I know I have most of the posters above beat with status for the fewest dollars because of the Kelloggs promo (circa 2001) and other low or no cost means which allowed me to go from 1 million miler to 2 million miler and lifetime platinum on AA in less than 1 year. Although my flights were reimburseable business expenses, I was a bottomfeeder and never bought a Y, business or first ticket. I did not use the AA Citibank card that much (maxing out GM and Ford cc's at the time) and was not using AA as often as other airlines, so I accomplished lifetime platinum without ever achieving executive platinum on AA. I estimate my total spend out-of-pocket for 0 miles to lifetime status at less than $2000, excluding routine cc use for 2 adult household retail/revolving payment items.

Last year I spent $280 on a transcon mileage run to retain BD Gold.

The rest of my travel was necessary and therefore I don't see it as spend to get elite status.

I might do the same this year, I probably wouldn't if it weren't for BD Lifetime Gold after 10yrs.

I'm curious, too...as well as curious about what the FTers that fly transcon often do for a living. :)

Is anyone aware if you need to book on the actual AA website for a challenge, or can you take advantage of a PL trick or variation involving AA (obviously not name your own price) where you can enter your FF# on the website? Will those miles still register with AA and go toward the challenge? I'd assume so, but just checking.

$90.09 for AA plat back in 2005 courtesy of the EWR-HNL mistake and the plat challenge. Went EWR-DFW-HNL-DFW-EWR on a fare that earned 100% points and voila, had just over 10k points on the one trip.

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