Which airline has the most generous entry level FF status?
Sep 9, 2012, 9:16 pm
#31
Join Date: Jan 2008
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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).
This is a really good point. My wife and I have over 500k DL miles between us and have just not found the kinds of redemptions we want. So hitting PM now (which would be good through 2/28/2014) might be a good way to get flexibility in canceling award tickets while I transition to another program.
With regard to AA, how do the 500 mile upgrades work? As I see on the website, you can buy one for $30. Let's assume it's 3000 miles transcon. Does this mean I can upgrade r/t transcon for $180 each way? If so that seems like a pretty good deal.
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.
May 28, 2013, 9:35 am
#32
Original Poster
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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).
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).
May 28, 2013, 1:18 pm
#33
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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.
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.
May 29, 2013, 12:58 pm
#34
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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.
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.
May 29, 2013, 4:17 pm
#35
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP, UA GM (2013 Gold, 2014 Silver), Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
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UA Silver benefits are very similar to the UA credit card holders except for possible upgrades & E+ seating at check-in.
May 30, 2013, 1:38 pm
#38
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Wirelessly posted (beckoa's PWP wondrousdevice3.0: Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9810; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.11+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.1.0.694 Mobile Safari/534.11+)
And upgrades can happen on DL and AS as an AS MVP ^
Just last week a family member was upgraded on ANC-SEA redeye
Just last week a family member was upgraded on ANC-SEA redeye
Jun 1, 2013, 6:16 pm
#39
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Wirelessly posted (beckoa's PWP wondrousdevice3.0: Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9810; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.11+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.1.0.694 Mobile Safari/534.11+)
And upgrades can happen on DL and AS as an AS MVP ^
Just last week a family member was upgraded on ANC-SEA redeye
And upgrades can happen on DL and AS as an AS MVP ^
Just last week a family member was upgraded on ANC-SEA redeye
Jun 1, 2013, 10:58 pm
#40
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Jun 5, 2013, 3:09 am
#41
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Jun 5, 2013, 11:40 am
#42
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Jun 5, 2013, 7:15 pm
#44
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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.
- 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.