Oct 28, 2014, 7:12 am
Last edit by: JDiver
HELP: JUST THE FACTS / FAQs: Combined AA/US AAdvantage FFP 2014 on
PLEASE NOTE: this thread has been re dedicated for "JUST THE FACTS" in an attempt to raise the signal to noise ratio, allowing members to find germane information about the AAdvantage program (merged pre-merger AAdvantage, and Dividend Miles, now under way) program and get factual answers to your / frequently asked questions from experienced members.
REACTION DISCUSSION: Combined AA/US AAdvantage program announced Oct 2014 – opinions
Please use the thread started for impressions, opinions, reactions, feelings, concerns, etc. and keep this thread for "JUST THE FACTS" and ACTUAL REPLIES. And of course, feel free to add new facts and findings to this wiki for members' ease in finding information on the new FFP.
Thank you, the AA fora moderation team
REACTION DISCUSSION: Combined AA/US AAdvantage program announced Oct 2014 – opinions
Please use the thread started for impressions, opinions, reactions, feelings, concerns, etc. and keep this thread for "JUST THE FACTS" and ACTUAL REPLIES. And of course, feel free to add new facts and findings to this wiki for members' ease in finding information on the new FFP.
Thank you, the AA fora moderation team
AAdvantage loyalty program in 2015 - LINK
The AAdvantage program will continue to offer three elite status levels – AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum and Gold – and you’ll still have three ways to qualify with elite-qualifying miles, points and segments. On January 1, 2015, the segment qualification requirement for Executive Platinum will move to 120, and the current 100 segment threshold will continue until December 31, 2014.
Three tiers:
- Executive Platinum - 100k EQM / 100k EQP / 120 Segments
- Platinum - 50k EQM / 50k EQP / 60 Segments
- Gold - 25k EQM / 25k EQP / 30 Segments
Elite Status Benefits:
- AAdvantage elite status members receive select reciprocal benefits to enrich their travel journey when flying on US Airways.
- This includes upgrades on US Airways on the day of departure when available, First/Business Class check-in, priority through security checkpoints, priority boarding, complimentary checked bags, access to preferred seats, and priority baggage delivery for Executive Platinum and Platinum members.
- Upgrades will still be different on American and US Airways flights until we have a single reservation system at the end of 2015. For now, continue flying and enjoying reciprocal benefits and the ability to earn and redeem miles on both carriers. We’ll keep you updated as we move forward with other important integration milestones.
Million Miler Program:
- 1 Million combined miles - Lifetime Gold Status
- 2 Million combined miles - Lifetime Platinum Status
Upgrades on American: https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/AAdvantage2015/index.jsp#500mile
- All flights 500 miles and under, no stickers needed and are complimentary regardless of elite status for the elite members.
- Complimentary upgrades will be auto requested for all elite levels at booking. Non complimentary upgrades (aka those needing 500mi stickers) will have to be requested manually.
- No complimentary upgrades for Y/B fares for Gold/Platinum anymore (unless flight is 500 miles or less)
- Companion Upgrades still will require 500mi stickers to be used.
- 8 SWUs for EXP level and EXPs still will not earn 500mi stickers to use for companions.
2015 - January Updates:
- Executive Platinum and Chairman's Preferred members enjoy complimentary same-day confirmed flight changes on American, a new benefit
- Redeem all your Special Dividends by early 2015; qualification ends in December 2014
2015 - 2nd Quarter Updates:
- Move to three elite status levels in the AAdvantage program – Gold, Platinum and Executive Platinum
- Qualify for elite status based on elite-qualifying miles, segments or points
- Receive a 100% mileage bonus if you're a Dividend Miles Gold or Platinum member who becomes AAdvantage Platinum
- Redeem miles for AAnytime awards and mileage upgrade awards on both American and US Airways marketed and operated flights
- Upgrade on American marketed and operated flights before day of departure
On March 13 2015, AAdvantage sent a letter to members saying "we're on track to bring the US Airways Dividend Miles® program into the AAdvantage program within the next 30 days."
N.B. The previous thread discussing the putative, pre-announcement AAdvantage program, entitled "Speculation and discussion of what the new merged FFP might look like (consolidated)" can be found here; it has been closed and archived.
Some useful resources:
FT:Airport Terminal, Gate & Counter Changes
Link to Gary Leff's "View from the Wing" interview with AA's Suzanne Rubin
Link to TravelingBetter with JonNYC's information.
Clarifying contact from AA provided by jmachin:
We want to address all your concerns. Thank you for responding to our most recent email.
I apologize for the delay in answering. I wanted to discuss the point you raised with our executive team and get you a correct answer.
When our frequent flyer programs are combined sometime in the second quarter of 2015, if your 2014 combined elite-qualifying activity meets the requirements for AAdvantage Executive Platinum status, then your AAdvantage account will be updated with Executive Platinum status. The requirements for 2014 are 100,000 elite-qualifying miles, 100,000 elite-qualifying points, or 100 elite-qualifying segments, with at least 4 segments flown on American Airlines or US Airways.
This means that if you end 2014 with 107 elite-qualifying segments and at least 4 of those segments were American Airlines or US Airways flights, then you will receive Executive Platinum status when the programs are combined. Until that point, you will have Dividend Miles Preferred Platinum status.
Please be aware, beginning in 2015, the segment requirements will be 120 segments to re-qualify for Executive Platinum status. We look forward to having you as an AAdvantage Executive Platinum member!
Regards,
Kathleen L.
AAdvantage Customer Service
American Airlines.
I apologize for the delay in answering. I wanted to discuss the point you raised with our executive team and get you a correct answer.
When our frequent flyer programs are combined sometime in the second quarter of 2015, if your 2014 combined elite-qualifying activity meets the requirements for AAdvantage Executive Platinum status, then your AAdvantage account will be updated with Executive Platinum status. The requirements for 2014 are 100,000 elite-qualifying miles, 100,000 elite-qualifying points, or 100 elite-qualifying segments, with at least 4 segments flown on American Airlines or US Airways.
This means that if you end 2014 with 107 elite-qualifying segments and at least 4 of those segments were American Airlines or US Airways flights, then you will receive Executive Platinum status when the programs are combined. Until that point, you will have Dividend Miles Preferred Platinum status.
Please be aware, beginning in 2015, the segment requirements will be 120 segments to re-qualify for Executive Platinum status. We look forward to having you as an AAdvantage Executive Platinum member!
Regards,
Kathleen L.
AAdvantage Customer Service
American Airlines.
HELP: JUST THE FACTS / FAQs: Combined AA/US AAdvantage FFP 2014 on
Oct 28, 2014, 8:24 am
#106
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,955
Overall, not a combined devaluation, which is good for a lot of folks. I think I made the right call not trying to requalify for US Silver though. I do fly a bunch of <500mi short hauls, but don't really care about those upgrades. With stickers, I wouldn't fly enough to earn stickers for any meaningful routes, let alone clearing the upgrade.
It's 4 stickers per 10k miles flown, right? So 8 stickers if you fly 25k? 8 stickers isn't enough for a BOS-west coast upgrade (RT), so I'd be buying stickers for upgrades that still don't have a great chance to clear.
There is a clear distinction between EXP and everything else, and that's probably a good thing for a true loyalty program. If you're a 100k miler, AA is hands down where to go. 50k and under, I think I still like Alaska. 25k, definitely Alaska.
Overall (and speaking as soon-to-be-former elite, but current shareholder) I think this is the right move. No doubt this program will still be profitable for AA, but it does seem like they went the route of a loyalty program versus squeezing out every last cent. I'm still nuts for owning shares of an airline, but this kind of decision works for me.
It's 4 stickers per 10k miles flown, right? So 8 stickers if you fly 25k? 8 stickers isn't enough for a BOS-west coast upgrade (RT), so I'd be buying stickers for upgrades that still don't have a great chance to clear.
There is a clear distinction between EXP and everything else, and that's probably a good thing for a true loyalty program. If you're a 100k miler, AA is hands down where to go. 50k and under, I think I still like Alaska. 25k, definitely Alaska.
Overall (and speaking as soon-to-be-former elite, but current shareholder) I think this is the right move. No doubt this program will still be profitable for AA, but it does seem like they went the route of a loyalty program versus squeezing out every last cent. I'm still nuts for owning shares of an airline, but this kind of decision works for me.
Oct 28, 2014, 8:24 am
#107
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Palm Beach/ New England
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, DL GM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,382
They are doing it in 2014 for 2015 Year. See examples in
http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ac...atch-email.jsp
http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ac...atch-email.jsp
Oct 28, 2014, 8:25 am
#108
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Should we be concerned ?
Oct 28, 2014, 8:25 am
#109
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,955
Sounds that way to me. On the other hand, I hope that means that the 40k off peak RT to Europe will continue to exist. US does it for 35k, but the window is 6 weeks. On AA, it's 6 months.
Oct 28, 2014, 8:27 am
#112
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Starwood Platinum 50 Nights
Posts: 74
Because you get to enjoy elite benefits on those flights. If you fly other airlines based on price, then you likely don't get elite benefits.
I'd rather get faster security, early boarding, extra legroom, etc., even if additional flying doesn't get me any additional benefits.
I'd rather get faster security, early boarding, extra legroom, etc., even if additional flying doesn't get me any additional benefits.
Oct 28, 2014, 8:29 am
#113
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
Posts: 1,838
Because you get to enjoy elite benefits on those flights. If you fly other airlines based on price, then you likely don't get elite benefits.
I'd rather get faster security, early boarding, extra legroom, etc., even if additional flying doesn't get me any additional benefits.
I'd rather get faster security, early boarding, extra legroom, etc., even if additional flying doesn't get me any additional benefits.
Oct 28, 2014, 8:30 am
#114
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: apud Aëroportum
Posts: 265
Actually I think preserving both systems as they have with the 500 mile divide is a very creative and artful compromise (not words I thought I'd use for DP's American).
Oct 28, 2014, 8:30 am
#115
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
Posts: 1,838
Oct 28, 2014, 8:30 am
#116
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,172
Not sure how many true HVFs (say 30CPM and up) will be moving to AA, as they'd be missing out on serious RDMs relative to UA/DL.
Oct 28, 2014, 8:33 am
#118
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Portland
Posts: 11,572
Toward the bottom, under January 2015:
That would be a pretty amazing benefit (it's one that Alaska provides its top tier elites), but I suspect that this is just an error, and they meant to say "same day flight changes."
Complimentary confirmed flight changes for Executive Platinum members flying on American
Oct 28, 2014, 8:33 am
#119
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: AA 1.6MM EXP; UA GS; SPG LTG,Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,477
Oct 28, 2014, 8:33 am
#120
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Complimentary same-day confirmed changes on AA for EXPs. So essentially a $75 saving for current EXPs doing this since that fee will be no longer due from AA EXPs.
This is akin to what DL gives its Diamonds. Not applicable on "international" flights.
gleff on View From The Wing indicated that this round of program changes is not associated with a devaluation of the AA award chart. That's good news for me.
This is akin to what DL gives its Diamonds. Not applicable on "international" flights.
gleff on View From The Wing indicated that this round of program changes is not associated with a devaluation of the AA award chart. That's good news for me.