2006 kit when
 

When will the 2006 kits be send out?

Look for Wed. Feb. 22, one week before expiration.

New Card?
 

By the looks of the website, it looks like the '06 elite card features a new design.

I never got my 2005 kit since I just qualified in late Dec., so looking fwd to this one.

Does anyone know if there is a problem with CO mailing these to a PO BOX?

No problem
 

There is no problem mailing to a PO Box. I have shipped mine to a box for the past 5 years.

Keba

Anyone receive theirs yet?

nope. they are cutting it close this year.

Nope.

And I'm here at the center of the ERJ universe. :D

too late.
 

these kits are being sent out too late - in my opinion. qualification for the new levels closed 50+ days ago. why not send them out early, so people have them - and don't have to wonder if they got lost in the mail?

Why do you need it? Your 2006 status is reflected online. What other confirmation do you need?

If you want to use lounge in a foreign country, they insist on seeing the
card. I dont know why, but they do. (even if its spelled out on the
boarding pass)

And in some places (again outside) i've seen the status is not
printed on the boarding pass and they need to see your card
for early boarding or the lounge.

I'd rather not carry an extra card, but I have to.

Having the Card itself is very helpful when dealing with lounge staff from other SkyTeam airlines (as a CO Plat card will get you into a SkyTeam Carrier Lounge when you're on an international itinerary on SkyTeam Metal). I once had to place a $1.50/min call on an international cell phone to get the OnePass Elite Desk on the phone to confirm that I was indeed a Plat in good standing so I could enter the ServisAir Lounge in Edinburgh (Back when Plats had lounge access in EDI...prior to the BMI Lounge switch). As my mailing address was in Edinburgh at the time, my Renewed Plat card did not reach me until late march, a good while after the expiry of the old card.

[EDIT] Looks like cpx beat me to the punch by a min or two

Last year, I got my card late and had to hassle with the lounge staff..
I tool a copy of my OnePass statement the week later, and it worked!
(At the lounge) Card arrived a couple of months later and one more card
a month after (I guess my request had a delayed reaction)

CO is typically one of the last to mail out the packet. CO.com says you should receive by the end of Feb. That usually means they mail it by the end of the month. Wait until after the March 7 before you call.

This is very true. Even if it were reflected in a boarding card, like as in my case traveling on a Skyteam Partner - NW didn't really treat me very well as I was a CO Elite. From HKG onwards, it was crappy service all the way. No priority baggage tagging - NOTHING.
YOU NEED TO SHOW YOUR ELITE CARD. I didn't have one and that's why even NW kept asking me if I were Elite.

Other Plat members - even with NW - didn't get good treatment at NRT, because they flew "Economy" at the back of the big bus to MSP!

Yes, that card has power in it!