Upgrade offer to Platinum Pro
 

Good morning from SF.

I just received an offer to upgrade my Platinum status to Platinum Pro for 114K in miles. I have a lot of miles so don't see the downside, but wondered if the differences between Platinum and Pro matter.

Most of my travel is SFO- JFK 3-4 times each year and SFO-LHR for work 2 to 3 times per year, with random other trips/vacations planned. It's been years since I have been able to use an electronic upgrade so have a stockpile of upgrades in my account as well.

I couldn't see much on the site about the benefits.

thanks so much
Paige

Main benefits are slightly higher priority on the upgrade list and the "sticker" upgrades are free (which wouldn't really help you since you have stickers anyhow).

I wouldn't do it.

I would certainly do your research, you may have a lot of miles but 114k is a lot to blow on a status upgrade for 10 months (?) that you may or may not get any benefit out of. The biggest benefit of PLT Pro over PLT is unlimited domestic sticker upgrades similar to EXP, but if you have a stockpile of stickers then this might not make much of a difference. I would be very hesitant to throw AA a bone in the form of miles or money to upgrade status with the way the program and airline has gone over the past 2 years. Similar to the above, no way I would do this.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...aster-thd.html

You'll only get one more RDM per EQD, so it would take a lot of EQDs (like CK level) to make sense if you are going for miles. The main benefit will be higher priority on upgrades.

You should also know that you will stop earning stickers if you do this.

Wow, this is super helpful. I was annoyed last year when I ended the year under 4K miles short and they wanted me to pay $1400.
Thanks!

Worthless
 

I flew extra miles to get Platinum Pro, and am finding it absolutely worthless. No upgrades, so being a little higher on the list doesn't matter. Use the miles for free tickets, or just hold them for now.

One benefit I forgot to mention that looked interesting to me is not paying a fee for a miles upgrade or ticket. Especially going to LHR where the cost is high.

my SFO-JFK flights are a mix of paying for a Business seat for 1 leg and a miles upgrade for the other.

As far as I was aware, no status is exempt from the co-pay to use miles to upgrade. The close in fee doesn't apply to all status holders for mileage redemptions from your account.

Not sure what fee you're speaking of here but I think you're getting your benefits confused. As a PLT Pro you still most definitely have to pay any co-pay and higher taxes associated with any upgrade awards.

The only "fee" that is waived for PLT Pro is the close in (within 21 days) award processing fee, but this is already waived for all elite members, so there's no real benefit gained.

You are right, I did confuse that benefit. I read it too fast.

This isn't really all that helpful unless we know your regular airports. Depending on status, upgrading is tough to, from, and especially between any of AA's hubs and especially during peak business travel days/times. Flying to spokes and not during peak business travel days/times increases your upgrade chances dramatically.

My airports aren't great for upgrades. SFO-JFK are most of my flights. I also fly SFO-LHR or AMS 2 or 3x's per year.

other travel is random, like a trip to Detroit via DFW that pop up during the year.

for Las Vegas or Hawaii, I fly Alaskan.

$1400 is a much better offer than 114k miles. Most of us could probably get a lot more than $1400 value out of that number of miles (when compared with cash prices for flights).