The fax number for AA status match 1-817-963-7882 (include recent statements as well as elite credentials.)

Also, from fewmiles' ultimate guide to AAdvantage:
http://plaza.powersurfr.com/fewmiles...challenge.html

From another post of mine recently:

There are also some things that your average non-AA flyer would just never know about.

For one, on every flight you earn miles (and "points" which are tracked separately-- and are a good story in and upon themselves.) But you also earn "credits" towards free domestic upgrades at the same time. If log a LOT of miles, you might just find that your "credits" can cover you for a decent percentage of your domestic upgrades. These credits can also be purchased outright-- right on AA's webpage-- so you can upgrade yourself to domestic FC (or BC on 3-class planes) on any fare simply by paying for the privilege ($31.25 per 500 miles flown.)

Again, this does not burn your miles-- those are tracked separately. On longer flights using actual miles is a better deal.

Additionally, if you don't use those credits that you earn, currently AA will let certain members trade them in for miles.

The net effect? A Plat on AA can essentially earn de-facto triple miles on every single flight he takes (not including promotional bonuses or class-of-service "point" bonus.) That's why when someone says "AA gives 100% bonus, CO gives 125% bonus" it's not actually the case-- AA is basically giving it's mid-level elites a 200% on all flights, if you include the credits (sometimes referred to as stickers,) in the equation-- as you should.

Another thing worth mentioning: AA runs a small number of 3-class planes domestically, trans-cons, etc. If you book on one of those, you upgrade to J instead of F--BUT, on said planes the J, IMHO, is much better than most of CO's domestic F (BF seating clearly excepted.) The domestic J-class seating is the same as the international J-class, generally. So, you get an adjustable footrest, nice pitch, good recline (by domestic standards) etc. The same AA J-class which is IMHO discernibly inferior to CO BF is discernibly superior to CO domestic F. On a trans-con this makes a BIG difference. BTW, on some AA 3-class planes, the flight is sold as 2-class, so elites get the F-seats.

As far as international goes, AA kicks the living crap out of OP. All fares upgradeable, real international partners, elite status earning on said partners (with some important exceptions,) lounge access on international trips, sleeper-seat FC available via reward travel...the list is very long-- and for a CO flyer, very painful.

EWR-COflyer, I meant both connections and circle trips by "multi-segment." CO can always price out any one segment. The experiences that you relate certainly suck.

AA does not give 200% bonus folks...one can sell back their "stickers" or "points" and relinquish their upgrades to F in order to get that 200%....but that's a big step....sitting in the back is just not for me...even in MRTC. Travelling from EWR, I would have to make more connections on AA than I could imagine....a complete waste of time. That's a REAL BIG factor in my decision to stay with CO....that..and of course my 100% domestic upgrades....

Does that differ from the way I described it??

Yes...you do not say anywhere one will not fly in F if they want the 200% ...that's a big difference. Why didn't you just put it like this..?

CO 125% bonus + Free unlimited domestic upgrades take your chances

AA 200% bonus if you turn in your stickers and sit in coach(no F) (MRTC).
You have to remember that some folks don't know what "figure it into the equation is".....it actually means...give up your F upgrades. Say it for what it is.
AA would be a TERRIBLE choice for me domestically as stated above.





[This message has been edited by IM4Travel (edited 03-17-2002).]

I hear that CO loyalty marketing wants to create a bigger difference between them and AA to make the program harder to leave, so they're about to announce that Platinum domestic EUA's will now run at 10 days out, not just 5.

They also say they're dropping the fare on all DC10s they're still flying to $59 one way anywhere they fly, they'll let you bring unlimited carry-ons onto all domestic 727s, and they'll now accept their competitors tickets as full fare payment for any flight (limited to Pan Am, Eastern, Peoples Express and TWA).

...and they have a bridge to sell......

[This message has been edited by NJDavid (edited 03-17-2002).]

If you feel that's less confusing... O.K.

I don't think anyone here was under the impression that AA gives free domestic upgrades-- maybe I'm wrong about that.

So, knowing that full well-- no free domestic upgrades on AA-- as a mid-level elite you can (not everyone) potentially earn 200% bonus on each and every flight-- before any promotional bonuses, class of service bonus, etc. This applies primarily to folks who have a heavy international travel schedule.

OR, instead of the 200%, any AA member can earn the 100% elite bonus and get a small percentage of their domestic flights upgraded for free.

Maybe putting that "OR" in there makes it clearer, as you suggest.

For absolute clarity, I'll make this "offer"; anyone here wants more info on AAdvantage, contact me via e-mail and I'll tell you everything you need to know.

It would be my pleasure.

Much better Jon...there are a lot of Lurkers here that need it spelled out.

So Jon...NJD....let me pose this question...I'll give you my scenario....and let you guys think it through.

IM4 lives at the Jersey Shore..Spring Lake to be exact...this makes it really tough to fly out of NYC airports...EWR is 1 hour drive....Philly about 1 hour and 20 mins.
IM4 travels domestically every week mainly to these destinations....TPA,MEM,PHX,SEA,LAS,DTW,SFO,DEN,IA H,DFW,ATL and SLC. With MEM being the biggest one...(I do NW on that route).
IM4 travels maybe once to Europe on business per year...London to be exact.
IM4 travels maybe 3 or 4 times a year to Europe on leisure and to the Caribbean once or twice.
IM4 books all travel at least 3 weeks out due to the fact that he has to visit the same clients quarterly...or sometimes more.
IM4 books cheapo Q,T and V fares when available and sometimes a B or two.
ON CO....he can travel non-stop to just about all of the destinations listed above out of EWR.
IM4 values his time on the weekends and connecting would just make him spend more time.
Given this scenario...what would you guys do??? Stay with CO...or switch??? and to whom?????



[This message has been edited by IM4Travel (edited 03-17-2002).]

That's very true. Fair enough.

I might add this one little smart-a$$ comment:

On AA the FF program is detailed in their member's guide-- and then there are a few "unpublished" goodies that can really add up (lifetime Gold, Plat., sticker trade-in, challenges, first time EXPlat qualifier VIPow bonanza, etc.)

On CO you have to watch them like a bad baby-sitter just to make sure they adhere to the "published" terms of their FF program.

Under that scenario? Nobody in their right mind would switch to AA. There are so many strikes against it-- and if CO fits your needs-- who's asking you to switch?? You'd have to be insane to switch to AA under the circumstances-- unless your EUA's start disappearing, in which case a carrier switch might seem more appealing-- but still probably not AA.

[This message has been edited by JonNYC (edited 03-17-2002).]

OK..fair enough...just wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing something here. The other 2 choices that I would believe half-way feasible:

1) Switch to DL out of EWR...where I can still get to SOME of the destinations non-stop (ATL+SLC)...and quick-connects to MEM+TPA via ATL.

2) Drive to PHL and switch to US. Do you guys know much about the US program...and how much longer are they going to be around.


OR....I can follow NJD and start booking NW and HP.....are you having luck this way NJD?? I hear that there are whispers on the NW board about them holding back F seats also.

IM4:

1) From what I hear, the USAirways top tier (Chairman's Preferred) is very good. All the domestic upgrades plus a couple systemwides. And they still have offpeak awards... Strong Carib, Euro, eastern U.S. routes. Weak western U.S. coverage, no Hawaii/Asia (but they do have a VERY limited partnership with Northwest), Qantas award redemption available. Consensus on FlyerTalk is that PHL employees are subpar.

If Continental doesn't end this A9F0 nonsense soon, I will continue to use America West FlightFund for the western U.S. flying and begin to credit Northwest flights to Asia & Hawaii to HP also. For points east, I will seek a USAirways Dividend Miles comp to the Gold Preferred tier.

2) For what it's worth, this week I have three flying days. The first is on America West PHX-LAS. I've already been upgraded via the automated system (FlightFund Platinum via Corporate AWArds comp, M fare). The second is Continental (LAS-EWR-CMH). No upgrade, A9F0 (OnePass Platinum, T fare). The third is Northwest (CMH-MSP-DBQ). I've been upgraded on the first segment, the second segment is an Airlink flight without a First Class cabin (OnePass Platinum, T fare, Continental ticket).

If I want an upgrade out of Las Vegas, I better be at the airport by 5:00A for my 7:10A flight. I guess I'll have to have John in the America West Club pour me a stiff drink...

------------------
"We will not cut benefits from OnePass, our industry-leading frequent flyer program, because we remain committed to rewarding our most loyal customers."

-- Gordon Bethune (Continental's CEO) two weeks before significantly cutting benefits of the OnePass program

[This message has been edited by TransWorldOne (edited 03-18-2002).]

I agree with IM4.

I am 10 minutes from EWR by car, and I fly mostly domestic. AA is not a really viable option for me.

I was comped to Platinum elite on HP this year, with full intention of switching. However, while the Flight Fund program is superior to One Pass in many ways (they still have lower awards, reduced level rule buster awards for Platinum elites, nominiation of a silver to each platinum, with additional nominations for additional miles flown over Platinum, etc.) their one main drawback is they only give miles on Northwest code shares, not all Northwest flights like One Pass.

So, I will more than likely stay a One Pass Platinum, fly HP and NW, and go on CO only when I don't have time to connect, and/or can find a flight that has F available where I can burn miles or confirmed upgrade certs to avoid EUA like the plague it is.

I try to book only flights with "F" availability, and only at Q and T (or K on NW) where possible, and find (as has been reported) that CO "F" is almost non existent this year, and NW is somewhat harder to find. (On CO and to a certain extent NW there is almost a direct correlation, by the way, between flights that have T/K available not having "F", and flights that have "F" not having "T/K".)

As I see it, anyone in this situation (captive to EWR) should find it all the more important to "ride" CO as hard as possible to try and get them to improve the program and stop the benefit cuts and lies.

With all of my "complaining" the last few years, CO still takes my few hundred bucks the few times I give it to them and my seat gets to the destination the same time as all the others on the plane.

And between the companies I work for, and those I consult to, CO has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to NW and HP over the last few years. So whilst I personally mignt not be able to leave, I've "spoken" with my wallet.

NJ David, I'm in the same situation, and while I'm not overly thrilled with the direction CO has been going with regard to diminishing upgrade availablilty--I'm still pretty satisfied with them (although, the first time I'm ever not upgraded--I'm sure I'll post). I too, will always check ITN for seating prospects and look for the larger FC cabins on transcons. But for some of my other flights from EWR (to MDW, ATL, BOS etc) I've done ok with EUA.
PS-Vulcan, I'd be interested to hear how your wife did on her H fare to SFO. Also as a Platinum, I've got an H to LAX next Tues with A9 D5 F0 Y9 H9...And I'm hoping to keep my FC % at 100!!--so I will once again check in at Penn Sta at 6:30am for my 4pm flight and hope for the best.