Does AA miss its former elites?
Apr 10, 2018, 1:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: HEL
Programs: BA Gold, AY Gold
Posts: 650
Does AA miss its former elites?
With the EQD requirement and other similar changes AA must have lost thousands of elite members during last year. I was Platinum for a couple of years and did not even try to re-qualify for 2018. I have been receiving offers to purchase Platinum all this year ($1299), latest today. Have, of course, not even considered, but these e-mails have made me wonder whether AA lost too many elites and actually would like the flock to be a little larger. What do you think?
Apr 10, 2018, 1:47 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,392
I think they would look at $1299 from you as a profitable transaction, since you would then have significant incentive to justify getting $1299 of value by buying more expensive AA fares over the competition.
If you're thinking they're pining for the days of college kids with tons of time on their hands doing TPA-LAX-SFO-JFK-ORD-DFW-MIA routings so they can get EXP for a thousand dollars in the middle of the worst economy since the Great Depression, I suggest they're probably not.
If you're thinking they're pining for the days of college kids with tons of time on their hands doing TPA-LAX-SFO-JFK-ORD-DFW-MIA routings so they can get EXP for a thousand dollars in the middle of the worst economy since the Great Depression, I suggest they're probably not.
Apr 10, 2018, 1:51 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
If you're thinking they're pining for the days of college kids with tons of time on their hands doing TPA-LAX-SFO-JFK-ORD-DFW-MIA routings so they can get EXP for a thousand dollars in the middle of the worst economy since the Great Depression, I suggest they're probably not.
Apr 10, 2018, 1:56 pm
#5
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
I think they would look at $1299 from you as a profitable transaction, since you would then have significant incentive to justify getting $1299 of value by buying more expensive AA fares over the competition.
If you're thinking they're pining for the days of college kids with tons of time on their hands doing TPA-LAX-SFO-JFK-ORD-DFW-MIA routings so they can get EXP for a thousand dollars in the middle of the worst economy since the Great Depression, I suggest they're probably not.
If you're thinking they're pining for the days of college kids with tons of time on their hands doing TPA-LAX-SFO-JFK-ORD-DFW-MIA routings so they can get EXP for a thousand dollars in the middle of the worst economy since the Great Depression, I suggest they're probably not.
Also, you left out the San Juan legs
Apr 10, 2018, 2:00 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,392
Apr 10, 2018, 2:01 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: PHL / SFO
Programs: free agent
Posts: 797
I was US CP and then AA EXP for a combined 12 years. Then last year, I completely stopped flying AA. I get offers to "secure" elite status almost every week! Not a chance. Free agent these days - it's just amazing how liberating that feels. I do admit, I used to throw in a couple of unnecessary segments here and there, and spent almost all of one December doing mileage runs.
Apr 10, 2018, 2:12 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: SNA/LAX, PHL
Programs: AA Gold, AS MVP, WN A-List, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Exp, Hertz PC
Posts: 449
AA lost a couple of grand from me but I doubt they care. On balance they're probably making more money by imposing this EQD stuff since most people (high-level elites at least) don't travel on their own dime.
Apr 10, 2018, 2:17 pm
#9
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,028
You don't even register on their Advantage spend radar. Anything <CK is nothing more than an annoyance to AA .
Apr 10, 2018, 2:28 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,029
With the <???> requirement and other similar changes DL must have lost thousands of elite members during last year.
They will be flying on xyz airline. Nett change is zero.
Apr 10, 2018, 2:32 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Palm Beach
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 791
I must admit, direct flights to my destinations rather than forced connections on AA outweigh the 2 or 3 upgrades a year I was getting as an elite chaser. And coach isn't that bad on DL or B6.
Apr 10, 2018, 2:34 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: DFW
Posts: 675
I've been getting the same e-mails. I do miss the AAdvantage line and free MCE seats, but not enough to spend $1299. I think the biggest things for me are my unused upgrade certs and upgrade requests on International flights. So far, I've been flying Southwest more this year with some AA flights because DFW is their HUB.
Apr 10, 2018, 2:57 pm
#13
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
Network engineer. I relish the Lifetime PLT earned, thanks in part to the assistance of FT members
The best thing about my AA status so far this year has been a status match on Alaska... We are flying DFW-SEA for a cruise this summer and the 4 (any fare) upgrades for getting MVP Gold came in handy in gettng us in FC for a low econ fare
(About $200 less than the AA DFW-SEA fare)... So, thanks AA for the status on AS
In 2 1/2 weeks I will have my first AA MD80 flight in many years. I am surprised they are still around
The best thing about my AA status so far this year has been a status match on Alaska... We are flying DFW-SEA for a cruise this summer and the 4 (any fare) upgrades for getting MVP Gold came in handy in gettng us in FC for a low econ fare
(About $200 less than the AA DFW-SEA fare)... So, thanks AA for the status on AS
In 2 1/2 weeks I will have my first AA MD80 flight in many years. I am surprised they are still around
Last edited by mvoight; Apr 10, 2018 at 3:05 pm
Apr 10, 2018, 3:00 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP, SPG / Marriott GLD, HHonors GLD
Posts: 520
Most of AA's revenue comes from business flyers who don't spend money for their own tickets; so naturally they've figured out how to cater to those flyers. And AA only really cares about losing corporate contracts; not individual flyers.
All that said, I still think AA treats EXPs very, very well. I still get a lot of value out of the Aadvantage program as a ~$20k EQD, ~150-200k EQM flyer. I'm not CK but I'm treated very well; upgraded 85% of the time domestically, don't miss SWU upgrades for my quarterly trips to Asia, excellent lounge access abroad, good handling during IRROPS, a decent EXP line, free SDC, etc. The upgrade rate is far, far higher for someone of my stats who flies from the Bay Area on DL or UA, so I stay loyal. Is it as good of a program as it was a few years ago? Heck no, but neither are the others. And we don't really have competition anymore. I switched from DL a few years ago and I don't think they noticed because I never got any surveys or buyback offers.
I actually don't think the herds been thinned all that much. Sure, there were a small percentage of mileage runner types who used to hit EXP on Gold EQD numbers and some others which may have landed a bit lower at Plat Pro if they do mostly economy domestic work flying, but there are plenty that are moving up as a result of premium cabin EQM bonuses or just generally increased travel budgets as the economy has done well
All that said, I still think AA treats EXPs very, very well. I still get a lot of value out of the Aadvantage program as a ~$20k EQD, ~150-200k EQM flyer. I'm not CK but I'm treated very well; upgraded 85% of the time domestically, don't miss SWU upgrades for my quarterly trips to Asia, excellent lounge access abroad, good handling during IRROPS, a decent EXP line, free SDC, etc. The upgrade rate is far, far higher for someone of my stats who flies from the Bay Area on DL or UA, so I stay loyal. Is it as good of a program as it was a few years ago? Heck no, but neither are the others. And we don't really have competition anymore. I switched from DL a few years ago and I don't think they noticed because I never got any surveys or buyback offers.
I actually don't think the herds been thinned all that much. Sure, there were a small percentage of mileage runner types who used to hit EXP on Gold EQD numbers and some others which may have landed a bit lower at Plat Pro if they do mostly economy domestic work flying, but there are plenty that are moving up as a result of premium cabin EQM bonuses or just generally increased travel budgets as the economy has done well