Does LIfetime Gold mean anything any more?
 

Hi: I've been LIfetime Gold forever, having gotten it many years ago for reaching a million miles. Just got an e mail from AA describing benefits for next year. Except for preferred seats and such it doesn't seem to be worth anything. Am I wrong?

One free checked bag or 24-hour upgrade window?

I'm not seeing any changes from the way it's been for years:

https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...s-benefits.jsp

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Group 4 Boarding
Baggage Allowance
MCE @ Check-In
Preferred at Booking
Priority Check-In

Are 500 mile "sticker" upgrades (that never clear unless you take the Sunday morning 5AM flight) still available to Golds in the new system?

I was under the impression you had to earn the 500 mile upgrades. You don't?

You can buy them online. $40 I think.

Yes, you do earn them and can also buy them. They usually never clear. Just asking if this is still a Gold benefit that remains in the new Loyalty Points world.

There's no indication that upgrade benefits for elites are changing. And, for paid flights under 500 miles, upgrades (if available) are complimentary -- no stickers required.

The official word on this was "TBD." Given that these functionally never clear anymore, I'm not sure what they'll do.

I expect that it's rare, but they do sometimes clear. I'm lowly Lifetime Gold and was able to use sticker upgrades on a DFW-Maui 777 nonstop 8.5 hour flight earlier this year. And the flight was on a Friday and was either sold out or very nearly sold out.

It's almost worthless to be a lifetime PLT, so it must be still more sucky to be lifetime GLD. But never sneer at even the lowest status. You can still avoid long lines, get some free baggage, and pick (some) seats.

(Personal rant: The PPro level really screwed over the lifetime PLTs.)

:tu:
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Two other minor benefits I can think of:

1. AAdvantage Gold members earn 1,000 miles per rental (even a one-day rental) with Avis/Budget. Non-elites earn 500 miles; qualifying credit-card holders earn 750. (There is a $1/day fee if you choose to claim AA miles on a rental.)

2. All AAdvantage elites get better redemption rates when redeeming miles for hotel stays.

I am now a lifetime Plat. When I travel overseas, the two free checked bags, carry on and backpack are to me a wonderful thing. Being able to choose my seats, and get preferred ones for free is also something I enjoy.
And of course as a Plat, I get entry into the lounges, prior to my early boarding. I have 3 Million miles with American over my life, but yet, with all that travel, car rentals don't really care who I "was" and hotels started offering the goal of lifetime status with
them too late for me to take advantage. So I do appreciate the incredible, to me, free benefits I get in return for my brand loyalty over the years. Not sure how many other industries reward you for past loyalty.

In 2000 when I started posting here, every third post (not by Doc for the real old timers) was about upgrade frequency, value of status and of course the dilution of the program.

I am grateful for the freebies. And of course still haven't seen a single post where someone was so upset by the meager benefits that they refuse them altogether.

Something has to change, because GLD and PLT currently earn 500-milers based on EQM, and EQM will be no more.