% bonus kicks in, which gives me 5,687 points instead of 4,550 points. So 4,550 + 5687 = 10,237. Then I can request to upgrade to Platinum Challenge and acquire the status?

But then I would lose 17,000 miles for a lousy saving of $100? Or rather $50 after paying the upgrade fee to Platinum.

Am I correct with my calculations? Any input greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Snozzy

I think your calculations are correct, but can I ask why you are even considering a gold challenge? The plt challenge sure seems like a better deal to me.

Edited: Oops. I should have paid closer attention. Your math calculations are correct but you have figured points when you should be figuring miles. Those bonuses don't apply to points.

vu0219

You are right. I don't think I will go with the Gold Challenge. Just some calculations

Do you know how long for the qualification points to post to account so I can take advantage of the new status? Reason being:

I am thinking of doing a cheap mileage run ~1000 points before my trip to VN. That way I will reach the Platinum status at the end of departure trip. I'll be staying in VN for 3 weeks. On the return trip, I can try to use Platinum status to see if I can snatch an upgrade.

Thank you.

minerj6

Newbie here, but I think the bonus does not apply to elite qualifying points, only to bulk miles. So you would be left with 9,100 EQP with the N class ticket, still short of PLT.

SFO777

minerj6 is correct. No elite bonuses on the challenge. It is strictly a fare-based point system.

AAP8riot

You're only short 900 miles for the flight to SGN...that's easy to remedy.

Since you're not leaving until August, you could always book a quick mini-MR from DFW-STL-DFW (550 miles x 2 = 1100 miles) right before your trip. That way, you would hit your 10K mark on your trip from NRT-SGN, giving you a 100% bonus for that segment.

After that, simply call the AAdvantage Help Desk and have them "refresh" your itinerary to reflect your newly obtained Platinum status, which can then be used for your flight(s) home (lounge access, etc.).

Just a thought.

vu0219

The DFW-STL-DFW route will get enough points if I fly H K L M V W code. But they are expensive. Any other route that you can recommend?

Also, let say once I got PLT, will the 100% bonus miles works on the deep discounted coach such as G N Q S?

Thank you again for your help!

SFO777

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mileage-run-deals-372/

Yes

yessam1277

December 2006 I reached 25k miles for the year and got my first AAdvantage status Gold member. Valid till Feb 2008

August 2007 I enrolled in AAdavantage Platinum challenge and completed it. Got my platinum status valid till Feb 2009.

December 2008, reached 50k miles and renewed my Plt status till Feb 2010.

Now in 2009, I won't be reaching 50k or anything near that. I want to keep PLT at all cost. What are my options?
- Can I challenge again? (2 years after my first challenge?)
- Can I pay to renew it? (Where, how, how much and when?)

If I can challenge and/or pay to keep it, how many times is this allowed?

Thanks

SFO777

If the current policy stays the same, AA will give you a chance to buy your PLT status for another year.
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...RL&title=elite

You can challenge again and again, but each time only after you've lost your status.

shannon94188

Looking for a sanity check here - thinking of flying ~6000 miles (in class L) on June 17, and then returning 9 or 10 days later (also in L class).

I should sign up for the gold challenge, which would hopefully post before that return flight so I could get the 25% bonus miles and better seats, and then call after I return to upgrade the challenge to platinum (and pay the $100 additional fee then), correct?

Looks like I pay $30 more to upgrade the challenge to Plat instead of just going Plat to begin with, but likely worth it for the bonus 25% miles and better seats.

Thank you!

jobee

I want to sign my wife up for the AA Challenge. From June 1 to June 14, we will earn 9000 points. We want to get her status until February 2011. Can we sign up for the Gold Challenge on June 1, get the 9000 points, and then call up on June 16th and "upgrade" to the Platinum Challenge and only need 1000 points for Platinum?