Dec 18, 2015, 12:53 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
American Airlines ConciergeKeySM / "CK" Program (by invitation only)
(Includes Executive Platinum status and Admirals Club membership)
NOTE: For questions such as "How can I get Concierge Key?" or "This is my spend: will I get CK?" Please refer to the How do I make / making AA Concierge Key / ConciergeKey / CK?thread
Also see AA Concierge Key invitations / renewal for 2019 status (out early 12/2018).
13 Apr 2020: AAdvantage extends CK status is extended automatically until Jan 31, 2022.
"The ConciergeKey Program is an exclusive program that American Airlines has for our very top customers. This is by invitation only and a very exclusive club." (Billy Sanez for AA)
ConciergeKey Services are provided to a select group of VIPs to facilitate travel on AA. The program is offered on an invitation basis only and is targeted at customers who control travel policy for large organizations. Customers who generate a high amount of revenue for AA may also be invited into this program (possibly those who spend upwards of US$60k a year on travel with AA).
Services provided include airport escorts and pre-boarding (seems variable, more likely during OSO?); assistance with flight changes, seat changes, and upgrade requests via their own dedicated telephone line. In addition, there is the ability to communicate directly with ConciergeKey associates via a dedicated email address. ConciergeKeySM representatives will also monitor day of travel of ConciergeKey members and will proactively reroute or rebook travel when necessary. ConciergeKey status allows check-in at First Class counters, as well as access to elite lines through security at certain airports. Miles and copay upgrades with copay waived.
ConciergeKey is now a distinct elite tier, above Executive Platinum. ConciergeKey benefits include membership to the Admirals Club, international miles upgrades with copayment waived, as well as two additional System-Wide Upgrades (SWU's) as part of CK membership.
CK members have access to Flagship Check-in on any flight, and CK will have Flagship Lounge access when flying a OneWorld airline.
As of 1 Jan 2017, Concierge Key members have upgrade requests prioritized over all other tiers: CK members have an upgrade window of (up to) 120 hours (Executive Platinum member's will retain the 100 hour upgrade window). CK members will board ahead of other passengers.
Regarding Concierge Key tier benefits coming in 2017, please see: New Concierge Key Benefits for 2017: New CK Elite Status Tier
Please: do respect members' privacy by refraining from asking for overly personal information and details relating to ConciergeKey membership or nomination. If your question receives no response, consider the member chooses not to reply, as is his/her right.
Boarding Area's AAdvantageGeek's blog shows the card and documents here.
Previous threads:
ConciergeKey AA Premium Service (ARCHIVED)
ARCHIVED: AA Concierge Key / ConciergeKey / CK (2014 consolidated)
Updated 18 Aug 2019 by ikwia to reflect CK being a distinct elite tier and to clarify the FL access requirement
Updated 25 Jul 2017 by JDiver
(Includes Executive Platinum status and Admirals Club membership)
NOTE: For questions such as "How can I get Concierge Key?" or "This is my spend: will I get CK?" Please refer to the How do I make / making AA Concierge Key / ConciergeKey / CK?thread
Also see AA Concierge Key invitations / renewal for 2019 status (out early 12/2018).
13 Apr 2020: AAdvantage extends CK status is extended automatically until Jan 31, 2022.
"The ConciergeKey Program is an exclusive program that American Airlines has for our very top customers. This is by invitation only and a very exclusive club." (Billy Sanez for AA)
ConciergeKey Services are provided to a select group of VIPs to facilitate travel on AA. The program is offered on an invitation basis only and is targeted at customers who control travel policy for large organizations. Customers who generate a high amount of revenue for AA may also be invited into this program (possibly those who spend upwards of US$60k a year on travel with AA).
Services provided include airport escorts and pre-boarding (seems variable, more likely during OSO?); assistance with flight changes, seat changes, and upgrade requests via their own dedicated telephone line. In addition, there is the ability to communicate directly with ConciergeKey associates via a dedicated email address. ConciergeKeySM representatives will also monitor day of travel of ConciergeKey members and will proactively reroute or rebook travel when necessary. ConciergeKey status allows check-in at First Class counters, as well as access to elite lines through security at certain airports. Miles and copay upgrades with copay waived.
ConciergeKey is now a distinct elite tier, above Executive Platinum. ConciergeKey benefits include membership to the Admirals Club, international miles upgrades with copayment waived, as well as two additional System-Wide Upgrades (SWU's) as part of CK membership.
CK members have access to Flagship Check-in on any flight, and CK will have Flagship Lounge access when flying a OneWorld airline.
As of 1 Jan 2017, Concierge Key members have upgrade requests prioritized over all other tiers: CK members have an upgrade window of (up to) 120 hours (Executive Platinum member's will retain the 100 hour upgrade window). CK members will board ahead of other passengers.
Regarding Concierge Key tier benefits coming in 2017, please see: New Concierge Key Benefits for 2017: New CK Elite Status Tier
Please: do respect members' privacy by refraining from asking for overly personal information and details relating to ConciergeKey membership or nomination. If your question receives no response, consider the member chooses not to reply, as is his/her right.
Boarding Area's AAdvantageGeek's blog shows the card and documents here.
Previous threads:
ConciergeKey AA Premium Service (ARCHIVED)
ARCHIVED: AA Concierge Key / ConciergeKey / CK (2014 consolidated)
Updated 18 Aug 2019 by ikwia to reflect CK being a distinct elite tier and to clarify the FL access requirement
Updated 25 Jul 2017 by JDiver
AA Concierge Key / ConciergeKey / CK members lounge (master thread)
Dec 15, 2019, 6:53 pm
#616
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,313
Given that CK is profitability driven, doing so would basically be publishing AA's P&L on a per flight basis.
I'm sure they have ways to prevent this information being openly disclosed in discovery. And some way to demonstrate, if needed, that they have non-discriminatory metrics - albeit not available to the general public.
I'm sure they have ways to prevent this information being openly disclosed in discovery. And some way to demonstrate, if needed, that they have non-discriminatory metrics - albeit not available to the general public.
Dec 15, 2019, 7:21 pm
#617
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: SE Wisconsin
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond for Life
Posts: 337
They should just publish the criteria like BA does for their tippy top elite level requirements. I'm surprised that since it is now a formal level, above EXP, they haven't done so as they open themselves up to potential discrimination lawsuits, if someone was bothered enough.
Dec 16, 2019, 4:33 am
#618
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
As a matter of fact, there are many anecdotal references that AA and BA extend special considerations to each others CK/CCR level members.
Dec 16, 2019, 8:07 am
#619
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: AAdvantage Concierge Key
Posts: 11
Do golf cart transfers need to be scheduled in advance? After checking in at MIA Flagship this weekend, no one offered us a ride to the far end of the E Gates (and yes I was too embarrassed to ask for one). I saw the Concierge Key golf carts just parked outside the Flagship Lounge so they must clearly offer them.
Dec 16, 2019, 9:33 am
#620
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: AA CK, Delta PLT, Hilton LT Diamond, Marriott/SW Plt
Posts: 34
Do golf cart transfers need to be scheduled in advance? After checking in at MIA Flagship this weekend, no one offered us a ride to the far end of the E Gates (and yes I was too embarrassed to ask for one). I saw the Concierge Key golf carts just parked outside the Flagship Lounge so they must clearly offer them.
For escorts off a flight: When I have called the CK desk to ask for a transfer they tell me that the request is "noted" but they cannot guarantee it. There does seem to be a value-judgment made...when my connections were either short on time or cumbersome (between terminals) the odds of an escort seem to go way up.
Dec 16, 2019, 10:08 am
#621
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
For escorts from a club: Some clubs (notably LHR) always ask if we want to be driven to a gate in the golf cart. For others we need to ask. We have never been refused a golf cart ride for those airports that have them when asking at the Club.
For escorts off a flight: When I have called the CK desk to ask for a transfer they tell me that the request is "noted" but they cannot guarantee it. There does seem to be a value-judgment made...when my connections were either short on time or cumbersome (between terminals) the odds of an escort seem to go way up.
For escorts off a flight: When I have called the CK desk to ask for a transfer they tell me that the request is "noted" but they cannot guarantee it. There does seem to be a value-judgment made...when my connections were either short on time or cumbersome (between terminals) the odds of an escort seem to go way up.
Dec 17, 2019, 9:49 am
#623
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DFW Area
Programs: AA ConciergeKey; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 392
Yes they do but only on the first half and if they give it to you mid year they expect you to keep it up for rest of year. If you duplicate those numbers again for first half of 2020, I suspect you would be considered. But no one knows how the CK overlords really think.
Dec 19, 2019, 1:15 pm
#624
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: CLT
Programs: AA CK, Marriott Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 66
Anyone know if the MD-80 luggage tags were a one-time thing, or might they offer them again this year? Did they come in-lieu of the typical CK luggage tags last January when they sent out the welcome package, or were they in addition to the standard CK luggage tags?
Dec 19, 2019, 1:26 pm
#625
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: NY, NY
Programs: AA EP, UA 1K
Posts: 124
For escorts from a club: Some clubs (notably LHR) always ask if we want to be driven to a gate in the golf cart. For others we need to ask. We have never been refused a golf cart ride for those airports that have them when asking at the Club.
For escorts off a flight: When I have called the CK desk to ask for a transfer they tell me that the request is "noted" but they cannot guarantee it. There does seem to be a value-judgment made...when my connections were either short on time or cumbersome (between terminals) the odds of an escort seem to go way up.
For escorts off a flight: When I have called the CK desk to ask for a transfer they tell me that the request is "noted" but they cannot guarantee it. There does seem to be a value-judgment made...when my connections were either short on time or cumbersome (between terminals) the odds of an escort seem to go way up.
Dec 19, 2019, 4:03 pm
#626
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Sunny SoCal
Programs: AA CK - 3MM, Bonvoy Lfe Titanium
Posts: 86
Do you have any experience being met with a cart from the plane to customs at LHR at the end of the outbound leg? Happened to me once right after I made CK when my trailing spend was much higher than it is now (also was a flight where a CK rep met me at the gate before I boarded to say thank you for flying AA), so I'm wondering if it's just sporadically offered or if it's for higher-spend CKs? I've been to London maybe 3 or 4 times since and no cart from the plane (although always get offered the cart from the club to the plane on my return leg).
I can't comment on the lounge to the plane as I avoid the overcrowded AA lounges in lieu of better food and more peace in another option nearby.
From what I have been told, all services are dependent on volume of needs and their importance, not necessarily CK value. Short, inter-terminal connections (T3 <-> T5) get first priority of the reps and vans. After that, the vans can be used for travel to/from bus-gate aircraft. The reps that are not assisting with shorter connections can then help with longer connections, help with corralling CKs at outbound gates, escorting on vans to bus-gates, meeting inbound planes with carts to customs and etc.
I have been met at the gate and offered a ride to customs, given van rides both to and from T3 for connections, had a rep at the gate when I was the only CK on the flight (and when I was 1 of 8) and greeted on the plane by ground staff to thank me for my business. All dependent on the overall volume at LHR that day and time based on conversations I have had with the staff.
The only thing I have not seen is van service to/from another non-OW terminal like T4. I had to go the hard way which for T4 is longer than the T3/T5 hop.
I think I am fairly high on the CK spend but only they really know.
Dec 19, 2019, 4:37 pm
#627
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DFW Area
Programs: AA ConciergeKey; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 392
“I have been met at the gate and offered a ride to customs, given van rides both to and from T3 for connections, had a rep at the gate when I was the only CK on the flight (and when I was 1 of 8) and greeted on the plane by ground staff to thank me for my business. All dependent on the overall volume at LHR that day and time based on conversations I have had with the staff.”
This mostly mirrors my experience at LHR. Today was the first and only time that I have not been met by the CK team, but it was a BA flight landing at 5:30 am with a five hour connection time onto AA so it was likely a skeleton (Or no) crew at that hour.
I am likely In the bottom quartile of CKs that get it by actual flying and spend, so they take pretty good care of even the lower ranks of CK members.
This mostly mirrors my experience at LHR. Today was the first and only time that I have not been met by the CK team, but it was a BA flight landing at 5:30 am with a five hour connection time onto AA so it was likely a skeleton (Or no) crew at that hour.
I am likely In the bottom quartile of CKs that get it by actual flying and spend, so they take pretty good care of even the lower ranks of CK members.
Dec 20, 2019, 7:27 am
#629
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: East Hampton, NY
Programs: AA EXP, 12 year ex AA CK, AA LT PLT, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist, UA Silver
Posts: 230
Dec 23, 2019, 8:15 am
#630
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DFW Area
Programs: AA ConciergeKey; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 392
For those that just got renewed in Dec 2019 and at the time, had under 150kEQM for 2019:
If you later went over 150k EQM in 2019 after the re-qualification, did you get (1) the EXP 150k EQM gifts (2 SWU, gift gold or 40k miles) or (2) the right to gift EXP (which some CKs got upon 2019 requal if they had over 150kEQM at that time)?
Thanks.
If you later went over 150k EQM in 2019 after the re-qualification, did you get (1) the EXP 150k EQM gifts (2 SWU, gift gold or 40k miles) or (2) the right to gift EXP (which some CKs got upon 2019 requal if they had over 150kEQM at that time)?
Thanks.