Non-elite given 20 500 mile upgrade “stickers”?
Mar 21, 2021, 10:49 am
#1
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Non-elite given 20 500 mile upgrade “stickers”?
My travel companion has been an AA member for about 5 years. She has never been elite, or even close. But for some reason she got 20 500 milers dumped into her account.
why would they do this if she can’t use them? Or can she? I’m plat and have her linked to an upcoming reservation we’re both on. I only have 2 500 milers but the trip would require 3. Would AA pull 3 from her account or do I need to buy 1 more for me and 3 for her? Or can she ask them to pull all 6 from her account for both of us?
why would they do this if she can’t use them? Or can she? I’m plat and have her linked to an upcoming reservation we’re both on. I only have 2 500 milers but the trip would require 3. Would AA pull 3 from her account or do I need to buy 1 more for me and 3 for her? Or can she ask them to pull all 6 from her account for both of us?
Mar 21, 2021, 11:27 am
#2
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AA has frequently ran promotions where they give non-elites status for a short time (usually 3 months) as well as a number of 500-mi upgrades, so I'm guessing that is what happened. She could have received this at some point in the past, but the upgrades would never expire.
And if she has no status now then there's no way she can use them, if flying as your companion then all stickers would need to come from your account.
And if she has no status now then there's no way she can use them, if flying as your companion then all stickers would need to come from your account.
Mar 21, 2021, 1:49 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: Avios
Posts: 438
My wife also got the 20 certficates and she has not flown on AA in 4 years.. It actually prompted me into booking a cheap ($61.00) MIA -LAX roundtrip trip before the certificates expire. We will see if can use them on this trip.I am doubtful they can be used as J always seems to be full on these flights but we will get the 777W premium economy seats for free as she will still be Platinum until the promotion expires.
Mar 21, 2021, 5:40 pm
#6
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I know someone who also got the 20 stickers, but along with three months of Platinum status as a trial - essentially a challenge. I think 2k in EQD was the price of keeping the status for longer.
Presumably anyone who got the 20 stickers out of the blue should also have been given the status to use them.
Presumably anyone who got the 20 stickers out of the blue should also have been given the status to use them.
Mar 21, 2021, 5:49 pm
#7
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My travel companion has been an AA member for about 5 years. She has never been elite, or even close. But for some reason she got 20 500 milers dumped into her account.
why would they do this if she can’t use them? Or can she? I’m plat and have her linked to an upcoming reservation we’re both on. I only have 2 500 milers but the trip would require 3. Would AA pull 3 from her account or do I need to buy 1 more for me and 3 for her? Or can she ask them to pull all 6 from her account for both of us?
why would they do this if she can’t use them? Or can she? I’m plat and have her linked to an upcoming reservation we’re both on. I only have 2 500 milers but the trip would require 3. Would AA pull 3 from her account or do I need to buy 1 more for me and 3 for her? Or can she ask them to pull all 6 from her account for both of us?
As to their unusability, that’s actually quite variable. My sister and nephew are lifetime Gold and they’ve been upgraded (prior to COVID) on flights with less demand (e.g. SAT-PHX) and even more popular flights such as LAX-KOA.
Mar 21, 2021, 7:38 pm
#8
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AA is known to tinker around with temporary status awards and even upping existing status.
It's a pretty effective marketing technique because AA can identify people who are likely to have been worth the "taste" yet it does not cost AA anything to do. There are only so many F seats floating around and the fact that AA issues that many more "stickers" does not affect that number.
It's a pretty effective marketing technique because AA can identify people who are likely to have been worth the "taste" yet it does not cost AA anything to do. There are only so many F seats floating around and the fact that AA issues that many more "stickers" does not affect that number.
Mar 21, 2021, 7:39 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2010
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I got these years ago, and was told they NEVER expire. I didn't use them because my home airports favored Southwest and Delta, but last year due to COVID, suddenly favored AA over Southwest. So I made the switch, and pushed towards earning gold, and now I can use them... and I am even pushing for higher than Gold! I'd say this promo gimmick worked on me, even if they didn't see the results until 5 years later. Had they not given me these... I may have just split my flights between AA, Southwest and Delta... in fact I am almost certain of it...
Mar 22, 2021, 8:18 am
#11
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these stickers that have little practical use:
1. Typically the receiver only has temporary status for a short period time when the stickers an be used
2. If they are a general member chances are they only fly once every couple months and will never get status
3. Good luck trying to use stickers as a very low dollar spend PLT or GLD.
The number of people that will actually use these is pretty small.
1. Typically the receiver only has temporary status for a short period time when the stickers an be used
2. If they are a general member chances are they only fly once every couple months and will never get status
3. Good luck trying to use stickers as a very low dollar spend PLT or GLD.
The number of people that will actually use these is pretty small.
Mar 22, 2021, 8:30 am
#12
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Perhaps, but you are presuming that the targets of these efforts are not carefully selected for the likelihood that they can make use of the product, e.g., elites on other carriers in markets where AA does or wants to compete. Thus, someone who flies routinely OA, might switch to AA for a bit and, taking advantage of temporary PLT or above, gets a few UG's,
Mar 22, 2021, 11:18 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2012
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Even though your companion is a non-elite, couldn’t they potentially use the upgrade stickers if they were traveling on the same pnr with someone else who is an elite member? If an elite member and their non-elite traveling companion were upgrading together, I would think the stickers could come from either person’s account.
Mar 23, 2021, 11:48 am
#15
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Even though your companion is a non-elite, couldn’t they potentially use the upgrade stickers if they were traveling on the same pnr with someone else who is an elite member? If an elite member and their non-elite traveling companion were upgrading together, I would think the stickers could come from either person’s account.