itchief

My wife got a Gold buy back offer for $649 today. She has been on 6 flights this year, only around 11,000 miles.

My son who has been on every flight with us for the past 4 years(he is 4) and is also GOLD has never been offered the buy back. My wife was offered the buy back for 2015. Wife and son re-qual'd for GOLD on 12/31/2014.

Passmethesickbag

...is the title of an e-mail I've just received from AA.

"Your American Airlines AAdvantage® Executive Platinum status is set to expire on February 29, 2016, and we want to offer you an opportunity to continue enjoying Executive Platinum benefits through the 2016 membership year.

Act now, and we'll extend your Executive Platinum status for only $1,199. You'll continue to enjoy exceptional benefits including upgrades, free checked bags and much more. See a full list of benefits >>

Once you purchase, we'll extend your elite status through February 2017."

Given that I have more than 95k EQM to date, and a 10k+ itinerary with AA booked in a couple of weeks, I think I'll pass. I'm not impressed with the unconditional "your status is set to expire" — I guess it's intended to make people send them the money, whether it's needed or not.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

This offer was given last year. I would assume it's based upon total YTD miles and doesn't take into consideration travel booked for the remainder of 2015. I would think most EXPs like you would just ignore the offer knowing they will hit the 100KEQMs before 12/31.

Passmethesickbag

Everybody who is on here, for sure. But I think we easily forget how clueless many other travellers, even very frequent ones, can be.

lwhite8

Hi! I'm new to the forum, and would like some advice from the experts. :-:

I received an e-mail from AA allowing me to upgrade to gold status for $499.

My status would be good from now through Feb. 2017.

Is this a good deal - especially considering the changes in the loyalty program starting next year?

I've never been elite before, and American is my airline of choice, so I am considering it.

Thanks!

eamus

For last ~5 years, I have been over 85K EQM or EQP or both, and the last two years I have received buy-up offers to EXP, which I routinely ignore. With the changes in AAdvantage earning in the second half of 2016, the calculation is now very different because you have a hard metric* by which to measure the buy-up's value: the 3 mile / $1 RDM earning increment of EXP over PLT. If I get another offer this year, I will have to plug that differential into my 2016 plans and see what pops out. I suspect I know the answer, but it is an intriguing new possibility.



* I am not saying that the other metrics like SWUs, domestic upgrades, much better priority, fee waivers etc are not separately valuable - I think they are. I am just focusing on the question of whether they is something that already tips the scale as pure economics, before having to weigh the utility of those benefits for me and my flying patterns.

nrr

I've already requalified for 2016 (over a month ago; I got congratulatory email, but NO new card). Last year I got a similar email, but had enough future bookings to cross 100K.
If the email noted by OP had Feb 2018 , I would take the offer without hesitation.

rdurlabhji

You're not gonna get much in terms of upgrades with gold. You will get increased mileage earning as well as a free checked bag, free MCE at T-24 subject to availability, free baggage, and early boarding.

Other than the MCE and mileage, these benefits can be had with an AA cobrand credit card, along with the bonus miles that come with that card (I believe the Citi card is offering 50k right now).

Seeing as you don't fly often enough to make gold this year, unless those plans are changing in the next year I wouldn't advise it.

JY1024

Welcome to FlyerTalk and the AA forum, lwhite8!

Re: whether it's a good deal...well, as you can expect, it depends. Are you familiar with the benefits of AA Gold? How much and where do you fly?

JDiver

Welcome to FlyerTalk.

Have a look at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html (link); it might help you decide.

knit-in

As said above, it depends whether it is worth it for you or not. Personally speaking, I would take it because I have some OW trips lined up in the near future and I am switching my mileage earning from BA, where I hold status, to AA, where I don't. I could use the benefits.

AtlanticX

Don't forget airport benefits of priority check-in/security, which is one of the nice things of the gold program, imho.

How many flights a year do you take with American? I'd say that if you usually fly Y and typically reach at least halfway (i.e. 15 segments and/or 12.5k miles) then go for it.

If you fly below that amount and/or mostly paid F with AA, then I'd say don't bother, and just enjoy the feeling that you're not beholden to any particular airline.

Sant

Have you looked into the Citi AAdvantage cards? Although you won't get upgrades, you will get the following:

• Your first checked bag is free for you and up to 4 traveling companions on domestic itineraries
• Group 1 Boarding on domestic flights

FWAAA

While Gold status is better than nothing, I doubt it's worth 5 bills. Do what you want but I wouldn't throw that much money away.

nlkm9

timely--I was "grounded" at work, and expect or hope to be traveling in a few months--just got an offer to either pay 1199 to keep my exp plat or pay 399 to drop down to gold...Im very tempted on the gold, its a small risk as I may not travel a lot but my gut says it will pick up again--then i will have access to all my 500 mile upgrades..
any opinions??