Too many Executive Platinum/ EXPs in 2021?
Aug 23, 2020, 5:10 pm
#46
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Choice Hotels
Posts: 762
My best deals this year have been, all r/t in main cabin:
OKC-LGA. $165, $150, $135, $195, $205. All trips completed before the 14-day quarantine was put into place.
OKC-SFO $150
OKC-LAX $235
OKC-SAN $225
OKC-DEN $150, $175
OKC-UIN $180 (including cape air codeshare)
OKC-ORD $195
OKC-MCO $235
LAW-PVR $315 !
OKC-CUN $315 !
OKC-TGZ $421 including Interjet codeshare.
OKC-CPE $430 (on DL and Aeromexico since AA does not have any codeshare service to CPE.)
OKC-SGU $205
OKC-CVG $285 which seems relatively expensive but is still historically cheap.
OKC-BGR $321. Same as CVG. I was able to avoid the 14 day quarantine by getting a rapid test done the day before the trip.
In a normal year, these flights could easily be 2 to 3 times more expensive. Of course, since all of my flying is personal and discretionary, in a normal year, I would not be flying this much. The wild card is that four of these Mexico trips are scheduled for the last four months of this year. It looks like I will probably be able to go, but things could change. The Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta will be nice, but I won't shed any tears if I can't go. However, my heart is in Chiapas and Campeche looks amazing. I will be quite sad if I can't go on those two trips.
OKC-LGA. $165, $150, $135, $195, $205. All trips completed before the 14-day quarantine was put into place.
OKC-SFO $150
OKC-LAX $235
OKC-SAN $225
OKC-DEN $150, $175
OKC-UIN $180 (including cape air codeshare)
OKC-ORD $195
OKC-MCO $235
LAW-PVR $315 !
OKC-CUN $315 !
OKC-TGZ $421 including Interjet codeshare.
OKC-CPE $430 (on DL and Aeromexico since AA does not have any codeshare service to CPE.)
OKC-SGU $205
OKC-CVG $285 which seems relatively expensive but is still historically cheap.
OKC-BGR $321. Same as CVG. I was able to avoid the 14 day quarantine by getting a rapid test done the day before the trip.
In a normal year, these flights could easily be 2 to 3 times more expensive. Of course, since all of my flying is personal and discretionary, in a normal year, I would not be flying this much. The wild card is that four of these Mexico trips are scheduled for the last four months of this year. It looks like I will probably be able to go, but things could change. The Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta will be nice, but I won't shed any tears if I can't go. However, my heart is in Chiapas and Campeche looks amazing. I will be quite sad if I can't go on those two trips.
Aug 23, 2020, 7:23 pm
#47
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: ORD, sadly...
Programs: AA Exec Plat
Posts: 599
My best deals this year have been, all r/t in main cabin:
OKC-LGA. $165, $150, $135, $195, $205. All trips completed before the 14-day quarantine was put into place.
OKC-SFO $150
OKC-LAX $235
OKC-SAN $225
OKC-DEN $150, $175
OKC-UIN $180 (including cape air codeshare)
OKC-ORD $195
OKC-MCO $235
LAW-PVR $315 !
OKC-CUN $315 !
OKC-TGZ $421 including Interjet codeshare.
OKC-CPE $430 (on DL and Aeromexico since AA does not have any codeshare service to CPE.)
OKC-SGU $205
OKC-CVG $285 which seems relatively expensive but is still historically cheap.
OKC-BGR $321. Same as CVG. I was able to avoid the 14 day quarantine by getting a rapid test done the day before the trip.
In a normal year, these flights could easily be 2 to 3 times more expensive. Of course, since all of my flying is personal and discretionary, in a normal year, I would not be flying this much. The wild card is that four of these Mexico trips are scheduled for the last four months of this year. It looks like I will probably be able to go, but things could change. The Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta will be nice, but I won't shed any tears if I can't go. However, my heart is in Chiapas and Campeche looks amazing. I will be quite sad if I can't go on those two trips.
OKC-LGA. $165, $150, $135, $195, $205. All trips completed before the 14-day quarantine was put into place.
OKC-SFO $150
OKC-LAX $235
OKC-SAN $225
OKC-DEN $150, $175
OKC-UIN $180 (including cape air codeshare)
OKC-ORD $195
OKC-MCO $235
LAW-PVR $315 !
OKC-CUN $315 !
OKC-TGZ $421 including Interjet codeshare.
OKC-CPE $430 (on DL and Aeromexico since AA does not have any codeshare service to CPE.)
OKC-SGU $205
OKC-CVG $285 which seems relatively expensive but is still historically cheap.
OKC-BGR $321. Same as CVG. I was able to avoid the 14 day quarantine by getting a rapid test done the day before the trip.
In a normal year, these flights could easily be 2 to 3 times more expensive. Of course, since all of my flying is personal and discretionary, in a normal year, I would not be flying this much. The wild card is that four of these Mexico trips are scheduled for the last four months of this year. It looks like I will probably be able to go, but things could change. The Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta will be nice, but I won't shed any tears if I can't go. However, my heart is in Chiapas and Campeche looks amazing. I will be quite sad if I can't go on those two trips.
Aug 24, 2020, 2:20 pm
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast
Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY & 1MM, HILTON DIAMOND
Posts: 11,970
My best deals this year have been, all r/t in main cabin:
OKC-LGA. $165, $150, $135, $195, $205. All trips completed before the 14-day quarantine was put into place.
OKC-SFO $150
OKC-LAX $235
OKC-SAN $225
OKC-DEN $150, $175
OKC-UIN $180 (including cape air codeshare)
OKC-ORD $195
OKC-MCO $235
LAW-PVR $315 !
OKC-CUN $315 !
OKC-TGZ $421 including Interjet codeshare.
OKC-CPE $430 (on DL and Aeromexico since AA does not have any codeshare service to CPE.)
OKC-SGU $205
OKC-CVG $285 which seems relatively expensive but is still historically cheap.
OKC-BGR $321. Same as CVG. I was able to avoid the 14 day quarantine by getting a rapid test done the day before the trip.
In a normal year, these flights could easily be 2 to 3 times more expensive. Of course, since all of my flying is personal and discretionary, in a normal year, I would not be flying this much. The wild card is that four of these Mexico trips are scheduled for the last four months of this year. It looks like I will probably be able to go, but things could change. The Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta will be nice, but I won't shed any tears if I can't go. However, my heart is in Chiapas and Campeche looks amazing. I will be quite sad if I can't go on those two trips.
OKC-LGA. $165, $150, $135, $195, $205. All trips completed before the 14-day quarantine was put into place.
OKC-SFO $150
OKC-LAX $235
OKC-SAN $225
OKC-DEN $150, $175
OKC-UIN $180 (including cape air codeshare)
OKC-ORD $195
OKC-MCO $235
LAW-PVR $315 !
OKC-CUN $315 !
OKC-TGZ $421 including Interjet codeshare.
OKC-CPE $430 (on DL and Aeromexico since AA does not have any codeshare service to CPE.)
OKC-SGU $205
OKC-CVG $285 which seems relatively expensive but is still historically cheap.
OKC-BGR $321. Same as CVG. I was able to avoid the 14 day quarantine by getting a rapid test done the day before the trip.
In a normal year, these flights could easily be 2 to 3 times more expensive. Of course, since all of my flying is personal and discretionary, in a normal year, I would not be flying this much. The wild card is that four of these Mexico trips are scheduled for the last four months of this year. It looks like I will probably be able to go, but things could change. The Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta will be nice, but I won't shed any tears if I can't go. However, my heart is in Chiapas and Campeche looks amazing. I will be quite sad if I can't go on those two trips.
In 2-class F/3-class J I have gotten:
BOS DFW MIA (last leg on 77W) $244 one-way
SFO JFK $461 one-way
ORD CLT MSP $127 one-way
CUN DFW MIA $275 one-way
In Y:
MIA DFW $45 one-way regular main
LAX JFK $74 one-way regular main
Aug 24, 2020, 2:56 pm
#49
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,975
Aug 25, 2020, 6:15 am
#50
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 69
20 + XP. I typically pay for FC so the upgrades don't matter. What does matter was the access to customer service, staff's ability to bend the rules (check in 29 minutes before a flight), etc... These benefits have been evaporating over the last few years. Last year was the worst, 30 minute waits to talk to XP desk, and hearing their frustration over issues that they no longer had the power to resolve. AA mis rounted a bag to Barcelona last winter. It sat at the airport for three days even though I called twice daily to get it re routed. EP desk just complained that they were helpless in resolving issues anymore. Wrote to CS and no one responded. I hope that they will re discover how to treat passengers.
Aug 25, 2020, 6:53 am
#51
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: DCA and STL
Programs: AA Concierge Key, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, National Car Executive Elite
Posts: 524
We recently had a client that demanded in person meeting at a place in the world without quarantine restrictions (it was most likely going to be Houston, LOL) but it was only for a pitch. Top management declined (another data point)
The changes are profound and dramatic, no doubt.
I would not worry about "too many EXPs" in 2021.
I expected that when companies started placing restrictions on travel in March that this would last for a couple of months. I'm a software consultant who has spent 45-50 weeks a year on planes travelling client locations for the past 20 years. Since returning from Sao Paulo the day before AA curtailed international flights, the only flights that I've been on are for leisure travel. My company only recently started allowing domestic travel if the client approves. So far, all of my clients want to do Zoom / Web-Ex / or Teams meetings rather than have in person meetings. As much as I want to fly for business as soon as possible, I understand the economics of work from home and don't like to admit it, but it can be effective. We recently added a second home to allow my wife to accept a job in Alexandria Virginia. From my home office in a high rise apartment here, I look down and see two large empty parking garages for adjacent office buildings and the what appear to be empty Metro trains going by down below. I suspect that this work from home thing will last for a while. Between now and the end of the year, other than leisure travel, the closest thing to business travel that I will do will be commuting between my home offices in Virginia and Missouri. I have no idea when business travel will return to normal, but I sure miss it.
Sep 16, 2020, 1:51 am
#52
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Antwerp, Belgium
Programs: HH Diam, IHG Pl, Sirius G,Bonvoy LTG,Melia Pl,Shangri-La Diam,UA*G,Emirates G,Virgin Atl. G,Hertz PC
Posts: 167
Easy for US citizens to get to ExecPlat, but for European citizens not since we are not allowed to travel outside (unless necessary travel) Europe. Since United changed the way to earn PQP for Star Alliance flights, it is much more difficult (virtually impossible) to reach ExecPlat with flights inside Europe only...
Sep 16, 2020, 10:47 pm
#54
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: SEATTLE, WA USA
Programs: UAL, AA, AS, CX
Posts: 1,973
Does Basic Economy tickets count toward EXP?
My best deals this year have been, all r/t in main cabin:
OKC-LGA. $165, $150, $135, $195, $205. All trips completed before the 14-day quarantine was put into place.
OKC-SFO $150
OKC-LAX $235
OKC-SAN $225
OKC-DEN $150, $175
OKC-UIN $180 (including cape air codeshare)
OKC-ORD $195
OKC-MCO $235
LAW-PVR $315 !
OKC-CUN $315 !
OKC-TGZ $421 including Interjet codeshare.
OKC-CPE $430 (on DL and Aeromexico since AA does not have any codeshare service to CPE.)
OKC-SGU $205
OKC-CVG $285 which seems relatively expensive but is still historically cheap.
OKC-BGR $321. Same as CVG. I was able to avoid the 14 day quarantine by getting a rapid test done the day before the trip.
In a normal year, these flights could easily be 2 to 3 times more expensive. Of course, since all of my flying is personal and discretionary, in a normal year, I would not be flying this much. The wild card is that four of these Mexico trips are scheduled for the last four months of this year. It looks like I will probably be able to go, but things could change. The Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta will be nice, but I won't shed any tears if I can't go. However, my heart is in Chiapas and Campeche looks amazing. I will be quite sad if I can't go on those two trips.
OKC-LGA. $165, $150, $135, $195, $205. All trips completed before the 14-day quarantine was put into place.
OKC-SFO $150
OKC-LAX $235
OKC-SAN $225
OKC-DEN $150, $175
OKC-UIN $180 (including cape air codeshare)
OKC-ORD $195
OKC-MCO $235
LAW-PVR $315 !
OKC-CUN $315 !
OKC-TGZ $421 including Interjet codeshare.
OKC-CPE $430 (on DL and Aeromexico since AA does not have any codeshare service to CPE.)
OKC-SGU $205
OKC-CVG $285 which seems relatively expensive but is still historically cheap.
OKC-BGR $321. Same as CVG. I was able to avoid the 14 day quarantine by getting a rapid test done the day before the trip.
In a normal year, these flights could easily be 2 to 3 times more expensive. Of course, since all of my flying is personal and discretionary, in a normal year, I would not be flying this much. The wild card is that four of these Mexico trips are scheduled for the last four months of this year. It looks like I will probably be able to go, but things could change. The Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta will be nice, but I won't shed any tears if I can't go. However, my heart is in Chiapas and Campeche looks amazing. I will be quite sad if I can't go on those two trips.
Sep 16, 2020, 10:49 pm
#55
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: SEATTLE, WA USA
Programs: UAL, AA, AS, CX
Posts: 1,973
yea seeing some super low ex-west coast europe flights if only we could do it as a mileage run! Even to top up or push us over to a higher level status, hmmmm!
Easy for US citizens to get to ExecPlat, but for European citizens not since we are not allowed to travel outside (unless necessary travel) Europe. Since United changed the way to earn PQP for Star Alliance flights, it is much more difficult (virtually impossible) to reach ExecPlat with flights inside Europe only...
Oct 1, 2020, 11:58 pm
#57
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Pikes Peak COS
Programs: 3 Month Delta Plat, UA PP 2.4mm, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, HH Lifetime Diamond, National EE
Posts: 426
I'm on a 3 month status match challenge right now with AA from UA. I was an EXP with AA back in 99 for a year, decided to try them again since I am secure at 1K with UA for another year. They gave me what looks like unreachable (for me) offer, but I took it anyhow just to see what was different from UA where I am a 22 year 1K (AA EXP equiv) with 2mm which gives me lifetime Platinum (AA PP). AA challenge is $5k EQD spend, 35,000 EQM or 40 EQS. Being based out of DEN I'll hit the miles and segments but will fall short of the dollars not doing any international flying, and domestic flying has been stupid cheap. There are pros and cons to both airlines that is for sure.
Now I can't compare apples to apples yet since I haven't flown UA since mid March.I don't know what my results would be on UA in the current environment but I will after this challenge is done. I do work for a small company who supports my travel but I tend to book the lowest economy fare that isn't basic economy.
AA Pros:
At 30 segments I've been upgraded on 29 of them with the exception being the first one. Upgrades are my most valued point of status. I have eaten enough fruit and cheese trays to last me a while though! I was happy with yogurt and fruit this week on a morning flight. United upgrades were so few pre-covid I wonder if I did something to make them mad. It is hard to compare service levels now, again no apples to apples comparison.
CLT hub is very workable for me, ORD isn't bad either. YMMV of course, everybody has their love/hate with hubs.I haven't done PHX yet on AA and I go west a lot.
Currently group 1 still boards first, UA is just the opposite I'm told.
Generalizing for sure, but as a whole the AA employees are much nicer than UA employees and a LOT more helpful.
Not sure why since I've never been Global Services at UA in 22 years, but AA CK cart has met me three times coming off flights at DFW offering me assistance if I wanted it.
Currently AA is about 20% cheaper than UA on most routing. A few less direct flights on AA since I'm at DEN, but I do plenty of connecting on UA too to get a decent fare especially through the cauldron of UA employee nastiness, SFO.
AA in flight internet much more reliable than UA. Many UA flights start with an apology why the internet isn't working.
AA Cons:
I detest gate change roulette at DFW
UA app is so superior to the AA app it's not even funny. My second most valued part of flying, being a 1k I can do so much that either the AA app can't do, or I just haven;t figured it out yet (very possible).
UA also has regional gate check bags down, Always first or second bag up,. Most times they bring them over by hand before they even load the cart for everyone else.. I only have done it three times with AA but my bag has been the last 3-4 every time.
If I'm not up front I prefer a bulkhead. I've only been on 2 AA flights (738's I think) that had open floor in front of the bulkhead where you could put your stuff. United has 95% of their planes configured with open floor bulkheads. Why AA?
Unless they decide they want a conquest customer from United, I won't make the challenge and will likely be back at United with some flights thrown AA's way. I wonder how many others with guaranteed status on another airline are trying this, I'm sure AA elites are trying it too.
Now I can't compare apples to apples yet since I haven't flown UA since mid March.I don't know what my results would be on UA in the current environment but I will after this challenge is done. I do work for a small company who supports my travel but I tend to book the lowest economy fare that isn't basic economy.
AA Pros:
At 30 segments I've been upgraded on 29 of them with the exception being the first one. Upgrades are my most valued point of status. I have eaten enough fruit and cheese trays to last me a while though! I was happy with yogurt and fruit this week on a morning flight. United upgrades were so few pre-covid I wonder if I did something to make them mad. It is hard to compare service levels now, again no apples to apples comparison.
CLT hub is very workable for me, ORD isn't bad either. YMMV of course, everybody has their love/hate with hubs.I haven't done PHX yet on AA and I go west a lot.
Currently group 1 still boards first, UA is just the opposite I'm told.
Generalizing for sure, but as a whole the AA employees are much nicer than UA employees and a LOT more helpful.
Not sure why since I've never been Global Services at UA in 22 years, but AA CK cart has met me three times coming off flights at DFW offering me assistance if I wanted it.
Currently AA is about 20% cheaper than UA on most routing. A few less direct flights on AA since I'm at DEN, but I do plenty of connecting on UA too to get a decent fare especially through the cauldron of UA employee nastiness, SFO.
AA in flight internet much more reliable than UA. Many UA flights start with an apology why the internet isn't working.
AA Cons:
I detest gate change roulette at DFW
UA app is so superior to the AA app it's not even funny. My second most valued part of flying, being a 1k I can do so much that either the AA app can't do, or I just haven;t figured it out yet (very possible).
UA also has regional gate check bags down, Always first or second bag up,. Most times they bring them over by hand before they even load the cart for everyone else.. I only have done it three times with AA but my bag has been the last 3-4 every time.
If I'm not up front I prefer a bulkhead. I've only been on 2 AA flights (738's I think) that had open floor in front of the bulkhead where you could put your stuff. United has 95% of their planes configured with open floor bulkheads. Why AA?
Unless they decide they want a conquest customer from United, I won't make the challenge and will likely be back at United with some flights thrown AA's way. I wonder how many others with guaranteed status on another airline are trying this, I'm sure AA elites are trying it too.
Oct 2, 2020, 7:34 am
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast
Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY & 1MM, HILTON DIAMOND
Posts: 11,970
Oct 2, 2020, 1:25 pm
#59
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
typo corrected
fly747first I agree with you indeed. On my recent flight from CLT to MIA, 772, the announcement throughout boarding the plane repeated several times.... "This flight is completely full. Please take your assigned seats so that we may have an on-time departure!"
Last edited by Zacnlinc; Oct 6, 2020 at 6:42 pm
Oct 3, 2020, 10:04 am
#60
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 5,510
fly747first I agree with you indeed. On my recent flight from CLT to MIA, 772, the announcement throughout boarding the plane repeated several times.... "This flight is completely fun. Please take your assigned seats so that we may have an on-time departure!"
