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Low-segment, high-rev flyers left in the cold?
I just requalified for EXP (I think this is year 15) and apparently I had missed the new requirement of 30 AA segments/year for acquiring SWUs.
I'm based out of SFO and almost all my flying these days is long-haul — transcons or transoceanic, and essentially always in paid J. I average at least $50K/year in direct spending. I fly SFO-LHR 4-6 times/year and SFO-JFK about the same. Paid J fares, always. I think this works out to about $50K/year in direct airline spend. For which I get the privilege of 4 hour hold times at the EXP desk for IRROPS, and no SWUs? AAdvantage Customer Service and Executive Liaison both are very polite but reinforce that yes, this is the way the program works now. Seriously, am I missing something? Is AA really that uninterested in defending high-value low-segment flyers? |
There are still three and a half months before NYE. How many segments have you flown and how many will you have by NYE? Would it make sense to do a few little weekend trips to someplace fun?
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$50k in J tickets and no CK…..?
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
(Post 34593748)
There are still three and a half months before NYE. How many segments have you flown and how many will you have by NYE? Would it make sense to do a few little weekend trips to someplace fun?
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Originally Posted by 355F1
(Post 34593756)
$50k in J tickets and no CK…..?
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Originally Posted by fly747first
(Post 34593772)
$50K used to be the minimum to be considered for CK, but it wasn't guaranteed.
$50k used to be the mininum Airpass spend (now $60k), but there is otherwise no published minimum for CK. |
Originally Posted by 355F1
(Post 34593756)
$50k in J tickets and no CK…..?
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Originally Posted by gdm
(Post 34593539)
I just requalified for EXP (I think this is year 15) and apparently I had missed the new requirement of 30 AA segments/year for acquiring SWUs.
I'm based out of SFO and almost all my flying these days is long-haul — transcons or transoceanic, and essentially always in paid J. I average at least $50K/year in direct spending. I fly SFO-LHR 4-6 times/year and SFO-JFK about the same. Paid J fares, always. I think this works out to about $50K/year in direct airline spend. For which I get the privilege of 4 hour hold times at the EXP desk for IRROPS, and not SWUs? AAdvantage Customer Service and Executive Liaison both are very polite but reinforce that yes, this is the way the program works now. Seriously, am I missing something? Is AA really that uninterested in defending high-value low-segment flyers? It seems like United gives you the full amount of PlusPoints for your spend, and they have an SFO hub, so maybe they make more sense. But for your travel patterns (mostly paid J long haul), status may not matter as much |
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
(Post 34593748)
There are still three and a half months before NYE. How many segments have you flown and how many will you have by NYE? Would it make sense to do a few little weekend trips to someplace fun?
For sure, there is nothing stopping me from going up to Seattle and just flying back and forth between SEA and PDX all day. I would get my segments. Does this somehow make me a more valuable customer? |
Originally Posted by Adelphos
(Post 34593836)
It really dependa on what routes you use your SWUs on - you don't need complementary domestic upgrades, domestic lounge access, etc. The phone line service impacts all EXPs.
It seems like United gives you the full amount of PlusPoints for your spend, and they have an SFO hub, so maybe they make more sense. But for your travel patterns (mostly paid J long haul), status may not matter as much I cannot stand UA... so if I go somewhere else, it's DL. Their partners to Asia are pretty disappointing though. |
Originally Posted by gdm
(Post 34593894)
I usually try and use my SWUs on long-hauls. I guess I've used them occasionally on SFO-JFK if they're about to expire. Domestic lounge access via credit card.
I cannot stand UA... so if I go somewhere else, it's DL. Their partners to Asia are pretty disappointing though. In terms of SWUs, it seems it is a very easy mileage upgrade to F from SFO to JFK using all the miles you get (I know there is a co-pay). I am not super familiar with AA's international mileage upgrades but that is also an option. So UA is out. Aside from Virgin and Flying Blue, Delta will be pretty weak from SFO in terms of very long haul. Basically I'm not sure why you need EXP at all if you fly mainly J. |
Originally Posted by metallo
(Post 34593789)
What? Who told you there’s a $50k minimum?
$50k used to be the mininum Airpass spend (now $60k), but there is otherwise no published minimum for CK. |
If it were my situation and I was spending 50k a year flying paid J SWU's wouldn't mean that much to me anyway.
Otherwise the EXP call line isn't what it used to be. I'm still on hold now from a call I placed August 30th. :D |
Originally Posted by gdm
(Post 34593539)
For which I get the privilege of 4 hour hold times at the EXP desk for IRROPS, and no SWUs? A
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If you're almost always in paid J, why does it matter? I think the 30 segment requirement was one way to require a modicum of flight loyalty to AA.
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