FewMiles

Jun 22, 2009

Good day.

For information relating to the Gold and Platinum elite status challenges, please see:

The Wiki section on the AAdvantage Elite Status Challenge.

For questions, once you have read the Wiki and the available information, please use the new Help Desk: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenges (Gold and Platinum" thread.

This thread will now be closed and "cut loose" for further perusal (it is linked to in the new "Help Desk:" thread,) but for questions relating to the Challenge, please follow the suggestions above.

/Moderator

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American Airlines rarely matches status for those requesting their status on another airline be matched. Instead, an undocumented "Status Challenge" exists under which a flier can get a "shortcut" to status. To learn more about these, read on.

We strongly recommend you first look over the AA Wiki page on the Challenge.

Be aware: this is an undocumented benefit, and as such is subject to change without notice.

Also be aware Jan 1 2009, Challenge attempts cost nonrefundable fees; and the rules for earning Elite-Qualifying Miles and Elite Qualifying Points (Challenges are based on earning the latter) have changed. See here.

DO read the Wiki page mentioned previously first.

Historical note:

This thread was originally begun by FewMiles, current Moderator of the West Jet Forum, in August of 2004. At that time, he had also constructed a pioneering website with information about the AAdvantage Challenge, still available, but superseded by a second website begun in 2005. The information on these sites continues to be of use, but there have been considerable changes since those sites were constructed and last updated.

A look at the original FewMiles sites can be informative, but also that you understand clearly their historical value - significant important information has changed. After all, it was posted Aug 1 2004, and then Plato90s stuck the thread on Aug 1, 04 at 11:00 am.

This is FewMiles’ original post, preserved for historical interest and credit; it contains working links (as of this update) to his two historic and pioneering websites, which have been used and referred to by any number of articles.

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Hello fellow AA FTers,

I've finally gotten off my butt and have started (but not yet finished) work on a revamped Unofficial Guide to American Airlines AAdvantage.

You can (view) the August 2005 updated one at: http://members.shaw.ca/fewmiles/AA/new/

Presently, the most important update is the fare codes table, but note that the last two sections of that page, which came from semi-official documentation , are out of date.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to upload further changes to the website for <some time> because of travel (gee, who'd have guessed?), so you can still find the old version at http://www.fewmiles.net/AA

A lot more to come.

Cheers,
FewMiles.
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JDiver

<Now reserved for possible future use>

anabolism

A lot of my trips are SAN-LAX-XXX and back, so I fly the 109-mile route between SAN and LAX a lot. It turns out you do get 500 points for it, at least on a 1:1 fare. However, you can't get more than 500 points, even on 1.5:1 fares.

I recently flew SAN-LAX-KOA and back on a B fare. I got the 1.5 points per mile on the LAX-KOA segments, but only 500 points on the SAN-LAX segments.

Gardyloo

You can sign up any time, it's just that the challenges start on the 1st or the 16th. You can sign up on the 3rd for a start on the previous 1st (I did), provived you're not trying to get points already credited to your account "grandfathered" into the challenge. BTW, when I did (spousal unit too) the CSR was very firm on the 90-days, not 3-months term.

Deltahater

If I sign up for the platinum challenge and fly 5,000 EQM will AA update my status to Gold right then and there and then once I complete the next 5,000 EQM update my status to Platinum or do I remain a lowly nothing until I fly the 10,000 EQMs and then get elevated to Plt all at once?

Gardyloo

No nothing till 10K points, unless you can swing a simultaneous (i.e. overlapping) double challenge. CSRs say no, but persistence is obviously a plus.

ja_user

I got grandfathered, in fact the agent suggested I do it.

Rubble

I enrolled in the Plat Challenge in June, and missed by 1400 miles when the 90 days expired this past week (Hurricanes cancelled three trips this month). Anyhow, when I called to check on my status the rep allowed me to re-enroll right then with a clean slate for another 90 days.

Another nice task that can be accomplished when you call to check your status, is that if you have the record locator for future flights they will compute how many miles you'll have if you fly as scheduled.

ramondo

Hi,
wanted to ask about qualifying for EXP? I'm APLAT now and am close to qualifying. Do you get EXP status right away or does it kick in after March 1?
thanks, Ramondo

ramondo

I will finally qualify for EXP this year. I have 90,000 points and will be flying LAX-HNL soon and in November I'll go LAX-NRT biz class. The good news is that I'll be just over 100,000 upon arrival to Tokyo. (in route to Bangkok for 2 weeks). If I qualify mid sector does the outbound portion returning to LAX count as restarting the miles towards elite qualifying? Don't they activate your EXP status right away or does it kick in after March 1st. I've been PL for a few years.
thanks, Ramondo

FewMiles

No, they don't restart your YTD qualifying miles/points until Jan 1. As soon as you hit the 100k, you will be upgraded to EXP status, though it might not show in the system for a day or two. You'll have EXP until Feb. 2006, and then come 2005, you'll be back at it to get the next 100k.

Cheers,

FewMiles..

medmanflyer

I am currently participating in the platinum challenge and have a question about the info on the unofficial site. I recently flew 5Kmiles but on a discounted Q fare which only earns 2500 points. I thought though that despite earning 2500 points, I would earn 5000 miles, both of which would count toward qualification. Is that correct? or do I only earn 2500 miles?

FewMiles

You do get 5000 miles which count toward qualification (Q-miles) but for the challenges, only Q-points matter.

FewMiles..

christep

One thing that isn't covered but I feel sure I have heard before is that you only get bounced down one level if you fail to meet the requalification criteria at the end of the year. Is this still the case?

(I have EXP, but due to a reduction in travelling I have put all my miles on CX this year to keep Diamond. I put 4 AA metal segments on AAdvantage. Will I get bounced to Plat or nothing?)

One other comment: in the fares table the references to "oneworld explorer" should be more general - they (A,D,L) are the booking classes for a number of OneWorld fares (Global Explorer, Circle Trip, etc.). Note also that the economy fare for OneWorld tickets is now L not M.

pauleeepaul

PLT, and GLD next year if you don't qualify for PLT in 2005.