How AA is taking EXP Executive Platinum members for granted
Aug 29, 2022, 1:24 pm
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,030
A few things here. COVID sped up what would have happened over time with US domestic airlines. First was the rationalization of FF benefits, including EXP, for the income driven. Second, was repricing and monetizing the domestic F cabin to a price point attractive to many flyers, FF and non FF alike, and aligning the product (cold meals, no pillows and blankets) to the product repricing. The same thing had already happened with the Y product. Third, was more income being driven by non flying activities that have huge profit margins.
This is the new reality. I'm assuming CKs will continue to be top shelf because the revenue they generate for the airline. But an EXP spending $20K-$30K a year is no longer considered a customer to keep at all costs. And AA knows that it's primary 2 competitors, UA and DL, are doing same.
AA (and UA/DL) also know that business travel will never be what it once was. The savings of Zoom/WebEx/MS Teams are just to great, even if "being there in person" is a far superior experience. The reality is a greater percentage of paxs are leisure and price sensitive, but the understanding that some flyers will pay a premium to get out of the hell that coach has become. Right now I see advance purchase F is about 2x to 3x Y and for me it's become a no brainer unless it's a short flight, an RJ (where an EXP is still pretty much guaranteed an upgrade) or row 11 on a 321ceo-flight times 3 hours on less.
This is the new reality. I'm assuming CKs will continue to be top shelf because the revenue they generate for the airline. But an EXP spending $20K-$30K a year is no longer considered a customer to keep at all costs. And AA knows that it's primary 2 competitors, UA and DL, are doing same.
AA (and UA/DL) also know that business travel will never be what it once was. The savings of Zoom/WebEx/MS Teams are just to great, even if "being there in person" is a far superior experience. The reality is a greater percentage of paxs are leisure and price sensitive, but the understanding that some flyers will pay a premium to get out of the hell that coach has become. Right now I see advance purchase F is about 2x to 3x Y and for me it's become a no brainer unless it's a short flight, an RJ (where an EXP is still pretty much guaranteed an upgrade) or row 11 on a 321ceo-flight times 3 hours on less.
The fact that they have yanked out SWU availability for all flights pretty much with empty cabins is a slap in the face to us but like you said it is what it is and the grass is the same brown color over at DL and UA. I wish we had more competition.
Aug 29, 2022, 1:30 pm
#77
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA 1MM CK, DL Plat, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Ambassador (RIP SPG), BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,166
FWIW, as someone with 4 SWUs and 4 GUCs at the start of the year, I've managed to use all 4 GUCs but only 2 of the SWUs, and one of those was a J->F upgrade that I don't perceive as being nearly as valuable as an upgrade to business. The other 2 SWUs expired while if I would have had more GUCs I'd have another 4 months to use them. So only a data point of one, but I find the GUCs much easier to use, not least of which because they can be applied fairly easily on partner airlines.
Just to clarify, I did not misquote. AA did offer to me upgrade opportunity for 12K miles and $375 AND they end up giving the business class upgrade to my friend for just $315. We both have main cabin extra fare from JFK to London. So you can get upgraded for that kind of money, depending on inventory availability.
Everyone’s experience is different. I’ve been EXP for several years and Diamond for the past two years, and EXP > Diamond on every front.
Aug 29, 2022, 3:48 pm
#78
Join Date: Nov 2021
Location: DFW
Programs: AA PlatPro, AS
Posts: 142
Ugh. I had a CUN trip two weeks ago, and for both out and back, at least half the F cabin was open at T-72. While moot for a PPro on an award ticket, I’d be surprised if we hadn’t cleared otherwise. DFW-CUN was the 7:30am departure and CUN-DFW the 9:00pm arrival, so maybe that had something to do with it.
Aug 29, 2022, 4:06 pm
#79
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: BOS & SFO
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 675
Aug 29, 2022, 4:12 pm
#80
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,377
Aug 29, 2022, 4:47 pm
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Aug 29, 2022, 5:08 pm
#82
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,030
CHS this week. I'm in 14E.
And...today I just booked a dfw-sea trip for 9/15 and all that was available was exit row middles. Total crap.
Aug 29, 2022, 6:41 pm
#83
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: DTW / SJC
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 764
Aug 29, 2022, 8:56 pm
#85
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,030
Aug 29, 2022, 9:13 pm
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,030
This should be interesting as I’ve never flown them before. I don’t even know where they fly out of DFW lol. I will assume it’s E.
ETA. Unfortunately the trip doesn’t show up in my AA app. Looks like AA IT is again lagging.
Last edited by enviroian; Aug 29, 2022 at 9:19 pm
Aug 30, 2022, 1:52 am
#87
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: INT/GSO/CLT/RDU
Programs: AA EXP 1MM; HH Gold; Bonvoy Gold; Wynd Diamond
Posts: 228
I don’t think the OP is saying that AA owes him a J for Y upgrade, just that as an EXP he expects to rank at least in pari passu with any non-EXP on the plane, whether that be via Op-up, stickers, or TOD offer… and I think he is correct.
Aug 30, 2022, 6:12 am
#89
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 256
No issues with SWU here -- some supply, some demand, some profit-focus for a company harmed by quarantine procedures, etc.
I am *consistently* #1 on any upgrade list out of my main airports (I am a low revenue EXP, tho). Until recently if there were 3-4 seats up front (Domestic) I would clear 90% of the time. Most recently, I watch on EF as those 3-4 seats book up the last 24 hours, assuming it's pay-up.
I personally used to pay-up $160 for going up front domestically, but honestly I don't need it.
For me, the most important parts of EXP are free MCE (and I always get one, it seems), fantastic 800-number (never a hold time), and group 1 boarding if I need overhead space.
When I travel with a girlfriend, etc? I just buy F. If I travel alone? 9D is fine with me.
If I do get an upgrade? Great. If someone else wants to pay $160? Also great.
I am *consistently* #1 on any upgrade list out of my main airports (I am a low revenue EXP, tho). Until recently if there were 3-4 seats up front (Domestic) I would clear 90% of the time. Most recently, I watch on EF as those 3-4 seats book up the last 24 hours, assuming it's pay-up.
I personally used to pay-up $160 for going up front domestically, but honestly I don't need it.
For me, the most important parts of EXP are free MCE (and I always get one, it seems), fantastic 800-number (never a hold time), and group 1 boarding if I need overhead space.
When I travel with a girlfriend, etc? I just buy F. If I travel alone? 9D is fine with me.
If I do get an upgrade? Great. If someone else wants to pay $160? Also great.
Aug 30, 2022, 6:45 am
#90
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
When's the last time you called? I don't think I had less than 20 minutes in the last year.
I have not done much Delta lately - but a few years back Delta's service and especially last minute flight change upgrades were infinitely better than AA. I do like using points for family travel and SkyPesos are just so useless for int. Business award travel (I consider a couple hundred K for a one way useless) it took a Pandemic to finally use some DL points on a TATL flight - where my family of 3 made up 75% of the J cabin...
I had one SWU expire in my entire life, and I think I once used one for a MIA-SEA domestic flight - and recently was not infrequently able to confirm one at time of booking (MUC-CLT and CLT-MUC) providing a real financial value since I would normally pay at least PE on the MUC-CLT flight and J for the CLT-MUC flight. This summer I got a $570 or so MUC-CLT-FLL-CLT-MUC flight I could upgrade at booking - compared to $2700 or so (quite reasonable actually too) cash - or about $1900 in PE Outbound J Return.
I have not done much Delta lately - but a few years back Delta's service and especially last minute flight change upgrades were infinitely better than AA. I do like using points for family travel and SkyPesos are just so useless for int. Business award travel (I consider a couple hundred K for a one way useless) it took a Pandemic to finally use some DL points on a TATL flight - where my family of 3 made up 75% of the J cabin...
I had one SWU expire in my entire life, and I think I once used one for a MIA-SEA domestic flight - and recently was not infrequently able to confirm one at time of booking (MUC-CLT and CLT-MUC) providing a real financial value since I would normally pay at least PE on the MUC-CLT flight and J for the CLT-MUC flight. This summer I got a $570 or so MUC-CLT-FLL-CLT-MUC flight I could upgrade at booking - compared to $2700 or so (quite reasonable actually too) cash - or about $1900 in PE Outbound J Return.