ARCHIVE: AAdvantage Gold & Platinum Elite Status Challenges 2004 - 2011
Jun 9, 2011, 8:05 pm
#5656
Original Member, Ambassador: OneWorld Alliance
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Programs: AA ExecPlat & 3MM; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,015
Alternatively, I also need to go from LAX to TLV in July. My brother is a pilot for Delta and I was planning to just use one of the super discounted tickets he has access to (for about $500 as opposed to the lowest fare available on Orbitz for $2,000) but if I took AA's partner, El Al Airlines to Tel Aviv and booked a 1.5EQP per mile flown fare, I'd get 11,340EQP for just that one flight alone giving me all I need for Platinum. If I could pay $2,000 and get a 1.5EQP per mile flown fare for LAX to TLV, I'd do it, but is that even possible since the lowest deep discount fares showing up on Orbitz are $2,000 right now?
Good luck,
Jun 10, 2011, 2:30 am
#5657
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: London UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,044
I've only ever challenged once and have maintained at least PLT status via flying the requisite number of miles ever since.
Note that you can't keep challenging to maintain your status - the idea is that it is a (one-off) shortcut to status - there have been reports that AA is tighetening up on serial challengers, rightly so IMHO.
If you're looking to complete the challenge via one EZE-JFK round trip, make sure your fare earns 1 EQP/mile. Good luck!
Jun 10, 2011, 9:48 am
#5658
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: AA, BA
Posts: 153
I've only ever challenged once and have maintained at least PLT status via flying the requisite number of miles ever since.
Note that you can't keep challenging to maintain your status - the idea is that it is a (one-off) shortcut to status - there have been reports that AA is tighetening up on serial challengers, rightly so IMHO.
If you're looking to complete the challenge via one EZE-JFK round trip, make sure your fare earns 1 EQP/mile. Good luck!
Note that you can't keep challenging to maintain your status - the idea is that it is a (one-off) shortcut to status - there have been reports that AA is tighetening up on serial challengers, rightly so IMHO.
If you're looking to complete the challenge via one EZE-JFK round trip, make sure your fare earns 1 EQP/mile. Good luck!
Jun 10, 2011, 11:30 am
#5659
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 10
Guys, how does one find a Y, B, H, K, M, L, W, or V fare for cheap? All Y or B fares I ever see are like 5x the cost of the lowest price and the HKMLWV fares are at least double or triple. If a flight is $350, that means $2,500 for Y or B and at least $1,000 for HKMLW or V.
What gives? How do you guys do this?
I've heard about the upfairing thing where you place a reservation on hold, then call AA reservation to upfair, then book it online after it's changed. But when they upfare it, doesn't it do the same thing as if you just selected a higher fare on AA.com?
What gives? How do you guys do this?
I've heard about the upfairing thing where you place a reservation on hold, then call AA reservation to upfair, then book it online after it's changed. But when they upfare it, doesn't it do the same thing as if you just selected a higher fare on AA.com?
Jun 10, 2011, 11:54 am
#5660
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
Finding the fares is easiest with ExpertFlyer, which allows you to search for all published fares between a city pair. Upfaring (note the spelling) is done to increase EQP earn rate. Check out the stickies at the top of the AA forum, you'll find tons of good detail. Specifically, read through the Challenge page on the FlyerGuide wiki, paying special attention to the section titled Booking Flights for a Challenge.
AA's website doesn't show all published fares between city codes. They only display a small number of them, and group them into categories like "super saver" or "economy flexible". If you want a specific fare to be booked, and you want to book it through AA, you need to make a phone call.
when they upfare it, doesn't it do the same thing as if you just selected a higher fare on AA.com?
Jun 11, 2011, 2:44 am
#5661
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 10
Finding the fares is easiest with ExpertFlyer, which allows you to search for all published fares between a city pair. Upfaring (note the spelling) is done to increase EQP earn rate. Check out the stickies at the top of the AA forum, you'll find tons of good detail. Specifically, read through the Challenge page on the FlyerGuide wiki, paying special attention to the section titled Booking Flights for a Challenge.
AA's website doesn't show all published fares between city codes. They only display a small number of them, and group them into categories like "super saver" or "economy flexible". If you want a specific fare to be booked, and you want to book it through AA, you need to make a phone call.
AA's website doesn't show all published fares between city codes. They only display a small number of them, and group them into categories like "super saver" or "economy flexible". If you want a specific fare to be booked, and you want to book it through AA, you need to make a phone call.
I checked ITA's website and it only shows me prices like Orbitz would -- doesn't show prices for specific fare codes. Am I looking in the wrong spot??
Jun 11, 2011, 5:50 pm
#5662
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,452
Do the easy thing, put the flight you want to take on hold, call AA and explain that you need to the cheapest economy fare that earns 1 EQP. Have the list of codes in hand knowing that Y will be the most expensive economy ticket.
Have them force the fare that is acceptable to your reservation, have them put it on hold, go back to AA.Com and pay for it.
Since Dec 2008 I have arranged 5 PLT challenges for myself and family. I tried to doing it your way and it was just too time consuming, wound up calling each time.
Have them force the fare that is acceptable to your reservation, have them put it on hold, go back to AA.Com and pay for it.
Since Dec 2008 I have arranged 5 PLT challenges for myself and family. I tried to doing it your way and it was just too time consuming, wound up calling each time.
Jun 13, 2011, 8:36 pm
#5663
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton GLD, Marriott Plat, NEXUS/GE
Posts: 2,872
You may want to stick "c:aa+ /f bc=Y|bc=..." into your advanced routing options if you only want to fly 1:1EQP fares.
Jun 13, 2011, 9:02 pm
#5664
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Caracas
Programs: Former AA PLT/GLD, A3 *G, Priority Pass
Posts: 1,144
Nevertheless my Platinum card never arrived. I emailed AA thrice. They sent replacement 3 times to different addresses in Venezuela and they never arrived (stolen i suppose). I wanted to have my card as a souvenir in my cards collection... but it seems .... it's not my destiny
Gold card arrived in Ven back at 08. That's all my credentials hehe. So maybe its better that you stick the address US. based after all.
Jun 16, 2011, 7:11 am
#5665
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: AA PLT Pro (2MM), HH DIA, IHG PLT
Posts: 496
Completing PLT Challenge & also the regular way
I could not figure out search terms in this thread to find the answer.
I qualified for PLT under a challenge earlier this year which qualifies me for PLT through Feb 2012. I should hit the PLT threshold the regular way later this summer. Will my end date still be Feb 2012 or will it be extended to match my qualifying the regular way?
I qualified for PLT under a challenge earlier this year which qualifies me for PLT through Feb 2012. I should hit the PLT threshold the regular way later this summer. Will my end date still be Feb 2012 or will it be extended to match my qualifying the regular way?
Jun 16, 2011, 7:30 am
#5666
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Texas
Programs: AA EXP, UA Premier Plat, Alaska MVP Gold, HHonors Diamond, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 2,053
I could not figure out search terms in this thread to find the answer.
I qualified for PLT under a challenge earlier this year which qualifies me for PLT through Feb 2012. I should hit the PLT threshold the regular way later this summer. Will my end date still be Feb 2012 or will it be extended to match my qualifying the regular way?
I qualified for PLT under a challenge earlier this year which qualifies me for PLT through Feb 2012. I should hit the PLT threshold the regular way later this summer. Will my end date still be Feb 2012 or will it be extended to match my qualifying the regular way?
Jun 16, 2011, 7:37 am
#5667
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: AA PLT Pro (2MM), HH DIA, IHG PLT
Posts: 496
Jun 16, 2011, 12:35 pm
#5668
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1
I just signed up for the PLAT challenge as i'm doing LAX > BOS > LAX weekly.
Just a heads up it now costs $240.
Just a heads up it now costs $240.
Jun 17, 2011, 9:22 am
#5669
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
Jun 17, 2011, 9:56 am
#5670
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVPG 75K
Posts: 2,574
That is consistent with what is reported on the Challenge page of the FlyerGuide wiki, and hasn't changed in some time.