To clarify for others who may not be familiar - one needs to be CX Gold (OWS) or above to access. CX SL (OWR) doesn't give you access to Admirals Club.

i fly cx y and redeem cx pey, i book a rtw so the silver status could get me qualify to gold instead of 2 year silver status

The lounge in hkg is great and the extra legroom seat is a big plus especially for 12+ hrs flights

My reasoning back then was MPC 110, AA PLT Challenge 200 and other benefits 85. That was before i know AA gives out free EXP challenges.

I must agree 395 is expensive, and I dont want anyone to be like me. Join both program just to get silver and ends up paying 505.

But so far 2 biz upgrad in short haul and 1 pey upgrade for long haul so i guess it has been working in my favor so far...

I think you meant something else? You said,

• Asmallworld lets you signup for CX SL for USD 110 if you're US resident
• Founderscard lets you signup for AA PLT challenge for USD 395.

AA PLT = CX Gold not CX SL so I think you meant to ask whether MPC SL worth USD 110 (consistent with the title of this thread)?

Everyone has difference experience but in general I think the answer is NO.

• By nature someone who is looking into this is someone who doesn't fly a lot so the status is only useful once or twice a year at most.
• Others above mentioned that it gives you access to advance seat assignment, CX lounge, etc etc. True but as you mentioned, in order to sign up you have to be a US resident. So how often is US resident (i.e. based in US) going to fly CX? There's always exception of course (very few things are absolute in life) but if someone who is a US resident flies CX quite a bit then the person should, in theory, be able to get to CX SL through flying, no?
• For US domestic (since the person applying is US resident so presumably fly a bit of US domestic flight as well) it doesn't mean much. No AA lounge access and can only access MCE at check-in (which usually means middle seat ...)
• It does give you one free checked bag for your occasional US domestic flight but it is not really useful considering 1) the elephant-size bags that AA seems to let people bring into the cabin and 2) as US resident you can get AA credit card for cheaper for the same benefit (+ bonus AA points which we know is superior to AM).

So in essence one is paying USD 110 for CX lounge access + CX seat assignment for the one (or maybe two) time flying CX. As percysmith mentioned above that's a lot of dandan mian ...

From my understanding, FoundersCard gives the opportunity to be 'gifted' MPC Silver, not just the AA PLT challenge. So you would actually get both for USD 395 and I believe it's available to everyone through FoundersCard, not just US residents.

Further clarification - AA EXP (OWE), AA Plat (OWS), and domestic F passengers cannot access AA lounge for those flights by CoS or status. So there were very few passengers on the delayed flight who could get help in the Admirals Club. To that end, I am glad that I had MPC status (DM/OWE at that time).

Ah, I misunderstood what OP is saying. So CX SL is a freebie/automatic with this founderscard and on top of that one can also signup for AA PLT for free? Got it.

I don't think it's worth it for USD 110 so definitely not for USD 395 though presumably this founderscard has benefits (other than just free CX SL and free AA PLT challenge) that may make it, as a package, worthwhile.

I 2nd to that....

Priority tags is my 1st, I have had experience waiting for a luggage for an hour. After a flight, especially after a long flight, the only thing I think off is get out of the airport. With the priority tags, my wait for luggage is less than 10 mins. I can be out of airport waiting for a ride within 30 mins(including immigration) counting from the aircraft opens it's door when I'm SFO, HKG, TPE, KHH, PEK & PVG. When in SIN or KUL, the luggage will be waiting for me after I passed immigration.

My 2nd will be contacting MPC hot-line. I have no issue calling them, and never have to wait for more than 5 mins although there's a attitude difference when speaking with HK staff & Mainland staff. I really do feel that mainland staff tends to 'go by the book' where others 'go the extra miles'.

3rd will be lounge access. Go to have, especially when there's a flight delay and I can rest in a lounge near my gate

Founders card offered Sign up for platinum Challenge for free. It was offered for very short periods this year, twice. However, AA Challenges for status is dead now, last day to sign up was Sept 23, 2015, until new format resurfaces, if any.

Actually if you pay for the challenge (not by joining Founderscard) you can back date it to sept 23 and with an end day dec 23.

I am a Gold MPC but with the coming changes I will barely make Silver going forward. Does anyone know if either a smallworld or founderscard will still give Silver MPC status after the changes to the programme go into effect in April 2016?

Assuming yes to the foregoing, next question please. Would anyone know whether when starting as Silver I will be able to earn my way towards Gold, effectively buying myself a head start? To date my long haul travels on PEY as Gold would get me J upgrades 50% of the time. If I had the chance to improve the likelihood of my keeping Gold for a $110 fee and the upgrades (I am a US resident) I would so so.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Since I started this post might as well update it. I did some search and I think ASW/CX partnership end around Oct/Nov when CX announce the changes to MPC. ASW said that they hope to get back into partnership with CX but who knows. Anyway I am dropping them, hopefully with success.

Founderscard still offer CX Silver but at the higher membership price. Also they no longer challenge to AA and the 10% discount on AA flights.

IMO you should not apply until you drop back to green, no point in paying earlier when you dont need to use the benefit. No one would know when CX decide to terminate the partnership

Also since the guarantee seats for Y/PEY/J is in the most expensive fare after the changes IMO there are less chance of op-up due to less chance of overbooking from DM/Gold using last minute seat guarantee.

You should renew your GOLD ASAP or as close to April 2016 as possible again IMO

jkouk's correct in that a FoundersCard membership would be more advantageous when you drop to Green. From what I've heard, it will give you a 'headstart' in that you'll only need the 600 points (in the new scheme) to make Gold. While the price may have gone up for now, I wouldn't be surprised if there are more discounts to come for FoundersCard. I looked into it last year when I wasn't sure I'd make silver and still get spammed with discount offers. As it stood when I enquired, after the first year you'll need to re-qualify as normal so I would presume you only get the free pass to Silver once.

As a Silver, I've had a good strike rate for upgrades flying from outports this year. 100% from my home city of Perth, and 50% of the time from the other outports. Never had one out of HKG. Though I've just had the good luck of booking on flights that then ended up being overbooked (and one on my birthday). I'm expecting that percentage to drop after New Year.

Sorry for reviving old thread.
I have come across these Founders Card and ASmallWorld these few days for their SL benefits.

It seems to me both of their SL upgrade is one shot (even though u can have multiple years with ASW or FC) and you need to requalify for silver for adequate club point.

Nevertheless it is sort of valuable to low end travellers like me - who rely 80% of flights on miles. CX Lounge access and baggage allowance would also be very attractive as well.

For FC, I can see multiple referral code popping up on the Interweb (I bet members do get referral bonus) for US$295+95 per year or $295+295 for 2 years;
For ASW - it is $110 but many people complained about involuntary renewals. They need to get invited in the game as well.

Given the above, I still want to hop on ASW wagon to give SL a try. If anyone is involved with ASW, please hook me up.

Ok, I was told that the CX SL upgrade perk is a once-in-a-lifetime perk.
Even if you have multiple years of FC/ASW membership, you can only upgrade to SL thru them once and only once.

I'm looking at the value of SL for each Y flight is about US$100 for show-medium haul and $150 for long haul. Be able to select exit row seat advance, got priority check in, extra luggage, no need to worry about cabin luggage size, lounge visits.

So for anyone who's taking less than 2 return trips with CX a year, it could be a waste of money unless you do want the extra luggage which could cost more than $395