nigelloring

How much did this cost? And are you planning to do a lot of oneworld travel in 2010, or is this just to get a shiny card?

SNA_Flyer

That is a good point, and whether a modification to their systems could be made during the time (or requiring double q-points) to do this during the bonus period is unknown.

On the other hand, they are almost giving status away now, so I guess it really wouldn't matter how you get it.

IntFF

Do the double miles apply to "miles towards stickers" ?

mvoight

No.

gemac

Being discussed in this thread.

BrianV

AA sent me a 15% off coupon I plan on using for some future travel. The Ts and Cs of DBLEQM say valid on any published fare.

I'm hesitant to use the coupon since technically the fare would no longer be a "published" fare. Does anyone have any experience with this?

StrandedinSC

SGN

HAN

Both have decent prices right now.

3544quebec

Of course I didn't do it just to get a shiny card - what sort of idiot do you take me for? I did it to keep my shiny card

Cost was $3000 - kind of expensive but all the AA operated flights will be in Business or First courtesy of my remaining eVIPs/comp upgrades and with the 50000 mile elite bonus for passing 125000 EQMs the trip will yield 130000 redeemable miles. And the ticket is fully flexible/reroutable/cancellable without penalty. Now I just have to survive the QF-operated flights - anyone know a doctor who will provide me with some propofol?

SocietyFlyGirl

While all you are crying over the dilution, I will again state that IME AA is keeping one EXP (ME!) from losing EXP status. I was almost 30000 miles away from requalifying, had no tixs booked for the fall and given the state of my industry was seriously considering not doing the personal MRs to requalify. If my status dropped, I just don't think I would be as wedded to AA. Beyond the additional revenue this brings to AA (I booked $600 as soon as I got the DEQM announcement), I am more likely to fly AA for more miles next year to retain EXP for 2012 than if I was a PLAT. I think AA also knows this (and that's why it has soft landings) and has done this promotion thinking of future 2011 bookings beyond just bookings this fall.

You just don't have as much loyalty to AA at the lower levels of status.

I also have not had any difficulty using my EVIPs this year although YMMV.

Surgee

Maybe this has already been discussed, so please forgive me if so...
Doesn't this sort of promo seem short sighted on AA's part. I mean, don't they end up losing a lot more next year when all these people are PLT and EXP who wouldn't normally have it and would have to pay for the bonuses they'll get for free. Sure, we'll rush to fly now, but it seems like all of the DEQMs (United et al) are going to catch up to them eventually?

SNA_Flyer

Sorry to hear your industry isn't doing so hot. I went through the same thing in 2001 when my industry imploded (technology). I didn't fly enough to keep EXP that year, and dropped to PLT, then GLD the next year (would have been GLD immediately if it wasn't for the soft landing). They didn't do anything back then to try to keep people, but I've made it back to EXP for the past three years (the hard way).

We will never know AA's financial decisions and projections for doing this, and I do hope it works out financially for them. I'm just disappointed that there could be a major influx of people into the system next year (again a fact that people here on FT will never know) that will un-naturally swell the top tier.

StrandedinSC

A Plat makes EXP. What does this actually COST AA?

The same number of F and J seats still fly. They just get asssigned differently now.

They get OW First lounges instead of Business. Does AA actually pay more for these lounges?

The miles bonus is the same 100%, so no more reward travel to bankroll.

Assuming the prices paid for lounge use are the same, what additional cash expense does this cost AA other than mailing a shiny black card?

StrandedinSC

Also, to those who are talkign about people doing 50,000 EQM's in MR's to take advantage of this... how many of them will there be, 50, maybe?

I'm sitting in the NRT JL F lounge right now, and loking around, I see almost that many EXP tags. I wonder what the count would be if I could see those people who, like me, don't put them on our luggage...

I was talking to a woman SGN-NRT a couple hours ago, who my my at-seat math, would gho form GLD to PLAT just be signing up for this promo. She didn't care a lick. Welcome to most of the semi-frequent flying public.

wandering_fred

Well I haven't made up my mind yet - though I did sign up for both promos.

Pre-promo I would probably have ended up with 51K EQM and 57K EQP.

Add 18K EQM additional for the promo....... based on booked tickets.
So is it worth the PER/SIN-NRT-USA round trip? Ask me about 15 Dec.
It may be more of a time issue than $$

FRed

aktchi

Well, any promotion, any sale would be short-sighted if you think that business could have received more revenue without it. But that's not why we have an economy almost entirely driven by holiday sales.

AA is doing this promo to make people buy more tickets. They are giving nothing tangible in return - just a number on your screen. Contractually, legally, they even own that number and control the value of those miles completely.

As to those who bemoan that this is devaluing elite status, I am shocked, shocked, shocked! Are you aware of any aspect of air-travel that has not been devalued?

Remember, first they came for non-elite passengers and economy seats, and we didn't say anything because we were elite and occasionally upgraded...

PS. I just booked an ORD-Sin run.