View Poll Results: My plans for dealing with the 2016 AAdvantage changes:
I'm actually benefitting from this - good deal for me.
46
6.80%
I'm neutral - I gain some, lose some. I'll stay.
132
19.53%
I'm not happy, but stuck with AA / oneworld at this point.
176
26.04%
I'm unhappy & will use AA & other airlines opportunistically.
274
40.53%
I'm outta here! Bye, American.
48
7.10%
Voters: 676. You may not vote on this poll
AAdvantage Changes for 2016 - DISCUSSION, REACTION & POLL
Dec 2, 2015, 3:33 pm
#796
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
But I was going to take a shot at EXP in 2016— I had already booked over 30,000 EQMs in travel for 2016 (2/3 in discounted coach on BA) when the news hit. Under the new rules my BA ticket EQMs will be worth a small fraction of what they would have been worth under the rules in effect when the ticket was issued. For me, one of the most painful changes has been the loss of 100% EQM credit for discounted BA flights.
. Personally, I would write a concise letter to AA saying that this change is affecting your bookings on a joint venture partner after you made them and request 100% EQMs for the BA flights you ticketed before the announcement.I doubt AA will accede to the request, but it would be entirely reasonable in my view. At the very least, it's worth making the inarguably-justified complaint.
That said, you're losing out on ≈10,000 EQMs on the already-booked flights (2/3 of 30k is 20k, and 20k BIS miles on BA will now earn 10k EQMs). It sucks, but not the end of the world. And if BA offers paid upgrades to W, my experience this year was that they credited at the 1.5 EQP rate; I assume the same will be true for EQMs in 2015. In the future, can you book those BA flights with AA codes? Most trans-Atlantic BA flights can be booked with the AA code for the same price.
Dec 2, 2015, 7:53 pm
#797
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
Well, this response may very well be different, as
1) this was very likely due to actions BA wanted AA to take
2) this may affect routes that are not joint venture routes i.e. suppose OP has booked 2x LONHKG v.v.
1) this was very likely due to actions BA wanted AA to take
2) this may affect routes that are not joint venture routes i.e. suppose OP has booked 2x LONHKG v.v.
Dec 2, 2015, 8:28 pm
#798
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP / LT PLT / 3MM, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 35,389
You would get 110K miles if you spent $10K before taxes on AA tickets. I assume that's what you meant to say.
Dec 2, 2015, 9:44 pm
#799
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: LAX/SYD
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, AA EXP, QFF WP, HH D, SPG G, Hertz PC
Posts: 245
One of the things that confuses me is what will happen to the elite bonus and the minimum mileage guarantee on partner airlines in 2016.
I'm not sure whether this reference on the AA website means that it will go away on all flights from all airlines, or just AA marketed flights?
If the minimum mileage guarantee goes away on partner airlines, this represents a significant reduction in value for partner airlines.
Also, is the 30%/60%/120% RDM bonuses going to be applied to partner airline crediting too?
I'm not sure whether this reference on the AA website means that it will go away on all flights from all airlines, or just AA marketed flights?
Will the 500-mile minimum for elite members on all flights and for non-elite status members on shuttle flights for award miles continue to apply under this new methodology?
No, the 500-mile minimum for elite members on all eligible flights and for non-elite members on shuttle flights will be removed when the changes to award miles are implemented in second half of 2016.
No, the 500-mile minimum for elite members on all eligible flights and for non-elite members on shuttle flights will be removed when the changes to award miles are implemented in second half of 2016.
Also, is the 30%/60%/120% RDM bonuses going to be applied to partner airline crediting too?
Dec 3, 2015, 7:42 am
#800
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,535
)Thanks for the catch.
Cheers.
Dec 3, 2015, 8:57 am
#801
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NC
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver, Hertz President's Circle, etc etc
Posts: 103
My rant to AA Customer Service.......
"I recently read the email about what's new for the AAdvantage program. I don't think I've ever written to an airline to complain, but but feel compelled about the direction of things. Have to say I'm disappointed with the "benefits" and direction of the program. The second sentence of your email reads "We're evolving to build a rewarding program for all members while giving our best customers access to our most exclusive benefits."
After reading about the changes, it's all spin and I only see less rewards. I am a legacy US Air flier and have been less than thrilled about the move from US to AA. The upgrades are much worse.... Let's be honest, that's why status matters. To get the upgrade. I flew up front on US on most flights (as Gold or Plat). On AA, it's 50% if not lower. Notification about upgrades frankly sucks compared to US... I used to get email updates about upgrades days in advance. Most of the time, nothing from AA. Most of the time, if an upgrade happens it happens at the gate 10 minutes before boarding. That never, never happened on US.
One thing I was looking forward to with American was the Systemwide upgrades that were offered because US did not have those. Well, now your "more rewarding" program only gives out 4 per year instead of 8. That is not more rewarding... especially for Exec Plat fliers. AA will have some spin about this, but it really is frustrating.
And I'm sure I'm not the only loyal flier that is upset. I go out of my way to fly AA. I avoid cheaper, direct flights on Delta, Southwest and United to fly AA and hope for an upgrade and keep my status. I have left for Europe a day earlier to get a lower fare that is cheaper than United on flights to Frankfurt, otherwise I am forced to fly United by my company. That is time away from my family so I can fly my "preferred" airline. I'm really starting to wonder if it's worth it based on these "rewarding" changes to the program....
Rant over......"
"I recently read the email about what's new for the AAdvantage program. I don't think I've ever written to an airline to complain, but but feel compelled about the direction of things. Have to say I'm disappointed with the "benefits" and direction of the program. The second sentence of your email reads "We're evolving to build a rewarding program for all members while giving our best customers access to our most exclusive benefits."
After reading about the changes, it's all spin and I only see less rewards. I am a legacy US Air flier and have been less than thrilled about the move from US to AA. The upgrades are much worse.... Let's be honest, that's why status matters. To get the upgrade. I flew up front on US on most flights (as Gold or Plat). On AA, it's 50% if not lower. Notification about upgrades frankly sucks compared to US... I used to get email updates about upgrades days in advance. Most of the time, nothing from AA. Most of the time, if an upgrade happens it happens at the gate 10 minutes before boarding. That never, never happened on US.
One thing I was looking forward to with American was the Systemwide upgrades that were offered because US did not have those. Well, now your "more rewarding" program only gives out 4 per year instead of 8. That is not more rewarding... especially for Exec Plat fliers. AA will have some spin about this, but it really is frustrating.
And I'm sure I'm not the only loyal flier that is upset. I go out of my way to fly AA. I avoid cheaper, direct flights on Delta, Southwest and United to fly AA and hope for an upgrade and keep my status. I have left for Europe a day earlier to get a lower fare that is cheaper than United on flights to Frankfurt, otherwise I am forced to fly United by my company. That is time away from my family so I can fly my "preferred" airline. I'm really starting to wonder if it's worth it based on these "rewarding" changes to the program....
Rant over......"
Dec 3, 2015, 9:16 am
#802
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AADULtArer
Posts: 5,690
AA has lost most of my business going forward.
I retired young and I love to travel. AA (together with TWA until they sold their LHR operations to AA) was my primary airline of choice for the past 35 years. I have well over 3 million lifetime miles on AA. I earned EXP most recently in both 2013 and 2014 by spending $10,000 to $12,000 a year on air travel: all for leisure, almost all in discounted coach. Roughly 25% of my revenue travel in each year was not on AA but on a oneworld partner airlines where I could earn 100% EQMs, primarily BA.
I won’t earn EXP this year because (thank goodness) I made a decision to use 2015 to spend down the miles I accumulated over the prior two years. But I was going to take a shot at EXP in 2016— I had already booked over 30,000 EQMs in travel for 2016 (2/3 in discounted coach on BA) when the news hit. Under the new rules my BA ticket EQMs will be worth a small fraction of what they would have been worth under the rules in effect when the ticket was issued. For me, one of the most painful changes has been the loss of 100% EQM credit for discounted BA flights.
I earned life platinum status at least 15 years ago. The double miles that accompanied that status had been a major factor in my sustained loyalty to AA. That is now gone. Indeed, the bonus for platinum status is reduced more than for any other status category.
Even when I was working full time, I was always an aspirational flyer: by which I mean, I would put up with crummy domestic itineraries to earn international business and first class travel. I have never used miles for a domestic coach award and almost never internationally. The only reason I have suffered the steady decline in the quality of coach travel was that aspirational expectation for upgrades on long flights.
No more.
I am based in Boston which was once an AA hub. But excepting the seasonal summer service to CDG, we’ve lost the nonstops which I used to fly regularly, nonstops to: SJU, SAN, SJC, SFO, SEA, LHR, MAN, DUB. So over the past few years I have spent hundreds of hours at JFK in order to fly AA to their European destinations (and to take their domestic transcon services). This was worth it when I was earning lots of miles and had access to SWU’s for upgrades on AA metal traveling internationally. Under the new rules: no way.
I am lucky: My flying is 95% discretionary. I realize most folks aren’t in that situation. Part of what this means is that I am simply going to scale my flying way back since the effective cost structure (after giving effect to the changes in earning and redeeming AA miles) just makes it a very expensive (and hence inefficient) use of my travel dollar.
I dumped my AAdvantage Credit Card a few months ago after I realized that I was no longer getting my best value by accumulating additional AA miles. I now carry two hotel branded cards (Hilton and Hyatt) plus a Chase Sapphire. (It’s this last credit card which is my travel workhorse and which I’ve combined with a Chase Freedom card to maximize my earning of Ultimate Rewards points.)
In summary, my plans going forward are as follows:
(1) To reduce my air travel to two to three trips a year at most (one or two to Europe and one domestic);
(2) To fly AA domestically (UNLESS an alternative carrier has a price competitive nonstop versus an AA connecting flight);
(3) To fly price competitive nonstops to Europe (where-ever possible) and to avoid LHR (when-ever possible). (Excepting a possible summer trip to CDG, this means no flights on AA or BA metal out of BOS.)
I anticipate using EI for travel to the British Isles (and some of western Europe) and hope that their rumored return to oneworld actually happens. (If it does my life platinum status on AA— assuming it endures— may give me some seat selection advantages.) But Dublin— with its US customs pre-clearance— is infinitely better for connections than the out of control shopping mall called LHR. I also expect to fly LH and LX and FI, all of whom have one of more nonstops from BOS to their European hub(s).
Gone will be the opportunistic trips to Europe or the Caribbean where I would take off for three or four days because I saw a fantastic fare on AA and grabbed it. Gone will be the willingness to suffer horrible connections (either because they were too short or too long) at airports like DFW and LHR because I knew I was earning a solid amount of miles. Gone will be the mileage runs to faraway places I never would have otherwise visited because the value was too good not to go.
I have had a great time flying around the world. But only because of the upgrades and awards that I knew I was earning and often using. Now that they will be substantially diminished, I am retiring from active flying. But it was great while it lasted.
I retired young and I love to travel. AA (together with TWA until they sold their LHR operations to AA) was my primary airline of choice for the past 35 years. I have well over 3 million lifetime miles on AA. I earned EXP most recently in both 2013 and 2014 by spending $10,000 to $12,000 a year on air travel: all for leisure, almost all in discounted coach. Roughly 25% of my revenue travel in each year was not on AA but on a oneworld partner airlines where I could earn 100% EQMs, primarily BA.
I won’t earn EXP this year because (thank goodness) I made a decision to use 2015 to spend down the miles I accumulated over the prior two years. But I was going to take a shot at EXP in 2016— I had already booked over 30,000 EQMs in travel for 2016 (2/3 in discounted coach on BA) when the news hit. Under the new rules my BA ticket EQMs will be worth a small fraction of what they would have been worth under the rules in effect when the ticket was issued. For me, one of the most painful changes has been the loss of 100% EQM credit for discounted BA flights.
I earned life platinum status at least 15 years ago. The double miles that accompanied that status had been a major factor in my sustained loyalty to AA. That is now gone. Indeed, the bonus for platinum status is reduced more than for any other status category.
Even when I was working full time, I was always an aspirational flyer: by which I mean, I would put up with crummy domestic itineraries to earn international business and first class travel. I have never used miles for a domestic coach award and almost never internationally. The only reason I have suffered the steady decline in the quality of coach travel was that aspirational expectation for upgrades on long flights.
No more.
I am based in Boston which was once an AA hub. But excepting the seasonal summer service to CDG, we’ve lost the nonstops which I used to fly regularly, nonstops to: SJU, SAN, SJC, SFO, SEA, LHR, MAN, DUB. So over the past few years I have spent hundreds of hours at JFK in order to fly AA to their European destinations (and to take their domestic transcon services). This was worth it when I was earning lots of miles and had access to SWU’s for upgrades on AA metal traveling internationally. Under the new rules: no way.
I am lucky: My flying is 95% discretionary. I realize most folks aren’t in that situation. Part of what this means is that I am simply going to scale my flying way back since the effective cost structure (after giving effect to the changes in earning and redeeming AA miles) just makes it a very expensive (and hence inefficient) use of my travel dollar.
I dumped my AAdvantage Credit Card a few months ago after I realized that I was no longer getting my best value by accumulating additional AA miles. I now carry two hotel branded cards (Hilton and Hyatt) plus a Chase Sapphire. (It’s this last credit card which is my travel workhorse and which I’ve combined with a Chase Freedom card to maximize my earning of Ultimate Rewards points.)
In summary, my plans going forward are as follows:
(1) To reduce my air travel to two to three trips a year at most (one or two to Europe and one domestic);
(2) To fly AA domestically (UNLESS an alternative carrier has a price competitive nonstop versus an AA connecting flight);
(3) To fly price competitive nonstops to Europe (where-ever possible) and to avoid LHR (when-ever possible). (Excepting a possible summer trip to CDG, this means no flights on AA or BA metal out of BOS.)
I anticipate using EI for travel to the British Isles (and some of western Europe) and hope that their rumored return to oneworld actually happens. (If it does my life platinum status on AA— assuming it endures— may give me some seat selection advantages.) But Dublin— with its US customs pre-clearance— is infinitely better for connections than the out of control shopping mall called LHR. I also expect to fly LH and LX and FI, all of whom have one of more nonstops from BOS to their European hub(s).
Gone will be the opportunistic trips to Europe or the Caribbean where I would take off for three or four days because I saw a fantastic fare on AA and grabbed it. Gone will be the willingness to suffer horrible connections (either because they were too short or too long) at airports like DFW and LHR because I knew I was earning a solid amount of miles. Gone will be the mileage runs to faraway places I never would have otherwise visited because the value was too good not to go.
I have had a great time flying around the world. But only because of the upgrades and awards that I knew I was earning and often using. Now that they will be substantially diminished, I am retiring from active flying. But it was great while it lasted.
Its not personal, and it never was. Its just business.
Dec 3, 2015, 9:18 am
#803
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Dec 3, 2015, 9:49 am
#804
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
If you weren't leaving the country or going to Hawaii, it was a useless benefit. Also useless if you didn't have a companion traveling with you - you couldn't "save" those other 2. I don't think I ever used my CP certs. My international travel at the time was TPAC, and they didn't go there. And you couldn't use them on UA, so ...
Dec 3, 2015, 9:52 am
#805
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NC
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver, Hertz President's Circle, etc etc
Posts: 103
They weren't true SWUs. You got 2+2, and were only permitted to use them on international flights or to Hawaii. Couldn't even confirm upgrade space on a domestic flight ahead of time with them.
If you weren't leaving the country or going to Hawaii, it was a useless benefit. Also useless if you didn't have a companion traveling with you - you couldn't "save" those other 2. I don't think I ever used my CP certs. My international travel at the time was TPAC, and they didn't go there. And you couldn't use them on UA, so ...
If you weren't leaving the country or going to Hawaii, it was a useless benefit. Also useless if you didn't have a companion traveling with you - you couldn't "save" those other 2. I don't think I ever used my CP certs. My international travel at the time was TPAC, and they didn't go there. And you couldn't use them on UA, so ...
Dec 3, 2015, 9:52 am
#806
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NC
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver, Hertz President's Circle, etc etc
Posts: 103
Got a reply from AA..... quick reply... but useless.....
As one of our valued AAdvantage® customers, you are well qualified to judge the changes to our program.
I'm sorry for your disappointment with the changes coming in the number of systemwide upgrades in our new AAdvantage program. In addition, we regret the difficulty you have encountered securing upgrades on flights. I have taken the liberty of forwarding your comments to our AAdvantage team for internal review. While I cannot guarantee a change in our upcoming policy changes, your comments matter to us and are always appreciated.
As one of our valued AAdvantage® customers, you are well qualified to judge the changes to our program.
I'm sorry for your disappointment with the changes coming in the number of systemwide upgrades in our new AAdvantage program. In addition, we regret the difficulty you have encountered securing upgrades on flights. I have taken the liberty of forwarding your comments to our AAdvantage team for internal review. While I cannot guarantee a change in our upcoming policy changes, your comments matter to us and are always appreciated.
Dec 3, 2015, 11:33 am
#807
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,043
Dec 3, 2015, 6:55 pm
#808
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,062
My rant to AA Customer Service.......
After reading about the changes, it's all spin and I only see less rewards. I am a legacy US Air flier and have been less than thrilled about the move from US to AA. The upgrades are much worse.... Let's be honest, that's why status matters. To get the upgrade. I flew up front on US on most flights (as Gold or Plat). On AA, it's 50% if not lower. Notification about upgrades frankly sucks compared to US... I used to get email updates about upgrades days in advance. Most of the time, nothing from AA. Most of the time, if an upgrade happens it happens at the gate 10 minutes before boarding. That never, never happened on US.
After reading about the changes, it's all spin and I only see less rewards. I am a legacy US Air flier and have been less than thrilled about the move from US to AA. The upgrades are much worse.... Let's be honest, that's why status matters. To get the upgrade. I flew up front on US on most flights (as Gold or Plat). On AA, it's 50% if not lower. Notification about upgrades frankly sucks compared to US... I used to get email updates about upgrades days in advance. Most of the time, nothing from AA. Most of the time, if an upgrade happens it happens at the gate 10 minutes before boarding. That never, never happened on US.
Dec 3, 2015, 8:33 pm
#809
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
I'm not sure what you're asking, since there really isn't going to be a "30%/60%/120% RDM bonus." What there will be is a redeemable miles per dollar earning rate for AA coded flights. We know that partner-coded flights will earn redeemable miles based on flight miles and a multiplier based on the fare code. We know the multipliers for partners, those are published. We don't know if there will be elite status bonuses or minimum mileage.
Dec 3, 2015, 8:48 pm
#810
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NC
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver, Hertz President's Circle, etc etc
Posts: 103
