Jan 1, 2015, 3:04 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
What are AAdvantage Gold Benefits? Are they worth it?
C/Y 2019 Gold status requirements: $3,000 EQD* earned, AND 30 segments or 25,000 EQ Miles
*See FT: Earning EQD / Elite Qualifying Dollars on AA and partner airlines (2017 on)
Members no longer must fly at least 4 segments on American during the qualifying year to receive AA elite status. This requirement ended in 2017.
Status will last the status year when status is earned and the following status year. E.g. Status earned in 2020 will end 31 Jan 2022.
American Airlines AAdvantage Gold benefits, as stated on aa.com (chart), as of September 2015:
Preferred benefits:
Link to aa.com guide to AAdvantage Elite benefits (all levels)
Link to archive of older posts from this thread.
C/Y 2019 Gold status requirements: $3,000 EQD* earned, AND 30 segments or 25,000 EQ Miles
*See FT: Earning EQD / Elite Qualifying Dollars on AA and partner airlines (2017 on)
Members no longer must fly at least 4 segments on American during the qualifying year to receive AA elite status. This requirement ended in 2017.
Status will last the status year when status is earned and the following status year. E.g. Status earned in 2020 will end 31 Jan 2022.
American Airlines AAdvantage Gold benefits, as stated on aa.com (chart), as of September 2015:
Preferred benefits:
- Half price Main Cabin Extra or Free within 24 hours (extends to up to 8 traveling companions) (NOTE: 50% discount ends 5 Sep 2018)
- Courtesy Preferred Seats
- One (1) free checked bag (extends to all traveling companions same PNR)
- Minimum mileage guarantee (as of 1 Aug 2016, only applies to EQM)
- 25% elite mileage bonus (7 miles per "fare dollar" (base fare plus carrier fees, not taxes) spent as of 1 Aug 2016)
- Priority through the airport at check-in, security and boarding
- Checked bag fee waived for one (1) bags
- Complimentary same-day standby
- Discounted Admirals Club® membership
- NOTE Complimentary same-day flight change on American Airlines NOT available
- 24-hour upgrade window
- Flights 500 miles or less: Unlimited, auto-requested complimentary upgrades*
- Flights over 500 miles: Use earned or purchased 500-mile upgrades*
- Upgrade one companion traveling with you on the same flight with 500-mile upgrades*
- Upgrades confirmed before departure (as early as) 24 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.
- Gold and Platinum members will get four 500-mile upgrades for every 12,500 elite-qualifying miles you earn during the membership year after you achieve status.
- "Exclusive service desk" (actual prioritized number to Reservations lines)
- Complimentary preferred seats (extends to up to 8 traveling companions)
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra seats 24 hours prior to departure; 50% discounted otherwise (extends to up to 8 traveling companions)
- Exclusive partner offers
- Award processing charge waived (awards within 21 days of travel)
- Special discounts on hotel and car awards
- NOTE: Extended award availability is only an Executive Platinum benefit
- oneworld priority check-in and standby
- oneworld priority boarding
Link to aa.com guide to AAdvantage Elite benefits (all levels)
Link to archive of older posts from this thread.
What are AA ♦️Gold / GLD Benefits? Are they worth it? (Master thd)
Apr 15, 2022, 10:06 pm
#136
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I'm not sure I agree at all. The hotels that give miles tend to be pretty pricey, at least compared to my usual travel patterns. Unless you want to get into manufactured spending with gift cards, what can you really shop for? At least for me - $1K at Best Buy every few years when I want to replace a hi-fi component. If I choose to, I can buy some housewares and such at Walmart. You can't get points for theater or opera tickets, or gasoline, or service on your car. Maybe by "shopping" you meant credit card points, but those come at a cost; it's trivial to get a 2% cashback card, so every 1000LP's and RDM's costs you $20.
Now personally, I'd rather walk than fly without at least MCE. And I do kind of like the new system because I can at least MS my way to gold if I decide to stop flying so much, and then I'll get MCE for free at T-24 (right?).
But no, Gold is not exactly the cat's meow.
Now personally, I'd rather walk than fly without at least MCE. And I do kind of like the new system because I can at least MS my way to gold if I decide to stop flying so much, and then I'll get MCE for free at T-24 (right?).
But no, Gold is not exactly the cat's meow.
Also there are plenty of cheap hotels that give miles. The real issue there is that you are missing out on hotel status. It can be a good option if you aren't loyal to any one program, or if you are going to be traveling somewhere without a hotel in your program of choice.
May 14, 2022, 10:52 pm
#137
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Beaver Falls, PA
Programs: PC Platinum, HHonors Diamond, National Executive, AAdvantage Gold, Midwest Miles
Posts: 54
Not sure if this is a recent change for gold but last week I needed an earlier flight and knew the first flight on the route was less than half full. Logged in to SDFC 24 hours before looking to standby and was able to get confirmed on it free. Previously confirmed was rare and if available at all, it was $75. Actually ended up getting upgraded as well. So, that was a nice surprise.
Jul 13, 2022, 3:04 pm
#138
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Fort Lauderdale
Posts: 377
Question about Gold Status
I recently achieved Gold status with my American advantage membership. On my flight in September, it says complimentary upgrade requested. The seat is currently in the preferred seating area. At checkin, I know I can do main cabin extra if available. Do I get first class if available and when at checkin or at the gate?
Jul 13, 2022, 3:08 pm
#139
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Choice Hotels
Posts: 762
You are actually eligible for main cabin extra at exactly 24 hours before your flight. When I was gold, I would always check at exactly 24 hours to see if there was a good main cabin extra seat available. If there's not, keep checking every couple of hours, because they could open up as people get upgraded. You could get upgraded anytime between 24 hours before your flight until boarding. It depends greatly on the route and day. I have been on flights where some first class seats go out empty, and I have been on flights where there are 40 people on the upgrade list and nobody clears. I try to fly on tuesday, wednesday, and saturday, and I avoid connections in DFW when possible. I fly through phoenix, Los angeles, and Chicago mainly, and I have had about a 70% upgrade success rate as a platinum pro.
Jul 13, 2022, 3:12 pm
#140
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,551
You will be upgraded to first if and when AA releases first class seats for complimentary upgrades and there are enough seats to accommodate everyone on the list ahead of you as well as you. As a gold, this will not happen more than 24 hours before the flight. Realistically your chances are not good because they will first have to accommodate every EXP, PPro, and Platinum, and every Gold with more LP's than you. At T-24 you can check in and select a MCE seat. Where you are sitting in coach will not affect your potential upgrade to first.
Jul 13, 2022, 3:41 pm
#141
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Fort Lauderdale
Posts: 377
You are actually eligible for main cabin extra at exactly 24 hours before your flight. When I was gold, I would always check at exactly 24 hours to see if there was a good main cabin extra seat available. If there's not, keep checking every couple of hours, because they could open up as people get upgraded. You could get upgraded anytime between 24 hours before your flight until boarding. It depends greatly on the route and day. I have been on flights where some first class seats go out empty, and I have been on flights where there are 40 people on the upgrade list and nobody clears. I try to fly on tuesday, wednesday, and saturday, and I avoid connections in DFW when possible. I fly through phoenix, Los angeles, and Chicago mainly, and I have had about a 70% upgrade success rate as a platinum pro.
Jul 13, 2022, 4:40 pm
#142
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
AA always put you on the list for flights under 500 miles, but now they're doing away with the e500s. It's going to be harder for plats and golds since there will be more competition with everyone rather than those were trying to upgrade select flights.
Jul 13, 2022, 9:31 pm
#144
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,977
You should be able to move to MCE at T-24 without checking in. You might be upgraded at T-24, if there are enough empty seats in first class, or at any time between then and at the gate. Check the upgrade wait list on the AA app within 12 hours of departure to see where you are on the list. Note you have to check in to appear on the list.
Jul 13, 2022, 9:41 pm
#145
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,816
I have been on flights where some first class seats go out empty, and I have been on flights where there are 40 people on the upgrade list and nobody clears. I try to fly on tuesday, wednesday, and saturday, and I avoid connections in DFW when possible. I fly through phoenix, Los angeles, and Chicago mainly, and I have had about a 70% upgrade success rate as a platinum pro.
Jul 14, 2022, 3:52 am
#146
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Fort Lauderdale
Posts: 377
You should be able to move to MCE at T-24 without checking in. You might be upgraded at T-24, if there are enough empty seats in first class, or at any time between then and at the gate. Check the upgrade wait list on the AA app within 12 hours of departure to see where you are on the list. Note you have to check in to appear on the list.
Jul 14, 2022, 7:40 am
#147
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,138
You will be upgraded to first if and when AA releases first class seats for complimentary upgrades and there are enough seats to accommodate everyone on the list ahead of you as well as you. As a gold, this will not happen more than 24 hours before the flight. Realistically your chances are not good because they will first have to accommodate every EXP, PPro, and Platinum, and every Gold with more LP's than you. At T-24 you can check in and select a MCE seat. Where you are sitting in coach will not affect your potential upgrade to first.
Jul 14, 2022, 8:03 am
#148
Join Date: Nov 2021
Location: DFW
Programs: AA PlatPro, AS
Posts: 142
Not sure if this is a recent change for gold but last week I needed an earlier flight and knew the first flight on the route was less than half full. Logged in to SDFC 24 hours before looking to standby and was able to get confirmed on it free. Previously confirmed was rare and if available at all, it was $75. Actually ended up getting upgraded as well. So, that was a nice surprise.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/plan-travel/...day-travel.jsp
Jul 18, 2022, 2:29 am
#149
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,977
The Gold window does not open until 24 hours before departure of your first fight. At that time if space is available on connecting flights you can get upgraded on those at the same time. So technically earlier than T-24 for those.
Sep 5, 2022, 2:29 pm
#150
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
Is AA Gold worth in 2022/2023 (from NYC) under Loyalty Points?
A few years ago, I was using American as my primary airline out of NYC, usually at the natural Gold or Platinum level. For me, benefits were free standby, checked bags, and occasional upgrades on the many E175 routes from LGA (stuff like LGA to MSP, LGA to ATL, LGA to PBI, JFK to DCA, etc). I also enjoyed the transcon product as I could book directly into F.
Now I am sitting at about 12,000 loyalty points with no AA status. Debating on whether I should fly/spend myself to AA Gold as a secondary status (will likely hit Delta Diamond this year). From what I can tell, the benefits of Gold have been devalued relative to five or so years ago:
1) Everyone gets free standby, right? I did use standby for later flights a lot on AA and valued that
2) It seems like AA has reduced flights on its own metal, so some of the NYC to non-hub upgrades I could get are probably non existent or going away, especially now that stickers are no longer involved
3) I am guessing it may be easier for some people to get Platinum/Platinum Pro now with Loyalty Points, making Gold less valuable
Anyone have any insights on Gold (or even Platinum) life this year?
Now I am sitting at about 12,000 loyalty points with no AA status. Debating on whether I should fly/spend myself to AA Gold as a secondary status (will likely hit Delta Diamond this year). From what I can tell, the benefits of Gold have been devalued relative to five or so years ago:
1) Everyone gets free standby, right? I did use standby for later flights a lot on AA and valued that
2) It seems like AA has reduced flights on its own metal, so some of the NYC to non-hub upgrades I could get are probably non existent or going away, especially now that stickers are no longer involved
3) I am guessing it may be easier for some people to get Platinum/Platinum Pro now with Loyalty Points, making Gold less valuable
Anyone have any insights on Gold (or even Platinum) life this year?