Feb 20, 2015, 11:22 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: JDiver

American Offers United 1K Elite AA Executive Platinum Match - Challenge
Program appears suspended or ended o/a 1 Oct 2015 but later reinstated

This thread pertains to Challenges issued primarily to UA 1K Elites to move their business to AA by bestowing temporary Executive Platinum status and establishing a ninety day period during which the enrollee must fly on AA and specific airline partners to retain status beyond the Challenge period.

NOTE: It appears AA has suspended or ended this program o/a 01 Oct 2015.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyWell2009

I sent in my United 1K credentials and got this message back today after waiting 2 weeks for a reply:

Thanks for your response.

We no longer offer a challenge for United 1K members switching to
American. This promotion was an unpublished offer, and we've decided to
suspend enrollment for the time being. I'm sorry to disappoint you. We
hope that you're successful in earning your desired elite status soon.

Regards,

Andrew <redacted>
AAdvantage Customer Service
American Airlines

Others than UA 1Ks can challenge for status as described in:
Help Desk: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenge (Gold and Platinum)

For questions regarding AA Elite status, see AAdvantage Elite Status and Elite Status Benefits on aa.com.

Step #1 is to call AAdvantage Customer Service:

Quote:

U.S. or Canada AAdvantage Customer Service
1-800-882-8880
8:00 a.m. - 7 p.m. (CT) Monday - Friday
1-817-963-7882 (Fax)

From outside the U.S. and Canada you may also call 1-817-786-3796
8:00 a.m. - 7 p.m. (CT) Monday - Friday

Quote:

The process:

Call AAdvantage Customer Service for the requirements
You send AAdvantage the required documentation of your current UA status
They reply you are qualified to the match challenge and ask you to confirm that you want to enroll in the challenge, and provide some details on the requirements
You reply via email saying you wish to do the match
They send the final email describing also what your AA Executive Platinum benefits will be for the duration of the match period

Code:

November, 2013 email 

Dear Mr. AAspirant,

Thank you for your interest in making American Airlines your first
choice for all your travel needs.

We are pleased to grant you a special AAdvantage Executive Platinum®**
(oneworld® Emerald) membership, valid through February 25, 2014 (or other date). Once
your status takes effect, your membership card will be mailed within 3
to 5 weeks to the address on your account. This one-time trial offer
will afford you all of the privileges and most of the benefits of this
level, including:

Complimentary 500-Mile Upgrades (see www.aa.com/500mileupgrades)
100% mileage bonus on base miles for eligible flights
Waived AA charges for two checked bags within current size and weight
limits
PriorityAAccessSM privileges at airport check-in, security and
boarding gates

In addition, if you earn 25,000 elite-qualifying points&  by flying on
select airlines* while enjoying this special AAdvantage Executive
Platinum status, we will extend your membership through February 28,
2015 and deposit eight (8) one-way Systemwide Upgrades** into your
account. For more information about earning elite-qualifying points,
visit aa.com/elitestatus at your convenience.

We're here to help, should you have any questions related to this
limited offer. We value your business and look forward to welcoming you
aboard soon.

Kindest Regards,

XXX XXX
AAdvantage Customer Service
American Airlines

* Travel on eligible airlines includes American Airlines, American
Eagle, the AmericanConnection® carrier, US Airways, British Airways, Iberia, Japan
Airlines, Qantas, and Finnair, as well as eligible codeshare flights.
Bonus elite-qualifying points do not count toward your qualification for
this offer. You must re-qualify for AAdvantage elite status membership
annually.

**AAdvantage Executive Platinum® status received through this offer does
not automatically include the eight (8) one-way Systemwide Upgrades that
are granted upon meeting the standard qualification requirements for
this membership level. To receive this benefit, you must earn 25,000
points as noted above. Upon qualification, these upgrades will be
deposited into your account within two weeks following your qualifying
flight and will be valid for travel through February 28, 2015.

&American Airlines and US Airways flights earn from 0.5 to 1.5 Elite Qualifying Points per base / Elite Qualifying Miles. See here. The challenge is based on Points, not miles; one could fly deep discount fares and have to fly 50,000 miles to earn 25,000 points, and as few as 16,667 miles on B, Y and higher fares. Be aware: different airline partners may award fractional miles as well as fractional points for some fares, or even none for fares not listed on aa.com.

Older posts have been archived off. They can be read as follows:

ARCHIVE: AA offers UA elite status match (2012)
(full straight-on Status Match, April 2012)

and

ARCHIVE: AA offers UA Elites a status match "challenge"
(beginning May 2012, the offer becomes a status match challenge)

AA offers UA elite status match / challenge (sporadically offered)

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Sep 17, 2015, 6:27 pm

#376

JDiver

Moderator: American AAdvantage

Join Date: May 2000

Location: NorCal - SMF area

Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis

Posts: 62,948

The bonus EQP do not count for any challenge I'm aware of, and definitively not this one. The maximum taken into consideration for most challenges is the base EQP of 1.5 points.

We will merge this into the extant thread; you will see the details in the wiki.

/Moderator

Sep 22, 2015, 2:55 am

#377

darenhuang

Join Date: Jul 2013

Posts: 97

any idea on the requirement of status matching?
Hit 1K last month, tried asking for a match. Declined, only willing to offer platinum challenge.
So if I take this platinum challenge, after I meet the requirement I still need to have a total of 100,000 miles before I hit executive platinum?
Thanks

Sep 22, 2015, 1:06 pm

#378

tom911

In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jun 2000

Location: Benicia CA

Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life

Posts: 31,849

Quote:

Originally Posted by darenhuang

So if I take this platinum challenge, after I meet the requirement I still need to have a total of 100,000 miles before I hit executive platinum?
Thanks

That's correct, unless you wanted to do the alternate route of points or segments. AA doeen't discount the road to EXP for those that have done Platinum challenges.

Tom at the Augustiner Beer Hall in Salzburg, Austria tonight

Sep 23, 2015, 2:40 pm

#379

Lack

Join Date: Mar 2008

Posts: 4,859

Quote:

Originally Posted by darenhuang

I'd say maybe wait till Jan 1 so you can have a snapshot of 2015 to show to AA which seems to be what they require.

Sep 27, 2015, 10:14 pm

#380

RWY02KTM

Join Date: Dec 2004

Location: Generally PHX

Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, TG Gold, Starwood Gold, Marriott Gold

Posts: 413

UA 1K, just moved to PHX (from SIN), called AA and asked for a challenge. Agent suggested to just ask for status match and she sent an e-mail with some requirements. I sent the UA statements, the PNR for my imminent trip to SIN (on AA/JL in J), as well as a photo of my TG ROP *G card. and got EXP in about 2-3 days, plus the requirement to do 25K EQP in 3 months. I have already made the 1K for next year (i.e, upto 31-Jan-2017).

I did a trip to Asia during the process, so not sure if they'll count the entire round trip for the EQP, or only the return. The challenge start date is smack in the middle of that trip. I'll should still make the 25K EQP before my deadline.

Oct 6, 2015, 1:08 am

#381

FlyWell2009

Join Date: Apr 2009

Posts: 28

No more UA 1K AA EXP status match challenges?

Last edited by Microwave; Oct 6, 2015 at 9:56 am

Oct 6, 2015, 7:41 am

#382

reeg2

Join Date: Oct 2011

Location: DFW

Programs: AA EXP - Marriott LT Platinum - National Exec Elite

Posts: 1,112

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyWell2009

1) Near the end of the year, I wouldn't be surprised if American slows the rate of status matches as it starts to think about the next year. I'd suspect that in February, once the enrollment numbers are solid, they'd likely review your request again.

2) (non-management) Employee names are never published on FT.

Last edited by JDiver; Oct 6, 2015 at 10:43 am Reason: Redact AA employee last name / add parenthetical

Oct 6, 2015, 9:20 am

#383

AAExecPlatFlier

Join Date: Jul 2001

Programs: AA EP

Posts: 2,203

My hypothesis is that they had to cut off challenges so that they don't "straddle years" due to an upcoming change in the requirements for EP. Just a guess.

Oct 6, 2015, 9:30 am

#384

imapilotaz

Join Date: Aug 2006

Location: Dallas

Programs: AAdvantage EXP, IHG Spire, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, National Executive Elite

Posts: 1,523

It has been reported in the challenge thread that challenges are discontinued being offered effective Sep 23. AA has talked about "enhancing" the challenges. What the exactly means, nobody knows.

Oct 6, 2015, 9:37 am

#385

Often1

Suspended

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: DCA

Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL

Posts: 50,262

It makes sense for AA to cut its administrative burden as it heads into operating the merged carrier. There will be enough problems.

At that point, AA can model the next program (it likely already has multiple possibilities), and determine whether and if and on what terms in will offer challenges.

There is a risk that having absorbed the US CP's the program is out of kilter. The balance becomes how far to expand challenges and at what cost to the existing program.

Oct 6, 2015, 9:54 am

#386

TheBOSman

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2011

Location: Austin, Texas

Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!

Posts: 26,062

Quote:

Originally Posted by reeg2

2) (non-management) Employee names are never published on FT.

So alert the mods so it doesn't sit in the post for two hours by using the triangle at the lower left of the post if not on the FT app

Last edited by JDiver; Oct 6, 2015 at 10:42 am Reason: Added parenthetical correction made to original post

Oct 6, 2015, 9:57 am

#387

Microwave

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

I'm a mindreader, or at least I am for the moment.

Full name redacted from the OP and from a quote thereof. Please do not post full names of non-leadership employees. It's not permitted, and it's not cool.

~Moderator

Oct 6, 2015, 10:05 am

#388

IRISHFLYER1

Join Date: Aug 2004

Location: Dublin

Programs: Delta SKYMILES GM 1MM, BRITISH AIRWAYS GOLD, HHONOURS DIAMOND, PRIORITY PASS

Posts: 1,055

Dam!!

Had decided to switch to Oneworld after 11 years as a Delta Platinum. Booked a business return in January to MCO from Dublin which would have taken me over the 10,000 EP challenge. Could not apply before September 23 as would not have qualified in 90 days window

Also booked a BA return flight in February. NOW WHAT???????

Now

Oct 6, 2015, 10:12 am

#389

imapilotaz

Join Date: Aug 2006

Location: Dallas

Programs: AAdvantage EXP, IHG Spire, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, National Executive Elite

Posts: 1,523

Quote:

Originally Posted by IRISHFLYER1

Also booked a BA return flight in February. NOW WHAT???????

Now

Give it some time... the likelihood is that AA/US will unveil a new program before the end of the year. They want to clean out all of the current challenges before revamping it.

I personally think the challenges will become a little harder but will switch to Segments, EQMs or EQPs (similar to DL/UA). Ive said it time and again, EQPs are heavily weighted to travelers in hypercompetitive markets. The cheapest 1.0 EQP fare on DFW-LAX is a far cry cheaper than the cheapest 1.0 EQP for a captive market like FWA or EVV.

Updating the challenges to allow Segments or a higher mileage amount would make it more appealing to those not just in a major city with cheap fares.

Oct 6, 2015, 10:19 am

#390

JDiver

Moderator: American AAdvantage

Join Date: May 2000

Location: NorCal - SMF area

Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis

Posts: 62,948

AA has apparently suspended further status match / challenges for United Airlines 1Ks at this time.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...hallenges.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyWell2009