Post EXP strategy
 

I'm going to reach AA EXP status after a couple of trips in May, and I'm considering whether to keep flying AA (for the EXP perks), or to shift some or all of the flying to *A airlines (to get at least some status). I have an award trip in September, but aside from that will probably have 2-3 international trips and a few domestic ones before the end of the year. What's everyone's thinking on this?

Unless your company pays for business or first, I would stay with AA and enjoy the exp perks!

I was exp for 8 years before my company cut back travel. My employer does not pay for business or first class. The upgrades were very nice! As a plt, I never get upgraded anymore out of DFW. I have over 30 - 500 mile upgrades in my account, request upgrades all the time, but never get upgraded.

Enjoy it while you can!

It really depends on whether you think you will have to fly on United or US in the next year and a half. If you don't or it will just be a couple of trips, why bother? Just enjoy the fruits of your labor (and of course as EXP you do get double RDMs on all your American flights). But if you think you'll be doing a fair amount of travel on *A airlines, then having status will make that more pleasant.

Fly AA to enjoy the status and exploit the huge redeemable mile multiplier you get for EXP.

If you can get 125K EQPs (not EQMs) by year end, you will get some additional benefits as an EXP - extra SWUs, extra RDMs, gift AA GLD to someone, etc. Those FTers who did MRs to take advantage of DEQMs will not be anywhere close to reaching 125 EQPs by year-end, but if you have purchased full-fare economy or premium class tickets or not so heavily discounted economy tickets, you may have a chance at reaching the threshold if you will be re-qualifying for EXP in May and have several flights still left towards the end of the year.

So with that volume of flying why would you want status with another airline?

Just enjoy EXP.

Going from AA to US (or vice versa) might be pointless soon anyway. :D

With the fact that you can get status light via credit cards I would stay with AA for your other flights. for the EQM + RDM bonuses you'll make about 60k-ish miles on AA which will be almost good enough for a one way FC mile saver. Plus you could use an SWU or two when you travel for your other international trips.

If you had 4-5 more trips planned it would give you mid-tier status on another airline UA or DL and that might be worth it, but only traveling enough to get the lowest status on them isn't worth it given the credit cards that are out right now.