Offer from AA: Use Miles to Upgrade Status
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA Million Miler, Mosaic, Delta Platinum
Posts: 1,565
Offer from AA: Use Miles to Upgrade Status
Just received this. I can go from Platinum to Platinum Pro for $2245 or 184,500 (!) miles through January 2020. Not tempted.
#3
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,148
Interesting. So AA is putting a value of $0.012 per AAdvantage mile here... at least on this offer.
Extremely close to what the main points experts put on their miles... $0.014: https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...-each-program/
Extremely close to what the main points experts put on their miles... $0.014: https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...-each-program/
#4
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Stilllwater OK (SWO)
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, World of Hyatt Globalist, plain "member" of Marriott, IHG, enterprise, etc.
Posts: 1,851
1.2 cents/mile seems generous. I wouldn't consider buying miles for more than 0.5 cents/mile.
What is interesting to me is that Aadvantage puts the value of Platinum Pro over Plat at $2245.
All for what? --
Complementary upgrades instead of upgrades through earning/burning stickers (a draw in my opinion, at least at Plat you can earn stickers that can be used on your spouse, at PP you can't)
Slightly higher up the 50+ person upgrade lists (either way, the upgrades near never clear for plat pro anyways)
A bit more bonus miles
SDFCs (that are near never available anyways)
I value Plat Pro over Plat at about 60$ -- 30$ for the small bump in bonus miles and $30 for that one upgrade over the next year that may clear for a plat pro (but not a plat) on a short haul hop.
The only status at AA that matters for anyone is ExP (and naturally, CK).
What is interesting to me is that Aadvantage puts the value of Platinum Pro over Plat at $2245.
All for what? --
Complementary upgrades instead of upgrades through earning/burning stickers (a draw in my opinion, at least at Plat you can earn stickers that can be used on your spouse, at PP you can't)
Slightly higher up the 50+ person upgrade lists (either way, the upgrades near never clear for plat pro anyways)
A bit more bonus miles
SDFCs (that are near never available anyways)
I value Plat Pro over Plat at about 60$ -- 30$ for the small bump in bonus miles and $30 for that one upgrade over the next year that may clear for a plat pro (but not a plat) on a short haul hop.
The only status at AA that matters for anyone is ExP (and naturally, CK).
#6
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 163
Interesting. So AA is putting a value of $0.012 per AAdvantage mile here... at least on this offer.
Extremely close to what the main points experts put on their miles... $0.014: https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...-each-program/
Extremely close to what the main points experts put on their miles... $0.014: https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...-each-program/
#7
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA EXP Plat, Mariott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 165
1.2 cents/mile seems generous. I wouldn't consider buying miles for more than 0.5 cents/mile.
What is interesting to me is that Aadvantage puts the value of Platinum Pro over Plat at $2245.
All for what? --
Complementary upgrades instead of upgrades through earning/burning stickers (a draw in my opinion, at least at Plat you can earn stickers that can be used on your spouse, at PP you can't)
Slightly higher up the 50+ person upgrade lists (either way, the upgrades near never clear for plat pro anyways)
A bit more bonus miles
SDFCs (that are near never available anyways)
I value Plat Pro over Plat at about 60$ -- 30$ for the small bump in bonus miles and $30 for that one upgrade over the next year that may clear for a plat pro (but not a plat) on a short haul hop.
The only status at AA that matters for anyone is ExP (and naturally, CK).
What is interesting to me is that Aadvantage puts the value of Platinum Pro over Plat at $2245.
All for what? --
Complementary upgrades instead of upgrades through earning/burning stickers (a draw in my opinion, at least at Plat you can earn stickers that can be used on your spouse, at PP you can't)
Slightly higher up the 50+ person upgrade lists (either way, the upgrades near never clear for plat pro anyways)
A bit more bonus miles
SDFCs (that are near never available anyways)
I value Plat Pro over Plat at about 60$ -- 30$ for the small bump in bonus miles and $30 for that one upgrade over the next year that may clear for a plat pro (but not a plat) on a short haul hop.
The only status at AA that matters for anyone is ExP (and naturally, CK).
#9
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Stilllwater OK (SWO)
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, World of Hyatt Globalist, plain "member" of Marriott, IHG, enterprise, etc.
Posts: 1,851
I disagree -- At least with my travel patterns upgrades just don't happen anyways (the only one I have gotten out of a few dozen segments at Plat pro is on a sub-500 mile flight; and I only got close - as in within 5 spots on the list of the topmost person that cleared- two other times). So it makes no difference getting complementary upgrades vs paying stickers when upgrades don't happen either way. And, to boot, plat pros don't earn stickers to bank for the future which will be quite useful to have if the economy sinks and upgrades become doable again (and this will happen, not sure when, but at some point it will happen). I am going to be left without any stickers to upgrade my wife (often a travel companion) or myself (assuming I am gold or plat -- which is more likely in the future with an economic downturn than maintaining plat pro or above). I'd rather be able to collect stickers this year for the future than get complementary waitlisting around number 20th-30th position.
#10
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 163
The fact that at the end of Feb, a full 1/6th the time the buyup would cover, they are still advertising it would seem to indicate not many. If they made enough from it, they would stop advertising.
#11
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: DFW
Posts: 311
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,292
I've been EXP for years now and have the same sticker balance as when I started (minus a few ised for companions). If I run out, then I will need to buy more.
#13
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PHL
Programs: HH Lifetime Diamond, AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 594
Exactly correct. I went from kettle to EXP a couple years ago, so had no stickers banked. I have spent hundreds on stickers since (Not complaining, it's good to upgrade the family).
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,117
Buy Back and Boost / Buy Up Status for 2019
These offers are based in large part on how short you were from the next status level. You are reading too much into the offer amount.