Rumor: Changes coming to Aadvantage Program in March
 

I filled out a survey the other day on an AA flight and used it to make a few complaints about the Aadvantage program. I got a follow up call today. We had a long conversation about award redemption (usurious mileage charges), American fares on certain routes (much higher than Oneworld partners in most cases), the proliferation of regional jets, even on long routes, and a number of other topics. I told her as a multi-year EXP that I was not feeling the love and was not sure I was going to bother with trying to re-qualify this year as EXP. At the end of the conversation the representative said some changes were coming in March that she thought I would appreciate. She used the word appreciate, which made me think it was connected to a topic we had discussed, and it was in reference to the Aadvantage program. I pressed, but she would not give more information.

So, I'm throwing it out to the intertubes: anyone have any inkling about pending Aadvantage program changes?

Numerous widebody routes out of ERI and PIT.

You heard it here first! :D

Oh my goodness, not PIT again. I'm not sure if there is anyone else left from the US forum...but there were many hard feelings when Parker and Kirby dismantled the PIT hub. :(
(before US moved to the new area at LAS it was rather depressing walking past all of the gates there, from when LAS was a hub too).

I'd love to be able to use stickers to go from E to PE on international. Well for a reasonable number of stickers at least (I still have over 40).

I miss PIT from the 90s, particularly the gym.

Yes, I do:

Maybe an extension from those surveys that circulated many months ago??

I am rather surprised at how many longish routes have an mix of both mainline and regional jets with AA. Is there a reason why DFW-PHX needs a CRJ at 6:24 PM to be followed by a 757 at 6:50 PM? That isn't anything to do with AAdvantage though.

My money is on what JonNYC has tweeted about!

The info from JonNYC is not so useful without an award chart. Will they price it closer to J than to Y, in the hope of making people think it is a premium product?

Also, why would a disgruntled ExPlat become gruntled because of this?

which is?

after LIT-NRT, I assume?

See 4th post above yours.. ;)

Speaking only for myself (but many others, I suspect) - I have no issues with the charts, really - it's the availability that kills me.

Plus a big A380 order for the hourly LIT-NRT shuttle. ;)

Based on your negative words regarding your fit in the FF program maybe she was referring to a clause that would justify dropping you :)

Introduction of PE awards at current J sAAver levels. J and F awards go up.

Gotta stay optimistic.

Following the historical trend, EXP qualifying EQDs raised to $18K..

Wild speculation...USA-Europe, currently 30K in Y, 60K in J. I think 35K in PE would be reasonable. But I bet it will be 45K or 50K.

Indeed availability is more important for those of us who have the miles. But how many people pay cash for PE anyway? They should make lots of awards available, especially if priced at 45-50K...but probably won't.

Maybe if they actually make PE award inventory available or available without married segments people would have a shot at being pleased.

Anecdotally, a lot. Judging by how airlines who have had PE for a while (BA) have kept it and others like the US3 are adding it as fast as possible, it seems that the math is working as well.

Last week SIN-IAH was 1000 in Y, 1400 in W and 4500 in J one way. There wasn't a chance I was going to spend 4500 one way on J - I'm far too cheap for that. I booked PE and applies a SWU from NRT to DFW. PE on JL is excellent, I cleared to J on AA and I got the bonus EQMs. No brainer, IMO.

PE awards will be appreciated and add a bit of value for some members which will be a positive change.

If AA wants to add tremendous value to the program for EXPs. They can adopt similar SDFC rules to UA’s SDC program.

This for me will be huge.

Just wanted to throw this out there.

Gold will have their own boarding group? :p

57.5k for J! Stop giving AA any more ideas! :p

But yes, I think somewhere in the 35-40k range for PE to Europe would be reasonable.

exeplat using swu on his/her own to be booked into I class instead of C class.

I'm generally a tightwad, but even I don't think 5K is a "reasonable" premium for PE over standard economy. If you are hoping for that, I think you are likely to be disappointed.

Regards

AA is a horrible ffp with no redeeming qualities, and it is getting worse and worse, did you tell her that?

hyperbole much?

With mileage earning being revenue based, plus AA pushing selling miles, and CC's buying lots of miles, miles are just another sort of currency. How about eliminating capacity controls on awards - ala WN!

I always assumed that was a positioning flight.

35k where economy is 30k is an unrealistic expectation. I would expect it to be around the mid point between economy and business

Plenty of people purchase premium economy on airlines that I am aware of and many are happy with it - gives a lot more pleasant a journey than economy

Avoid night flights and I would happily pay for than rather than pay for business class on many routes

I guess I don't see why everybody thinks the PE award flights thing is what the agent alluded to. OP didn't say anything about wanting that (at least in the post) right? Personally I don't see that as some big thing that changes the game for us. Mostly everything associated with PE just fills me with dread for the day that SWU/copays just go Y->W instead of Y->J.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c7587aebdf.png

Did I hear widebody PIT-OGG service is coming...

I give it 7 posts to the first "AA hates its customers"/"AA scr*&#ing its customers again" post

Seven? Seriously? You're are an optimist! :D

Regards

I must admit, I was thinking about this while making dinner earlier. I have no doubt that AA is getting ready to announce PE awards, that makes sense and honestly, is a little bit of a me too move. Furthermore, over the years I've learned to observe when JonNYC is confident about information and he clearly is on this, so I'm confident he is correct.

But, in the context of this specific OP, who is an EXP, visiting with an agent and expressing the sense of "not feeling the love" and questioning if re-qualifying is worth it, I'm just wondering if PE award charts is something that would will be highly valued by EXPs? Maybe some, I'm sure, but in my experience, most people that consistently qualify for EXP are either a) not using awards because they are on the hamster wheel of re-qualifying or b) they are obsessed with J/F redemptions and generally turn their nose up at anything not in those cabins.

So, yes, I'm confident JonNYC is correct re: PE awards, but I wonder if that is what this agent is alluding too or if there might be something else. Of course, in my experience, if there is something else, JonNYC would probably know about that too before an EXP phone agent! :)

Regards

"But, in the context of this specific OP, who is an EXP, visiting with an agent and expressing the sense of "not feeling the love" and questioning if re-qualifying is worth it, I'm just wondering if PE award charts is something that would will be highly valued by EXPs? Maybe some, I'm sure, but in my experience, most people that consistently qualify for EXP are either a) not using awards because they are on the hamster wheel of re-qualifying or b) they are obsessed with J/F redemptions and generally turn their nose up at anything not in those cabins."

This is pretty much a summary of the conversation. I was polite, she was interested and kept asking questions. I gave concrete examples -- AA's cost ORD to AMM is nearly triple Royal Jordanian's. An award redemption to PTY was 95,000 points in coach, and RJ's for 3 of 4 segments. There are other examples. I've just gotten frustrated at how expensive (cash, award points, etc) AA has gotten.