Aug 13, 2014, 6:59 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
What are Executive Platinum / EP / EXP benefits? Are they worth it?
Link to oneworld web page “Emerald Privileges”
Executive Platinum status requirements: rack up 200,000 Loyalty Points in one calendar year
*See FT: Earning EQD / Elite Qualifying Dollars on AA and partner airlines (2017 on)
(Members NO LONGER must fly at least 4 American Airlines marketed segments during the qualifying year to receive elite status.)
Status will last the current status year and the following status year - earn EP during 2019, your status ends 31 Jan 2021.
Preferred benefits:
Airport benefits
Upgrade benefits (on AA)
Systemwide Upgrades (SWU)
You’ll receive four (4) systemwide upgrades (8 SWU years prior to c/y 2016 ) when you qualify or re-qualify for Executive Platinum status.
You may earn two more SWU at 150,000 EQM, and again at 200,000 EQM
SWU upgrades are valid, when available, for one-way travel on any American Airlines marketed and operated flight (up to 3 segments) and you can give them to anyone, even if you're not traveling with them.
Linkto further SWU information
Other benefits
Award benefits
oneworld benefits*
*oneworld benefits are available only to passengers on scheduled flights that are both marketed and operated by a oneworld member airline (marketed means that there must be a oneworld member airline flight number on your ticket).
**AAdvantage member access to American Airlines lounges excluded (regardless of status or class of service) if traveling within North America or between the U.S., Canada, Mexico (except Mexico City), the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Caribbean.
Link to aa.com guide to AAdvantage Elite benefits (all levels)
Link to aa.com AAdvantage Elite Status benefit comparison charts
Link to aa.com [b]Elite Status Benefit Guide
Previous posts: Archive: Is EXP / Executive Platinum worth it? What are the benefits? (consolidated)
Link to oneworld web page “Emerald Privileges”
Executive Platinum status requirements: rack up 200,000 Loyalty Points in one calendar year
*See FT: Earning EQD / Elite Qualifying Dollars on AA and partner airlines (2017 on)
(Members NO LONGER must fly at least 4 American Airlines marketed segments during the qualifying year to receive elite status.)
Status will last the current status year and the following status year - earn EP during 2019, your status ends 31 Jan 2021.
Preferred benefits:
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra and Preferred Seats
- Up to three (3) free checked bags with oneworld benefit, 32 kg / 70 lbs ea. (extends to all traveling companions same PNR)
- Minimum mileage guarantee available[/color] (for EQM only as of 1 Aug 2016)
- 100% elite mileage bonus (changed to 11 Award miles per "fare dollar" (base fare plus carrier fees, not taxes) spent as of 1 Aug 2016)
- Guaranteed Main Cabin seat availability [/color] (up to 24 hrs from departure)
- Systemwide Upgrades (see below)
- First class lounge access qualifying longhaul international and MEX** (see below)
Airport benefits
- Check in at First Class counter)
- Priority Lane / Fast Track through the airport at check-in, security and boarding (link) (see post #472 - link)
- Checked bag fee waived for three (3) bags up to 70 lb / 32 kg
- Priority baggage delivery
- Complimentary same-day standby
- Complimentary same-day flight change on American Airlines
- Discounted Admirals Club® membership
- Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club access on qualifying flights, regardless of class
Upgrade benefits (on AA)
- 100-hour upgrade window
- Flights* 500 miles or less: Unlimited, auto-requested complimentary upgrades
- Flights* over 500 miles: Unlimited, auto-requested complimentary upgrades*
- Upgrade one companion traveling with you on the same flight with 500-mile upgrades*
- As of June 2017, Executive Platinum members can use their complimentary 500-mile upgrade benefits on AAdvantage® award tickets for travel on American from Main Cabin to the next class."
- Courtesy 500 mile Upgrades confirmed before departure (as early as) 100 hours
- *Upgrades on American are valid on American marketed and operated flights, within and between the U.S. (including Hawaii) and between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda and Central America (based on availability). Upgrades are valid from the Main Cabin to the next class of service.
- Executive Platinum members DO NOT earn 500-mile upgrades.
Systemwide Upgrades (SWU)
You’ll receive four (4) systemwide upgrades (8 SWU years prior to c/y 2016 ) when you qualify or re-qualify for Executive Platinum status.
You may earn two more SWU at 150,000 EQM, and again at 200,000 EQM
SWU upgrades are valid, when available, for one-way travel on any American Airlines marketed and operated flight (up to 3 segments) and you can give them to anyone, even if you're not traveling with them.
Linkto further SWU information
Other benefits
- Exclusive Executive Platinum service desk (actual separate dedicated call center staff)
- Waived ticketing service charge
- Guaranteed availability in the Main Cabin*
- Waitlist priority for purchased First or Business Class (on American)
- Complimentary alcoholic beverage and snack in the Main Cabin / coach (no, does not extend to traveling companion)
- Complimentary preferred seats (extends to up to 8 traveling companions)
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra seats (extends to up to 8 traveling companions)
- Two EP baggage tags
- Exclusive partner offers
Award benefits
- Extended MileSAAver award availability (must call EXP Desk, your FFN must be used during the award search, availability is not unlimited)
- Award processing charge waived (awards within twenty-one days of travel)
- AAdvantage award change and reinstatement charge waived (for awards reinstated to the EP member's account)
- Special discounts on hotel and car awards
oneworld benefits*
- oneworld priority check-in and standby
- oneworld priority boarding
- oneworld priority security
- oneworld partner lounge access** First Class and frequent flyer lounges
- Extended 3 bags and weight (32 kg / 70 lbs ea.)
*oneworld benefits are available only to passengers on scheduled flights that are both marketed and operated by a oneworld member airline (marketed means that there must be a oneworld member airline flight number on your ticket).
**AAdvantage member access to American Airlines lounges excluded (regardless of status or class of service) if traveling within North America or between the U.S., Canada, Mexico (except Mexico City), the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Caribbean.
Link to aa.com guide to AAdvantage Elite benefits (all levels)
Link to aa.com AAdvantage Elite Status benefit comparison charts
Link to aa.com [b]Elite Status Benefit Guide
Previous posts: Archive: Is EXP / Executive Platinum worth it? What are the benefits? (consolidated)
What are Executive Platinum / EP / EXP benefits? Are they worth it? (master thd)
Jan 14, 2020, 9:17 am
#496
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
I’m burning a lot of miles this year and getting upgraded every time.....that’s the best thing that’s happened to EXP status in years.
Jan 15, 2020, 5:17 am
#497
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boston, USA
Programs: AA EXP, TK Elite, HH Gold, SPG/Marriott Gold
Posts: 939
RONINASPEN .....You are the first CK that I know that is chasing EXP :-)
Jan 20, 2020, 8:46 am
#498
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA Plat, AS Gold 75k, Marriott Titanium, IHG Gold
Posts: 17
Hey all,
Looking for some advice. I like to maximize the points I get for reward travel in business class, this is important to me as I'm the only one in my family that travels, earns points, CC, etc yet I have my parents and in-laws to consider. Wife doesn't travel for work. We're of Asian descent so all of our trips home (US to East Asia) are very long, especially with aging parents so I like to treat them when I can.
Typically in everyone's experience, how good is "C" class availability on AA? I believe that's the AA business class upgrade fare code for instant upgrade with SWA. I plan to do quite a bit of corporate travel this year. I can either get AA EXP or AS Gold 75k, but not both (lots of common partners, I do mostly international travel on partners). With AS, I get a lot more points per flight, typically 350% or more of the flight distance (J fares and Gold 75k 125% bonus). For AA, it seems I'll only get 11x per dollar on AA or around 250% of the flight distance (if partner airline, and factoring in 120% EXP bonus). What it comes down to is the AA SWA for me, I can get 4 SWA (probably hit 150k miles and get another 2), which to me is 2 round trip tickets for when one set of parents wants to return home. I'm trying to consider the odds of getting 2 SWAs to clear when I use them on guests with absolutely no status. With AS, I just get more points so I can just book the seats outright, but obviously I'm not getting 4-6 SWA equivalent.
So what's everyone's advice on which FF program to use when I'm trying to maximize the number of business class tickets I can potentially get? Note: I'm based out of PHX, an AA hub. Have very limited flights on AS (Only SEA, SFO, PDX)
Is there a better thread for this question?
Looking for some advice. I like to maximize the points I get for reward travel in business class, this is important to me as I'm the only one in my family that travels, earns points, CC, etc yet I have my parents and in-laws to consider. Wife doesn't travel for work. We're of Asian descent so all of our trips home (US to East Asia) are very long, especially with aging parents so I like to treat them when I can.
Typically in everyone's experience, how good is "C" class availability on AA? I believe that's the AA business class upgrade fare code for instant upgrade with SWA. I plan to do quite a bit of corporate travel this year. I can either get AA EXP or AS Gold 75k, but not both (lots of common partners, I do mostly international travel on partners). With AS, I get a lot more points per flight, typically 350% or more of the flight distance (J fares and Gold 75k 125% bonus). For AA, it seems I'll only get 11x per dollar on AA or around 250% of the flight distance (if partner airline, and factoring in 120% EXP bonus). What it comes down to is the AA SWA for me, I can get 4 SWA (probably hit 150k miles and get another 2), which to me is 2 round trip tickets for when one set of parents wants to return home. I'm trying to consider the odds of getting 2 SWAs to clear when I use them on guests with absolutely no status. With AS, I just get more points so I can just book the seats outright, but obviously I'm not getting 4-6 SWA equivalent.
So what's everyone's advice on which FF program to use when I'm trying to maximize the number of business class tickets I can potentially get? Note: I'm based out of PHX, an AA hub. Have very limited flights on AS (Only SEA, SFO, PDX)
Is there a better thread for this question?
Last edited by edkwan88; Jan 20, 2020 at 12:57 pm
Jan 20, 2020, 5:57 pm
#499
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Dallas, Texas
Programs: AA Exp. Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum.
Posts: 1,186
Hey all,
Looking for some advice. I like to maximize the points I get for reward travel in business class, this is important to me as I'm the only one in my family that travels, earns points, CC, etc yet I have my parents and in-laws to consider. Wife doesn't travel for work. We're of Asian descent so all of our trips home (US to East Asia) are very long, especially with aging parents so I like to treat them when I can.
Typically in everyone's experience, how good is "C" class availability on AA? I believe that's the AA business class upgrade fare code for instant upgrade with SWA. I plan to do quite a bit of corporate travel this year. I can either get AA EXP or AS Gold 75k, but not both (lots of common partners, I do mostly international travel on partners). With AS, I get a lot more points per flight, typically 350% or more of the flight distance (J fares and Gold 75k 125% bonus). For AA, it seems I'll only get 11x per dollar on AA or around 250% of the flight distance (if partner airline, and factoring in 120% EXP bonus). What it comes down to is the AA SWA for me, I can get 4 SWA (probably hit 150k miles and get another 2), which to me is 2 round trip tickets for when one set of parents wants to return home. I'm trying to consider the odds of getting 2 SWAs to clear when I use them on guests with absolutely no status. With AS, I just get more points so I can just book the seats outright, but obviously I'm not getting 4-6 SWA equivalent.
So what's everyone's advice on which FF program to use when I'm trying to maximize the number of business class tickets I can potentially get? Note: I'm based out of PHX, an AA hub. Have very limited flights on AS (Only SEA, SFO, PDX)
Is there a better thread for this question?
Looking for some advice. I like to maximize the points I get for reward travel in business class, this is important to me as I'm the only one in my family that travels, earns points, CC, etc yet I have my parents and in-laws to consider. Wife doesn't travel for work. We're of Asian descent so all of our trips home (US to East Asia) are very long, especially with aging parents so I like to treat them when I can.
Typically in everyone's experience, how good is "C" class availability on AA? I believe that's the AA business class upgrade fare code for instant upgrade with SWA. I plan to do quite a bit of corporate travel this year. I can either get AA EXP or AS Gold 75k, but not both (lots of common partners, I do mostly international travel on partners). With AS, I get a lot more points per flight, typically 350% or more of the flight distance (J fares and Gold 75k 125% bonus). For AA, it seems I'll only get 11x per dollar on AA or around 250% of the flight distance (if partner airline, and factoring in 120% EXP bonus). What it comes down to is the AA SWA for me, I can get 4 SWA (probably hit 150k miles and get another 2), which to me is 2 round trip tickets for when one set of parents wants to return home. I'm trying to consider the odds of getting 2 SWAs to clear when I use them on guests with absolutely no status. With AS, I just get more points so I can just book the seats outright, but obviously I'm not getting 4-6 SWA equivalent.
So what's everyone's advice on which FF program to use when I'm trying to maximize the number of business class tickets I can potentially get? Note: I'm based out of PHX, an AA hub. Have very limited flights on AS (Only SEA, SFO, PDX)
Is there a better thread for this question?
This is a tough one to answer . As a data point I attempted to use SWU on a round trip from DFW to Tokyo direct in March of 2019. For the outbound the flight was fairly full in business early on and no upgrade was given. On the return the flight looked fairly open in business up until about the last week and it started filling up. Again no upgrade. I am an entry level EXP so basically barely make the minimum EQD/EQM so I would be on the bottom of the SWU list for EXP. From what I have heard Asia is a bit more difficult for SWU in general. However, Premium Economy for longer flights is a great product so I buy seats in that cabin and cross my fingers.
Jan 20, 2020, 6:34 pm
#500
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, National EE
Posts: 1,207
In my experience, early C availability is not great, especially if you want to travel only on certain dates. If you are retired and don't care when you will travel, then it gets better. If you are willing to book economy and take a chance on clearing a waitlisted C, it gets better.
I think that AS award availability to Asia is probably better than AA C availability to Asia.
I would probably peruse AS award threads on the carrier you want to book. I'm going to guess it will be JL and not CX but I could be wrong.
I think that AS award availability to Asia is probably better than AA C availability to Asia.
I would probably peruse AS award threads on the carrier you want to book. I'm going to guess it will be JL and not CX but I could be wrong.
Feb 18, 2020, 2:40 am
#501
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
You indicated that your alternative would be to credit your flying to AS and use its miles to book award flights in business class. You can use Expert Flyer to search for award inventory in business class on some AS partners (you can, e.g., search for award inventory on AA but not on JL).
Sep 18, 2020, 12:46 pm
#502
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: JNU
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Delta Platinum, Marriott Gold Elite
Posts: 16
Sep 20, 2020, 5:37 pm
#503
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
Are you sure this wasn't a situation where CX needed to do a cabin roll (operational upgrade) because coach or PE was oversold?
Sep 20, 2020, 5:43 pm
#504
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: JNU
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Delta Platinum, Marriott Gold Elite
Posts: 16
Quite sure not an op-up--they were December flights, and it was a ghost town in economy (and there were empty seats left in PE, too). This isn't an actual benefit for OWE, but it seems like this happens fairly frequently, if the discussion boards are to be believed!
Sep 20, 2020, 6:39 pm
#505
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Total Wine & More Reserve
Posts: 4,561
Quite sure not an op-up--they were December flights, and it was a ghost town in economy (and there were empty seats left in PE, too). This isn't an actual benefit for OWE, but it seems like this happens fairly frequently, if the discussion boards are to be believed!
I've been op-up'd on CX & QF (both Y to PE, & PE to J), but both have been oversell situations.
And an empty PE seat could be a non-operational seat that they couldn't sell. I've encountered this on CX flights. It's nice sitting next to one.
Sep 20, 2020, 7:12 pm
#506
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: BOS
Programs: AA PP, DL PM
Posts: 2,087
I've gotten an op-up on CX from W to J as an AA Plat (OWS).
The folks on the CX forum have the believed op-up priority order over on their forum, but it is definitely not a benefit you should expect to receive, just enjoy when it happens.
The folks on the CX forum have the believed op-up priority order over on their forum, but it is definitely not a benefit you should expect to receive, just enjoy when it happens.
Sep 21, 2020, 9:51 am
#507
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CLT
Programs: DL DM 2mm, AA EXP mm, UA SL, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 125
CX has upgraded me for operational reasons several times. Once the cabin crew upgraded me after takeoff from PE to J because I had a close connection and they wanted to make sure I got off the plane quickly at HKG.
Dec 26, 2020, 1:27 pm
#508
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Syracuse, NY
Programs: 1k UA, UA MM, AA EXPlat
Posts: 639
Worth The EQD run?
I am about $600 shy of requalifying for EXP this year. I am trying to figure the benefits of making a run before year is out. With extensions, I am EXP next year already. If I understand things, I would qualify for SWAs nothing else? Any thoughts?
Dec 26, 2020, 2:13 pm
#509
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: ORD, sadly...
Programs: AA Exec Plat
Posts: 599
There was a similar thread a couple weeks ago, except the threshold was $2100. I thought that sounded like a good idea. To me $600 for 4 SWUs is a no-brainer.