AA Million Miler Doesn’t Reward Long Term Loyalty... Learn From My Mistake
Jul 26, 2019, 1:39 am
#106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
For the Lifetime plats out there frustrated with lowly placement on upgrade list. Mine cleared with 48 hours out. Should I mention it's a 12:50 AM departure RNO-DFW? AND my preferred coach seat has vanished. Connecting flight to MIA should have me number 35 on upgrade list. I'd rather be number 35 than 2. Much more relaxing and I never choose AA if I cannot book a decent coach seat.
I also managed a comp AS upgrade out of DAL (VIrgin plane) to LAX on the Friday outbound. I had Gold AS status at the time after a status match.
Jul 26, 2019, 2:00 am
#107
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Just finished my morning cuppa, interesting posts from everyone, but just wondering, why do we chase status on airlines with so much passion. ( I am now, not really bothered that much)
its not like any airline will treat us like family /friends.. is it a boost for our ego's to say that we are EXP this, or DM that or lifetime gold on BA?
Does having status with hotels, car rentals, etc really make us feel better about ourselves?
anyway, just thinking
its not like any airline will treat us like family /friends.. is it a boost for our ego's to say that we are EXP this, or DM that or lifetime gold on BA?
Does having status with hotels, car rentals, etc really make us feel better about ourselves?
anyway, just thinking
Then they can get treated specially.
Jul 26, 2019, 2:05 am
#108
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
i have not read the whole thread but have a couple of observations. I am LT Plat. No I don't get free upgrades anymore, What I do get is the ability to pre select my seats, usually exit row, if I am not flying F. More important to me are the OW benefits. I am retired and travel international a lot. Usually using miles. My status allows me to pre select seats bus or F depending on what route and airline I am flying. I guess I am amazed that some people assume, because they have status they have some entitlement.
In my view elite status carries a lot of benefits but you have to temper your expectations.
YMMV
In my view elite status carries a lot of benefits but you have to temper your expectations.
YMMV
And for business, only BA (or certain seats on LX?)
Jul 26, 2019, 3:32 am
#109
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
The AA lifetime elite status benefits don't provide any semblance of being a VIP, but they do provide a chance of having lower odds to suffer the worst of what the airline has to offer.
Jul 26, 2019, 8:07 am
#110
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,107
Jul 26, 2019, 9:32 am
#111
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,317
The incentivization is based on the marketing around an award or some other benefit. If you are incentivizing a behavior with the promise of rewards that don’t materialize, then the incentive eventually becomes ineffective.
they are not all that different, just a timing issue, for most people. What was past behavior was shared by the OP to warn others re their future flying.
they are not all that different, just a timing issue, for most people. What was past behavior was shared by the OP to warn others re their future flying.
Jul 26, 2019, 10:22 am
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
Programs: AA EXP, 6MM; BA GLD
Posts: 17,249
The incentivization is based on the marketing around an award or some other benefit. If you are incentivizing a behavior with the promise of rewards that don’t materialize, then the incentive eventually becomes ineffective.
they are not all that different, just a timing issue, for most people. What was past behavior was shared by the OP to warn others re their future flying.
That said, in the case of AA lifetime status, they haven't changed the reward, although it's certainly less valuable than it once was.
But back to the point of loyalty programs: a company has to walk a fine line of trying to make the customer feel valued for his or her past behavior while still incentivizing the customer to continue to spend more rather than just rely on past accrued benefits. It's a difficult line to walk, and we can argue (and have argued) over the course of hundreds or thousands of posts as to the effectiveness of AA's (and other airlines') loyalty/incentive programs.
Jul 26, 2019, 11:37 am
#113
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Being an AA multi-million miler really does make me feel like a VIP, especially as I have the great pleasure of repeatedly being number XX on the upgrade waiting list on flights where I board and go back to take my middle seat in the back of the flying bus because that is all that may have been left when the same-day tickets were purchased and I managed to check-in.
The AA lifetime elite status benefits don't provide any semblance of being a VIP, but they do provide a chance of having lower odds to suffer the worst of what the airline has to offer.
The AA lifetime elite status benefits don't provide any semblance of being a VIP, but they do provide a chance of having lower odds to suffer the worst of what the airline has to offer.
Or, in this case in the world of commercial airlines he who only waits 15 minutes to checkin, stands in security only 20 minutes, and gets groped only one in five times, is doing well!
Jul 26, 2019, 1:58 pm
#115
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Jul 26, 2019, 3:40 pm
#116
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Charlottesville, Va. USA
Posts: 1,752
sOssos let me correct my statement. On Ba you can select f & bus seats but as a ows I can slelect ud 747 or other premium seats tht are blocked to no status passengers. Another example of the would be the mini cabin on cx 777w. Sorry I wasn't more specific.
Jul 26, 2019, 3:46 pm
#117
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Somewhere...
Programs: AA PLT/3MM, UA GM/1MM, DL DM/1MM, FB Plat, AS MVP Gold, WN AList+
Posts: 1,588
Only interesting is that all other things being equal (fare class, fare paid, check in time, etc.) I came out as a LTPLT considerably below a guy with no MM tagged to his PLT account on the upgrade list. Translated, in AA’s ‘system’ LTPLT are more considerably more worthless than regular (almost as worthless) PLT when it comes to upgrade priority.
Lifetime = AA PLT Lite probably won’t make their marketing materials.
Lifetime = AA PLT Lite probably won’t make their marketing materials.
Jul 26, 2019, 3:48 pm
#118
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
Jul 26, 2019, 3:53 pm
#120
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Somewhere...
Programs: AA PLT/3MM, UA GM/1MM, DL DM/1MM, FB Plat, AS MVP Gold, WN AList+
Posts: 1,588
This would be why. Upgrade priority is now based on prior 12 month EQDs after status. Why would you expect to be higher if his EQDs were higher? This is something I think AA does right -- i.e., rewarding nearer term loyalty so those still spending the most get higher priority.
But the EQD spend between him and myself was less than $1K for the year before...quite a difference still in terms of the upgrade ‘list’ (eight spots) with so many other things being equal.
Who knows...