pakalolo

I called in a few weeks ago -- have enough travel booked to make the PLT challenge easily -- and the AAgent wouldn't budge on giving me GLD -- not at the beginning, nor part way through. Don't bank on it. I suppose I could have hung up and called back until I found an AAgent willing to accommodate but I didn't care that much. I kept the $200 and I'll just have GLD soon enough.

Microwave

Since the entire challenge is unpublished, I wouldn't bank on any of it. FWIW, Mrs. Microwave recently took her business from a competing airline (where she was a middle-tier frequent flyer) to AA so she could start earning stickers instead of me buying and spending them on her behalf all the time. When we asked whether ACS could comp Gold during her Platinum challenge, it was no problem at all. She did offer to send a copy of her card and mileage statement from the other airline; the AAgent didn't take her up on the offer, but having made it probably didn't hurt. Getting Gold was very useful, as she earned 8 stickers during her challenge, was able to get through security and board early, and earned an extra 5,000ish miles in the process. YMMV for sure in this case.

kaylla334

I'm right in the middle of ditching AC and their ridiculous fuel surcharges, and since I was giving all my non-AC business to AA, I thought ''Hey, let's go AA'' lol

I've stumbled on this challenge thing this weekend and I've been reading everything trying to find what the catch is...and failing to find it?

Why would anyone huff and puff it trying to collect 25k or 50k points/miles for status when you can get it for 5K or 10K?

Once you've shortcut your way to status, then you still get the 25% or 100% elite bonus mileage, right? So even if you can only do the challenge once, then the next year you only have to fly 12.5k/25k to get gold/platinum?

britenbsas

The challenge is a shortcut to getting the status. Once there, you need to maintain it by flying the requisite number of miles - you can't keep on challenging.

Although you will get the 25%/100% elite status bonus miles the same as if you'd earned your status the regular way, like all bonus miles they are redeemable but are not elite qualifying miles (EQMs). You will still need to fly 25000 or 50000 miles in a qualifying year to maintain your Gold or Platinum status

miamigrad

You would have to re-qualify in the normal way after receiving status due to challenge.

dnotarangelo

Long time lurker, first time poster here!

Called about the challenge, the agent explained it all to me (listened quietly), mentioned I was a 1k on UA (only really a Premier) and she said she would kick me up to Gold right now while doing the Platinum challenge, and the fee was $180....

Good luck - YMMV! ^

JY1024

Welcome to the posting side of FlyerTalk and the AA forum, dnotarangelo!

Thanks for sharing your data point with the community. ^ Good luck with your PLT challenge, and happy travels!

britenbsas

"Mentioned"? I think you mean "lied"

adamplane

Hello all,

I'm relatively new to FT and have a trip booked in late June that I would like to use to meet a platinum challenge. I've read through the FAQ, and just wanted to verify that this trip alone will allow me to meet the 10,000 EQP requirement; I am currently Gold with AA. I am planning to start the challenge on June 16 in order to earn status for all of 2012 plus 2 months of 2013. First off, I want to make sure that a ticket that I have already booked can be used for a challenge (i.e. signing up for a challenge after booking the ticket). These are the flights for late June / early July:

CMI - ORD (V) 625 EQP
ORD - HNL (V) 4243*1.25 EQP
HNL - LIH (V) 625 EQP (Hawaiian codeshare, booked as AA7902)
LIH - LAX (V) 2615*1.25 EQP
LAX - DFW (V) 1235*1.25 EQP
DFW - CMI (V) 693*1.25 EQP

TOTAL EQP: 12232

A verification of from someone who is much more familiar would be greatly appreciated, as I'm still learning the ropes and don't want to miss something obvious - thanks!

geclub1

I assume your fare is V class, which only earns you 100% EQP. So your 25% Gold bonus miles do not count for EQP purposes.

JY1024

Welcome to FlyerTalk and the AA forum, adamplane! As you've noticed, your thread has been folded into the Challenge Help Desk thread. For future reference, here's the thread/post about other helpful "Help Desk" threads we have on this forum: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ts-awards.html Thanks for your cooperation! /Moderator

JY1024

As geclub1 already pointed out, V earns 1.0 EQP per mile. (Here's the Inventory Class table along with the # of EQP earned: http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index...ility_%28AA%29) For the purposes of the Platinum Challenge, you're focused on elite qualifying POINTS. Your status bonus as a Gold only earns you extra REDEEMABLE miles, which unfortunately has no bearing on any of the elite qualifying metrics (segments, miles, points).

Based on your current itinerary, I get 9,786 points (which factors in the 500-minimum EQP you earn as an elite member). Leaves you short just a little bit...

(EQP isn't the most intuitive metric for someone who's new to a Challenge or to the AAdvantage program. I remember when I was a "newbie," I referred heavily to the wiki page here: http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index...lenge_%28AA%29)

adamplane

Thanks for the quick replies and the information geclub1 and JY1024! 9,786 is so close, I'm pretty sure I'll fly those remaining 214 miles sometime in the rest of those three months-great excuse for another trip!

Just to make sure, I can sign up for a challenge to be used on tickets already purchased, correct?

johndeere19

Yes.

adamplane

Great! Thanks!