AA Platinum Challenge for Expat

[TravelingJ]

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

How much extra did you pay over and above a straigh LHR-Syd flight? Could you point me in the direction of where you went to book the flight?

 

[simongr]

The base price for an ex-Australia DONE4 (rtw in business class) is A$10,599+taxes etc.

I recently paid for one through AA's ATW desk and it cost $10899 when teh A$ was at the peak - and got it refunded when the A$ was at the much lower thus got refunded A$12,200.

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?

The value of status depends on what you will then fly. If crediting points to AA then you get 100% bonus points as an AA platinum on future flights - quite beneficial.

Status really only has any value if you plan to fly a reasonable amount after you have gained status.

 

[ejb_nz]

I recently paid for one through AA's ATW desk and it cost $10899 when teh A$ was at the peak - and got it refunded when the A$ was at the much lower thus got refunded A$12,200.

Smart investing

ejb

 

[simongr]

I would rather have taken the flights as the refund went back to my company..

 

[Mal]

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.

Indeed! The latest FT information is:
FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Unofficial Guide: AAdvantage elite status, gold & platinum challenges, and more

starting today (october 15) to sign up...nonrefundable fees are as follows...if you don't make it...there is no calling and asking for your money back...
gold challenge $80
plat challenge $150
still no EP challenge

also if you go on a gold challenge and make the plat points (10k points) you can call them and pay the $70 to get your plat status...it does not work in reverse though...if you go on a plat challenge and make gold (5k points) you can call and be made gold...but you do not get the $80 back

 

[TravelingJ]

Thanks Mal.

Are the rules still the same?

$150 US is getting up there (with the current exchange rate if you are in OZ). Although QP membership is hardly worth it for those living O/S. I think Qantas were charging $700 for their program. Crazy.

 

[Mal]

Are the rules still the same?

I believe so. But I'm not following the challenge much these days. The thread posted above will contain info about any changes in recent times.

See also http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Challenge_(AA) which is an excellent source of info as well.

 

[NM]

Are the rules still the same?

There has not been any indication of a change to the rules for the challenges. Just the introduction of the fee.

$150 US is getting up there (with the current exchange rate if you are in OZ). Although QP membership is hardly worth it for those living O/S. I think Qantas were charging $700 for their program. Crazy.

Many people pay a lot more than US$150 to ensure the attain or retail the equivalent status on many airlines. In Qantas terms we call it a Status Run.

 

[Mal]

In Qantas terms we call it a Status Run.

Or SCRUN or SCRUNning. And yes, I'll be paying a lot more than $US150 to retain WP with Qantas ...

 

[serfty]

There's a poster on FT who has posted only about the AA changes and changes.

A summary of them is here:

• The Australian Frequent Flyer Online Community - View Single Post - AAdvantage to charge for Challenge sign-up - Details

 

[Lord Mud]

Laffer, sorry mate my trip was not back to Aust. I did LHR-NYC-LAS-LAX-LHR made it by 500 miles and very happy. Got my first use in the Iberia Lounge in Barcelona last night...
I am glad I got mine before the price change.
I am heading back to Aust in Feb hopefully with a points upgrade on QF (using my old QF points) to Y+. Lets hope there is availablity.
Not sure if I have read it here but be aware that all the Plat challenge flights have to be on AA metal and/or AA flight numbers. So technically the only way you would get it is via USA.
Hope that helps

 

[WTL]

I am heading back to Aust in Feb hopefully with a points upgrade on QF (using my old QF points) to Y+. Lets hope there is availablity.

I flew Premium Economy on that route last week. A fantastic option when you are paying the fare yourself. Stacks of room, good standard of food too. We were very pleasantly surprised by the standard all over.

The bad news is if you're trying for a points upgrade it's a small cabin and the FAs tell me is constantly full. I know I had to fiddle around a bit to find availability three or four months out.

Maybe someone can clarify the procedure that was discussed here a little while ago with some uncertainty, where it was claimed that if you apply for a J upgrade and miss it, you are then waitlisted for Y+ automatically. This would be a better way of improving your chances of avoiding the Y cabin. Anyone know if this is actually how Award upgrade allocations are done?

 

[serfty]

...
Not sure if I have read it here but be aware that all the Plat challenge flights have to be on AA metal and/or AA flight numbers. So technically the only way you would get it is via USA.
Hope that helps

An AA flight number on any metal will do the trick.

e.g. AA7349 (nee QF93) MEL-LAX may earn for the challenge - QF93 will not.