puchong

Knowing that Doug Parker and his minions are well capable of butchering AAdvantage once again with little or no notice, when do you reckon it is safe to book 2018 travel? I don't want to spend a lot of money out of pocket only to find that I will not earn as many miles / status in 2018 as I would expect to have earned based on the current charts.

rjw242

I suspect the earnings and qualification thresholds won't change much at this point, but if you believe AAdvantage has been "butchered," why are you staying with the program in the first place?

controller1

You're overthinking the issue. It depends on your destination not the status of the AAdvantage program.

For example only: If you're going to OGG and you want to sit up front, you need to book as early as possible. If you're going to LAX then wait closer to the flight departure to determine your optimum fare.

bse118

Do you have place(s) you need/want to go? Are you comfortable with the current prices? Have you looked at the options on the competition?

If yes, then book. If no, then wait.

Making booking decisions purely based on what an airline FFP might or might not look like is IMO a fool's errand, on any US airline.

brp

If they change the rules after you make a purchase, call and get them to honor the rules that were in affect when you made the purchase. It can take some perseverance as they are not all adept at doing this, but I have done it a couple of times already, once for a 2017 change to special fares earnings rates and once for a 2018 airline partner earning change (was told that the account has been noted for the exception, but we'll see in May )

Cheers.

beachfan

Jan 2018 LAX-MIA still shows a 77W (it's off the prior couple of months). When should I expect the schedule changes that covers Jan 2018?

Dallas49er

There is the answer.

Dallas49er

How long is a piece of string?

What IS Victoria's Secret?

Que sera, sera!

puchong

Thanks everyone for responding.

I have been an EXP member during the past 8 years and am well on the way to qualifying this year as well. However, if they change the rules again, I owe no loyalty to AA and can easily switch to another (non-US) FF program. I also have been a *G member for many years and can continue to accumulate miles there. But I do not want to get stuck with a bunch of partially flown Oneworld tickets, only to end up with a castrated FF program.

I had bought a whole bunch of AA/J transatlantic tickets in early 2016, believing that AAdvantage changes would happen towards the end of the year (as telegraphed at the time). The rules changed drastically effective August 2016 and my RDM earnings dropped substantially. No amount of pleas to AA that the tickets were bought earlier and hence old mileage earning rules should apply, made any difference to Parker and his mob.

I can fly to the same destinations on Oneworld or *A - fares and product are no worse on *A. So, IMO, destinations do not play much of a role in deciding which alliance to credit to.

BTW, if it matters, my flying is almost 100% international.

QueenOfCoach

FFMs are always devalued. I have never seen a situation where miles become more valuable.

Just get the tickets you want and fly where you want to fly. Let the FFMs fall where they may.

bse118

Planing your life around the whims of FFPs doesn't make much sense, IMO. Especially if your valuation of that FFP is solely based on RDMs.

If you want/need to go someplace, look at price/schedule/product options. Figure out what works best. Buy the ticket. Or wait.

And I am sure Doug Parker is currently sitting in his office plotting against you.

JonNYC

What's even your motivation for buying so far in advance?

Regardless, I really think you're creating an issue for yourself that doesn't need to exist in the first place.

controller1

Your original question was not which alliance to credit to. It was when is it "safe" to buy tickets for 2018 travel. My response was to that question, regardless of alliance.

brp

In my case it was EQD/EQM rules (I find RDM an irrelevant currency) and they have done what I needed them to do in both cases.

However, I didn't talk to Parker or "his mob." I spoke with EXP and then CS agents, made them realize I was right and had them make the changes to follow the EQD rules in effect at the time of purchase. They may be less willing with RDM as it doesn't impact elite qualification while EQD/EQM do.

Cheers.

Dallas49er

And his minions, as well as all AA employees from in ABQ-YYZ.