Dave Noble

I would hold off a while and see whether AS sticks with its current model or whether it will decide to revamp its scheme in a manner similar to AA et al

CLTUSCAPTIVE

After watching frequent flyer benefits erode for the last 20 years, this pretty much is the last straw for me. What's the point in chasing status anymore? AA fares are often 3X the fares on DL or UA out of Charlotte, depending on the destination. I am just going to take the lowest fare going forward, connection or not. Bye bye US/AA it was fun.

Jacobin777

I was merely opining of what I believe "value" is to a Platinum such as myself. I don't need to be spoken to in a condescending manner either.

Parker et.al as well as countless other management have been known to make poor business decisions.

I'm not surprised they devalued but I'm simply not happy how Platinums have gotten screwed (at least when it comes to RDM's) over compared to non-AA elites and Gold.

Without being tautological, all are being impacted and I don't see the value (at least when it comes to RDM's) between non-Advantage elites and Gold compared to Platinums.

I don't believe I can make myself any clearer.

Dave Noble

The suggestion of lowering base earnings seems to be nothing that benefits a platinum member other than a feeling superior to those getting less

It may have been interpreted as tautological, but the intent was that how does making it worse for gold/base members actually benefit a platinum member

tyr

My business travel is currently UK to USA west coast about 7-8 times a year, entirely in economy. What I value most from the FF program is anything that makes the long journey that little bit more bearable. Specifically lounge access (showers and alcohol!) and access to better seating (anything with more legroom is a big boon).

The RDM earned has always been a good bonus but its always struck me as extremely generous. I've been able to book 2 first class RTW journeys in the last couple of years, mostly on the back of O fares, it was never going to last.

These changes will actually make elite status earning a bit easier, since the occasional vacation on a J ticket will now earn a useful EQM bonus rather than the additional EQP not counting for much when most tickets were discount economy.

This year I will make EXP for the first time, partly due to a personal trip in Dec to take me over the threshold. I'm looking forward to the SWU's next year and obviously disappointed that there will be fewer in the future, but as the status will be easier to achieve it doesn't seem totally unreasonable.

Additionally earning EQM on BA will be at 0.5 rather than the 0.25 it was going to be for O fares, so that's a surprising bonus (obviously RDM stays at 0.25). Upgrading one half of a return to WTP will net an overall EQM earn rate of 100%, and normally those upgrades aren't too crazily expensive.

All in all, not great, but not the end of the world either.

Raffles longhaul

I feel I have been murdered twice by AA. ...First when they took over US Airways Dividend miles...And now with the MASSIVE DEVALUATION..
Any other dividend miles members feel the same?
Moderaters please do not move this thread...
Thanx

JonNYC

Why not?

lobo411

They say the postman always rings twice.

BStrauss3

Actually, the USAirways team took over AA.
And THAT team (Dougie et al) is the old America West team that took over USAir.

The pattern seems to be that every few years they get bored, buy a new airline and move to the new city.

JDiver

We won't move it for now; we'll close it for now, and after some housekeeping we will move it. And please do recall Messrs Parker and Kirby are at the helm of AA at this time, as they have been since the merger. :

/Moderator

Fanjet

And both are growing faster than VX. Which proves your point that if cabotage rules are lifted, it's not Emirates that will rush in. But Ryanair and easyJet.

nk15

The only group that really gets some benefit out of the new program are the current platinums, because the EQM changes make it much easier to reach EXP with pretty much the same level of flying (or maybe a tad more). So the current 75k miles a year platinum is the big winner here. Everyone else loses.

GUWonder

A subset of PLTs will indeed do better in 2016 than they did in 2015 -- but my bet is that the changes will be as intended and benefit a minority of PLTs by pushing them up to EXP status (albeit with reduced benefits compared to EXPs this year).

Padding the EXP herd? Probably, and all grooming for a culling of the herd and the herd's benefits. Even at the EXP level.

Tango

My two cents on these changes:

Mileage redemption is taking a hit.
Mileage earning is taking a hit.
Program rules are becoming very complex and that is the worst thing.
Simplicity and full transparency always trump everything else and the Advantage program is becoming needlessly complex.
Filling the back of the aircraft is just as important as selling business and first class cabins. The new program does not promote this as the people in the back of the plane will pay more attention to price, not loyalty.
American has not figured out that the most valuable customers are the ones in premium economy. British, CX and Qantas have figured this out. AA obviously is behind the curve on this.
Just wait for the 2017 enhancement (that they will announce late 2016)---a minimum spend requirement ala Delta and United.

It would have been refreshing to see AA come out with a really innovative program as they were the ones that created the frequent flyer program. What we have now is a needlessly complicated cut and paste program from Delta.

SJOGuy

My travel this past year at a PLT would have easily pushed me to EXP under the new rules. As you say, though, it won't be with quite the same benefits.