Feb 20, 2015, 11:22 am
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
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.
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 This promotion was an unpublished offer, and we've decided to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
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 This promotion was an unpublished offer, and we've decided to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
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:
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
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
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
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)
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)
Mar 21, 2014, 3:04 pm
#76
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA EXP, UA former 1K (1.9MM and gone), Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 1,111
Mar 21, 2014, 5:06 pm
#77
Join Date: May 2001
Location: TPA 50%/BKK 30%/HKG 20%
Programs: UA 1K MM - AF G – TK G – AZ Ex – Hilton D – Marriott G – IHG P
Posts: 1,990
Yes.
The UA baggage allotment has saved me quite a lot as I import by air and my sales have increased dramatically in the last two years. AA is 2 50 pound bags, right? UA is 3 x 70 and I have been using all of it.
UA's Asia partner network is better and that's where I usually am. I can count TG SG and CX.
UA ended up making me Marriott Gold, which has really been a fantastic benefit.
I have a Bangkok address, so the new PQD requirements don't apply to me.
Since I don't need domestic upgrades I can trade my 4 regional upgrades for 2 globals and I have 8 anyway, so this ended up not being an issue. I never have missed a complementary US domestic upgrade.
Now, if UA went to a completely $$ based system like Delta (and AA doesn't) I might change my mind.
The UA baggage allotment has saved me quite a lot as I import by air and my sales have increased dramatically in the last two years. AA is 2 50 pound bags, right? UA is 3 x 70 and I have been using all of it.
UA's Asia partner network is better and that's where I usually am. I can count TG SG and CX.
UA ended up making me Marriott Gold, which has really been a fantastic benefit.
I have a Bangkok address, so the new PQD requirements don't apply to me.
Since I don't need domestic upgrades I can trade my 4 regional upgrades for 2 globals and I have 8 anyway, so this ended up not being an issue. I never have missed a complementary US domestic upgrade.
Now, if UA went to a completely $$ based system like Delta (and AA doesn't) I might change my mind.
Mar 21, 2014, 8:05 pm
#78
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA EXP, UA former 1K (1.9MM and gone), Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 1,111
Yes.
The UA baggage allotment has saved me quite a lot as I import by air and my sales have increased dramatically in the last two years. AA is 2 50 pound bags, right? UA is 3 x 70 and I have been using all of it.
UA's Asia partner network is better and that's where I usually am. I can count TG SG and CX.
UA ended up making me Marriott Gold, which has really been a fantastic benefit.
I have a Bangkok address, so the new PQD requirements don't apply to me.
Since I don't need domestic upgrades I can trade my 4 regional upgrades for 2 globals and I have 8 anyway, so this ended up not being an issue. I never have missed a complementary US domestic upgrade.
Now, if UA went to a completely $$ based system like Delta (and AA doesn't) I might change my mind.
The UA baggage allotment has saved me quite a lot as I import by air and my sales have increased dramatically in the last two years. AA is 2 50 pound bags, right? UA is 3 x 70 and I have been using all of it.
UA's Asia partner network is better and that's where I usually am. I can count TG SG and CX.
UA ended up making me Marriott Gold, which has really been a fantastic benefit.
I have a Bangkok address, so the new PQD requirements don't apply to me.
Since I don't need domestic upgrades I can trade my 4 regional upgrades for 2 globals and I have 8 anyway, so this ended up not being an issue. I never have missed a complementary US domestic upgrade.
Now, if UA went to a completely $$ based system like Delta (and AA doesn't) I might change my mind.
Mar 22, 2014, 4:19 am
#79
Join Date: May 2001
Location: TPA 50%/BKK 30%/HKG 20%
Programs: UA 1K MM - AF G – TK G – AZ Ex – Hilton D – Marriott G – IHG P
Posts: 1,990
Apparently, yes. UA told me that as long as they are on the same 016 Tx as my flight to the US mainland, I get the same allowance. We'll soon see if theory works out in reality, but they told me to call in and have a note put in my record for the first few flights, just in case.
Mar 22, 2014, 11:25 am
#81
Join Date: May 2001
Location: TPA 50%/BKK 30%/HKG 20%
Programs: UA 1K MM - AF G – TK G – AZ Ex – Hilton D – Marriott G – IHG P
Posts: 1,990
Mar 27, 2014, 5:14 am
#82
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: SPG Platinum, AA Ex Plat
Posts: 262
Great to hear, I have a bunch of US travel coming up. Just wondering if I should wait till after June to do it so I could get the extra year hmmmmm
Mar 27, 2014, 6:01 am
#83
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: PBI/FLL/MIA
Programs: DL DM/2MM, MR Ambassador, National EE
Posts: 1,614
I point this out every time this statement gets made so here it is again... AA's ExP challenge is 25k points NOT 25k miles, at least it has been in the past. This trips up a lot of folks as many discount fare codes (G, Q, N, O, S) only earn .5 points per mile flown. If you fly on deeper discount tickets the challenge can be as high as 50k miles.
Mar 27, 2014, 1:30 pm
#84
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cincinnati,OH
Programs: UA PE, MR LP, Natl EE
Posts: 9
I've hit "fed up" point with UA again. The last I checked, AA was only offering a match to UA 1k's, to XP status on AA, after 25k points flown - but that was for a limited time. Thanks to a nearby project last year, I missed 1k by 13 segments, and they wouldn't grant any kind of exception, even considering the history I have with them.
What is the current state of the XP challenge at AA? I've trolled the AA.com site and can't seem to locate any page that identifies challenge terms.
What is the current state of the XP challenge at AA? I've trolled the AA.com site and can't seem to locate any page that identifies challenge terms.
Mar 27, 2014, 1:41 pm
#85
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Mar 27, 2014, 9:46 pm
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
You mean because you actually had to fly AA to get the eVIPs, you decided it wasn't worth your while? Obviously your only interest was to try to get free international upgrades with little commitment to actually move most of your business to AA. There were lots of 1Ks like yourself who ended up posting their eVIPs on Coupon Connection where they attempted to make off like thieves. Having actually flown AA to earn my eVIPs, I have no regrets about moving most of my US/international flying from UA. You don't know what you're missing...AA is so far ahead of UA in service quality on so many levels.
Mar 28, 2014, 8:10 am
#87
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
That said any "EXP challenge" is far, far more unpublished in that the vast majority of people who might ask for it will be told there's no such thing. Wouldn't be 100% accurate to call it "invite only"-- but that's a pretty good description-- compared to Gold/Plat challenge anyway.
So, the current status is; the vast majority of people who would ask for/about and EXP challenge will be offered instead a Plat challenge. Occasionally with a offer of a follow-up or pass-along (to different department) for consideration for a challenge to EXP.
Mar 31, 2014, 9:41 am
#88
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: SNA and BNA depending on work and time of year
Programs: UA Silver/ AA EXP/Hyatt Globalist/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,189
1K colleague asked for the challenge and was only offered a gold/platinum paid challenge. This person is more than 1/3 the way to renewing 1K and has met the PQD goal for the year. He's not doing it.
It seems like now the most sure fired way to get top status is through trial elite onn US Airways. It's still paid but if one flies the requisite number of miles for CP, then he will get the top status which will likely be EXP next year.
It seems like now the most sure fired way to get top status is through trial elite onn US Airways. It's still paid but if one flies the requisite number of miles for CP, then he will get the top status which will likely be EXP next year.
Mar 31, 2014, 9:50 am
#89
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
https://www.usairways.com/en-US/divi...preferred.html
EDIT to add: ah, now I see-- I see the initial trial can only be to Plat but then it specifies:
Chairman's: Fly 30,000 miles or 40 segments
Last edited by JonNYC; Mar 31, 2014 at 9:59 am
Mar 31, 2014, 9:59 am
#90
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: SNA and BNA depending on work and time of year
Programs: UA Silver/ AA EXP/Hyatt Globalist/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,189
You're sort of reading it right. You can't buy into CP right away but you can earn it in the 90 days:
Then, over the next 90 days, fly a minimum number of miles on flights operated by US Airways to keep your Preferred status through February 28, 2015.
Silver: Fly 7,500 miles or 10 segments
Gold: Fly 15,000 miles or 20 segments
Platinum: Fly 22,500 miles or 30 segments
Chairman's: Fly 30,000 miles or 40 segments
The most you can buy into for the 90 days is Platinum for $600. But you can also buy the gold and still earn Chairman's.
Only negative is only US operated flights count whereas with the AA challenge AA and US flights count. I'm just not sure that's such a negative that makes the AA one a better deal since most you'll earn is Platinum regardless of how many EQP you own. Guess it's a YMMV situation in whether or not you're going to fly the US metal.
Then, over the next 90 days, fly a minimum number of miles on flights operated by US Airways to keep your Preferred status through February 28, 2015.
Silver: Fly 7,500 miles or 10 segments
Gold: Fly 15,000 miles or 20 segments
Platinum: Fly 22,500 miles or 30 segments
Chairman's: Fly 30,000 miles or 40 segments
The most you can buy into for the 90 days is Platinum for $600. But you can also buy the gold and still earn Chairman's.
Only negative is only US operated flights count whereas with the AA challenge AA and US flights count. I'm just not sure that's such a negative that makes the AA one a better deal since most you'll earn is Platinum regardless of how many EQP you own. Guess it's a YMMV situation in whether or not you're going to fly the US metal.