If you are at 58K for the year, that means you've earned GM through 2/28/2014 (for Medallion Year 2013). If you hit 75K before 12/31/2012, you'll be Platinum for MY2013.

If you stop today, you will rollover 8,000 MQMs, and will have to fly 67K in 2013 to hit PM for MY2014. In your case, I'd probably just go for PM this year.

My case is a bit difference since I haven't re-upped on GM yet. That means I can keep my MY2012 GM until 2/28/2013 and rollover 24K to start off on 1/1/2013. If I stay with that, I'll drop to FO on 3/1/2013. However, if I fly 26K by 2/28/2013, I'll requalify for GM for MY2014 (keeping it for almost 2 years, until 2/28/2015).

Only awards booked with your miles could be cancelled for free (unless your wife has PM/DM status as well).

I have some experience with this since my folks are AA PLT. As a GLD or PLT, you earn 4 500-mile upgrade stickers in your account for each 10K qualifying miles you fly (there are more complexities on when the counter resets but I'm not sure on that, the AA board knows all).

You can also purchase them for $30 each. You can apply them for travel to any domestic flights (including Hawaii) and they'll clear at 72 hours for PLT and 24 hours for GLD.

Transcons are actually closer to 2500, so you only need 5 for JFK-LAX and JFK-, but 6 for JFK-SFO. There's a 51 mile grace, so 2551 mile would be 5 stickers while 2552 miles would be 6 stickers.

Keep in mind that EXPs clear at 96-100 hours out.

Reviving this thread...

I've been a DL Silver for most of this year. I like the IROPS help, the ability to select exit rows at booking (and EC at 24 hours), and the upgrades (I have had decent success so far).

However, what I don't like is the relative low order in boarding and the lack of access to any priority security lane.

From what I understand, AA offers priority boarding to its Gold members (25,000 miles)? What is the chance this benefit is eliminated after the US Air / AA merger is completed? It may be worth it to explore AA just for that (or maybe I should just shoot for Gold on DL).

Unless something's changed in the past couple of months, AA Gold boards similarly to UA or US low-tier. After F and high-tier elites, but ahead of the general crowd.

You *may* share a group with the credit-card-holding group. I'm never quite sure about that. But even flying in/out of DFW with lots of elites, I've never been forced to gate-check a carryon as an AA Gold. Pretty sure it also gets elite security access as well...

I don't see why this would go away with the US merger.

Did a roundtrip last weekend, first flight on AA second flight on US.

As an AA Gold:
- Priority Security line at RDU
- Priority boarding (Priority Access, after First, EXP and Platinum)
- Exit row free at booking

As a UA Silver flying US:
- No Priority Security line at DCA, also saw a US Silver turned away
- No Priority boarding as Star Silver (Zone 4, US Silver would have been Zone 2 I believe)
- Only paid seats left when I booked the flight. I believe US Silvers don't have access to these either.

I'm putting AA Gold and DL Silver at Tier 1, UA and US Silver at Tier 2.

UA Silver benefits are very similar to the UA credit card holders except for possible upgrades & E+ seating at check-in.

AS MVP: 50% RDM bonus, 20K EQM on AS. Exit row on AS, DL AND AA.

Sounds pretty generous if you ask me.

I second AS. Other airlines only receive a 20% bonus plus have no reciprocity.

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And upgrades can happen on DL and AS as an AS MVP ^

Just last week a family member was upgraded on ANC-SEA redeye ;)

Delta upgrades as an Alaska Elite Member happen after ALL Delta Medallions have been upgraded, and it's tough out there for a Delta Silver.

You get exit row though, on DL AND AA (and, for the moment, MCE on AA for free).

True... but I've had a couple of nice upgrades on DL- MSY seems to have decent results, as does Central America ^.

Central America is a very easy upgrade, especially with 5 elites on planes with 26 F seats.

can not find any meaningful privilege as a UA silver

There are a few:

- Elite Access so priority boarding and security lines
- 25% mileage bonus
- Free checked bag
- Theoretical upgrades (I've gotten three this year as a Silver)
- Good shot at free E+

It's not the best but it's not worthless, either.

AA gold