American Airlines Elite Status...Shhh, there is a secret

Well it is time to say goodbye to Portland, Oregon, as I get ready to board my Alaska Airlines flight back to Burbank, California.  While at the airport I began thinking about a topic for today’s blog and thought it might be a good time to talk about airline elite status, specifically American Airlines and what is known as the “Elite Status Challenge”.  I will explain some of the advantages and then tell you how you too can have elite status.  Don’t stop reading this blog thinking you don’t fly enough.  American Airlines has a secret, which is not openly promoted and cannot be found on their website… It is called the Elite Status Challenge and you can buy status with limited flying..  This is how I earned my platinum status this year and you can too.  First let me show you the benefits then I will show you what you can do to obtain either Gold or Platinum status on American Airlines through the challenge.

Remember the July 3, 2012 blog when we talked about alliances? If you recall, Alaska Airlines and American Airlines both belong to the Oneworld alliance. I currently have platinum status with American but American does not fly out of Burbank, California, but Alaska Airlines does.  So I booked my round trip flight from Burbank to Portland and enjoyed the benefits of my American Airlines platinum status.  When I went to get checked in today at Portland I was able to check in at the first class line versus standing in the line for coach class passengers (I can use first class if the airport does not have a business class line, which Alaska Airlines-Portland doesn’t). I checked in two bags each way.  A traveling companion, on the same reservation, can also check two bags for free.  This would normally cost $20 a bag, (most airlines are $25 per bag), for a total savings of up to $160 round trip.  When I fly American the luggage will be tagged priority so it will be one of the first off the conveyor belt upon landing at my destination.  After checking in the luggage, I then had to go through the security /baggage screening.  I went to the “Priority Access” line and bypassed a long line of people waiting to be cleared.  I was given priority access in boarding the plane.  When I boarded the plane I sat in seat 2A.  I could have chosen the first row with more legroom but I had items I wanted stored under my seat and this is not an option with the first row.  The first and second rows are not available when booking your ticket unless you have some type of status or pay for higher class tickets.  Since this blog is about traveling for less you know I didn't pay for higher class tickets.  The best deal is, I get double the miles.  This is a huge benefit!  For a short trip from Burbank to Portland it may not mean much (an extra 1634 miles) but as I have always said, “Every mile counts.”  On my cross country trips I practically earned 1/2 of a free ticket earned.  See the chart below for all the benefits you can obtain.  So how much does this status cost and how do you get it?


Before you start reading this and think it is too confusing If you think you will be flying American Airlines in the near future and wonder if you qualify just email me at travelforless@earthlink.net.

First you must choose a challenge: Gold or Platinum?

An AA Challenge is based on flying sufficiently to earn 5,000 (AAdvantage Gold) or 10,000 (AAdvantage Platinum) Elite Qualifying Points (EQP) in a three month period.  Elite Qualifying Points are figured on the basis of miles earned and fare class. Lower fare classes typically earn .5 points per mile flown, while higher classes can earn 1.5 points per mile flown.

Important notes:

▪                Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) are not the same as Elite Qualifying Points (EQP), and it is Points that count for a Challenge; miles earned are not relevant.

▪                See the tables at aa.com for the number of points that you will earn for the various fare booking classes. You'll earn points in accordance with the booking class that you purchased. This holds true even if you are upgraded into another booking class.

▪                Only flights marketed by AA (with an AA flight number) are eligible for earning points that count towards the completion of a Challenge. You can still fly on a non-AA metal flight operated by a partner, but you must make sure that you have booked it with an AA codeshare flight number. For example, I can book the Burbank to Portland flight on AA.com, which has an AA flight number.

▪                You can only set your enrollment date for the 1st or 16th of the month

▪                The challenge can start in the past to include previously flown miles, but you can only backdate your enrollment date to the most recent allowed enrollment date. For example, if you last flew on the 14th of the month, and call AA on the 18th, the earliest you can backdate the challenge is the 16th of the month, and therefore won't be able to include those miles in your challenge. However, if you flew on the 14th and you called AA by the 15th, you could backdate your enrollment date to the 1st of the month and be able to include those miles.

To enroll in a challenge, call AAdvantage customer service at +1 800-882-8880.

Challenges begun before June 16 of a given year earn status for the remainder of that year and the first two months of the following year (8-14 months total); challenges begun on or after June 16 grant status for the remainder of that year, the following year, and the first two months of the year after (14-20 months total). Challenges can be started on the 1st and 16th of the month and you can request a specific start date (within the next few months). Be very explicit about requesting a start date unless you want the one offered to you. Challenge start dates may even be backdated to include a recent flight. (But only 2 weeks in the past)

The fee for enrolling in a Challenge is:

▪                As of June 22, 2012, fees are $240 for Platinum Challenge.

▪                As of January 29, 2012, fees are $120 for Gold Challenge.

Completing a Challenge

An AA Challenge is successfully completed when you earn the requisite number of points within the three-month period after you sign up. In general, status is not conferred during the Challenge itself.  On the flight on which you actually cross the threshold, status is earned for the purposes of elite bonus miles (25% GLD, 100% PLT).  Remember, only base miles flown and elite minimum miles count in EQP calculations; class-of-service and elite bonus miles do not count.

When you complete the Challenge you have signed up for and your flight miles post to your online account, you will be able to use the benefits of your status (ability to request upgrades, priority standby) as soon as the miles post. Your ability to use certain amenities, such as elite security lines, could be diminished until you have a physical card, though you may have success by pointing out your status when printed on boarding passes.

Your new status is not automatically applied to reservations made prior to the completion of a challenge. To apply your new status to reservations made before the completion of your challenge call the Platinum Desk 1-800-843-3000 or Gold Desk 1-800-843-4653 with the Passenger Name Record (PNR) of your scheduled travel.

Before enrolling in the challenge, make sure to plot out your upcoming travel. If you do not meet the terms of the challenge, there are no refunds!

While a lot of this may seem very confusing sometimes it helps to have a mentor to guide you through the process.  I found that person when I last attended a Frequent Traveler Conference in Chicago last year.  Click on the link to learn about the 2012 conference.

AAdvantage Elite Benefits Chart

As an AAdvantage elite status member, you will enjoy a world of perks and benefits designed to make your travel experience more enjoyable.

Benefit	AAdvantage Platinum®	AAdvantage Gold®
To qualify for elite status, meet one or more of the following requirements within a calendar year (If not doing the challenge)	50,000 miles 50,000 points 60 segments	25,000 miles 25,000 points 30 segments
Complimentary Upgrades on full-fare tickets (booked in Fare Classes Y or B)	X	X
Upgrade Window	72 hours	24 hours
Companion Upgrades	X	X
Earned Upgrades	X	X
100% Elite Mileage Bonus	X
25% Elite Mileage Bonus		X
Minimum Mileage Guarantee	X	X
Special Service Desk	X	X
Preferred seating on Alaska Airlines	X
Complimentary access to exclusive Preferred Plus Seats and Preferred Seats	X	X
PriorityAAccessSM Check-in	X	X
PriorityAAccessSM Security Screening	X	X
PriorityAAccessSM Boarding Privileges	X	X
Priority check-in and boarding on Alaska Airlines**	X	X
Same Day Standby	X	X
Priority Baggage Delivery	X
Waived Checked Baggage Charge on American Airlines, American Eagle, the AmericanConnection carrier and Alaska Airlines	X	X
oneworld® Alliance Travel Benefits	X	X
oneworld® Partner Lounge Access	X
Discounted Admirals Club® Membership	X	X
Waived AAdvantage Award Processing Charge	X	X
Special discounts on Hotel and Car Awards	X	X
Exclusive access to Dynamic Air Awards	X	X
Exclusive AAdvantage Participant Offers	X	X
No cap on AAdvantage® miles earned on purchases for domestic Citi®/AAdvantage® credit cardmembers+	X	X

*Valid for travel within/between the 50 U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, The Bahamas, Bermuda, and between the U.S. and Central America.

**Includes access to expedited security lanes when traveling on Alaska Airlines for AAdvantage Executive Platinum and AAdvantage Platinum members.

+ AAdvantage® miles are only earned on eligible purchases. Eligible purchases exclude balance transfers, cash advances, convenience checks, items returned for credit and interest charges.

I could not end this blog without saying congratulations to my friend, Tim, for following through on the updated American Express “free money” blog. Way to go. Seeing one's name in print has that effect.