oneant

I will hit GLD and PLT on the same MR on 22 Sep. On my numerous flights between now and then, is there any way I could get AA to afford me the privilege of booking exit row seats, or early boarding, as I'm already ticketed WAY beyond PLT?

mvoight

You want ELITE privilege BEFORE even qualifying through a challenge?
You get credit when you fly, not when you book.
There is no guarantee that you are going to fly those trips.

Maybe I could call AA up and tell them I intend to make EXP, so they should give me the VIPs now

unitedPSbusiness

I'm curious to hear how you will do this? Perhaps you have about 20k EQMs now, am doing a platinum challenge with 11k EQMs in one r/t??

oneant

I'll hit GLD on segments and PLT through a challenge. My challenge is from Aug 16 - Nov 15. I'm trying to hit it early to maximize the dbl miles for my longer r/t's for the rest of the year.

CloudCoder

You can either call or e-mail (via AA.com) AAdvantage Customer Service. Gently ask if they know of a way you can book exit row seats now, being that you will become both GLD and PLT on 22 September, and the tickets to achieve all this and more are already bought, etc.

Don't be surprised if they say no. But you can always ask.

mvoight

Maybe I misunderstood. It sounded like you are asking about getting elite seats on the "numerous" flights you are taking before you qualify for elite status. It was an honest answer.
You would not be elite at the time, but want elite privileges on the flights you are taking to get elite status. How is this diffrent than people planning to be EXP getting free upgrades, etc before they are actually EXP

wolf539

I guess you could ask, but I sure wouldn't bet on it. Let us know what AA says!

steve32

Doubtfully, as the flights/EQM take several days to post, and until they do there is no easy way for a GA or CS to be able to confirm your crossing the threhhold.

On my first MR, I mentioned to a GA that I had just crossed the Gold Challenge threshold, and requested to be added to the upgrade list. (Not understanding yet that I hadn't hardly started accumulating the 10k miles towards earning stickers I would need for such an upgrade.)

She was most unimpressed.

A little while later, when she put out a call for volunteers to be bumped, I was the only one who went up and said that I would be willing to help her, as the next flight (AUS-DFW) an hour later would still easily make my connection home. She took my boarding pass, and I went to the side and waited. She was able to squeeze everyone aboard, then came to me and handed me an op-up to F on the same flight (as that was how she was able to squeeze everyone else in).

So I got my upgrade on a Q fare as a newly minted Gold-lite, and without stickers, but it was due to being a nice person rather than a new Gold.

Steve

oneant

Hmmmm, well, my first guess might be because I'm not asking for upgrades. If an exit row is available, it doesn't come with free drinks. Costs AA nothing.

As for the rest of you, thanks for the replies. I'll call and axe.

brp

Well, no upgrades or drinks...but you are asking to get benefits (advance booking of exit row seats) before qualifying for such. And this is very reduced "qualifying,", not even normal qualification. Perhaps a little incredulity is justified, IMO.

Cheers.

seanp7

No. You won't pre-boarding privileges as a non-elite.

JGR01

AA's tracking system is not like other airlines (I think DL has real-time tracking of miles based on when you board the aircraft using the BP reader) where miles post instantly.

Miles post in 2-4 days from flight (depends also on weekend and possibly departing location) for AA flights and varies widely for OW flights.

The 'Challenge' is not completed until the miles post.

To avoid the next question - 'I reach tier on the outbound' ... 'can I get the benefits on the return'.

Since the miles have not posted, the answer is no if in the case of the OP the trip is a MR with immediate turnaround (vs several days in destination city).

Also the completion of the Challenge may take a few more days for the new tier to hit the account as the program to check Challenges is not constantly run (may run once a week). This would further delay the OPs completion (in the computer) of the Challenge.

Since also the OP has may flights ticketed WAY beyond this Challenge, it would not hurt the OP to do the following:

1. Wait for PLT to hit their account (as evidenced by the information on aa.com for their account).
2. Call AA (the PLT line now) and indicate 'I am not PLT and these reservations were made when I had no status' and ask for them to be 'refreshed' with the new tier status. The reservation is created at a point in time and will stay based on that tier status. Tier status changes are not automatically updated to existing reservations. There have been reports that recently this may have been 'fixed' but a simple phone call really will insure that the new tier is in the PNR.
3. Go online to the newly refreshed reservations and assign yourself exit row seats or request upgrades to your heart's content.
4. Come on FT and update your signature to your new status. BTW, technically you should put that as PLT-Lite until you requalify in 2008 as a full-fledged flier.

If your next flight (not the MR on the same day) is scheduled prior to the PLT status truly 'hitting' your account, you can try calling in .. probably after the fact and get the bonus miles squared away.

Until your account reflects your status, you aint that tier.

oneant

GLD won't be through a challenge, so I'm not exactly sure how you reached the conclusion that it's "reduced 'qualifying.'"

BenjaminNYC

This may win the Greedy Frequent Flyer Award.

JDiver

No harm in asking, of course. But iirc, FF perks are rewards once you have flown, not incentives granted in advance to entice you to fly.