Buy up to Preferred 2015
 

While I am Gold Preferred in 2014, I will be a couple thousand miles short from Silver Preferred in 2015. Does anyone know if "Buy Up to Preferred" will still be offered in 2015?

We can buy up ONE level of status. I hope it will continue next year as well as I will be legitimately Platinum and I want to be CP again.

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

Usually by this time of year, the buy-up covered us through the following preferred year (in this case, it would be February 2016). But the web site is still showing that a buy-up now only is good until Feb 2015.

This makes me believe that the "new and improved" combined DM/AAdvantage will not offer this (as AA does not now).

Wouldn't be surprising, I think a lot of folks speculated that the programs wouldn't combine for status purposes until after buy-ups had worked their way out of the system.

Agreed. $500+ transcons would be the break even point where this starts to make sense. Of course, unless one is short on time.

I did MRs to ANC from the east coast last fall for around $600-650 a piece. That nets around 10K a trip. Much better deal, although you're spending a lot of time on a plane.

I thought it was more around the October timeframe?

I'm not requalifying for silver and I'm passing entirely on USDM status next year. Customer service headaches aside, of which I've had plenty in 2014, loyalty seems to make less and less sense for me. I matched out to AS and have been crediting AA and DL flights there, which basically lets me shop 3 domestic airlines for fares and I've been happier. Once integration is complete, that will include US flights unless something happens to the AA-AS partnership. For us bottom tier dwellers, that might be the way forward.

That said, had US kept the old fee structure, I probably would have bought back up to silver. I can't expect it to stick around post-integration, but US really treated its low tier folks pretty well compared to other airlines.

You are correct. 01Oct is the switchover date ... assuming they still allow buy-ups for the next year.

Anyone who has information is not talking. Everything else is 100% speculation. Whether there will be buy-up's at all, what they will cost and any other t&c remains to be seen.

AA does indeed allow buy ups in the past, just not to EXP. The page is no longer active, but I suspect that it will be back as it really only makes sense in the 1Q of a year.

http://thepointsguy.com/2014/01/amer...ions-now-live/

I will make Platinum, assuming that level will exist next year, but doubt I will have time for a MR. If that level remains in tact for another year, I will consider buying up if it is offered. It will hinge on the price and when I can use the envoy upgrades. If I have to complete the flights using the upgrade certificates by February 29, 2016, then it will be a no go. If I just have to book the flights and apply the certificates by that time as has been the case in the past then it will still be a consideration. If it becomes like the AA eight complimentary one-way systemwide upgrades for Executive Platinum which I think requires them to all be used forr flights taken by February 29, 2016, then I am out.

Buy Up Preferred
 

US Airways posted the following message on its website:

"As part of our merger with American Airlines, we’re updating our Buy up to Preferred program. Please check back soon new offer details."

Not sure what this means. I am going to have 75,000 plus PQM's but will not get to 100,000 so I would like the option to consider buying up.

Interesting. They already jacked the rates through the roof and limited it to 24,999 miles previously as part of the merger, wonder what they have in store now.

I'm curious as well.