Mar 21, 2013, 3:13 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
HELP DESK: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenge (Gold and Platinum)
Challenges may no longer be enrolled in as of 6 Oct; hard end date 23 Dec 2015 -
but some reporting success 6 Oct backdating to 23 Sep by supervisors
This is the archived thread about the now defunct AAdvantage elite Gold and Platinum status challenge. The current thread can be read here.
Challenges may no longer be enrolled in as of 6 Oct; hard end date 23 Dec 2015 -
but some reporting success 6 Oct backdating to 23 Sep by supervisors
This is the archived thread about the now defunct AAdvantage elite Gold and Platinum status challenge. The current thread can be read here.
NOTE: Challenges were closed off September 23 2015, at least for the remainder of 2015 - some have succeeded in enrolling and backdating to 23 Sep.
It is possible a new, remodeled challenge will be announced in or for 2016. That discussion is here: Original Gold / Platinum Challenge Ended 23 Sep '15. New program to come?
This thread is now dedicated to requests for assistance and responses to clarify challenge requirements for those members currently engaged in challenges and related issues. To discuss the potential and form of any future challenge, please use the link provided above.
NOTE: The rules for the Challenge at the time of closure are preserved below. The date by which the last person would have completed this challenge would be 23 December 2015.
It is possible a new, remodeled challenge will be announced in or for 2016. That discussion is here: Original Gold / Platinum Challenge Ended 23 Sep '15. New program to come?
This thread is now dedicated to requests for assistance and responses to clarify challenge requirements for those members currently engaged in challenges and related issues. To discuss the potential and form of any future challenge, please use the link provided above.
NOTE: The rules for the Challenge at the time of closure are preserved below. The date by which the last person would have completed this challenge would be 23 December 2015.
Note: The four AA segment minimum required for regular status qualification does not apply to completing the challenge.
Class of service, status or other bonus miles are redeemable miles and thus do not count for the challenge. Class of service is the reigning factor in calculating the points earned per mile flown: the base points per mile charts for the various fare buckets on qualifying airlines are here.
Note: The "Reach elite status faster" promotion awarding 2 or even 3 EQ Points per mile for flying premium fares through 2015 does not apply to the challenge; challenge flyers will only have a maximum of 1.5 base EQP per base EQ Mile considered for challenge-earned status. The extra points are considered bonus points and are only applicable for earning "normal", non-challenge status.
Though one earned status bonus miles on the qualifying flight at one time, that is no longer possible. Status bonus miles will accrue on the next eligible flight after your status qualifying flight.
Also see (FT) Help Understanding Status, Points / Miles & Segments: EQM vs EQP (merged thread) for further assistance with the miles-EQMiles-points issue.
For miles calculations, many use the Great Circle Mapper tool
*for Platinum, Jan-Jun $200, Jul - Dec $240 - presumably for the max nine months of status vs. the max of 20 months $240 of status. Occasionally, there are "sales" reductions; they seem to be about 10%.
Challenges begun before June 16 of a given year earn status for the remainder of that year and the first two months of the following year (8-14 months total); challenges begun on or after June 16 grant status for the remainder of that year, the following year, and the first two months of the year after (14-20 months total). Challenges can begin anytime (not previously the case) and can even be backdated up to two weeks as far as we know (as of Nov 2013).
To sign up for a challenge, call AAdvantage Customer Service at +1-800-882-8880.
Link to cyclingpilot post about being granted a back-dated challenge (2 weeks)
You cannot use a challenge to requalify for status. There is no longer a "soft landing" to the next lower level of status. The flight on which the challenge is completed no longer earns the redeemable miles bonus for the new status level.
Some have been granted Gold status whilst flying a Platinum challenge, particularly those with current elite status (any level) on an airline of a competing alliance, but this is not a given.
Based on multiple reports from FT members, as of mid-2015 AA is only allowing one status challenge over a five year period.
August 2014 e-mail received by a Challenger, shared by ashill:
Thank you for registering for an AAdvantage® challenge.
To enjoy AAdvantage PLATINUM status through February 2016, please earn 10,000 elite qualifying points between now and [redacted]. Qualifying flights on American Airlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection®, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas, US Airways and their eligible codeshare flights count toward your challenge.
Since the number of elite qualifying points you earn is based on the fare you purchase and the miles you earn, you can view these details for each airline:We wish you every success in attaining the elite status level you desire.
Sincerely,
Janet L F[redacted]
Director
AAdvantage Customer Service
Thank you for registering for an AAdvantage® challenge.
To enjoy AAdvantage PLATINUM status through February 2016, please earn 10,000 elite qualifying points between now and [redacted]. Qualifying flights on American Airlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection®, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas, US Airways and their eligible codeshare flights count toward your challenge.
Since the number of elite qualifying points you earn is based on the fare you purchase and the miles you earn, you can view these details for each airline:We wish you every success in attaining the elite status level you desire.
Sincerely,
Janet L F[redacted]
Director
AAdvantage Customer Service
ARCHIVE: HELP DESK: AA Elite Status Challenge (CLOSED: "hard end" 23 Dec 2015)
Sep 4, 2014, 4:37 pm
#451
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AA Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 174
Interesting to observe including "past segments" to your Plat challenge.....
As for your 7/10's "of the way there".....
FlyerCalc App, is something you should acquire ....
Lists:
LAX>MIA as 2337 flown miles
Base RDM 2337
Assuming you are a 'Gold' bonus of 584..
Total points 3506
Total EQM 2337
And you flew in fare code 'Y'
Total points 3506 x 1.5 = 5259......
How do you perceive that you are "7/10's there" ?
Just curious......
As for your 7/10's "of the way there".....
FlyerCalc App, is something you should acquire ....
Lists:
LAX>MIA as 2337 flown miles
Base RDM 2337
Assuming you are a 'Gold' bonus of 584..
Total points 3506
Total EQM 2337
And you flew in fare code 'Y'
Total points 3506 x 1.5 = 5259......
How do you perceive that you are "7/10's there" ?
Just curious......
Sep 4, 2014, 7:59 pm
#452
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: used to be PER, now it's nowhere/eveywhere
Programs: QFF NB, AA GLD
Posts: 3,476
As for your 7/10's "of the way there".....
FlyerCalc App, is something you should acquire ....
Lists:
LAX>MIA as 2337 flown miles
Base RDM 2337
Assuming you are a 'Gold' bonus of 584..
Total points 3506
Total EQM 2337
And you flew in fare code 'Y'
Total points 3506 x 1.5 = 5259......
How do you perceive that you are "7/10's there" ?
Just curious......
FlyerCalc App, is something you should acquire ....
Lists:
LAX>MIA as 2337 flown miles
Base RDM 2337
Assuming you are a 'Gold' bonus of 584..
Total points 3506
Total EQM 2337
And you flew in fare code 'Y'
Total points 3506 x 1.5 = 5259......
How do you perceive that you are "7/10's there" ?
Just curious......
Yep - IMHO you nailed it ckendall
Yep
Just a distinction, OP said he flew on 1.5 EQP. If he actually paid for the actual 0.5 extra then the calculation of whatever amount of mileage was earned is correct, but just earning bonus from being Gold as you mentioned wouldn't cut it. Not sure about the OP's own offer, but on my own offer bonus miles do not count towards the challenge. Mine is 12k, not 10k. And wouldn't Gold be 25%, not 50%?
My take is that WheelsFirst:
- Enrolled in an ordinary PLT challenge, which requires earning 10,000EQP in 3 months
- S/he flew LAX-MIA return in a fare bucket that earns 1.5EQP per mile flown
- Which will accrue [email protected] EQP per mile x 2 flights = 7,011 EQP which is 70% of the 10,000 needed for the challenge
) are irrelevant
Sep 4, 2014, 9:08 pm
#453
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AA Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 174
Yep - IMHO you nailed it ckendall
Yep
Seems to be some confused thinking here
My take is that WheelsFirst:
- Enrolled in an ordinary PLT challenge, which requires earning 10,000EQP in 3 months
- S/he flew LAX-MIA return in a fare bucket that earns 1.5EQP per mile flown
- Which will accrue [email protected] EQP per mile x 2 flights = 7,011 EQP which is 70% of the 10,000 needed for the challenge
) are irrelevant
Sep 5, 2014, 12:56 am
#454
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: QLA
Programs: SBUX Gold
Posts: 14,507
Sep 5, 2014, 2:51 am
#455
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: ORD, SJD, VNO, sandy places
Programs: AA 1.2MM BIS 'LT' Gld, BA Bronze, AA Plat, now considering SWA.....
Posts: 451
Yes, OP is correct @ 10 K challenge s/h is close to qualifying
For 100% bonus. Enjoy until you need to re qualify @ 50K ...
For 100% bonus. Enjoy until you need to re qualify @ 50K ...
Sep 9, 2014, 11:30 am
#456
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: AA Gold, OW Ruby, IHG PLT, JB Mosiac, Delta Silver, VA Silver, AK MVP, Hyatt Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 151
Status still does not show up on US or BA. BA flight not till 19 September, but US flight is in a little under two weeks. Full first availability on that, so I'd like to be able to snag something if it's left at OLCI. With the way things are going though, I won't be able to. System still does not see my status. There's supposedly a note in my account though where I can just call and they will process me as the rep I spoke with a few days ago (I was requesting placement in a preferred seat) called AA and verified me and said she left the note.
Called AA today, lady puts me on a hold a few minutes, comes back says it should be working and that everything should be showing up.
Go to US again, try to book new flight (but same flight I'm already booked on, as I know where the open preferred seats are at a glance) and no dice. Doesn't even show me preferred seats to choose from. It's been a week- started challenge/given GLD on Monday.
Wonder if I'll have to go back through this when I cross PLT next month?
Called AA today, lady puts me on a hold a few minutes, comes back says it should be working and that everything should be showing up.
Go to US again, try to book new flight (but same flight I'm already booked on, as I know where the open preferred seats are at a glance) and no dice. Doesn't even show me preferred seats to choose from. It's been a week- started challenge/given GLD on Monday.
Wonder if I'll have to go back through this when I cross PLT next month?
Just a data point in case this happens to anyone else, the gold status took exactly 3 weeks to the day to start showing up on it's own:
I registered for the status challenge on 18 Aug 14
Status begin showing up on partner sites 1 Sept 14
First flight was 5 Sept 14 and status was showing both to the web/app but in the airport too. I may have been an odd case, but I thought I would throw it out there so that others coming to do this later can kind of keep it in their mind to give themselves some padding if they are planning on needing any of the gold status benefits (if they are given it with the PLT challenge).
No issues getting upgrades on US at OLCI (of course, these were short flights, we'll see what happens this week with longer flights going into/out of CLT and PHL- where likely more elites are flying), using expedited check in, free bag check, or MoveUp program.
Sep 13, 2014, 9:12 pm
#457
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXP
Posts: 178
Couple quick questions.
I see there's a lot of conflicting info in here, and wanted to make sure I don't screw anything up before booking some tickets.
My wife and I will be flying a lot next year (probably 100k+ miles), and want to get plat before the run to EXP. We want to go to SE asia this winter, and will likely do SGN, but want to also get Plat beforehand.
Currently we are UA silver, but had previously had AA EXP, and UA 1k. The EXP was a match from 2012. My questions are as follows.
1-Can we still qualify even though I did a challenge for EXP 2 years ago?
2-Can we automatically be given plat based on our upcoming AA bookings? This would be huge as we would get double miles (an extra 20k miles each) on our flights.
I see there's a lot of conflicting info in here, and wanted to make sure I don't screw anything up before booking some tickets.
My wife and I will be flying a lot next year (probably 100k+ miles), and want to get plat before the run to EXP. We want to go to SE asia this winter, and will likely do SGN, but want to also get Plat beforehand.
Currently we are UA silver, but had previously had AA EXP, and UA 1k. The EXP was a match from 2012. My questions are as follows.
1-Can we still qualify even though I did a challenge for EXP 2 years ago?
2-Can we automatically be given plat based on our upcoming AA bookings? This would be huge as we would get double miles (an extra 20k miles each) on our flights.
Sep 14, 2014, 3:03 pm
#458
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 41
I am curious about trying to get Plat before I complete the Plat challenge. I will have enough non-refundable trips booked to meet the 10k point requirement. Has anyone had luck getting an agent to give you status prior to completing the requirement based on future bookings? I am currently gold and it would be nice to get MCE access prior to T24. Thanks in advance
Sep 15, 2014, 5:20 pm
#459
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXP
Posts: 178
I am curious about trying to get Plat before I complete the Plat challenge. I will have enough non-refundable trips booked to meet the 10k point requirement. Has anyone had luck getting an agent to give you status prior to completing the requirement based on future bookings? I am currently gold and it would be nice to get MCE access prior to T24. Thanks in advance
They did also tell me they still offer and ExecPlat challenge fro UA 1ks.
Sep 16, 2014, 12:32 pm
#460
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: AA, TAM, Iberia Plata
Posts: 49
Plantinum challenge to use lounges with other alliance flights?
I've been AA platinum before, but now not anymore. I plan to fly from South America to northern Europe around xmas time. One option would be to fly with AA and that would be a lot of miles. Depending on the route it could be more than 10000 miles just one way. Which would be enough for the platinum challenge.
So if I complete the challenge it by the end of 2014 how long will the status last?
If I during my platinum status fly economy with other oneworld airlines, can I use the AA platinum card for getting into lounges and using business check-in lines?
If for instance I fly Iberia economy and use my Iberia FF number on that flight would I still be able use my AA platinum card to get into a lounge?
So if I complete the challenge it by the end of 2014 how long will the status last?
If I during my platinum status fly economy with other oneworld airlines, can I use the AA platinum card for getting into lounges and using business check-in lines?
If for instance I fly Iberia economy and use my Iberia FF number on that flight would I still be able use my AA platinum card to get into a lounge?
Sep 16, 2014, 4:21 pm
#461
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: Marriott Tit, Hyatt Diamond, AA EXP, UA Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 427
First, the challenge is based off points, not miles. Discount fares only earn .5 points per mile flown.
Second, if you begin the challenge after June, it's good through Feb 16.
Third, how will you have an AA platinum card? Your old one is expired and the new one won't be issued until you complete the challenge.
Second, if you begin the challenge after June, it's good through Feb 16.
Third, how will you have an AA platinum card? Your old one is expired and the new one won't be issued until you complete the challenge.
Sep 16, 2014, 5:59 pm
#462
Join Date: May 2003
Programs: OW Emerald
Posts: 1,452
Generally and strictly the answer is "no"; you will get the benefits associated with the number shown on the boarding pass.
However, lounge access and priority checkin seem to be two of the least-enforced (versus, say, free baggage allowance), and I'd guess it works a large percentage of the time if you have the physical AA card with you.
Sep 16, 2014, 8:40 pm
#463
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 41
Yeah...I am already gold, have all the flights booked on nonrefundable fares to get the 10k eqp. Going to call tomorrow and see if I can get a sympathetic agent.
Sep 16, 2014, 8:55 pm
#464
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 41
First, the challenge is based off points, not miles. Discount fares only earn .5 points per mile flown.
Second, if you begin the challenge after June, it's good through Feb 16.
Third, how will you have an AA platinum card? Your old one is expired and the new one won't be issued until you complete the challenge.
Second, if you begin the challenge after June, it's good through Feb 16.
Third, how will you have an AA platinum card? Your old one is expired and the new one won't be issued until you complete the challenge.
Sep 20, 2014, 1:41 pm
#465
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: AA Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 1,206
I completed the Plat challenge by flying LAX/MIA RT at a 1.5 EQP fare (A) and then JFK/LAX at a 1.5 EQP fare (C). The LAX/MIA RT was completed before enrolling in the challenge and was backdated. Status is now active.
Interestingly, status was applied to my two previously booked upcoming trips without having to call in, I was able to select MCE and request 500 mile upgrades on my Y trip, and assume it's active on my Y-UP but doesn't really matter (except for the 100% elite bonus RDMs).
One question, I don't have any 500 mile upgrades, should I have some or do you have to purchase if you qualify via the challenge?
