PiperAtGatesofDawn

I received the Plat challenge today. I fly AA maybe once or twice a year - economy US domestic so certainly surprised to receive this.

The challenge is standard - 12500 PQM and $1500 PQD. While I suspect I have to because it's a challenge... I wanted to confirm that despite having a non-US address I still have to fulfill the PQD part of the challenge correct?

Also, can someone point me in the right direction to travel hacks/mileage runs etc.I can do to get this status? It's unlikely I'll do it because there's not a great deal of OW choices for my regular routes.

HiAperture

I don't know why people are surprised to receive the offer who don't fly on AA much. That is entirely the point of the offer, to entice you back to AA with premium status for a low bar.

You never hear of poor rubes who actually earned status getting these offers to re-qualify as far as I can tell. It is always someone who only flies AA once a year, or hasn't flown them in a few years, ect.

coolcoil

Yes, you still must meet the EQM. Unfortunately, at least for me, AA does not exempt non-North American addresses from the requirement. This applies to both the challenge and regular re-qualification.

When they started this I was hoping for the same rules as UA, but no luck.

Isavethings

Platinum upgrade here. I haven't flown AA in several years, but I did credit a Qatar I fare between SEZ and CDG to AA a few months ago.

It looks like Platinum gives Admiral Club access. I'm flying DTW-LIH on Delta in February with a layover in LAX. The terms of the access aren't particularly clear to me, but I'm wondering if I can access one of the clubs during the layover. I see the terms are changing later in the year, but can anybody let me know if I should expect access?

bosman

My college daughter got the Plat upgrade/challenge. She flew 9 AA segments last year, but won't come close to the EQM/EQD by 5/15; may have 1 or 2 trips max. I guess the 20 stickers will be nice sitting in her account until she earns elite status after graduation.

As has been said previously, the Gold and Plat upgrades shouldn't impact anyone as the new enrollees will have minimal rolling 12 month EQD so should not get upgrades over those who earned status. On the other hand, the free Plat Pro upgrades will hurt earned Plat & Gold members.

solewalker

No access on domestic only routes as a Platinum.

POAflyer

I was planning on doing the original Platinum challenge in a few months' time (since I have some imminent travel where AA will unfortunately have to be the choice.)

I was targeted for this Gold promotion but would they still allow me to do the Platinum challenge if I already accepted this "free Gold status" offer? I'm planning to call them and ask but I'm looking to see what other's experiences around this might have been.

Also, for people that received the targeted Platinum offer, can you please share what the promo code of that offer is?

Thanks.

mvoight

Yes, but in the case I referred to, it was an account that has been open for a year or so and has never been touched. This offer was for Plat Pro. That means, as PLT, I would behind them for upgrades.
Making upgrades harder to achieve for current frequent flyers, doesn't seem like a good idea. If they had offered me PLT PRO, I would be even more likely to fly with them, then the target person, who has never flown before

george 3

Bingo.

Nine years ago either right before or right after BK, I received an email informing me that I'm pretty close to EXP (after booking two r/t JFK-LAX trips that put me at 79,000 EQM), so what the heck, they are promoting me to EXP. I had always been a free agent with occasional GLD status, but I had recently changed positions in the company that required more frequent west coast travel. What it did is make me a loyalist, have been EXP ever since, and to this day, I rarely fly another airline.

HiAperture

There is no promo code, you log into your account and go to the promo page, you either have it or you don't.

I wasn't responding to you specifically, most respondents express surprise to have the offer because they don't fly with AA a lot.

I totally agree this plan stinks for those of us who actually fly AA. I do almost entirely personal out of pocket travel, and I dedicated almost all my flights in 2018 to AA to scrape together Gold status. Even someone who gets Gold status with this promo gets it for a lot less plus gets 10 free 500 mile stickers that I will have to continue to grind on AA to earn or purchase. Never mind those getting Plat or Pro and still having to fly and spend less than I did last year to make Gold. Seems to pay to make status with AA once, not requalify, and then get one of these offers the following year.

bchandler02

Flew 1 paid trip on AA last year (a mix of AA/BA) and 2 award tickets. Rest of my paid travel was on United and Southwest.
As usual, didn't get squat from AA. A big part of why they are no longer my preferred airline. Loyalty is a two way street and they seem to have forgotten this.

Cledaybuck

I got the Platinum offer and like most others, don't fly with AA much at all. I also have 0 status with any other airlines. I have no plans to fly AA before May 15, but ironically do have an AA flight scheduled May 16 with return on May 21 (CMH-MIA-BGI). As far as I can tell, this promo does nothing for me as I will not even be able to use the 500 mile upgrades (20 are offered) as I will no longer have elite status after May 15. Is that correct?

bosman

You can use your Plat status to reserve an MCE seat for your May flights. Unless there are schedule changes after May 15, it is likely that they won't make you change your seat after you've lost status. If there are flight changes after May 15, you likely won't be able to rebook in MCE.

Regarding upgrades, it is possible that if you get upgraded at the 72 hour window for your May 16 flight (while you are still a Plat), they likely won't downgrade you. If the upgrade doesn't clear at the window and you try to upgrade at the airport, then you will be out of luck as a non-status pax. Similarly, I don't see much hope for your return.

So the MCE is a plus, regardless of upgrade.

solewalker

If it can be confirmed before the flight, you probably can use them. The May 21 flight will be outside of the Plat confirmation window, though.

onetess

Two of my three kids and I all received this upgrade - one kid got platinum and one got platinum pro. One got no offer. (I got platinum pro.)

All three kids happen to be booked together on an international flight later this month, so I was excited to be able to get better seats for them with their new status and logged onto their flights to do so.

However, for the kid who is just platinum, the system won't allow me to move her seat for her outbound, only for her return. The platinum pro kid's seat can be moved, and the "nothing" kid is on the same record as the platinum pro kid so his seat can be moved as well. (The "just platinum" kid is on her own record.) I called AA and they claim that on their side, none of the kids can be moved (even though I literally succeeded in moving them online) even though they do see the status. So...not sure what the story is exactly. Anyone else having this issue - which I know is very specific?

(Just to clarify - all the "kids" are in their 20s!)