Some would say that paying for domestic J or F is for chumps these days. But each to their own

There's someone on here that would vehemently disagree with you.

I'm balancing keeping my Alaska 75K/OWE this year with finally crossing the 1MM mark with AA for LT Gold (the only real benefits I use are MCE, priority boarding and baggage allowance). That puts me in the bucket of "if I want up front, buy up front," but AA makes this incredibly difficult. Example: AUS-MCO - $210 in economy, over $1800 in domestic F. I'd pay up, but not 9x the price, especially for a sub-3hr domestic flight. On trips like that, MCE is just fine and I get that at booking as Alaska 75K.

Contrast that to Alaska, where AUS-BOI was $179 in the back and $229 up front. Even though I'd probably get the upgrade, paying an extra $50 to be up front AND get the EQM bonus makes that an easy choice.

EXP is certainly a shadow of its former self in terms of upgrade rates, quality of phone service, the occasional rule bent in your favor, and the value of the benefits like SWUs. Still, I would have figured out a way to squeeze in an extra $9. The status can make a difference if your future travel is ticketed in Y, and under the new plan if you're already EXP in 2022 it is easier to retain it than to get back to that level from scratch.

And here we are, the 1K's from UA, and United did give me a 3rd year of 1K extending me also through all of 2022 (Only had enough PQPs for Platinum until my surprise extension last month) and happy to take over your ExPlat with AA. I am lifetime Gold with AA, and travel a lot less since 2019, but still a good amount. One thing is for sure, I am back to being a Citi AAdvantage Cardholder (since the good ol days of 100K Executive card and churning) and will spend enough to get me a good chunk of Loyalty Points this year while my 1K comes to an end.

AAdvantage is now a Loyalty Program, not a Frequent Flyer program . Main reason now we will be getting Loyalty Points. I am loyal to what's profitable to them, and that is the interchange fee so that Citi, Barclays and other banks outside the USA can pay American for the miles we get

What can I say, gaming while getting towards elite status became fun and profitable again for us. Missed the good ol days of the mileage runs to get to 1MM. But it is back, the fun is back !!!

Now, now... paying for the Big Front Seat on your silly yellow bird isn't the same as paying for J or F on AA...

Wasn't it?

Indeed it was.

Amazing New Status Promotion - Targeted?

Correct. The silly yellow bird BFS is cheaper, runs on time, and is likely staffed with more pleasant FAs.

Now the question is, did the OP spend $1,991 out of $2,000 or did he blow past the $2,000 but thinks he's short?

Unclear because the thread is mixing the two promos. The credit card spend was $15,000 between Jul 15th and Dec 15th, but if I recall correctly the EQD promo was September something to December 31st. That's the $2000 one that is being referenced but not sure that's what the OP was talking about. I had JL domestic flights in July and August that certainly didn't count toward that one. (not that they amount to much anyway with the short distances on domestic flights here)

Right. I'm not aware of a $3,000 EQD promo covering any dates.

Well, then, glad to be corrected!

I thought that I was short. I still think that I will transition away from AA.

Better upgrade position