MiamiBill

For current AA Platinum Pro members, you need to hit 125,000 Loyalty Points in 2022 and the Best method is using a AA co-branded credit card, especially, flying AA with AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard incentive

$50,000 in credit card spend = 65,000 loyalty points
$6,667 in flights spend = 60,000 loyalty points

$75,000 in credit card spend = 90,000 loyalty points
$3,889 in flights spend = 35,000 loyalty points

You hit the nail on the head, AA figures if they can get even $100 on an upgrade that is better than giving a free seat away.

When and where do you see AA trying to sell upgrades for cheap (what is the sweet spot)?

MiamiBill

Where do you see 5% cash back cards?

FrankMorris

Hey MiamiBill - In terms of the new math, keep in mind that that's with that higher earn rate. So those numbers only work for maintaining status, not achieving it. If the OP is worried about more competition from newer members, your math isn't the math he's looking for.

That said, I absolutely agree with your math and is the reason I personally like the new LP system better. I actually have no status, but hope to status challenge my Southwest status into Platinum with AA, then go from there. The new system makes it much more flexible (not necessarily easier) to maintain status, so I'm happy with it.

jerseytom

Curious - what is 'annoying' about the 500 mile coupons?

With your proposed spending and flying I don't think it'd be all that difficult to hit PPro. That's assuming these are paid domestic flights you're referring to, rather than award tickets.

The question is what that likelihood is of an upgrade and whether it's worth the opportunity cost of putting that $80-100k spending on different credit cards. As others have said or alluded to that's really hard to predict given the elite shakeup next year, and is highly variable depending on route.

I've been at Platinum for a couple years now and I feel like I clear upgrades maybe 50% of the time, but it's just extremely variable. On a Friday night short hop on an RJ into MSN I was auto-upgraded and one of like 3 people in first class, with 9 empty seats. On a Sunday afternoon DCA-CLT I was like 11th out of 27 on an upgrade list, on an A319 with 8 total first class seats (suffice to say, didn't clear!). One extreme to the other.

Have you taken a look at the info up at the gate on most of your flights? How many people are typically on the upgrade list, or how many tend to clear, or if any seats in first class go out empty? That might be the best clue for what opportunities would be for your typical travel patterns.

In a way you're weighing certainty vs. uncertainty. If you were to take that $80-100k and put it on other credit cards can you more concretely quantify the value you'd get out of it - either through cash back or point/mile redemption? Versus the potential but uncertainty in what you might get through upgrades. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Not to mention that the domestic first class flying experience is still a significant step back from what it had been, and it's not entirely clear when that will be back to normal.

voiceofreason1

Interesting, this is precisely the information I was hoping to hear. I fly significantly more east coast as well. What is your home airport?

Good point on the MCE at time of booking.

voiceofreason1

My personal situation is such that I'm traveling on a MegaCorp dime. Buying 500 mile certs and first class tickets is not really allowed. And I don't have any interest in spending my personal $$ to upgrade on business travel. So with the minimal certs, I don't earn enough regularly to qualify for more than a couple upgrades, and even fewer if it's a long trip. The idea of not having to ever worry about certs and qualify for an upgrade up to 72 hours early seems very enticing, especially if there is a good likelihood that I get upgraded.

carlosdca

No kidding. And what about the data points that don't align with what you were expecting? Disregard?
It's all good. This is FT.

Your approach is good though.
Fly as usual, channel your spending to an AA card. Why not?
It won't hurt and will bump you up the upgrade list.
Don't expect miracles though.

AAL1

My home airport is Hartford (BDL). I have easy upgrades to Miami, Dallas, and Chicago. Charlotte is always the one that I get last minute. It seems to be a very popular route.

bl-ord

Varies from time to Time on Bank of America Preferred Rewards. Starts at 3.5%
Also $500 sign up bonus, free TSA Global Entry, Pre-Check and $100/year airline cash credits for upgrades, food or club fees
https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit...s-credit-card/
And no, I do not get a referral for this, although I wish I did.

Tack

Well stated, I’ve been EP for 7 years. I’ve covered high spend EP and low spend EP. The last 2 years I’ve been back to a high spend EP because my business actually expanded. My Upgrade rate has been about 60%. I’m an SNA flyer through DFW, so there are enough CK’s that the 60% is probably pretty good. Here’s my take on this. I’m BA to the EU and QR to Asia a couple of times a year pre COVID. 2022 I’ll be back on the EU schedule. I’m switching to BAEC. I’ll make Gold by June. While I’ll lose my limited upgrades on AA. I’ll keep my OW Emerald, which is what I covet. And I can move my roughly 80-100k AA CC spend to different loyalty cards. I’ll lose the EP line, FC upgrades and I’m not a fan of AVIOS, but I’ll be able to hold onto Emerald easier and I’m not married to AA. This is truly a YMMV decision. I don’t think there’s any one answer that covers everything. In a year or two, I’ll either be patting myself on the back or kicking myself in the azz. 100K spend on AA CC and flights just doesn’t buy enough for me going forward. Good luck! Cheers.

enviroian

All 5 sold since this morning. Congrats AA!

voiceofreason1

Thanks for the advice, but getting to EXP will be very difficult for me.

I have a question for the group: I saw somewhere that in order to get the benefits of the your status under the new program, they need to fly at least 30 segments. Does that include upgrades? I ask the question, because it does seem a lot of business owners who might not travel much on AA will have EXP status. Do they need to have flown 30 segments to be higher than me on the upgrade list?

jerseytom

Ahhh okay, this all makes more sense now. In that case, if it was me... I'd probably shoot for it (PPro) and see how it pans out. So long as there's not like a really obvious alternate value in putting your everyday spend on a different card.

To be put in for automatic upgrade requests on domestic flights you do not need 30 segments. 30 segments is when you can unlock / acquire additional awards e.g. systemwide upgrades.

Snuggs

Where do you get 5.25% cash back? Since I’m buying F or J, I’m really only using EXP for lounge access. With over 2m aa miles, I really don’t need more.

LovePrunes

bl-ord : BofA must have lowered their rates after you got your deal. The link you gave advertises 2 pts/$ for travel and dining, increasing to 3.5 pts/$ for travel and dining...if you park $0.25 million dollars with BofA. No thanks
Can't see the math on 5% for travel and dining, let alone everyday spending...5% isn't real even if counting the one-time first year $500 welcome bonus and $100 annual fee rebate (which covers the $95 annual rate).
I'm like you, MiamiBill, would like to know where one finds a 5% cash back card. This isn't it. Wish it was simpler