Post EXP strategy
Apr 20, 2012 | 10:40 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SEA
Programs: BA Silver, Hyatt Glob, MR Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 450
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?
Apr 20, 2012 | 3:58 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA plt 2 mm, Marriott LTT, HH dia
Posts: 1,217
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!
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!
Apr 20, 2012 | 4:47 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: San Francisco
Programs: Amex MR, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, AS MVP
Posts: 518
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.
Apr 21, 2012 | 4:47 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: USA
Programs: AA EXP, UA GLD, Bonvoy Titan, HH GLD, WoH Expl
Posts: 2,686
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?
Apr 21, 2012 | 7:02 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,460
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?
So with that volume of flying why would you want status with another airline?
Just enjoy EXP.
Apr 21, 2012 | 7:23 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,747
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.
Apr 21, 2012 | 7:36 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: CMH
Programs: AA LT GLD
Posts: 785
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?
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.