I think you're misreading your account statement and confusing your terms somewhat. I don't know what you mean by "Is this different than elite Platinum?"

I believe the ~44K that you're seeing is what you need at this point in time to get to regular Platinum level until 2/2013. Since you're already LTG, your counter is always going to show what you need to reach whatever the next level is; in your case, Platinum.

So getting another 44K before 1 Dec isn't going to make you LTP. You need to *fly* 44K miles (or find a few DEQM promos) prior to 31 Dec so that you'll be Platinum until 2/2013.

You still need ~550K to reach LTP.

segments!
 

I continue to make the point that some of us PLT make it from segments (many less than 500 miles). If I was starting now, it would take me over 30 years just to get to LT GLD (flying PLT segments yearly). To your point, how much is a lifetime? I could be flying at PLT for over 60 years to get LT PLT. If I started at 18, I would meet that at 78. Given that's almost average life expectancy of people, the MM program becomes useless. Seems a bit excessive when you still consider it is a large number of times to choose AA instead of another airline. I would think that 10 and 20 years of PLT level would be more reasonable (not just 50k miles per year).

It does seen the point of the change.

Few who do not fly enough to reach annual gold would not realistically likely attain LT Gold . Even at 15k a year average it would take 66 years to attain it. The bar has been set so that it is only realistic for those who have status will only ever likely receive LT Status. The earning rule has been set fairly so that those who have high status do not get an unfair climb towards LT status over those with lower status

Maybe they need "short term" cash flow.

Warning to members who try this, be prepared for a time consuming and frustrating display of incompetence.

2 calls so far, and my account is a mess.

After first call was promised 35,000 miles for my 8 stickers, told to check back in 24 hours to see changes reflected.

I log in a day later and see I've had 16 stickers deducted, and no miles posted.

Call back, and for half an hour the supervisor seems to think that I never had the sticker balance I claimed to have, so, the 16 sticker deduction was accurate! Finally they found 'something' that let them figure out it was their mistake (they didn't tell me what), but, promised my missing 8 stickers would be returned. Also told that the 35,000 miles will appear in the next 24 hours.

Log in today, and... I have only been given 4,000 miles. Obviously they treated this exchange not as the special million miler 8 sticker for 35,000 miles exchange, but, instead as just a regular old swap at a rate of 500 miles given per sticker. This despite the fact being promised by multiple reps I'd be given 35,000 miles for my 8 stickers.

Problem is still not resolved, as, customer service is now closed. But, not looking forward to the fact I'll have to call back again. Each phone call so far (2 of them) has been about 45 minutes long. Can't see this next call taking less time.

I probably should have waited a couple of weeks before doing this. Clearly the customer service reps are not yet properly trained on how to do this million miler 8 sticker for 35,000 miles swap. I would hope this is something that would improve in the coming weeks.

Maybe this was part of AA's thinking. Maybe they intended LT status to be the result of the passenger's lifetime flying with them. Maybe they calculated that, by the time someone reached 1MM/2MM miles, LT status would be awarded to people who were 60+ years old and not going to be flying all that much anymore, but got concerned when a bunch of 25 y.o.'s were getting LTG/LTP with 40+ years of flying ahead of them. Maybe 40+ years of lost baggage fees was just too much! ;)

Although I know you said at least some of this tongue in cheek, I actually don't think you're all that far off the mark. I'd be willing to bet that right now AA has more elite members in its program than any other airline. That fact is probably already hurting their bottom line, and continuing the current program indefinitely would only hurt more. I'm thinking they don't want a single more LTG or LTP than they can possibly avoid; hence the more stringent program rules. Doing away with the program altogether would be too much of a punch in the guts to too many customers; making it align more with the programs of other carriers is a big disappointment for many, but not nearly so draconian.

This is a nice gesture by AA thanks for posting this! Just took advantage of this offer.

My only suggestion is to let purchased miles count towards lifetime status. At least it is money invested directly in AA and not in any of its partners or CC. I am stuck at 1.75 million and I fly 25k per year so it will take me 8 years to accomplish LTP if I buy 50,000 before 1/12. If AA agreed to my suggestion, it would take me 3 years.

I called this afternoon on husband's account to do this. It was a good 7 minutes hold before getting a rep. I first asked him if he was aware of the exchange benefit as it was just came in effect. He said they were told yesterday about this. (a day AFTER the change was posted here). It took him a long time to do it and he came back in the middle to apologize, said that the procedure was brand new and it took several screens to do it... anyway after almost 10 minutes he said it was all set and told me it would take 24 to 48 hours to see the miles. The stickers have not been deducted, yet.

Finger crossed this would be processed correctly.

This actually isn't true. Both the AMEX Delta Plat ($150/year) and AMEX Delta Reserve ($450/year) allow you to earn MQMs through non-flight purchases (20K/30K respectively). These MQMs count towards MM status on Delta. (This may have already been commented on but I only read through the first 11 or so pages of this thread) :p

I don't have a serious issue with the fact that the program has changed. As with many, it is better to know than speculate. I also appreciate that I'll no longer try to chase random AA miles just because they counted towards MM status and I'll be able to remove that AA search engine and go back to my preferred google, lol.

I will still work on getting my spend for my Citi AA Business Card to get that mileage signup bonus but will then drop all my Citi AA cards (I have too many CCs anyway, and it is a good excuse to clean house). I will likely also still keep my BankDirect account open because I use my AA miles for travel for the kids.

So, sorry I got into the "game" too late, but I did earn a bunch of miles that will not go to waste. It was fun while it lasted, now it is time to move onto the next speculation rumor-mill topic, whatever that might be. :)

How they're going to devalue existing miles next is a perpetual one!

AA no longer mileage plan of choice
 

I'm gone too. United serves my needs as well or better these days. United's best feature is extra Saver inventory for 1k's... that has save me thousands of dollars for family and friends this year alone. AA miles seem only to be redeemable at the full standard award rates about 95 percent of the time. I've had a much more difficult time redeeming them.

I have 1.45 million lifetime AA miles. at least 1 million of them acquired through cc and other non-flying activity (though I do fly regularly). I've been targeting most of my non-flying mileage accumulation to AA since I heard about this unofficial program back in 2005. I already have LT Gold so no baggage fees and some prospect of trying to upgrade when I do fly American. But with no chance of hitting LT Platinum I've got absolutely no reason to continue this non-flying mileage accumulation anymore. I would have made it in about 3 years if they'd left the program in place.

I spent the weekend switching my frequent flyer dining and shopping info over to United's program. Told the family to put the AA Citibank cards back in their wallets and start using the UA MileagePlus cards from Chase exclusively. I have to believe that AA will notice a falloff in sales of mileage to partners as a result of this. I "bought" 750K miles through partner usage in the past 5 years, and would have for the next 5 but for this change.

Will you be impacted by the changes to the elite program that are being discussed on the UA forum? Those changes are due to be officially released next month. I see one long-time AA poster that moved to UA is already talking about coming back to AA if those go through.

I think the best feature of AA's program is systemwides that can be used on almost any fare. Whenever I attend FT events and talk with UA flyers it's a benefit they would love to have at UA (they actually had it back in the 90s then took it way). No buying higher W fares and playing the upgrade lottery as to whether you clear or not. I give all my UA systemwides away.

I think this makes sense too. Considering if you buy miles and then use them for a ticket you receive no BIS miles whatsoever.