AA Platinum Challenge - Tips

[simongr]

Darn - I am sure I read that they werent inelligible earlier today - I must have been half asleep having re-checked the qantas site. Hmm - not a happy mrs sim when she gets that news - she will have to make do with free bubbles in the lounge...

 

[jakub3000]

Can the accrued points on a BNE-LAX flight be collected on AA as well as QF system?

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Can the accrued points on a BNE-LAX flight be collected on AA as well as QF system?

No. You can only credit points for a flight once. There are 2 exceptions.

1) SQ PPS is designed to credit for status purposes (ie not for miles you can then redeem on awards or upgrades) at the same time as crediting miles to any partner FFP, but limited to SQ flights in paid first or business.

2) When you have an involuntary reroute on a non-partner airline it is not unknown to be able to claim mileage both on the other airline's FFP (or a partner of it) as well as mileage for the original itinerary for which you were booked.

 

[simongr]

ANyone know if you can start a plat challenge on behalf of someone else? I want to start mrs sim's plat challenge and wondered whether I can call on her behalf or whether she has to call?

Cheers

S

 

[NM]

ANyone know if you can start a plat challenge on behalf of someone else? I want to start mrs sim's plat challenge and wondered whether I can call on her behalf or whether she has to call?

Cheers

S

Yes, you can. Just need to know the AAdvantage number and name and give them a call.

 

[simongr]

Thanks again. Just one more question as I am selling the message out there - do award flights have to be on AA? Just checking the fine print on the A site:

All awards are for round-trip travel. Normal MileSAAverSM capacity controls and embargo dates apply. Award travel is not valid on codeshare flights and is not valid on British Airways transatlantic flights between the U.S. and Europe. Awards wholly within Japan can only be booked within two months of the return flight. Certain restrictions apply on oneworld multi-carrier awards.

That might be a disincentive for some people - having never travelled on AA I have no idea what the J class seat is like to the UK (which is where most people I am telling this about would be interested).

S

 

[Dave Noble]

Thanks again. Just one more question as I am selling the message out there - do award flights have to be on AA? Just checking the fine print on the A site:



That might be a disincentive for some people - having never travelled on AA I have no idea what the J class seat is like to the UK (which is where most people I am telling this about would be interested).

S

Award flights do not have to be on AA, they can be on any partner airline, however award flights are not permitted on BA flights between USA and UK. If flying on a transatlantic flight and wishing to use BA, then go via Canada or the Carribean

e.g. can book award flight on BA from SYD-LHR or on LHR-YYZ , but not on LHR-JFK

AA business class is actually pretty comfortable for daytime flights and more spacious than QF Dreamtime business class

Dave

 

[Anna]

How many sectors do I need to fly on AA metal to do the platinum challenge? How many sectors do I need to fly on AA metal to retain AA platinum in the next year?

The AA website confuses me about this because it talks about sector numbers but then seems to say you can fly on partner airlines.

 

[NM]

How many sectors do I need to fly on AA metal to do the platinum challenge?

None. Any OneWorld flights that earn EQPs can be used. I did it with one Qantas flight. Just need to earn 10,000 EQP in a 3 month period.

How many sectors do I need to fly on AA metal to retain AA platinum in the next year?

The current practical answer is none. However, AA (just like most OneWorld airlines) does include in their membership status terms and conditions the requirement to include 4 AA flights per year (codeshares ok). But they are not enforcing that requirement. BA is the only OneWorld airline that enforces the 4 home-airline sectors per year requirement. However, they may choose to enforce that at some later time.

The AA website confuses me about this because it talks about sector numbers but then seems to say you can fly on partner airlines.

You earn AA miles on AAdvantage partner airlines when you purchase a ticket in a eligible fare class. You earn Elite Qualifying Points on AA and OneWorld partner flights when you purchase an eligible fare class. Elite status qualification can be based on miles flown or on elite qualifying points earned in the year. The challenge is only based on elite qualifying points.

 

[sr81]

Hey, just a quick one.

Whilst i am sure this may have been answered my dial up connection is just not up to 27(!) pages of great tips.

i am flying MEL-JFK-RDU-JKF-MEL on QF and AA metal and for the QFflights it is with fare code Q and AA it is N.

Whilst i know i get 0.25 on the AA flights, does fare code Q count for any points? i could only find info on Q for domestic QF flights.

i ask because 2 days after i get home i am off again to LHR on BA. in all i will cover just over 71,000 km in 2 weeks.

whilst living it large discount ecconomy (you J flyers make me so jealous) i should scrape in gold if fare code Q counts. if not then the points can stay with QF FF.

thanks and cheers all.

 

[Dave Noble]

When flying on AA, then N will earn 1 mile plus 0.5 qpoints per mile flown

When flying on QF, then Q will earn zero miles and qpoints

Are you able to change your QF booking to the AA codeshare or upgrade to a mileage earning class? If so then you would be able to complete the Platinum Challenge

Dave

 

[dikko]

A colleague of mine was demoted earlier this year from QF Gold to Silver. Now he is about to fly to Europe return on QF. Am I right in thinking that if he completes the AA Platinum Challenge he'll basically have the same privileges he had under QF Gold status in terms of lounge access? And he should be able to do this if he's booked into a fare class that earns 0.5 qpoints per mile, since SYD-LHR is over 10,000 miles?

thanks

 

[simongr]

The only difference I think is that he wont get lounge access if flying domestically in the US (where that flight is not part of an international trip on that day).

 

[NM]

A colleague of mine was demoted earlier this year from QF Gold to Silver. Now he is about to fly to Europe return on QF. Am I right in thinking that if he completes the AA Platinum Challenge he'll basically have the same privileges he had under QF Gold status in terms of lounge access? And he should be able to do this if he's booked into a fare class that earns 0.5 qpoints per mile, since SYD-LHR is over 10,000 miles?

thanks

He will get the standard OneWorld Sapphire benefits. However, he won't get the QF-specific benefits or QF Gold, but will get the AA-specific benefits AA Platinum.

The QF-specific benefits of Gold that he won't get as an AA Platinum are:

• Lounge access to AA lounges when on AA domestic flights and no same-day international connection.
• Lounge access to US Airways lounges when flying with US Airways
• Extra baggage allowance when flying on QF coded and operated flights

The AA-specific benefits of Platinum he will get as AA Platinum are:

• 100% bonus miles on all OneWorld flights (QF Gold get 50% only on QF, BA and AA)
• 4 x 500 mile e-upgrade certificates for each 10,000 qualifying miles flown
• No fuel fines to be paid on award flights

 

[Dave Noble]

A colleague of mine was demoted earlier this year from QF Gold to Silver. Now he is about to fly to Europe return on QF. Am I right in thinking that if he completes the AA Platinum Challenge he'll basically have the same privileges he had under QF Gold status in terms of lounge access? And he should be able to do this if he's booked into a fare class that earns 0.5 qpoints per mile, since SYD-LHR is over 10,000 miles?

thanks

If he is in a discount fare earning 0.5 qpoints per mile, then he would indeed be able to complete the challenge on 1round trip. Ideally, for best mileage earning, be booked on a single sector LHR-SYD on the return since the platinum challenge bonus is applied to the flight completing the challenge .

As pointed out by NM, the benefits are slightly different , however he will get the prime benefits of business class check in and business class lounge access ( except when travelling domestically within the USA )

Dave

 

[simongr]

[/LIST]
The AA-specific benefits of Platinum he will get as AA Platinum are:

• 4 x 500 mile e-upgrade certificates for each 10,000 qualifying miles flown

Is that on any airline or is that only AA flight numbers?

 

[Dave Noble]

Is that on any airline or is that only AA flight numbers?

4 upgrade credits are earned for every 10,000 qualifying miles earned, so are earned based on travel on any OW carrier or Alaskan Airlines. These can be used to upgrade "domestic" AA flights; alternatively they can be converted to miles at a rate of 4 upgrade credits gives 2,000 miles

Dave

 

[sr81]

Thanks Dave,

"Are you able to change your QF booking to the AA codeshare or upgrade to a mileage earning class?"

i tried giving QF a call and they can't change flight numbers and the cost of rebooking out of a Q fare is pretty steep.

Right now i am looking at trying to get QF to change the code of the fare, i think O is the cheapest of the earning classes.

once again thanks for the stella work.

 

[Anna]

No fuel fines to be paid on award flights

No fuel "fines", but as I understand it, AA charges a booking fee for award flights instead.

 

[Dave Noble]

No fuel "fines", but as I understand it, AA charges a booking fee for award flights instead.

AA doesn't charge booking fees for award flights where the flight cannot be booked online ime

Dave