Transfer of Elite Status
 

I am currently a Platinum Elite FF with Continental. I have appx. 500,000 award miles on file and fly between 75,000-100,000 base miles per year (50,000 miles so far this year), including 4-6 international flights. I
expect this rate to continue for the forseeable future.

Due to changing circumstances, I may need to consolidate my future travel on American Airlines. I am NOT currently an AAdvantage member. Obviously, I'm not much interested in starting over from ground zero in a new FF club with no privileges for at least a year.

I've talked to other high-volume fliers that have been given special consideration when switching FF clubs. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to approach AAdvantage with this situation and what I can
reasonably expect? Can you suggest a SPECIFIC contact to approach? I've called their Customer Service number and have gotten a relatively clueless response from their representatives when I explain my situation.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Write them requesting comp to Gold and also register and do the Platinum challenge! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

A couple of years ago I thought that I would have to transfer to AA, when I was a Premier Exec on United. I ended up writing them explaining how I would like to give them business, along with sending them a copy of my latest United statement showing status and miles.

Within a couple of weeks, I received Gold status and a challenge to fly a set amount of miles (I don't remember the exact amount, but it was really easy to do) and they would up you to the next level.

I don't understand the relatively clueless response on the telephone, but all you need to do is send a letter request with a copy of your statement showing status.

If you can find a clued in telephone rep they may guide you on a fine point I have encountered in the past: a requirement for statements that show actual flight patterns in the past.

However, I suspect your situation is as they said above: letter with one statement, get gold now with platinum challenge, then platinum. You would lose Oneworld status privileges of the 50K tier for a few months I guess while you meet the challenge and get your new platinum card. For that reason and because of your CO status, I would REQUEST Platinum NOW with challenge to EP. Good Luck!

I am a Platinum Elite with NW and using this status, I last year asked if AA could grant me Platinum (2nd tier) and they have given it to me accordingly.

I emailed AAdvantage, which responded with a suggestion that I mail them the latest NW mileage summary. All the process took me about 2 months to complete.

Good luck

If the switch is because your employer is making a deal with AA, transfer of status is usually included. It was with us anyway.

I am Platinum Elite with NW and recently (on May 3rd) requested status with United. I followed the telephone instructions to fax a written request with my year-end NW statements. I am still waiting to hear any word from United. I was hoping to try their Trans-Pacific service, but with no response, I have booked NW for May 27.

Is this the "normal" amount of time to wait?

Thanks,

RKG

[This message has been edited by RKG (edited 05-22-2000).]

[This message has been edited by RKG (edited 05-22-2000).]

RKG,

It is normal for UA to take about 2 months to respond. I was a AA Exec Plat, and requested an upper mileage level from UA. After about 2 months, UA sent me a letter welcoming me, and then a week or so later the Premier Exec card arrived along with (4) 500 mile upgrades.

Check your status on line with UA... it will change long before you get a letter.

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I got UA to upgrade my status within 48 hours of my request (I basically pleaded for expedited attention). As a long-time AA and CO traveler, I was really impressed by their quick turnaround. A supervisor even called me back when the change was made....

ontravel, Quietlion and fallinasleep:

Thanks for the good info. I did not ask for an expedited decision though... Maybe I should have! I do appreciate all your comments. As I have said before, this is a great forum with a great group of people. I will check my status on the UAL website everyweek or so.

Quietlion, I am sorry our timing is off. I would have enjoyed meeting you in Thailand.
Maybe next time!

-RKG

Gwilmot,

When I made the same decision to go from Delta to AA (a bit over two years ago) my travel agent did the legwork. As well as having an inside track to find out who to talk to, she had an AA sales rep who knew how much business her agency did with AA. I got PLT immediately when she faxed them a current Delta statement showing the comparable (Gold Medallion) level. My welcome letter also included 4,000 miles (if memory serves) worth of upgrade credits.

Two reasons why comping is better than a Challenge:

1. You get elite benefits, including mileage bonus, immediately - not just on the flight in which you meet the Challenge criterion and beyond. That alone is worth over 10,000 bonus miles for PLT since you'd have at least that many status-free miles to work through before you boarded a flight to take you over 15,000.

2. If you miss out on requalifying one year, you can still Challenge after that. With rare exceptions, you can only do it once, so if you use it to get PLT the first time that's it.