Dec 13, 2018, 1:35 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
AAdvantage Buy Back and Boost / Buy Up Status
AA generally offers members reasonably close to requalifying for status near the end of the year the option to buy back their existing status, or on occasion to buy up to the next highest status tier.
These offers are generally made by email to AAdvantage members beginning some time in November.
If you have not received an offer or would like to see your offer (if any), you can see it by visiting https://elite.aa.com
If you haven’t flown sufficiently, you’ll probably sign in and see
Please peruse this thread to see offers reported by members.
AA generally offers members reasonably close to requalifying for status near the end of the year the option to buy back their existing status, or on occasion to buy up to the next highest status tier.
These offers are generally made by email to AAdvantage members beginning some time in November.
If you have not received an offer or would like to see your offer (if any), you can see it by visiting https://elite.aa.com
If you haven’t flown sufficiently, you’ll probably sign in and see
No offers available
Thanks for visiting. Our records show that you’re not eligible to receive an fifer at this time. If you need more information about your account, visit aa.com/youraccount
Thanks for visiting. Our records show that you’re not eligible to receive an fifer at this time. If you need more information about your account, visit aa.com/youraccount
Buy Back and Boost / Buy Up Status for 2019
Nov 26, 2018, 10:55 pm
#181
Join Date: May 2015
Location: WAS, SZX, HKG
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, CX Green
Posts: 735
11k EQD
89k EQM
19 EQS
Offer for EXP USD 2495... not interested.
89k EQM
19 EQS
Offer for EXP USD 2495... not interested.
Nov 27, 2018, 3:09 am
#182
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP; BoNVoY Tit LTP
Posts: 1,923
13K EQD
82K EQM
24 EQS
No offer
82K EQM
24 EQS
No offer
Nov 27, 2018, 5:04 am
#183
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MDE
Programs: AA-PLT, HH-GLD, PP
Posts: 1,511
6.7K EQD
48,833 EQM
35 EQS
Last year I noticed that flyers that had met EQD and were short on EQM were getting what I thought were very expensive offers, and now it happened to me. I'm stumped. This pricing model doesn't seem to make sense to me. Maybe somebody on this forum has some insight.
Offer of $715 to keep PLT. If AA offered something like $300, I would take it. However, I will instead take a trip in December that I was originally going to skip. AA will instead get about $400 after taxes to fly me and my 100 lb. of luggage 4,400 miles and feed me twice in the FL.
Even if I did not have a reason to go on this trip, I certainly would have done an MR of 1,200 miles on a super cheap fare for a lot less. Though, if I was not in a position to do that, I'll admit that I probably would have sucked it up and paid the $715. There is a huge difference in the benefits between GLD and PLT for international travel. So maybe I just answered my own question.
48,833 EQM
35 EQS
Last year I noticed that flyers that had met EQD and were short on EQM were getting what I thought were very expensive offers, and now it happened to me. I'm stumped. This pricing model doesn't seem to make sense to me. Maybe somebody on this forum has some insight.
Offer of $715 to keep PLT. If AA offered something like $300, I would take it. However, I will instead take a trip in December that I was originally going to skip. AA will instead get about $400 after taxes to fly me and my 100 lb. of luggage 4,400 miles and feed me twice in the FL.
Even if I did not have a reason to go on this trip, I certainly would have done an MR of 1,200 miles on a super cheap fare for a lot less. Though, if I was not in a position to do that, I'll admit that I probably would have sucked it up and paid the $715. There is a huge difference in the benefits between GLD and PLT for international travel. So maybe I just answered my own question.
Nov 27, 2018, 8:12 am
#184
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,551
EQD: 11,579
EQM: 75,124
EQS: 64
No offer for EXP. Even before I hit the PlatPro qualifications, I had no offer. Anyone know if you don’t get a buy up offer if you took advantage of a offer in previous years? I’ve got some travel that will leave me a little over 15k eqm short and I’d consider an EXP buy up since I won’t have time for a mileage run.
EQM: 75,124
EQS: 64
No offer for EXP. Even before I hit the PlatPro qualifications, I had no offer. Anyone know if you don’t get a buy up offer if you took advantage of a offer in previous years? I’ve got some travel that will leave me a little over 15k eqm short and I’d consider an EXP buy up since I won’t have time for a mileage run.
Nov 27, 2018, 8:25 am
#185
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
My boost to renew Gold was $699. I'm currently sitting at 13.3k EQM. Unless I get another trip before the end of the year, I'll just start over ... somewhere.
Nov 27, 2018, 10:57 am
#186
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: Plat Pro AAdvantage, but defected to BAEC
Posts: 1,222
My SAN/CUN flights posted to my account. I’m now at 65K EQM, 8K EQD and 21 EQS and an offer did pop up this morning for $1545 to go to PPRO. I will wait to take the TATL next month. 
Nov 27, 2018, 11:10 am
#187
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: Plat Pro AAdvantage, but defected to BAEC
Posts: 1,222
Just for grins, I checked my wife’s account. 6.6K EQD, 48.9K EQM and 7 EQS. She is currently PPRO and her offer for PLAT was $695. Again we’ll wait for that Dec TATL.
She will end up at 60K EQM and 8 segments, so an average of 7500 EQM per segment. A J/PE trip between LAX and SYD, plus F LHR-SAN and J LAX-LHR helps boost that number! She’s an infrequent frequent flyer.
She will end up at 60K EQM and 8 segments, so an average of 7500 EQM per segment. A J/PE trip between LAX and SYD, plus F LHR-SAN and J LAX-LHR helps boost that number!
She’s an infrequent frequent flyer.
Nov 27, 2018, 7:06 pm
#188
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1
I checked my buy up status and it’s $430 to hit gold status. I moved a while back and lost Delta status so I’d like to get back to having status with an airline finally.
can anyone help with some advice on whether to buy up or book out another flight?
Stats:
2,874 of 3,000 EQD's (dollars)
19,284 of 25,000 EQM's (miles) or 20/30 segments
I have 1 booked flight from CLT->PHX->TUS roundtrip this month.
Someone on Reddit told me this is the forum to get help from. I am nervous about being off on my math. I’m sure there’s a cheaper flight from Charlotte that I can book for the remainder but I’d want to be sure that one hits the EQM’s.
can anyone help with some advice on whether to buy up or book out another flight?
Stats:
2,874 of 3,000 EQD's (dollars)
19,284 of 25,000 EQM's (miles) or 20/30 segments
I have 1 booked flight from CLT->PHX->TUS roundtrip this month.
Someone on Reddit told me this is the forum to get help from. I am nervous about being off on my math. I’m sure there’s a cheaper flight from Charlotte that I can book for the remainder but I’d want to be sure that one hits the EQM’s.
Nov 27, 2018, 7:22 pm
#189
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,492
Nov 28, 2018, 4:48 am
#190
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MDE
Programs: AA-PLT, HH-GLD, PP
Posts: 1,511
I checked my buy up status and it’s $430 to hit gold status. I moved a while back and lost Delta status so I’d like to get back to having status with an airline finally.
can anyone help with some advice on whether to buy up or book out another flight?
Stats:
2,874 of 3,000 EQD's (dollars)
19,284 of 25,000 EQM's (miles) or 20/30 segments
I have 1 booked flight from CLT->PHX->TUS roundtrip this month.
Someone on Reddit told me this is the forum to get help from. I am nervous about being off on my math. I’m sure there’s a cheaper flight from Charlotte that I can book for the remainder but I’d want to be sure that one hits the EQM’s.
can anyone help with some advice on whether to buy up or book out another flight?
Stats:
2,874 of 3,000 EQD's (dollars)
19,284 of 25,000 EQM's (miles) or 20/30 segments
I have 1 booked flight from CLT->PHX->TUS roundtrip this month.
Someone on Reddit told me this is the forum to get help from. I am nervous about being off on my math. I’m sure there’s a cheaper flight from Charlotte that I can book for the remainder but I’d want to be sure that one hits the EQM’s.
However, after you take your scheduled trip to TUS, the offer will probably improve a little. If it were me, and the offer dropped to $350 or less, I would just take it. By the time you factor in the other costs of making the round trip and your time it would be pretty close to a wash.
Nov 28, 2018, 9:48 am
#191
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Programs: Sometimes known as [ARG:6 UNDEFINED]
Posts: 26,706
Generally, things seem to fall in three camps here:
--I didn't get an offer (perhaps 20% of the group)
--I hate the offer I got (perhaps 75% of the group)
--I got a reasonable offer (5% of the group?)
Sounds about right from AA's point of view. The purpose of this buyup/buyback offer isn't to create a whole mess of EXP Lites; it's to provide one additional way to get to an elite status level without actually flying.
I'm not impressed with my offer either, BTW. But I do understand why AA is pricing things the way they are. Essentially, they've determined that individual pax value their status more than AA does, so if they can grab some extra 100% profit dollars from those pax, why not?
--I didn't get an offer (perhaps 20% of the group)
--I hate the offer I got (perhaps 75% of the group)
--I got a reasonable offer (5% of the group?)
Sounds about right from AA's point of view. The purpose of this buyup/buyback offer isn't to create a whole mess of EXP Lites; it's to provide one additional way to get to an elite status level without actually flying.
I'm not impressed with my offer either, BTW. But I do understand why AA is pricing things the way they are. Essentially, they've determined that individual pax value their status more than AA does, so if they can grab some extra 100% profit dollars from those pax, why not?
Nov 28, 2018, 9:50 am
#192
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,072
I hit 60 segments, 48,000 EQMs and $8200 EQD's, earning Platinum "the hard way". My buy-up offer still shows $795 to get to Platinum.
Nov 28, 2018, 10:45 am
#193
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Dallas, Texas
Programs: AA Exp. Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum.
Posts: 1,186
My progress to EP is below. I got an offer for Platinum Pro the day I qualified for PP. A few days later the offer dropped off. It now says I am not eligible for an offer. I will be qualifying with flights anyway but thought I would share as a data point.
Nov 28, 2018, 10:49 am
#194
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 91
It looks like they are cutting off somewhere around 85k EQM for EXP offers. (Although I thought I saw at least one person had an offer with around 83K EQM, but I cannot find it now.) Now I'm wondering if a small mileage run in hopes of triggering an offer plus the offer itself would be cheaper than a 17K EQM mileage run.
Nov 28, 2018, 12:31 pm
#195
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA Plat/2MM, DL Silver, UA Silver (via Marr), Marr LTT, HH Gold (via cc), Hyatt Disc
Posts: 1,039
Me:
currently PP
$9.9k EQD
46.2k EQM
1 trip left this year
no offer; I'm not going to renew PP so will fall back to Plat - would have been interested to see what they would have offered to keep me at PP
Daughter (college):
no status
$1.2k EQD
11.4 EQM
1 trip left this year
Offer: buy Gold for $2,015; crazy
currently PP
$9.9k EQD
46.2k EQM
1 trip left this year
no offer; I'm not going to renew PP so will fall back to Plat - would have been interested to see what they would have offered to keep me at PP
Daughter (college):
no status
$1.2k EQD
11.4 EQM
1 trip left this year
Offer: buy Gold for $2,015; crazy