burlax

AC still serves DCA, but AFAIK, they don't have any US domestic flights. The idea behind giving up slots was to let ( domestic ) LCCs to move in and to keep ( domestic ) fares competitive ( aka low ). It's just difficult for me to understand how giving DCA slots to AC would accomplish this task.

Fanjet

Which is not what the conversation was about. It was about whether or not US/AA would have to give up any gates at DCA. It is pretty clear that B6 and WN will get a good chunk of the slot pairs. They both share the old terminal concourse with AC. Something's going to have to give to accomodate that. So AC moving over to the larger terminal, as opposed to B6 or WN relocating there, was floated as a possibilty.

BoeingBoy

You are, of course, correct. I took the post/discussion more as "would AC move allows more gates near where LCC's currently have gates so that US wouldn't have to give up gates. Y'all keep up with such things as where carriers park and where available gates are more than myself, but it sounded as though available gates were a little scattered around at DCA.

As something of an aside in discussions about DCA, they mostly are just about total slots given up. Lost seems to be the requirement that the "commuter" gates must be used to provide service to smaller cities. Since US has a significant number of these slots, a larger portion of flights to/from DCA may have to be devoted to these smaller cities -which US promised when it was trying to keep all the US/AA slots.

Jim

burlax

Thank you for explaining.

Superguy

So it'll be similar to US's existing policy.

At least they won't pull a UA and sell it out from under an elite.

It also doesn't say it isn't subject to change when Dougie takes over either.

PhillyFreedom

I wanted to follow up on this observation. Has there been any indications about a possible grace period with respect to US-AA? If not, have there been simlar grace periods in the past and if so, how did those work? I am thinking about buying AC tickets for June, but have been holding off and won't if I can't earn US miles.

AZ Travels the World

I think that's highly unlikely. I would definitely not bet on it.

I don't know of a situation in which passengers were able to credit flight miles to a program once that program has officially left the alliance.

BoeingBoy

Good point. Miles distribution seems to be the sticky wicket in the transfer from *A to OW since the consensus seems to be that once booked the flights themselves are taken care of. Just from posts her that would seem to be a mistake, but it's hard to judge since the vast majority of award tickets don't get mentioned here as they are people flying on the carrier who they earned the miles on (US for this forum).

I think the advice to not book a *A ticket for after US becomes OW is good unless one can have the miles deposited with another *A carrier - UA for example.

Jim

PhillyFreedom

That's what I assumed. But if so, I am not sure what the mention up-thread of a "grace period for those already having tickets ... to accrue US miles " would be referring to.

A good reference point might be TAM's shift from *A to OW. I assume that someone who has already booked a ticket on TAM but will not fly until after 3/31/2014 cannot book the miles to a *A carrier. Whatever is true for the TAM shift will also probably hold true for the US shift. Does anyone know for sure what the deal is re TAM?

ACA321

Is there any word yet on what a US Gold Preferred member can expect to become on the new AA? Would basic privileges associated with this level still be delivered in the new program- things such as free checked bags, preferred seating, priority boarding, upgrades etc.?

Just curious, as I am an AC 75K (platinum level) *G, and am considering doing the US Preferred Gold trial to get status on US and eventually OneWorld. If I go for gold level I'll easily be able to fly the 15,000 miles in 90 days so that won't be an issue. If, however, the benefits once American/OW takes effect will be drastically reduced (I'm thinking reduced to at or below what is currently *Silver on US), then I wouldn't be so interested in doing this. Any ideas? I'm just very unfamiliar with OneWorld elite status and what their comparable levels deliver compared to Star.

FWAAA

There is no definitive word yet.

AA has three levels: Gold (25k/30 segments) that doesn't confer many benefits. 25k miles or points is fairly easy to obtain and doesn't require "frequent" flying. 25% bonus miles for Golds.

Platinum is the mid-tier at 50k/60 segments. Plat gives lounge access when flying internationally on any fare in any cabin and gives 100% bonus miles. Plats can actually expect to get domestic upgrades.

Executive Platinum is top-tier at 100k/100 segments. EXPs get unlimited domestic upgrades (including all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Plus 8 systemwide one-way upgrades good on any published fare. 100% mileage bonus and a dedicated phone desk that provides unparalleled service to EXPs.

Don't know if new AA will go with the US elite system or AA's system. As the much bigger, higher-yielding airline with lots more elites, moving the US elites to the AA system should be less disruptive, but who know what Parker and Kirby have up their sleeves for us. When Parker last worked for AA, Gold was the only elite status, as Plat and EXP hadn't yet been developed.

GTITAN

My guess, and it is only a guess, but based on "the market" (i.e. DL, UA and the current US), the new AA will do away with the three tier approach and go to the four tier approach. YMMV of course.

Safe Travels

ACA321

Thanks for the info. While no official details have been made known, I do think it would be safe to assume however that SOME form of elite status would be retained on the new AA. I'll be needing to fly US a lot domestically next year so I think it would make sense for me to give it a shot if for nothing other than a free checked bag, priority boarding and seating.

I'd just hate to invest in the status challenge and associated flights only to find out that relatively soon in the year the benefits would be slashed or completely worthless. Doubt that would happen, but given what UA has recently done, nothing is out of the equation in the overall race to the bottom....

Superguy

Unfortunately, that's a risk these days with the current market conditions.

AZ Travels the World

Wishful thinking?

I don't know either, given that I'm unaware of any precedent for it.