Buy up to Preferred 2015
Oct 1, 2014, 10:22 am
#16
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: US Airways Gold, Marriott Platinum, SW A List
Posts: 1,575
Yeah I can't imagine any situation where it will be worth it if they raise it even more. For the amount it costs to buy up, you could probably pay to upgrade to first for cheaper and get any other benefits for cheaper than the cost of buying up.
Oct 1, 2014, 10:51 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Florida
Programs: US CP, MR Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 441
I got a feeling this gravy train might be coming to an end. Maybe they'll do something similar to UA with the "pay an extra $300 for 2x PQM on your flight" or however much it is...
Go Gators
Go Gators
Oct 1, 2014, 11:23 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
I'd expect something closer to what AA offered last year.
(via http://thepointsguy.com/2014/01/amer...ions-now-live/ )
- If you are within 5,000 miles or 5 segments short of reaching Gold status, you can boost to the status for the cost of $399.
- If you are you already Gold and are way off from retaining it and out of the “boost” range, you can buy it back for $649. Gold normally requires 25,000 miles or 30 segments.
. - If you are up to 10,000 miles or 10 segments short of achieving Platinum, you can boost to the status for the cost of $899.
- If you are within 5,000 miles or 5 segments short of achieving Platinum, you can boost for $699.
- If you are you already Platinum and are way off from retaining it and out of “boost” range, you can buy it back for $1,199. Platinum normally requires 50,000 miles or 60 segments.
. - If you are up to 10,000 miles or 10 segments short of achieving Executive Platinum, you can boost to the status for the cost of $1,799.
- If you are within 5,000 miles or 5 segments short of achieving [Exec] Platinum, you can boost for $1,199.
- Unfortunately there is not a renewal option for Executive Platinum, which usually requires 100,000 miles or 100 segments.
Oct 1, 2014, 11:58 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: CLT
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, DL UA
Posts: 457
Well, it is Oct 1 so I checked US Airways website regarding the "buy up to preferred". The site has changed . . . It states to check back later as they are updating this program due to the merger. Just the other day, the site still had the previous US Airways way of buying up.
Oct 1, 2014, 4:26 pm
#20
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Charlotte
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite, AA Platinum Pro, Hertz Presidents
Posts: 1,214
It's not cheap. Probably cheaper to do a MR depending on how close you can get.
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/divid...preferred.html
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/divid...preferred.html
Oct 1, 2014, 6:49 pm
#21
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Executive Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,663
I went out of my way to get to 75,000 miles this year. I may have to fly 15,000 more just to ensure I can buy up.
Oct 1, 2014, 8:26 pm
#22
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 709
Sounds like it's see ya later to the buy up program...
Oct 1, 2014, 8:38 pm
#23
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: US Airways Gold, Marriott Platinum, SW A List
Posts: 1,575
Buy Up Preferred
That's an expensive goal.
Oct 2, 2014, 12:45 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
Oct 3, 2014, 4:38 am
#25
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: US Airways, American Airlines, United
Posts: 224
If there is no more buy up then you would assume they have a plan in place for migrating the two programs. I really wish they would tell us before the end of the year so we could decide whether we need to do a few mileage runs.
Oct 3, 2014, 6:56 am
#26
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,955
Look at how fares have risen this year. Look at what the other large carriers are doing. AA can reclaim a LOT of ground from its frequent travelers and probably will.
Oct 3, 2014, 8:25 am
#27
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
Posts: 1,838
I wouldn't count this program out completely. I am sure it won't take the same form as it has in the past, but AA has offered a similar program in the past. Usually only for the first few months of the year and you had to be much closer to your level and you couldn't get to the EXP level.
At the end of the day these programs are almost pure profit for the airline. It certainly costs them less then you taking a mileage run.
At the end of the day these programs are almost pure profit for the airline. It certainly costs them less then you taking a mileage run.
Oct 3, 2014, 9:47 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
MRs still have crew, airport, maintenance, fuel, etc cost and the ticket may not cover all of that.
So yeah, if I were an airline, I'd rather wave the magic wand for a high price rather than encourage a cheap MR.
Oct 3, 2014, 9:55 am
#29
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: WFBF
Posts: 963
Not really sure how I feel about this.
From planning out the rest of my year of flying, looks like I'll be Platinum and within what, in years past, would've been easy buy-up range of CP. Which is what I did last year anticipating 2014 would be the merger year, but now that I've been burned once by that I'm not sure I'd do it again even if it were possible.
Of course, the flipside risk is that if I stick to (or am stuck with) just being Platinum the "new AA" might keep AAdvantage's awful three-tier system and then I wasted a lot of flying that could've got me useful status somewhere else.
From planning out the rest of my year of flying, looks like I'll be Platinum and within what, in years past, would've been easy buy-up range of CP. Which is what I did last year anticipating 2014 would be the merger year, but now that I've been burned once by that I'm not sure I'd do it again even if it were possible.
Of course, the flipside risk is that if I stick to (or am stuck with) just being Platinum the "new AA" might keep AAdvantage's awful three-tier system and then I wasted a lot of flying that could've got me useful status somewhere else.
Oct 3, 2014, 9:57 am
#30
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
Posts: 1,838
Makes sense. You give them cash, they wave a magic wand and poof, you have status. Costs them nothing.
MRs still have crew, airport, maintenance, fuel, etc cost and the ticket may not cover all of that.
So yeah, if I were an airline, I'd rather wave the magic wand for a high price rather than encourage a cheap MR.
MRs still have crew, airport, maintenance, fuel, etc cost and the ticket may not cover all of that.
So yeah, if I were an airline, I'd rather wave the magic wand for a high price rather than encourage a cheap MR.
Here is the details on AAs program last year, the original page is gone on the AA site, but I predict it will be back.
http://thepointsguy.com/2014/01/amer...ions-now-live/