Should I Buy Up to US Chairman's or Platinum?
Dec 10, 2013, 9:01 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 2
Should I Buy Up to US Chairman's or Platinum?
Should I buy-up to US Chairman's or to Platinum? My US Airways travel will be domestic so the systemwide certs for Chairman's don't matter to me. Reciprocal status on American does matter to me, but I realize that true program consolidation is over a year away. Given this, would you stick with buying-up to Platinum, or go up to Chairman's?
Dec 10, 2013, 9:08 am
#2
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
As this question is specific to the extant, pre-merger US Airways Dividend Miles programme, I am moving your question over to the US Airways forum for further discussion. 
~Moderator
~Moderator
Dec 10, 2013, 3:08 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 30
I think the biggest question here is around upgrades -- how quickly does FC go on your usual routes? Chairman upgrades a week in advance vs. 5 days for platinum members. In my experience, on most flights, particularly shorter ones, I can get the free automatic upgrades as a platinum member -- on BOS-CLT, for example, I get upgraded easily 9 times out of 10. For cross country flights like CLT-SFO or BOS-PHX, this gets tougher -- I'll swing an upgrade at inconvenient times, but if I'm flying on a Monday AM / Thurs night, those FC seats are more likely to sell out or get snatched up in the first wave of upgrades.
Dec 10, 2013, 8:05 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
Posts: 1,838
Neither, you might make folks in the AA forum mad.
Dec 10, 2013, 9:09 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: OKC
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Dec 10, 2013, 10:11 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: 대한민국 (South Korea) - ex-PVG (上海)
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Since we are talking about this: what are odds that this will be last chance to buy-up to elite status because of the merger? AA doesn't allow it.
Dec 10, 2013, 10:41 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
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http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/eliteren...RL&title=elite
Dec 10, 2013, 10:53 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: 대한민국 (South Korea) - ex-PVG (上海)
Programs: UA MM / LT Gold (LT UC), DL SM, AA PLT (AC), OZ, KE; GE and Korean SES (like GE); Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,995
they actually do, I got an email about it a while back, they won't let you buy up from zero, but they do offer it, which is why I find all the grousing about the US option funny.
Dec 10, 2013, 10:56 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
Posts: 1,838
It's also ludicrously expensive to buy up when you need more then 5-10k miles, I seriously doubt there are many people paying 4k for chairmen from 0.
Dec 11, 2013, 6:59 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Plat / OW Sapphire / Hyatt Diamond / Hilton Diamond
Posts: 72
I have a similar question. At end of this week I'll hit US Plat but am wondering if paying the $1000 to buy up to Chairman's is worth it to match to AA ExPlat.
I started a new position this May and fly once or twice a month domestically and flew Envoy to LHR once. I'm not sure what next year will bring but hoping to make a few more 1st class upgrades PHX-CLT.
$1000 is a bit to pay but if I can get some upgrades out of it then it might be worth it. Hard decision...
I started a new position this May and fly once or twice a month domestically and flew Envoy to LHR once. I'm not sure what next year will bring but hoping to make a few more 1st class upgrades PHX-CLT.
$1000 is a bit to pay but if I can get some upgrades out of it then it might be worth it. Hard decision...
Dec 11, 2013, 7:14 am
#11
Formerly known as I_Hate_US_Airways
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Just South Of North
Programs: My Loyalty Programs? I now VOTE with my wallet!!!
Posts: 2,568
UG %
Here's here's my experiance as both...
(Domestic) Short Haul Long Haul
Plat 90% 70%
CP 99% 90%
Is it worth it to you???
(Domestic) Short Haul Long Haul
Plat 90% 70%
CP 99% 90%
Is it worth it to you???
Dec 11, 2013, 8:13 am
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 851
I am not buying up this year -- too much uncertainty in terms of routes and what the FF program will be like. I don't think AA will cancel the buyup program at all, it's a cash cow. My guess is that they will adopt something like Special Dividends where a lot of the things AA elites get (like SWUs) will only be available for flown miles, but you'll still be able to buy up to Exec Plat at costs comparable to what US charges now. And they will combine UDUs and SWUs similar to what United does.
Dec 11, 2013, 8:19 am
#13
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 851
they actually do, I got an email about it a while back, they won't let you buy up from zero, but they do offer it, which is why I find all the grousing about the US option funny.
http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/eliteren...RL&title=elite
http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/eliteren...RL&title=elite
Dec 11, 2013, 8:53 am
#14
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYR
Programs: US/AA-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Gold, AVIS-Presidents Club, National-Executive Elite
Posts: 2,755
Dec 11, 2013, 8:53 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Northern Virginia
Programs: US Airways Silver Preferred, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold Elite
Posts: 44
I agree that there is too much uncertainty at this point. Unless you're really close to making Platinum and it won't cost very much to Buy Up I wouldn't do it.