Jan 1, 2015, 3:04 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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:

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)

Airport benefits

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

Upgrade benefits (on AA)

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.

Other benefits

"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 benefits

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 benefits*

oneworld priority check-in and standby
oneworld priority boarding

*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).

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)

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Sep 5, 2022, 3:17 pm

#151

guv1976

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2003

Location: Not here; there!

Programs: AA Lifetime Gold

Posts: 29,588

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adelphos

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?

Everyone gets free standby on earlier AA flights. AAdvantage elites get free standby on later flights, too. That said, a non-elite might be able to get on a later flight via AA's flat-tire rule.

Golds get to check in at dedicated counters, and get Group 4 boarding.

Golds get free MCE seats at T-24 (if any are still available at that point).

For a New-York-based flyer, an important recent enhancement is that all AAdvantage elites -- including Golds -- get free checked baggage on JetBlue, as well as free EMS (Even More Space) seats on JetBlue at T-24. This applies even on JetBlue's lowest fare, "Blue Basic."

Adelphos likes this.

Sep 5, 2022, 3:50 pm

#152

KDCAflyer

Join Date: May 2015

Location: DCA

Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium

Posts: 6,712

Quote:

Originally Posted by guv1976

The JetBlue benefits make AA's Gold the best entry level status IMO.

Adelphos likes this.

Sep 6, 2022, 2:40 pm

#153

luvthesun

Join Date: Jan 2009

Programs: AA Gold

Posts: 129

Also, even AA Golds get free drinks on Jet Blue and can check in at the Mosaic desk too if needed - (just like their Mosaic flyers) I flew Jet Blue as AA Gold last week and had these benefits, along with the free bag and EMS seat.

Sep 6, 2022, 2:44 pm

#154

VFR

Join Date: Aug 2016

Location: BOS

Programs: AA PP, DL PM

Posts: 2,086

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvthesun

By the letter of the policy, no AA elites get free drinks on B6. However, a lot of crews seem to give AA elites free drinks anyway.

Jan 30, 2023, 11:41 am

#155

upsidedown

Join Date: Jan 2006

Posts: 153

New AA Program and Loyalty Points

I am trying to figure out if it is worth going for Gold by end of Feb. According to the web site I am 4000 Loyalty points shy of Gold. Does a Balance Transfer count for loyalty points? It may be cheaper and faster than a mieleage run. I have tried to find the answer but it aludes me.

Thanks

Jan 30, 2023, 12:01 pm

#156

mrwise

Join Date: Aug 2009

Location: Columbia, MD

Programs: US Airways DM Silver, United Mileage Plus

Posts: 216

I can't answer if it's worth going for Gold for you, but it was worth it for me. Heck I even paid $399 to sign up as I was short miles or $, I forget. The good news is, you don't have to do a balance transfer or even pay that much $ for 4000 LP. I have two words for you: Rocket Miles. Look up the thread on this forum and your questions will be answered.

Hoi polloi likes this.

Jan 31, 2023, 12:25 am

#157

MarkY123

Join Date: Dec 2015

Posts: 202

Hello upsidedown , unfortunately, balance transfers do not count:

https://creditcards.aa.com/aadvantag...||StarburstFAQ

Quote:

*Purchases exclude balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions).

Quote:

Originally Posted by upsidedown

LovePrunes likes this.

Dec 5, 2023, 9:39 am

#158

AJNEDC

Join Date: Jun 2019

Location: NYC/DC

Programs: AA,SPG, Delta, Amtrak, JB

Posts: 874

Status Equivalents

I am a member of AA advantage program. Right now, I have no status but do have 32,000 loyalty points and will be gold by end of qualifying period of February 29th, 2024.
What is my equivalent status for Oneworld? Would I be considered Ruby for OneWorld?