Jun 8, 2016, 12:18 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
What are AAdvantage Platinum Pro Benefits? Are they worth it?
NOTE: AAdvantage Platinum Pro elite status became available 1/1/2017.Platinum Pro status requirements: in one calendar year, earn $9,000 EQD*, AND earn 75,000 EQ Miles or fly 90 EQ Segments.
*See FT: Earning EQD / Elite Qualifying Dollars on AA and partner airlines (2017 on)
Status will last the status year earned and the following status year. (Platinum Pro status earned in 2017 will last through 31 Jan 2019.)
Preferred benefits:
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra and Preferred Seats (extends to up to 8 traveling companions)
- Two (2) free checked bags (extends to all traveling companions same PNR)
- Free Same Day Flight Change (SDFC)
- Minimum mileage guarantee (EQM only)
- Earn 9 Award Miles per "fare dollar" spent (fare & carrier imposed fees, not taxes, etc.)
- Business class lounge access longhaul international and MEX** (see below)
- oneworld Sapphire benefits (see below)
Airport benefits
- Priority through the airport at check-in, security and boarding
- Checked bag fee waived for two (2) bags
- Priority baggage delivery
- Complimentary same-day standby
- Complimentary same-day flight change
- Discounted Admirals Club® membership
Upgrade benefits (on AA)
- Flights 500 miles or less: Unlimited, auto-requested complimentary upgrades*
- Flights over 500 miles: Complimentary "domestic" (North & Central America, Caribbean) upgrades
- Upgrade one companion traveling with you on the same flight with 500-mile upgrades*
- Upgrades confirmed before departure (as early as) 72 hours
- *Upgrades are valid on American marketed and operated flights, within and between the U.S. (including Hawaii) and between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda and Central America (based on availability). Upgrades are valid from the Main Cabin to the next class of service.
- Platinum Pro members will not earn four 500-mile upgrades as you get unlimited domestic upgrades (UDU).
Other benefits
- "Exclusive service desk" (actual prioritized number to Reservations lines)
- Complimentary preferred seats (extends to up to 8 traveling companions)
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra seats (extends to up to 8 traveling companions)
- Exclusive partner offers
Award benefits
- Award processing charge waived (awards within 21 days of travel)
- Special discounts on hotel and car awards
- N.B. Extended award availability is only an Executive Platinum benefit
oneworld benefits*
- oneworld priority check-in and standby
- oneworld priority boarding
- oneworld partner lounge access** Business Class and frequent flyer lounges
*oneworld benefits are available only to passengers on scheduled flights that are both marketed and operated by a oneworld member airline (marketed means that there must be a oneworld member airline flight number on your ticket).
**Access to Qantas Domestic Business Lounges excluded. AAdvantage member access to American Airlines lounges excluded (regardless of status or class of service) if traveling within North America or between the U.S., Canada, Mexico (except Mexico City), the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Caribbean.
Alaska Airlines Benefits ended 1/1/2018
Can only earn EQ on AA codeshares and AS International flights
Link to aa.com guide to AAdvantage Elite benefits (all levels)
Updated 16 Jan 2018 - JDiver
What are AA Platinum Pro Benefits? Are they worth it? (master thread)
Jun 27, 2016, 3:34 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
I am sure they aren't. I am LT PLT, and I am out of upgrade credit, as I have been using the ones I had stockpiled.
That said, the benefits of the new level will cut normal PLTs from upgrades, so possibly a disincentive to achieve PLT status.
That said, the benefits of the new level will cut normal PLTs from upgrades, so possibly a disincentive to achieve PLT status.
Jun 27, 2016, 2:56 pm
#18
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
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Jun 27, 2016, 2:58 pm
#19
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
I agree that PLTs starting in 2018 will enjoy MCE and International lounge access but upgrades will be much rarer.
Jun 27, 2016, 4:18 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
They will definitely be upgraded less. Right now, that 75.0K-99.9K EQM Platinum segement are in the same cue for an upgrade with the 50.0-74.9K EQM crowd. Not only will that change with Platinum Pro being introduced. But Platinum Pros get unlimited e500 upgrades. So in the future, they will always choose to be upgraded (unless maybe not when flying with a companion) for a flight. Whereas now, they probably pick-and-choose select flights to request an upgrade.
Jun 27, 2016, 9:26 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: NYC/WAS
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL '90s PM, now FK (Flying Kettle)
Posts: 541
They will definitely be upgraded less. Right now, that 75.0K-99.9K EQM Platinum segement are in the same cue for an upgrade with the 50.0-74.9K EQM crowd. Not only will that change with Platinum Pro being introduced. But Platinum Pros get unlimited e500 upgrades. So in the future, they will always choose to be upgraded (unless maybe not when flying with a companion) for a flight. Whereas now, they probably pick-and-choose select flights to request an upgrade.
Jun 27, 2016, 9:29 pm
#22
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
Complimentary upgrades on flights within North America and between the U.S. and Central America
Jun 27, 2016, 9:45 pm
#23
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 2
I am EXACTLY the person AA went after: I've been EXP for 9 years, and I never fly international. In addition, I have some flexibility in my times, so I can pick and choose the cheapest times, and I'm typically flying coast to coast.
Remember that if you can manage to fly for 6 cents per mile, it's possible to achieve EXP status with a $6,000 annual spend. I never got below $7,000/year, but I never got close to $10,000. And $12,000? You gotta be kidding me.
So I'll make it happen again this year, but starting in 2017, I'm out. IfI stay with AA, I'll be one of those Plat Pro people. As far as I can see, the hits I'm gonna take moving down from EXP are only two:
- no more System Wide Upgrades.
- I'll be the first group AFTER the EXP's to get upgraded domestically.
I will tell you that as an EXP who flies almost exclusively LAX - BOS, LAX - JFK, and LAX - DCA, I've been getting upgraded less often lately - especially on those Boston flights. (They still have those crappy 16-seat "First Class" sections. For a flight that is 6 hours wheels-up westbound.) On those occasions that I don't get upgraded, I always ask one of the flight attendants how many EXP's are in coach. Sometimes it's just me, sometimes there are a few of us. Remember, as a Plat Pro, ALL those EXP's will have to clear before you. So I'm guessing that, starting in 2018, upgrades will be a now-and-then thing. And I agree that there will be a LOT of Plat Pros, because I've met a fair few of me (people who creep over 100,000 miles a year with low $ spend) and we're ALL gonna be Platinum Pro, plus there will be a LOT of people at the 60, 65K mile level who'll do a mileage run to get to 75K miles. It's a much easier target.
This new deal will really suck for Platinum flyers.
Remember that if you can manage to fly for 6 cents per mile, it's possible to achieve EXP status with a $6,000 annual spend. I never got below $7,000/year, but I never got close to $10,000. And $12,000? You gotta be kidding me.
So I'll make it happen again this year, but starting in 2017, I'm out. IfI stay with AA, I'll be one of those Plat Pro people. As far as I can see, the hits I'm gonna take moving down from EXP are only two:
- no more System Wide Upgrades.
- I'll be the first group AFTER the EXP's to get upgraded domestically.
I will tell you that as an EXP who flies almost exclusively LAX - BOS, LAX - JFK, and LAX - DCA, I've been getting upgraded less often lately - especially on those Boston flights. (They still have those crappy 16-seat "First Class" sections. For a flight that is 6 hours wheels-up westbound.) On those occasions that I don't get upgraded, I always ask one of the flight attendants how many EXP's are in coach. Sometimes it's just me, sometimes there are a few of us. Remember, as a Plat Pro, ALL those EXP's will have to clear before you. So I'm guessing that, starting in 2018, upgrades will be a now-and-then thing. And I agree that there will be a LOT of Plat Pros, because I've met a fair few of me (people who creep over 100,000 miles a year with low $ spend) and we're ALL gonna be Platinum Pro, plus there will be a LOT of people at the 60, 65K mile level who'll do a mileage run to get to 75K miles. It's a much easier target.
This new deal will really suck for Platinum flyers.
Jun 28, 2016, 1:06 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
If you look at the wording in the press release AA used for Platinum and Gold elites regarding North American upgrades and what they said about Platinum Pros, you will see the difference. And the way I read it, Platinum Pro e500 upgrades will be the same as EXP. Which is unlimited.
Jun 28, 2016, 1:58 pm
#25
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hertz President's Circle, Admiral's Club
Posts: 125
In the past 6+ years, I've been Platinum 5 times, EXP once (the year with all of the DEQM segments in January and then the routes from DFW/LAX) and I'm already at 40K EQM this year. I consistently would finish in the high 70-80K range and even the low 90K range one year until I realized that I was killing myself to do all of the extra travel with Award Miles being the only benefit that I was getting personally for all of the extra effort. So I stopped scheduling "howdy doody calls" and only traveled to see customers when essential. I even emailed American and asked what incentive I had to schedule and book flights on American after I hit 50K (with no reply). I was considering starting to fly SWA since I live so close to Love Field after hitting 50K EQM this year. I didn't want to have to do that though because I'm only at ~1.4Million Lifetime and would like to hit PLT for life.
Now that they are rolling out PLT Pro, I'm very happy and will stay loyal to AA. I just wish that I could qualify for it with this year's travel so that I could enjoy it sooner than Oct/Nov of next year.
This will certainly discourage me from looking for trips to schedule this year once I hit 50K EQM.
Now that they are rolling out PLT Pro, I'm very happy and will stay loyal to AA. I just wish that I could qualify for it with this year's travel so that I could enjoy it sooner than Oct/Nov of next year.
This will certainly discourage me from looking for trips to schedule this year once I hit 50K EQM.
Jun 29, 2016, 1:02 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: DCA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 2,085
Is it just me, or does it seem really short sighted to get rid of the fourth tier in the Dividend Miles program when they announced the combined loyalty program last year, just to come back and reinstate it?
Jun 29, 2016, 5:28 pm
#27
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If you look at the wording in the press release AA used for Platinum and Gold elites regarding North American upgrades and what they said about Platinum Pros, you will see the difference. And the way I read it, Platinum Pro e500 upgrades will be the same as EXP. Which is unlimited.
Jun 29, 2016, 10:11 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
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Jun 30, 2016, 1:57 am
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
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Jun 30, 2016, 4:08 am
#30
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
However, as far as I can see, I agree with others that on most of the busy routes, we can kiss goodbye to PLT upgrades. PROs are likely to get most of the upgrades before us. And for GLD, the chance would be even slimmer.
I really do hope AA can come up with some ideas for us PLT to convert the unused 500-miles e certificate to something else. I can see no chance for me to use up mine.
Also another concern is MCE. If AA is to follow what Delta did and good chance is they may well do it in 2017, that elites have to standby for MCE, I do not see PRO gets free MCE until near the check-in time. Or maybe PRO would be guaranteed MCE while PLT and GLD has to standby now. I don't know. I guess we will all have to wait and see.