Thanks Cova,

Looks like rather than an EQM run to AP, I've got some spending to do on the Citi Exec card.

OP, maybe you could consider putting your miles on AS. If you fly in J on EK, getting status will be easy and you can still get access to AA's MCE seats for free with MVP Gold or 75k status. Plus VX is not bad at all and soon will have upgrades as well.

Thanks, chose not to reply with snark

The reality is that if for example you have to travel to work in Atlanta from the SF Bay Area - good luck doing so on AS/VX. Not going to travel north to PDX or SEA to then connect to ATL. And that's a metro area of 6M people. AS/VX doesn't even fly to Charlotte

Whereas you could have conceivably changed from one of the three majors to the other for an FF program or elite benefits - I choose to do that by adding some (on the way) connections by flying American instead of UA. I like AA's partners like JAL and CX and One World Emerald is still the best top tier alliance status out there, even with the changes to AA

Exactly. AA/UA/DL don't view those programs as competitors. To be sure, they of course view the airlines themselves as competitors, but not the mileage programs.

In addition, AS isn't as prevalent with volume agreements for large companies. This means that those that travel for work aren't allowed to choose to fly AS (unless there are no other options, flights are significantly cheaper, etc.) Therefore, those business travelers who still have choice won't choose to devote their personal travel to AS because their business travel is on AA/UA/DL and if you can hit top tier in one program, that's usually what people want to do instead of splitting it up.

Still waiting on that stampede of low-fare passengers flocking to AS.....

Yes, we flown on B6 from JAX-FLL by last month. We haven't flown on JetBlue in a decade. We have a nice flight. We watch DirectTV and it's so wonderful. They gave me a Blue chips and pretzels, as well. We enjoy it.

You and nobody else, apparently. :)

I am kind of in the same boat this year -- I suspect this year will be the last year I have held top tier airline status (MVPG75K then UA 1K and now AA EXP for the past several years) as the airlines have really watered down elite statuses the last 2-3 years.

I probably will revisit this if I start traveling for work in the near future... We have contracts with UA, AA, BA, VA, B6 and Jet Airways... Not DL or WN. Time will tell but I can no longer justify loyalty to one airline (even though I do purchase F tickets in some circumstances) when I can obtain the best schedule by being more flexible with the options available.

AA, like UA, cutting their PIT schedule does not help at all. I moved from UA to AA because of better schedule options but AA cut considerable capacity while WN and DL increased theirs....

Not happening -- AS's network sucks big time even with the VX merger. Very weak in the USA and they don't serve international markets.

Basically means limited opportunities for AS to secure corporate contracts and they have to depend more on VFR traffic (aka non-status passengers) than the legacy carriers.

There just isn't the same value with AS MVP 75K as one of the legacies top status level.

So far this weekend as an EXP member, I got to use AA's flagship lounge in JFK (which is not great actually), board on the first class line onto my CX flight, try out the Pier First class lounge at HKG and also got free upgrade to first class from business class. And when I fly JAL next weekend, I will be able to try out their first class lounge at Narita.

Despite all the complaints about AA program downgrade, the ability to get free upgrades and lounge access at partner airlines is huge as far as I'm concerned. That provides way more value for me than using miles to book ticket.

I can always transfer points from chase to any of the 3 global alliances when looking to book award tickets.

While I am tempted by the Barclays card, I have the MC World bla bla black card for AC membership and the 10000 EQM. The AC membership was not mentioned upthread as a benefit. My primary card is now CSR for the flexibility to book other airlines. This is due to AAs reduction in value. I should get EXP again this year, and am flying others like AS. Having said that, my successful domestic upgrades on AA are SO much better since the rolling dollars started. And this is in the past month or so. So I am staying flexible since, so far, I have been getting the better end of the stick. My rolling EQD i estimate at a little over 12k.