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)
Nov 24, 2015, 7:22 pm
#16
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
If you forecast a large uptick in travel for next year it could be worth it but otherwise as you said, the Citi Executive card is basically AA Gold.
Nov 24, 2015, 8:29 pm
#17
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 4,216
I was Platinum this year and received lots of upgrades - on most flights. I know two people who were both Gold this year, and travel on business often, and neither have been upgraded the first time during 2015.
I don't have enough for Platinum next year but will be Gold. I tried to boost, pay my way, to Platinum but AA has changed the requirements and I'm not eligible for the boost.
Since no one I know that is Gold, personally or on this board, that have received upgrades during 2015, I've decided not to have loyalty to one carrier going toward. Instead, I will select flights based on fare and schedule and not airline. For business travel, once I ticket via my corporate website, I will go to AA or DL's website and pay my way to MCE or Comfort +. For leisure tickets, I'll purchase either First/Business Class or Comfort +/MCE at the time of purchase.
I don't have enough for Platinum next year but will be Gold. I tried to boost, pay my way, to Platinum but AA has changed the requirements and I'm not eligible for the boost.
Since no one I know that is Gold, personally or on this board, that have received upgrades during 2015, I've decided not to have loyalty to one carrier going toward. Instead, I will select flights based on fare and schedule and not airline. For business travel, once I ticket via my corporate website, I will go to AA or DL's website and pay my way to MCE or Comfort +. For leisure tickets, I'll purchase either First/Business Class or Comfort +/MCE at the time of purchase.
Now that still won't stop me from becoming a free agent next year, but I did want to point out that golds do get upgraded.
Nov 25, 2015, 7:09 am
#20
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Nov 26, 2015, 11:20 pm
#21
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: St. Louis, MO, USA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Gold Elite, Lowly kettle across every other loyalty program.
Posts: 778
No, it depends on how far you have to go to requalify the normal way. For gold, it can be as "little" as $399. I'm reconsidering taking the offer. The one thing you don't get with the credit card is the ability to select "priority" seats at booking. Comes in handy when I'm traveling with DW and the only seats available for selection at booking are middle seats in the back of the plane.
Nov 30, 2015, 8:02 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,598
I was going to be approx 3600 miles short of PLT, so I booked a mileage run for $256. The offer to keep PLT would have been $699. I spent $443 less and will earn around 9200 RDM.
May 16, 2016, 7:27 pm
#23
Join Date: May 2014
Location: SMF
Posts: 37
Is AA Gold...and ~20K miles...worth it?
I'd like to hear some advice from AA elites about earning prior to the switch-over to revenue-based earning.
I follow the miles-run forum for opportunities to "double dip" by taking my vacations wherever the deals take me; I've only done a same day turn once.
With the pending end of AA distance-based earning, I've been tempted to schedule a long trip (e.g. to SE Asia) to top off my AA balance with around 20K more miles. As a result, I'd also end up qualifying for AA Gold status through early 2017.
The trip would involve a new destination or two, but the flip side is that this time of year isn't the greatest for hanging out near the equator.
So my options are this:
About the "type" of traveler I am: I don't fly a lot (a few weekend regional flights for business), but I strive to take 2 or 3 international multi-city vacations a year, relying heavily on fare deals and award redemptions. Also, I've already got a few weeks in South America booked for the fall, so the choices mentioned above hardly represent my only vacation options.
I'm interested in your opinion: is Gold and a one-way C2 or C4 award redemption worth it?
I follow the miles-run forum for opportunities to "double dip" by taking my vacations wherever the deals take me; I've only done a same day turn once.
With the pending end of AA distance-based earning, I've been tempted to schedule a long trip (e.g. to SE Asia) to top off my AA balance with around 20K more miles. As a result, I'd also end up qualifying for AA Gold status through early 2017.
The trip would involve a new destination or two, but the flip side is that this time of year isn't the greatest for hanging out near the equator.
So my options are this:
- hot & humid June vacation, earning ~$340 worth of miles, plus Gold status
- ideal weather January trip, without the aforementioned benefits
About the "type" of traveler I am: I don't fly a lot (a few weekend regional flights for business), but I strive to take 2 or 3 international multi-city vacations a year, relying heavily on fare deals and award redemptions. Also, I've already got a few weeks in South America booked for the fall, so the choices mentioned above hardly represent my only vacation options.
I'm interested in your opinion: is Gold and a one-way C2 or C4 award redemption worth it?
Last edited by sirrebral; May 16, 2016 at 7:40 pm Reason: clarification
May 16, 2016, 7:53 pm
#25
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
Isn't AA still doing a status challenge, or whatever we're calling it these days?
Why not sign up for that just before your first trip, and you'd earn much more than Gold status for 20k miles.
Why not sign up for that just before your first trip, and you'd earn much more than Gold status for 20k miles.
May 16, 2016, 8:09 pm
#26
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
Well, PLT status, which isn't *that* much more than GLD for an occasional flyer. OP would get lounge access on the international trip(s) taken with AA/Oneworld, but that's about it (and the challenge fee probably costs as much as just buying Admirals Club day passes).
May 16, 2016, 9:12 pm
#27
Join Date: May 2014
Location: SMF
Posts: 37
For me, Platinum is more valuable that Gold just for the ability to select a MCE seat at the time of booking. I'm 6'9" tall, and on a full, transcontinental flight, Gold's access to free MCE upgrades 24 hours before departure is a craps-shoot. Usually I'm able to get the assistance of an understanding gate agent or member of the flight crew, but that's not 100%.
The big question is whether the current, post-devaluation environment affects my traveling on AA, now that my favorite award options are harder and more expensive to redeem. If not, status challenge makes sense; otherwise, I might want to hold off on paying that fee.
May 16, 2016, 11:18 pm
#28
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712
Even for a frequent flyer, the benefits don't seem all that more compelling. AA not having a 75K tier is primarily what keeps me from abandoning DL. I usually just barely qualify for Platinum on DL, so I wouldn't really have a realistic chance at EXP.
May 17, 2016, 2:00 am
#29
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, National EE
Posts: 1,204
MCE at booking is nice, but scales very much with the number of trips you will book with AA before your elite status expires in ~8 months.