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What’s next

We plan to bring current Dividend Miles accounts into the AAdvantage program in 2015 (date as yet unspecified - JD). That means we will combine your award mileage balances, your Million Miler™ balances, and your elite-qualifying activity from both programs. In the meantime, continue to book travel and earn miles as you normally would. We will follow up with you when we begin the process of integrating accounts, but rest assured your miles and elite status are safe as we work to combine the two programs.

It will take some time to fully integrate our loyalty programs, including everything from the systems that support them to bringing our terms and conditions in line with one another. We will be sure to keep you updated as changes occur.

Speculation: New American AAdvantage FF Program Features (Discussion)

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Dec 25, 2013, 1:27 pm

#196

username

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: May 2001

Posts: 10,974

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealFan

This is something about AA which I don't like. The timing of a ticket purchase and upgrade request is what drives the order of the upgrade list.

I think DP values revenue over loyalty and this will be changed over time.

Dec 25, 2013, 1:31 pm

#197

Stripy

Join Date: Aug 2008

Programs: AA EXP

Posts: 1,714

Quote:

Originally Posted by username

Two things I wonder:

1 - Will there be soft landing like AAdvantage?
2 - Will there be a challenge program like AAdvantage or the DM Pay $200 Trial?

I don't care so much about #1 but certainly hope they have a better elite matching/fast track program than DM.

Thanks.

Good thing you don't care about #1 because it doesn't exist any more

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

Dec 25, 2013, 2:53 pm

#198

username

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: May 2001

Posts: 10,974

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stripy

Good thing you don't care about #1 because it doesn't exist any more

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

Oh good. Some 1K/GS on the UA side matched over to EXP this year and were counting on this. I stayed put as my primary focus is still UA, at least until I reach 1 MM there. Living in a US hub, it seems I should move over at one point... Probably want to wait until we know:

1 - new program details
2 - my hub is still a hub

Dec 25, 2013, 3:42 pm

#199

Segments

Join Date: Mar 2012

Location: PHL

Programs: AA ExP, Marriott Amb, National EAE, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat (RIP), US CP (RIP)

Posts: 2,379

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAH4546

Quote:

Higher tier elites still get their UDUs. Lower tier elites will see a higher success rate and actual first class service (US first is more akin to JetBlue's "Even More Space" than anything else) for a nominal fee. Fair trade off.

I respectfully disagree that I will see a higher success rate. And that is the point the US elite are trying to make. As a US Gold, I get a 75% upgrade success mainly because I fly non-Elite heavy routes and don't fly the consultant commuter rush hour. To get that on AAdvantage plan I'd be buying 4 stickers for each 700 mile trip. ($120 if I understand correctly).

For someone who travels weekly that is a big downgrade. Although you may not see US F as a "real" First class, it is a h*ll of a lot better than the MCE I'd be relegated to.

Dec 25, 2013, 4:01 pm

#200

grbauctions

Join Date: Apr 2005

Location: san clemente ca

Programs: AA,DL

Posts: 374

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stripy

Good thing you don't care about #1 because it doesn't exist any more

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

"Confirmed" well the date of that letter post was May 2013 I'm of the thinking that a lot has changed since then and Who knows what will come about..

Dec 25, 2013, 4:37 pm

#201

MAH4546

Join Date: Sep 2001

Location: los angeles, calif.

Programs: Alaska Airlines Gold MVP

Posts: 7,170

Quote:

Originally Posted by Segments

A 700 mile trip only requires $60 in stickers. If you travel off peak on non-elite heavy routes, there is no reason to believe your success rate will be less. If you don't value the first class service (a 700 mile flight on AA has hot meal service), MCE gives you just as much legroom, and it's free.

I'm Platinum. I fly primarily off-peak, all leisure, mainly trans-con on elite heavy routes. I get upgraded over 90% of the time.

Last edited by MAH4546; Dec 25, 2013 at 6:03 pm

Dec 25, 2013, 7:43 pm

#202

Segments

Join Date: Mar 2012

Location: PHL

Programs: AA ExP, Marriott Amb, National EAE, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat (RIP), US CP (RIP)

Posts: 2,379

New American AAdvantage FF Program Features (Speculation Discussion)

$60 each way is $120 RT. On a weekly basis that is a substantial up charge.

I prefer First for the seat width. In MCE I'm still trying to stagger shoulders with adjacent pax and sharing an armrest.

Dec 26, 2013, 11:10 am

#203

JoeWoodstock

Join Date: Aug 2011

Location: Austin

Programs: AA Platinum 4MM; Marriott Titanium; Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 324

Quote:

Originally Posted by Segments

$60 each way is $120 RT. On a weekly basis that is a substantial up charge.

I prefer First for the seat width. In MCE I'm still trying to stagger shoulders with adjacent pax and sharing an armrest.

If you're flying every week, there is a good chance that you would be EXP in the new AA, based on segments. That should keep you UDU for upgrades. How many segments a year do you fly now?

--woodstock

Dec 26, 2013, 2:09 pm

#204

donb25

Join Date: Jul 2005

Location: Dallas, TX

Programs: Delta SkyMiles, AA

Posts: 441

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrojanHorse

I would like to see the current three levels plus a super uber 150K level

I wonder if AA will go the way of DL with the Low/Med/High which really means

none/a few teasers/almost all

Exactly my experience on DL. Unless you want to depart on a Wednesday from US - South America and return 3 days later in the middle of off season.

Dec 26, 2013, 3:34 pm

#205

jbdk

Join Date: Sep 2008

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Programs: AA Gold, Marriott Plat

Posts: 456

AA Golds boarding with group 2...

Dec 26, 2013, 10:47 pm

#206

elitetraveler

Suspended

Join Date: Dec 2005

Posts: 9,916

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAH4546

MCE gives you just as much legroom, and it's free.

Which mainline MCE aircraft give you "just as much legroom" as First?

Jan 4, 2014, 8:38 am

#207

RealFan

Join Date: Mar 2009

Location: Midwest

Programs: UA GS, UA 1.6MM, AA LT PLT, AA 2.6MM, Intercontinental Royal Ambassador

Posts: 838

I am excited to hear if any new lifetime tiers will be added to the AAdvantage program. Does anyone think that we may hear this as early as next week?

Jan 4, 2014, 12:01 pm

#208

superweak

Join Date: Jun 2012

Location: AUS, GVA, and in between

Programs: AA EXP

Posts: 178

Quote:

Originally Posted by Segments

Agreed. It's part of the current US value proposition that elites have a reasonable chance of getting an upgrade for $0 without any shenanigans. AA MCE instead of US F is a downgrade of our experience. (And really, are we making the argument that it's the hot meal that's worth $60 per flight? If F is just MCE with extra service, then just go to the intra-European business class model already - then at least you can resize the cabin as necessary.) Fair enough, I'm CP and in any case probably my experience won't change, but that doesn't mean I want to throw lower-level US elites under the bus.

One last comment - I've never quite bought the "higher chance of clearing an upgrade that you really want" argument; presumably the upgrades that you "really want" are the upgrades that everyone else "really wants." Perhaps there's some improvement in availability on 2-3 hr flights, but will your upgrade chances significantly really improve on PHL-SFO with stickers? I doubt it. (Yes, there will be fewer upgrades on CLT-DCA, whoopee.)

Jan 4, 2014, 2:44 pm

#209

MAH4546

Join Date: Sep 2001

Location: los angeles, calif.

Programs: Alaska Airlines Gold MVP

Posts: 7,170

Quote:

Originally Posted by superweak

One last comment - I've never quite bought the "higher chance of clearing an upgrade that you really want" argument; presumably the upgrades that you "really want" are the upgrades that everyone else "really wants." Perhaps there's some improvement in availability on 2-3 hr flights, but will your upgrade chances significantly really improve on PHL-SFO with stickers? I doubt it. (Yes, there will be fewer upgrades on CLT-DCA, whoopee.)

I'm PLAT and am one fight shy of 100% in the past three years on MIALAX, an elite heavy route served with a lot of widebody/lie-flat equipment and a meal/on-board product similar to what US tries to pass off as trans-Atlantic J. I fly the route very often.

I'm also over 90% on JFKLAX, and I am 100% on BOSLAX and DCALAX.

DFWLAX is the hardest upgrade.

When companions aren't getting free upgrades, it changes things drastically.

Jan 4, 2014, 5:36 pm

#210

AAerSTL

Join Date: Aug 2008

Location: Boston, MA (BOS)

Programs: AA PLT Pro 2MM, DL Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Ambassador + LT Plat, COFC Venture X, HHonors Diamond

Posts: 5,587

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAH4546

Similar? More like far superior.