AA Platinum Challenge for Expat

[Lord Mud]

Hi all, I am an Aussie Expat in the UK and have been a QFF member for about 10 years, I travel semi-regularly and was always by cheapest option and so I have come close but neve quite made it to Silver (currnetly 90SC's short to achieve by august). I have made a few crossings this year to the US from UK and will be making another return trip to LAX in Sep with side trip to Las vegas. Although I am not too bright with the math, some of these posts and threads seem to indicate a possibilty of obtaining at least AAGold with just this amount, I also have a return trip to Melb in the new year. Would love to hear thoughts and opinions.


Eternally frustrated QFF Bronze Member

 

[Dave Noble]

If you do the trip to LA with AA and book a fare that accrues 1 qualifying point per mile flown, then your round trip will allow you to get Platinum status through the Platinum Challenge . This is the OneWorld Sapphire level which would be akin to Qantas Gold status and would be the level which provides lounge access and business class checkin ( 1st class when travelling AA)

You may have to take a fare slightly higher than the cheapest fare that AA offers, but not by much and often the web special fares that they sell book into W class which will do the trick nicely

This Platinum status will do you through 2009.

During 2009 , you will need to earn 50,000 points or miles to renew Platinum status or you will drop to gold.

Depending on how many transatlantic crossings you make and to where, will determine whether you requalify for platinum.

Dave

 

[Lord Mud]

Thanks for your reply,
One other question further to this, I am looking on the AA website to try and book flights. There are options to take a BA plane direct LHR - LAX and it is about £10 more (which I would be prepeared to pay for the far superior service on BA) and it shows as a ticket class N. I am aware that it would need to be a codeshare flight with AA to qualify for the challenge, but as it is also Transatlantic, would this flight still qualify. I am hoping to take this flight over an AA service, but if not the AA will do. I am sure I can lump 20 hours of bad service in economy for the cost of a plat challenge

 

[Dave Noble]

Thanks for your reply,
One other question further to this, I am looking on the AA website to try and book flights. There are options to take a BA plane direct LHR - LAX and it is about £10 more (which I would be prepeared to pay for the far superior service on BA) and it shows as a ticket class N. I am aware that it would need to be a codeshare flight with AA to qualify for the challenge, but as it is also Transatlantic, would this flight still qualify. I am hoping to take this flight over an AA service, but if not the AA will do. I am sure I can lump 20 hours of bad service in economy for the cost of a plat challenge

There is no AA codeshare on that flight

If you fly BA from LHR across the Atlantic, then you will earn nothing to an AA account

What is the fare basis of the AA ticket. Do make sure that you get a fare that is in one of the following fare bases

H, K, M, L, W, V

Try to avoid the followin, since they will only earn 50% points towards the challenge and so not enable completion of the Platinum Challenge

G, Q, N, O, S


W is often used for UK based web specials on AA and can be the cheapest fare. beyond that , V does tend to be not very much more expensive. It is worth paying the small extra on this trip to complete it

Dave

 

[serfty]

To clarify-
any BA flight between the UK and USA cannot earn on AAdvantage
any AA flight between the USA and UK cannot earn on BAEC.

 

[Lord Mud]

Thanks guys for your replies. They have been helpful.
I Have signed up to AAdvantage today and will be booking my flight with them. I am only going to try the gold challenge as The W class fares are way out of my budget for this trip. Thats ok as I checked and I can do plat challenge from gold next year. I won't be doing too much flying til then anyway. It will just be nice to get off the bottom rung to start. I have two long hauls next year back to Aust and a trip or two USAa next year so that should suffice.
On a separate note. I was hoping to use my QFF points to upgrade to Prem Econ for my trip in Feb to Aust, If I do can I then change to collect AAmiles on the basic for the trip?

 

[Dave Noble]

Thanks guys for your replies. They have been helpful.
I Have signed up to AAdvantage today and will be booking my flight with them. I am only going to try the gold challenge as The W class fares are way out of my budget for this trip. Thats ok as I checked and I can do plat challenge from gold next year. I won't be doing too much flying til then anyway. It will just be nice to get off the bottom rung to start. I have two long hauls next year back to Aust and a trip or two USAa next year so that should suffice.
On a separate note. I was hoping to use my QFF points to upgrade to Prem Econ for my trip in Feb to Aust, If I do can I then change to collect AAmiles on the basic for the trip?

Do phone and check since the lowest full qpoint earning ticket is often only a small amount over the lowest fare

It is worth giving them a call to check how much the V fare is over the special S fare that the website is offering. I expect that the cost will be low enough as to make it worthwhile taking the V fare

Dave

 

[djfuzz]

Sorry to dig up an oldish thread, but it seemed the most appropriate place to ask -

Is it the case that you can only earn points for the Platinum Challenge on AA codeshare flights and not on Oneworld flights in general?

I ask because I am considering booking a DONE4 or AONE4 for our honeymoon in the near future and am trying to work out how best to maximise FF mileage - pretty much starting from scratch.

Is it possible to earn points for the challenge on DONE4s at all, let alone on non-AA flights? If so, wouldn't a transpac crossing to LAX pretty much reach the required 10,000 points?

Again, sorry if this is in the wrong place or is a stupid question, I've tried to read up what I can around the traps, but it gets a little confusing.

 

[serfty]

AA flight numbers ONLY.

It can be the metal of other airlines.

e.g. AA codeshare with Qantas on QF93 MEL-LAX as AA7349.

Fly on QF93 - not eligible for AA challenge, fly on same aircraft, same date and same time as AA7349 and it's eligible.

 

[Dave Noble]

Is it possible to earn points for the challenge on DONE4s at all, let alone on non-AA flights? If so, wouldn't a transpac crossing to LAX pretty much reach the required 10,000 points?

Yup. As long as you book on the AA codeshare, that single flight will complete the challenge. You will also get the Platinum mileage bonus on that flight too. V quick n easy way to Platinum status

Dave

 

[laffer]

I am in a similar position to the OP. Ex pat based in the UK. I was thinking of coming back to Oz for a short holiday next year. Im sick of QF. Would it be possible for me to enter into the challenge and earn Plantinum? I just do not think there would be an AA codeshare out of LHR to Syd?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated as I am looking to book flights shortly.

I am about to tick over to QF Silver but that is it as I mostly fly in discount economy.

 

[simongr]

I just do not think there would be an AA codeshare out of LHR to Syd?

There is a codeshare LHR-DXB I think but in discount economy that wont get you close.

 

[serfty]

Note: there is word around that AA is to start charging for participation in challenges very soon. The source of this is generally reliable in most things AA.

More here:

• http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...advantage-charge-challenge-sign-up-14908.html

 

[simongr]

That $150 charge is getting close to the cost of the QP membership which would appear to be a key benefit of AA Plat for low volume travellers.

 

[laffer]

Would you not get other benefits with Plantinum such as status upgrades/access to business check in etc?

Can Qantas Club membership only get you into Qantas lounges? No point for me as I am in the UK now and mostly fly BA.

 

[Shano]

Would you not get other benefits with Plantinum such as status upgrades/access to business check in etc?

Can Qantas Club membership only get you into Qantas lounges? No point for me as I am in the UK now and mostly fly BA.

If flying BA would also get you access to their Terraces and Executive Club lounges.

From the QF website

Access to Partner airline lounges

In addition to Qantas Club lounges, you can relax in British Airways lounges^ (Terraces and Executive Club lounges) and American Airlines® Admirals Club lounges.

To access a partner airline lounge, simply present your Qantas Club card or Platinum or Gold Frequent Flyer card at check-in and again with your boarding pass at the lounge reception. You may also invite a guest. Note: both you and your guest must be travelling together and have onward travel that day on a flight marketed and operated by the partner airline whose lounge you wish to visit.***

 

[serfty]

Would you not get other benefits with Plantinum such as status upgrades/access to business check in etc?

Can Qantas Club membership only get you into Qantas lounges? No point for me as I am in the UK now and mostly fly BA.

If flying BA would also get you access to their Terraces and Executive Club lounges.

From the QF website

... also note that QP membership gets you into A/C when flying AA (with Drink Vouchers as appropriate).

AAdvantage Plat on its own does not do this (unless flying internationally).

 

[NM]

The only real way to do an AA challenge between London and Sydney is to travel the long way via USA. You could do it as an Around The World fare, using AA trans-Atlantic and AA codeshare on QF trans-Pacific.

 

[Lord Mud]

I got mine last week. cheers for the help guys. I just did a round trip via NY and LAX.

 

[laffer]

The only real way to do an AA challenge between London and Sydney is to travel the long way via USA. You could do it as an Around The World fare, using AA trans-Atlantic and AA codeshare on QF trans-Pacific.

This might be of interest provided I could stop off in Japan on the way home (which should not be too much of a problem considering JAL and QF fly there and I could hop a BA flight back to the UK). Anyone know a decent site to price AA ticketed round the world flights? Surely the AA portion from LHR-LAX/NYC and NYC/LAX-Syd would get me over the qualifying point threshold?

I priced a flight on aa.com (just straight return via LAX) and it came in £400 pound over and above the standard Qantas flight for LHR-Sydney. I do not think £400 is worth status?