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
May 5, 2015, 11:24 am
#1351
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
And it's also in the AA app on the iPhone (and I assume Android) under "Contact AA". (The number there doesn't say that it's an elite line, but for me, when logged in, the number listed for "AAdvantage Desk" is 800-843-3000, the same Platinum desk number that's on my physical card and on aa.com. When I log out, the "AAdvantage Desk" number is 800-882-8880. And AA does call it the "Platinum desk", even though it's just a spot in the queue in our lowly case. 
)
)BTW, thanks for the information. ^
May 10, 2015, 4:34 pm
#1352
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
I'm not sure where to post this one, as it is being discussed in other fora and is not pertinent only to American Airlines.
The USDOT has issued an interim regulation stating, essentially, that USDOT will not enforce airlines' mistake fares.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...kes-again.html
The USDOT has issued an interim regulation stating, essentially, that USDOT will not enforce airlines' mistake fares.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...kes-again.html
Effective 8 May 2015 the US DoT will no longer enforce the requirement that airlines honor mistake fares. Citing "concern regarding how quickly mistaken fares are spread though postings on aviation and travel websites, forums, and blogs," the DoT sought comment in May 2014 about changing the rules. Even with review of those comments pending (comment period closed in September 2014) the Department has chosen a policy of "non-enforcement" effective with the issuance of the statement last Friday.
Essentially the issuance of "thousands" of mistake fare tickets before the airlines could react and plug the holes was sufficient to get their collective voice heard by the DoT and stop the game.
Read more of my analysis on the DoT stopping enforcement of mistake fare rules.
Read the official statement from the DoT.
Essentially the issuance of "thousands" of mistake fare tickets before the airlines could react and plug the holes was sufficient to get their collective voice heard by the DoT and stop the game.
Read more of my analysis on the DoT stopping enforcement of mistake fare rules.
Read the official statement from the DoT.
May 10, 2015, 6:47 pm
#1353
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 6,002
I'm not sure where to post this one, as it is being discussed in other fora and is not pertinent only to American Airlines.
The USDOT has issued an interim regulation stating, essentially, that USDOT will not enforce airlines' mistake fares.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...kes-again.html
The USDOT has issued an interim regulation stating, essentially, that USDOT will not enforce airlines' mistake fares.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...kes-again.html
...AA offers $1000 F/C fare LAX- HNL, but then decides it is too low. It was a mistake.
...AA offers $2500 Business Class DFW-HKG... real? nope, we changed our mind... mistake fare.
Maybe that is too extreme, but with DOT backing out, it seems only the airline has a say.
May 11, 2015, 1:46 pm
#1354
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,954
This would allow airlines to essentially pull any low fare as a mistake fare.
...AA offers $1000 F/C fare LAX- HNL, but then decides it is too low. It was a mistake.
...AA offers $2500 Business Class DFW-HKG... real? nope, we changed our mind... mistake fare.
Maybe that is too extreme, but with DOT backing out, it seems only the airline has a say.
...AA offers $1000 F/C fare LAX- HNL, but then decides it is too low. It was a mistake.
...AA offers $2500 Business Class DFW-HKG... real? nope, we changed our mind... mistake fare.
Maybe that is too extreme, but with DOT backing out, it seems only the airline has a say.
(1) demonstrates that the fare was a mistaken fare; and (2) reimburses all consumers who purchased a mistaken fare ticket for any reasonable, actual, and verifiable out-of-pocket expenses that were made in reliance upon the ticket purchase, in addition to refunding the purchase price of the ticket. These expenses include, but are not limited to, non-refundable hotel reservations, destination tour packages or activities, cancellation fees for non-refundable connecting air travel and visa or other international travel fees.
May 11, 2015, 2:03 pm
#1355
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 6,002
Read the policy in the thread JDiver linked to. The burden is on the airline to
And this is prosecutorial discretion while writing a new rule. I think it would be pretty hard for the airlines to demonstrate that a $1000 domestic F or $2500 international J fare was a mistake. In particular, if a comparable fare had been offered deliberately at any point in the vaguely-recent past or by a competitor (which seems likely at those prices), it would be very hard to demonstrate that it was a mistake. (Of course, that depends how the DOT interprets this in practice.) And even if they did, the requirement to make passengers whole for non-airfare expenses seems like a significant expense to the airline that would in itself be a deterrent to manipulating this enforcement directive as you suggest.
And this is prosecutorial discretion while writing a new rule. I think it would be pretty hard for the airlines to demonstrate that a $1000 domestic F or $2500 international J fare was a mistake. In particular, if a comparable fare had been offered deliberately at any point in the vaguely-recent past or by a competitor (which seems likely at those prices), it would be very hard to demonstrate that it was a mistake. (Of course, that depends how the DOT interprets this in practice.) And even if they did, the requirement to make passengers whole for non-airfare expenses seems like a significant expense to the airline that would in itself be a deterrent to manipulating this enforcement directive as you suggest.
MODERATORS - please move these posts to:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milea...ken-fares.html
May 12, 2015, 9:27 am
#1357
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
May 13, 2015, 11:37 am
#1358
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
Late reply, but it's those codeshares - they can't be requested for upgrade until check-in at T-24, until October when HP SHARES data merge into AA Sabre.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...d-threads.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...d-threads.html
May 14, 2015, 2:39 pm
#1360
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: San Francisco
Programs: HH Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 137
I apologize if this question had been asked and answered previously (I did some searching to no avail).
I did the US Airways status challenge from Dec 14 to Feb 15, and achieved Chairman's Preferred in Feb 2015 by flying 30k BIS miles with US Airways. With the integration in the Spring, I then became an AA ExPlat through Feb 2016 and received the 8 system wide upgrades. Now, what happens if/when I reach 100k total AA/US Air miles flown during calendar year 2015? I am pretty sure my ExPlat status will be extended another year (i.e., from Feb 2016 to Feb 2017). But will I be lucky enough to get 8 more SWUs to use during that additional 12 month period?
Thanks for any insight you may have.
I did the US Airways status challenge from Dec 14 to Feb 15, and achieved Chairman's Preferred in Feb 2015 by flying 30k BIS miles with US Airways. With the integration in the Spring, I then became an AA ExPlat through Feb 2016 and received the 8 system wide upgrades. Now, what happens if/when I reach 100k total AA/US Air miles flown during calendar year 2015? I am pretty sure my ExPlat status will be extended another year (i.e., from Feb 2016 to Feb 2017). But will I be lucky enough to get 8 more SWUs to use during that additional 12 month period?
Thanks for any insight you may have.
May 14, 2015, 3:22 pm
#1361
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 6,002
I apologize if this question had been asked and answered previously (I did some searching to no avail).
I did the US Airways status challenge from Dec 14 to Feb 15, and achieved Chairman's Preferred in Feb 2015 by flying 30k BIS miles with US Airways. With the integration in the Spring, I then became an AA ExPlat through Feb 2016 and received the 8 system wide upgrades. Now, what happens if/when I reach 100k total AA/US Air miles flown during calendar year 2015? I am pretty sure my ExPlat status will be extended another year (i.e., from Feb 2016 to Feb 2017). But will I be lucky enough to get 8 more SWUs to use during that additional 12 month period?
Thanks for any insight you may have.
I did the US Airways status challenge from Dec 14 to Feb 15, and achieved Chairman's Preferred in Feb 2015 by flying 30k BIS miles with US Airways. With the integration in the Spring, I then became an AA ExPlat through Feb 2016 and received the 8 system wide upgrades. Now, what happens if/when I reach 100k total AA/US Air miles flown during calendar year 2015? I am pretty sure my ExPlat status will be extended another year (i.e., from Feb 2016 to Feb 2017). But will I be lucky enough to get 8 more SWUs to use during that additional 12 month period?
Thanks for any insight you may have.
May 17, 2015, 5:17 am
#1362
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
May 20, 2015, 10:56 am
#1363
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 3
Hi i'm new to here and trying to look for a ticket for Cathay from SFo to hong kong to see how many AA miles i need. is there a way to search that? i try to put in date from sept 3 to sept 15 AA website only show there own flights and i can't find any cathay nonstop flight from SFO to hong kong. can anyone help me with this or guild me to a right way |?
thank you very much
Noob
thank you very much
Noob
May 20, 2015, 1:57 pm
#1364
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
Hi i'm new to here and trying to look for a ticket for Cathay from SFo to hong kong to see how many AA miles i need. is there a way to search that? i try to put in date from sept 3 to sept 15 AA website only show there own flights and i can't find any cathay nonstop flight from SFO to hong kong. can anyone help me with this or guild me to a right way |?
thank you very much
Noob
thank you very much
Noob
You can find the number of miles that are needed on the partner award chart.
Regarding finding Cathay flights on AA.com; AA.com only shows availability for certain carriers, CX is not one of them. You have to call AA to book CX awards. You can check for for availability by phone, or through BA's website.
Jul 14, 2015, 11:06 am
#1365
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 398
who pays $75 for same day standby?
So I got an email over the weekend saying as a platinum, after October 17, I will get, among other things:
(*
Same-day flight change
• Available for $75 per passenger
*)
with a link to page which says:
(*
For $75* you can confirm a seat or standby on a different flight as long as the alternate flight:
Has the same origin and destination
Is for the same calendar day of departure
Has eligible seats available
We continue to offer the same-day stand by option for an earlier domestic flight for select customers at no charge, and the same-day standby option is available to all customers online at aa.com.
For our Executive Platinum members, both same-day standby and confirmed flight changes are complimentary.
*)
"Select customers" above is a broken link.
The above suggests that platinums will have to pay $75 for same day standby after 10/17, but to me at least it is not clear.
The elite benefits page says that platinums (currently, I guess) get same day standby for free.
So can someone help me out with this? After 10/17, it is clear that EXPs will not have to pay for SDS or SDC; but what about SDS for the platinums or golds?
Thanks very much,
saunders111
(*
Same-day flight change
• Available for $75 per passenger
*)
with a link to page which says:
(*
For $75* you can confirm a seat or standby on a different flight as long as the alternate flight:
Has the same origin and destination
Is for the same calendar day of departure
Has eligible seats available
We continue to offer the same-day stand by option for an earlier domestic flight for select customers at no charge, and the same-day standby option is available to all customers online at aa.com.
For our Executive Platinum members, both same-day standby and confirmed flight changes are complimentary.
*)
"Select customers" above is a broken link.
The above suggests that platinums will have to pay $75 for same day standby after 10/17, but to me at least it is not clear.
The elite benefits page says that platinums (currently, I guess) get same day standby for free.
So can someone help me out with this? After 10/17, it is clear that EXPs will not have to pay for SDS or SDC; but what about SDS for the platinums or golds?
Thanks very much,
saunders111