extend Preferred benefits

Old Oct 5, 2001, 8:17 am
  #1  
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extend Preferred benefits

I got an email from American Airlines this am:

>>>American Airlines is pleased to announce the extension of elite status memberships for AADVANTAGE EXECUTIVE PLATINUM, AADVANTAGE PLATINUM and AADVANTAGE GOLD members through February 2003. Special privileges are there for you to enjoy whenever you travel, and we hope to see you on board soon. We are grateful for your continued support.<<<

Wow. Would love to see this with US Airways.




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Old Oct 5, 2001, 10:19 am
  #2  
 
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Well, with the new offer which makes 2002-03 Preferred levels available for 20% less than the standard qualification levels - looks like they won't be extending everyone's status for a year - thus not joining in what AA has done. Of course, they could change their mind.
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Old Oct 7, 2001, 7:50 pm
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I have been thinking alot about US' elite status promotion.

While the immediate promises of extended status are nice, it seems shrewd business to lure lowered status qualification in front of us and have us go for it. In addition, the fact that you need to 'activate' eligibility for the promotion by flying in the next few months basically 'targets' it to people who make a commitment to fly US. So you cannot have flown 40k miles to date and still expect Gold.

Anyway, CP is now within reach for the year. Should cross the 80k mark at the beginning of Jan (I should squeak 92k for the calendar year). While I understand the moral objections of those above me in the status pool, I hope they can see why this promotion makes sense as well.

I will be curious to see how this promo affects all of us here. This got me thinking that we need to come up with a designation for those of us who make '2002 status' with the reduced hurdles.. to differentiate us from those who did it the hard way..

Any suggestions?

Squeakers?

For CPs - chumps? (instead of what would presumably be abbreviated champs)..
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Old Oct 7, 2001, 10:03 pm
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by hscottm:
This got me thinking that we need to come up with a designation for those of us who make '2002 status' with the reduced hurdles.. to differentiate us from those who did it the hard way..

Any suggestions?

Squeakers?

For CPs - chumps? (instead of what would presumably be abbreviated champs)..
</font>
In honor of all the baseball records falling recently, I propose the classic asterisk. Thus, one who make it with 40k or 48 segments is a Gold*, a US2*, or an AuP*.
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Old Oct 8, 2001, 8:58 am
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Since it's US1, US2, and US3, how about US1.5, US2.5 and US3.5?
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Old Oct 10, 2001, 12:49 pm
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I'm about 2 segments short (after I complete my previous planned trips) for the new lower 24 seg qualification for Silver. I just bought a ticket to SYR for an up & back trip that I never would have done if it had not been for the lower qualification levels (getting 8 extra segments wasn't in my oh too limited budget) so I, for one, am flying extra as a result of these incentives.

I already have Plat on AA so thought I'd try out Silver on US.

Anybody have any thoughts on what Silver is like? Are upgrades simply out of the question at this lowly level or are they ever a possibility. I only ever fly US for pleasure while most of my business trips are on AA so I always pay the cheapest rate I can find.

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Old Oct 10, 2001, 1:40 pm
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Redhead:
I'm about 2 segments short (after I complete my previous planned trips) for the new lower 24 seg qualification for Silver. I just bought a ticket to SYR for an up & back trip that I never would have done if it had not been for the lower qualification levels (getting 8 extra segments wasn't in my oh too limited budget) so I, for one, am flying extra as a result of these incentives.

I already have Plat on AA so thought I'd try out Silver on US.

Anybody have any thoughts on what Silver is like? Are upgrades simply out of the question at this lowly level or are they ever a possibility. I only ever fly US for pleasure while most of my business trips are on AA so I always pay the cheapest rate I can find.

</font>
Although I made Chairmans Preferred this year, I was Silver last year when I first started flying. The problem with comparing what Silver is now, compared to then, is that with so many flights cut, the planes will get more crowded as people return to flying. Plus you'll be competing with more Silvers to begin with: people who used the Silver Challenge or are going for the reduced-requirement levels.

In any event, the US program is quite generous. You'll receive certificates upon qualifying that you can use on short flights within North America (or compile them to use on longer flights) and you'll receive two one-way systemwide upgrades you can use to/from Europe (or on long-haul flights within the United States). As you fly more, you'll receive more 800-mile NA certs.

When I was Silver, I got upgraded around 60% of the time, and when I was Gold, I was almost always upgraded.

The great thing about the program is that the certificates can be used to upgrade any published fare, which can be really low, although E-savers are excepted. And the Systemwides can be used on any published fare to Europe, even heavily discounted, non-Esaver fares. All-in-all, the program is quite good, and it only gets better as you get higher status.
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Old Oct 10, 2001, 2:09 pm
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pitflyer:
Since it's US1, US2, and US3, how about US1.5, US2.5 and US3.5? </font>
Would US0.8, US1.8, and US2.8 be more appropriate?

Arrzee
Soon to be 0.8CP - hey, there's another one!
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Old Oct 10, 2001, 2:18 pm
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Arrzee:
Would US0.8, US1.8, and US2.8 be more appropriate? </font>
No, because that would imply higher status than "traditional" US1, etc.

silverpie (currently US2 by gold rush, will qualify the old-fashioned way by year's end)
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Old Oct 10, 2001, 4:13 pm
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by silverpie:
No, because that would imply higher status than "traditional" US1, etc.</font>
0.8 &lt; 1.0.

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Old Oct 10, 2001, 7:16 pm
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.8 may be less than 1 in numbers but not in US's system where currently:

US1 &gt; US2 &gt; US3
Chairman's &gt; Gold &gt; Silver

Hence

US1 &gt; US1.5 &gt; US2 &gt; US2.5 &gt; US3 &gt; US3.5
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Old Oct 10, 2001, 8:48 pm
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Ahhhhhhhhh. I propose US1.25, US2.5, and US 3.75 then.
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Old Oct 12, 2001, 10:51 am
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freqflyer2001 - thank you for the very complete and useful answer! That's why I love FT.

I hope that all those who qualified the old-fashioned way for CP do not see a downgrading of their benefits. I know I don't want to see that happen to my AA Platinum benefits.

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Old Nov 1, 2001, 6:55 pm
  #14  
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Interesting offer from DL:

&gt;&gt;&gt;- Double Miles Toward Medallion(tm) Status
- 25% Class-of-Service Bonus on Full Coach/Economy Fares
- 50% Class-of-Service Bonus in Business/BusinessElite

DOUBLE MILES TOWARD MEDALLION STATUS &lt;&lt;&lt;

This sounds good as well. UA, you listening ?


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