Originally Posted by carlosdca

I have summarized the OP's first post above and all the things OP mentioned have NOTHING to do with GS but with UA network, aircraft and pricing.
Seems UA would work better for the OP anyway regardless of GS or any other status.

Joining passpluss with 50k gets one GS. Good to know! I wonder how long that will last.

Originally Posted by 757FO

Here is the harsh reality - neither airline cares who you fly with. 50K is nothing to them. In fact, your 50K won't even get you a decent Jet Card, and it sounds like you can't afford one anyway, as if you could, you wouldn't be posting here.

Originally Posted by FullFare

No sour from me. I feel it is confounding to observe how AA administers the status. Back in the 1990-2000 range, I purchased limited AAirpass plans for my 2 college-age kids. They were bright and resourceful, and went to Yale and Harvard. Daughter graduated 2nd in class at HBS and got me and my wife seated next to Larry Summers for the year-end banquet. Larry was cool.

After purchasing the AAirpass plans (was on my dime), both my kids were contacted by AA and welcomed as new CK flyers. Not making it up. My daughter turned it down, aware of my CK rejection. I thought about my request to CK status and just shook my head. No reason to have sourness. Just inability to comprehend what the policy or threshold was for this carrier to have their special status. I did prevail on the Santa Clara County Medical Association to switch our county flying preference from AA to UA. That was business. Not sour. I don't claim that the agents are jerks for not ignoring requirements. I do wonder about those who, above the agent level, made the guidelines for such. There have been many FT posters on this issue, besides myself, in the past, who have expressed exasperation as to what criteria are mysteriously employed by AA. I didn't find that with UA's conditions with Pass Plus/G status. Very straightforward and transparent. It's why I went with them, and encourage others to consider the same.

Disagree with your assessment of "sour grapes" and value judgment that such was "uncalled for".

Have a nice day.

Originally Posted by FullFare

I have spent tons of money on AA over the past 30+ yrs since they started Aadvantage. Always made whatever EXP qualification was, and way more. I bought a lifetime Aaipass and even bought lesser ones for my kids. When I purchased a year's worth for the kids, they put them on CK. Obviously didn't function for more than the year and contact was lost.

But for me, AA did zilch. I even wrote them once and suggested they make me CK, and they told me to pound sand. Lost any warmth or fuzzy for the carrier after that. So, wife and I have made lifetime 1K on United, perennial Diamond on Delta as well as million miles and even 100K on Alaska. We still stumble into EXP each year and have 7 million lifetime miles.

Not worth playing this childish guessing game with AA about their secretive CK qualification threshold. I probably would have gone out of my way to devote more flights to them if they had made me CK--or even tole me what the qualification requirement. was--- but what the heck. I remember being envious about how they (CK's) got called out to Pre-Board before myself and everyone else. Now that I've had multiple back surgeries, I go up to the gate agent and ask to pre-board on my flights, which are always as an EXP in F class. Self esteem is preserved, too.

Others can play the guessing game, but I'm long over it, and happily lying other carriers who get the job done the way I need it done. Turns out it was a good decision for me, and I thank AA for steering me to it.

G'day

Originally Posted by FullFare

My experience with concierge key: I have been flying AA sinner 1968 and as long as Crandall has put the AAdvantage program around. I always made top tier, and continue to make well over EXP threshold to this date. I have over 7 mm miles and know I have spent at least $50-$60K per year on flights, including purchasing a limited lifetime AAirpass back in 1994 for $200K. It still accrues 60,000 AAirpass miles yearly, and I have 800,000 piled up.

So, on 2 occasions I asked the AA powers to be to make me CK, initially because the AAirpass department wasn't getting me ticketed on time after I made reservations. I was told to forget it. Was I insulted? You bet. The guy who wrote the letter to me was a board certified prick, and have framed the copy.

Now times have changed and AA has all but abandoned us loyal flyers in the SF Bay Area. Schedules are pitiful. Check out the threads. Along the way, I flew the competition and have 2.5 mm UA lifetime, am perennial DM on DL, and even 100k on AS, not to mention how I easily beat the 200K loyalty points threshold for AA

So, I called United and wrote a check for their Pass Plus program for $50K. They immediately made me global services. I have converted all my flying to UA out of SFO, since there aren't much pickings any more down in SJC where I live. It is only 30 min from our home in Saratoga to SFO. SFO's schedule options on UA are the best. 9 to 10 non-stops daily SFO-ORD. AA typically has only 2, with one of them a red-eye. It goes down hill from there.

No more begging some tightwads in AA for what should be reasonable status. I'm destined to leave a lot of $$$ travel funds on the table by virtue of squandering the Airiness $$ on AA, but what the heck. They even terminated Aairpass. Life has got to go on, and one learns to cut losses. UA is not necessarily perfect, but they are treating me better than AA with their Global Service offer. The guy from United Pass Plus who sold me the plan said UA is getting clobbered with PASS PLUS applications, as well they should.

We'll see how it works out. To be honest, I do like to stick it to companies that have disrespected me. Have first Polaris service flight next week SFO to LHR.

Originally Posted by LovePrunes

From your other posts it really does seem like you just wanted CK because you thought your business was worth more than AA determined it to be worth, and couldn't get over that you didn't have "reasonable status" as you mention below.

From this current thread:




Post from How do I make / making AA Concierge Key / ConciergeKey / CK? (master thread



I thought the daughter turned down CK status, but who knows



this fromHow do I make / making AA Concierge Key / ConciergeKey / CK? (master thread



At the end of the day, this really does seem to be sour grapes or a chip on ones shoulder. Did you really frame the CK rejection letter? Honest?
My advice is let it go and move on, as United is better for you (and the entire Santa Clara County Medical Association).

Originally Posted by haruspex

He´s a surgeon. It´s an occupational hazard.

Originally Posted by cova

You shouldn't have trouble using 800K miles on AA these days. 800K won't be enough for peak travel round trip Business (not First) to Australia. For peak the route is 480K one-way business - 960K round trip for one ticket.

Originally Posted by IADCAflyer

Is is a AA CK / US GS thread or a thread bordering on DYKWIA....

Originally Posted by ikwia

Even in FC, I think it's nice to board early so you can have your bags near your seat to avoid "swimming upstream" upon landing. This is especially relevant if you're in the bulkhead, which I happen to like. And at least on AA, there isn't always "plenty of overhead space" in FC...you've got people inefficiently placing bags, FA bags, people from coach using the FC bins, etc. As for the equal footing for boarding order, I wouldn't quite agree -- on many flights, without 1K status you're likely to be at the tail end of FC boarding, whereas if they didn't prioritize 1K boarding, you could ensure you were one of the first FC passengers to board (e.g., by arriving to the gate early).

Originally Posted by cova

You shouldn't have trouble using 800K miles on AA these days. 800K won't be enough for peak travel round trip Business (not First) to Australia. For peak the route is 480K one-way business - 960K round trip for one ticket.

Originally Posted by TravelerMSY

The whole thread is strange to be essentially a debate over a complaint from someone who only flies paid business or first.