Ditching Aviator Card -- Best strategy for orphan miles?
Mar 17, 2019, 1:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 97
Ditching Aviator Card -- Best strategy for orphan miles?
The Aviator Mastercard has been a backup card of mine for a few years, although I've been thinking about getting rid of it (or at least downgrading it) recently, and now the new terms make me pretty sure I want to do that -- most of my spend/flying is on other carriers, and while I've been able to eke out a few good redemptions I'd rather not be carrying the card much longer...
Here's my question: I have ~4600 AA miles in my account, and I'd rather not leave those totally stranded with no way to make something of them if I cancel or downgrade the card. Any suggestions for what I might do with them, or the easiest way to get that up to 12.5K for a cheap redemption? My new annual fee is supposed to post May 1, so it'd have to be by then, and my spend isn't huge.
Grateful for any wise words!
Here's my question: I have ~4600 AA miles in my account, and I'd rather not leave those totally stranded with no way to make something of them if I cancel or downgrade the card. Any suggestions for what I might do with them, or the easiest way to get that up to 12.5K for a cheap redemption? My new annual fee is supposed to post May 1, so it'd have to be by then, and my spend isn't huge.
Grateful for any wise words!
Mar 17, 2019, 2:35 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,584
The Aviator Mastercard has been a backup card of mine for a few years, although I've been thinking about getting rid of it (or at least downgrading it) recently, and now the new terms make me pretty sure I want to do that -- most of my spend/flying is on other carriers, and while I've been able to eke out a few good redemptions I'd rather not be carrying the card much longer...
Here's my question: I have ~4600 AA miles in my account, and I'd rather not leave those totally stranded with no way to make something of them if I cancel or downgrade the card. Any suggestions for what I might do with them, or the easiest way to get that up to 12.5K for a cheap redemption? My new annual fee is supposed to post May 1, so it'd have to be by then, and my spend isn't huge.
Grateful for any wise words!
Here's my question: I have ~4600 AA miles in my account, and I'd rather not leave those totally stranded with no way to make something of them if I cancel or downgrade the card. Any suggestions for what I might do with them, or the easiest way to get that up to 12.5K for a cheap redemption? My new annual fee is supposed to post May 1, so it'd have to be by then, and my spend isn't huge.
Grateful for any wise words!
And AA has redemptions costing less than 12,500 miles on certain routes.
Mar 17, 2019, 3:01 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 97
Anything I can do to make the most of these miles, without getting myself further committed to this program?
Mar 17, 2019, 4:03 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 655
They have a relatively low value - circa $70 at 1.5 cpm. Not worth stressing about.
Can be kept alive by using a dining for miles program and eating at a participating one every 17 months or so. Donate 'em to a charity that's looking for miles. Get a magazine subscription with 'em.
The guv's approach seems best, but the relatively poorer options mentioned may be of interest.
Can be kept alive by using a dining for miles program and eating at a participating one every 17 months or so. Donate 'em to a charity that's looking for miles. Get a magazine subscription with 'em.
The guv's approach seems best, but the relatively poorer options mentioned may be of interest.
Mar 17, 2019, 5:14 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 97
Makes sense. One follow-up question: I'm currently enrolled in a promotion to spend $250 in March and April to get 1k bonus miles. I'm assuming that if I cancel the card even on May 1, I forfeit that? It wouldn't get me that much closer to an award level, so I'm okay parting with it, just checking...
Mar 17, 2019, 8:41 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,975
You have some time after the annual fee posts to cancel the card without paying it, and the bonus may have posted by then. My statement says you can cancel within 45 days of "advance notice on your billing statement prior to the assessment of the annual fee."
Mar 17, 2019, 8:55 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: AA Plat Pto, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,536
https://www.useaamiles.com/carhotel/
Use them for a discount on a rental car or hotel. The per mile value is not great at all but with your balance there really isn't meaningful value without committing future mileage earnings to AA .
Use them for a discount on a rental car or hotel. The per mile value is not great at all but with your balance there really isn't meaningful value without committing future mileage earnings to AA .
Mar 18, 2019, 5:43 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
They have a relatively low value - circa $70 at 1.5 cpm. Not worth stressing about.
Can be kept alive by using a dining for miles program and eating at a participating one every 17 months or so. Donate 'em to a charity that's looking for miles. Get a magazine subscription with 'em.
The guv's approach seems best, but the relatively poorer options mentioned may be of interest.
Can be kept alive by using a dining for miles program and eating at a participating one every 17 months or so. Donate 'em to a charity that's looking for miles. Get a magazine subscription with 'em.
The guv's approach seems best, but the relatively poorer options mentioned may be of interest.
Mar 18, 2019, 7:33 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 97
Having no skin in the referral game personally, as part of its efforts to retain customers and and fish for the value members, Citi introduced a no annual fee AA card ("American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp") and with just a pack of gum or a little activity, you can keep your miles live without the cost of annual fee (versus their other cards which have annual fees that kick in after the first year or in Barclay's case, right away).
Mar 18, 2019, 12:11 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,584
