bostontraveler

The fact is that AA used to convert these into miles.

They weren't "free", you had to fly to earn them.

They should at least credit them the way they used to...

rrgg

If I understand this right, some still need them to upgrade a companion. https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...e-upgrades.jsp

redtop43

So once they take away all our stickers, how will you upgrade a companion?

rrgg

You’ll get to upgrade 1 companion automatically in the new system. They sent an email about it.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...am-updates.jsp

redtop43

OK I think I get it. As of now you need stickers for non-status companions. At some point they will make companion upgrades free, and that's when they will kill off the stickers.

IADCAflyer

So I found that I purchased 8 upgrades using my Amex. Hmmmm.... 8 out of 40 in the bank.

mk1

I submitted 3 separate refund requests through the webform on Sunday (4/25), but only received two partial refunds as of Wednesday morning (4/27). I'm not certain if the third request was denied or not yet processed.

Example:
3 stickers purchased ($120)/0 stickers used>>refund for $40

Anyone have a similar experience? I'm afraid that I will have to call in to recover the rest of the refund...

mvoight

I had one unused, and purchased sticker, purchased shortly before the announcement.
I requested and received a refund of $40, which I had paid with a Hilton Amex and AMEX had reimbursed for previously.

anabolism

My understanding is that only EXPs and CKs have the option of requesting 5,000 RDM per purchased 500-mile upgrade, and that they can instead request a travel voucher or refund to the original form of payment or a check, in the paid amount.

mk1

I called and the AAdvantage desk sent the three requests back to refunds for further review and reprocessing. Kind of frustrating that it took 47 minutes on the phone without a final resolution (not counting the call-back wait which was only about an hour), but the agent seemed truly interested in trying to help so I will give credit there. I'll give a few more days, but may have to escalate it or open a dispute with my credit card.

bostontraveler

Has anyone had any success with getting anything for complementary upgrades in their account?

imapilotaz

I was able to get a choice of a refund of 5k miles for each of the "bought" upgrade certificates left in my account. For the handful remaining that I had remaining from my Platinum days 11 years ago, I was unsuccessful in getting them to do anything but the minimal LP offer.

bostontraveler

what does LP mean?

fastflyer

LP = Loyalty Points.

AA has proposed exchanging e500 stickers for LPs. But LPs reset every year, having no value beyond elite qualification in the current qualification year.

The e500s "electronic stickers" always had a concrete value -- they are non-expiring, paid by cash or via promotion, and they used to be exchangeable for RDMs (at least in my memory). AA really needs to permit e500 owners, regardless of current elite status, some method to convert these back into RDMs. LPs are not valuable for people who don't care about reaching an elite level, but who do periodically redeem AAdvantage miles for travel. That is probably the vast majority of the program participants. Many, many people have a balance of these e500s -- there may be more than 100 million e500s out there, touching nearly everyone in the program, so AA needs to think through this conversion thoroughly.

Most people don't follow closely the nuances of AA's program changes, but if millions of people wake up to missing stickers, they may not react well.

bostontraveler

Thanks. I have long tuned out of AA... That said offering loyalty points (as I mentioned above) has to be the most absurd thing for lifetime Plat members…they could really do better- yet again. Aside from the occasional QR or IB redemption, their attractiveness to me has all but evaporated.