Mar 6, 2022, 12:20 am
Last edit by: LovePrunes
CAUTION: Buyer Beware! DOES NOT WORK TO GET EXP This way
A caution to anyone who may try this suggestion to earn LPs buying FTD bonsai trees and hoping they get credit as a large multiplier of LP's from FTD. The Original Poster (and others) posted back that it posts as bonus miles and not base, so no LPs are earned.
some data points:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/34174381-post70.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/34048144-post308.html
Here's the thread on FTD:
A caution to anyone who may try this suggestion to earn LPs buying FTD bonsai trees and hoping they get credit as a large multiplier of LP's from FTD. The Original Poster (and others) posted back that it posts as bonus miles and not base, so no LPs are earned.
some data points:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/34174381-post70.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/34048144-post308.html
Here's the thread on FTD:
Missing miles/LPs from FTD purchase in mid-Feb
127 bonsai trees for EXP
Jan 3, 2022, 2:48 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, AA Gold, A3 Gold, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,251
Good. Because these purchases are contributing a heck of a lot more to AA's bottom line than ludicrous "mileage runs" where the airline loses money on every mile. Super happy to see these financially-oriented changes, which will thin the elite ranks and preserve status for those that actually financially contribute.
Jan 3, 2022, 2:55 pm
#17
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: AA: CK
Posts: 2,230
Indeed, and those who financially contribute the most are those who earn miles from non airline related activity, never fly, never use any of their elite benefits and never redeem their earned miles. If I were an accountant at AA I would love to have loads of these types of elites.
Fixed it for you.
Jan 3, 2022, 2:58 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, AA Gold, A3 Gold, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,251
"Indeed, and those who financially contribute the most are those who earn miles from non airline related activity, never fly fly on premium fares, never use any of their elite benefits within reason and never redeem their earned miles at market rates with reasonable expectations."
Fixed it for you.
Fixed it for you.
The class of elite you have identified incurs cost to the airline. The type of elite I identified does not.
Jan 3, 2022, 3:00 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,268
Jan 3, 2022, 3:01 pm
#20
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: AA: CK
Posts: 2,230
You're confusing revenue and profit. Cost is fine, so long as the associated revenue exceeds it. Of course the perfect customer would use zero elite benefits and redeem zero awards, but that may impact revenue. The realistic perfect customer is me, whom I described above.
Jan 3, 2022, 3:03 pm
#21
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, AA Gold, A3 Gold, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,251
You're confusing revenue and profit. Cost is fine, so long as the associated revenue exceeds it. Of course the perfect customer would use zero elite benefits and redeem zero awards, but that may impact revenue. The realistic perfect customer is me, whom I described above.
Jan 3, 2022, 3:05 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
You're confusing revenue and profit. Cost is fine, so long as the associated revenue exceeds it. Of course the perfect customer would use zero elite benefits and redeem zero awards, but that may impact revenue. The realistic perfect customer is me, whom I described above.
Until that point, he had just held the right credit card at the right time and made AA bundles of money without costing them a cent. Definitely a dream customer.
Jan 3, 2022, 3:23 pm
#24
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: PWM
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, 1MM, Bonsai Plat-Pro, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 380
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/david...b0a629c1ab35a7
WOW. To be fair, it seems like it was a Healthy Choice promotion that applied to any airline? But I understand that back then AA awarded million miler points for any mile earned, not just butt-in-seat miles. Is that right? In any event, point well taken. 12,000 pudding cups to 127 bonsai trees, we've come full circle.
WOW. To be fair, it seems like it was a Healthy Choice promotion that applied to any airline? But I understand that back then AA awarded million miler points for any mile earned, not just butt-in-seat miles. Is that right? In any event, point well taken. 12,000 pudding cups to 127 bonsai trees, we've come full circle.
find a local non FTD florist and find out what they'll give you for 120 Bonsai trees. RT
Jan 3, 2022, 3:37 pm
#26
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DFW Area
Programs: AA ConciergeKey; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 396
Bought a bonsai tree on ftd.com and got 1575 miles, which I assume will translate into 1575LP. What a world we live in where one can buy 127 bonsai trees and make executive plat with AA. What's even more bananas is that if you were to actually purchase 127 bonsai trees, you'd spend $10,000 less by buying bonsai to make EXP (before shipping and tax) than by flying as an EXP with AA.
Jan 3, 2022, 4:39 pm
#29
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: EYW
Programs: AA Exe Platinum, AA & Delta Million Miler, Hilton Diamond, Marriott LT Titanium, United Silver
Posts: 521
Just purchased on Bonsai from FTD today as well, having just re-watched Karate Kid 3 two nights ago. will report back on the condition and LP situation.