American Airlines (AA) just sent me an email (screenshot below) encouraging me to buy back my AAdvantage Executive Platinum status. I appreciate them giving me ample notice, but the offer was absurd.
I’ve been on the fence about staying loyal to American Airlines and its Oneworld partners. This year, I just crossed the million-mile mark on AA and it was a big letdown (there was no acknowledgement, and the lifetime perk of gold isn’t worth much). And after attending United’s Media Day, I feel that United is the better airline and going in the right direction. But I don’t like its new frequent flyer program since I’m not a big spender. Also, my United frequent flyer friends say that their upgrades rarely clear.
One thing I really like about American is that my upgrades do clear. Since I don’t have a traditional 9-to-5 job, I can be flexible with my schedule and take flights when I know my upgrades will most likely clear (like early morning or late at night on a Tuesday, Wednesday or best of all Saturday). American also flies to almost all the places I tend to go the most, like: Miami, New York, Hawaii, Chicago, London…
American also flies the 777 on its LAX-Miami route, which I do the most, and it has an excellent business class. The 52 seats are lie-flat and configured 1-2-1, making it a real premium product (photo above). When I get upgraded I can sleep like a baby, which makes the flight seem short.
Even when I can’t get upgraded, I usually can secure a premium economy seat (photo below), which is better than domestic first class with the exception of on the A321T plane.
So how does one qualify and what makes American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum status so great? First of all to qualify, members need to fly either 100,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) or 120 Elite Qualifying Segments (EQS) AND spend $15,000 in a given year. The latter part was implemented last year and is a real obstacle for me, since I tend to buy the cheapest tickets.
What does AAdvantage Executive Platinum status get?
- 4 one-way systemwide upgrades*
- Complimentary auto-requested upgrades*
- 100-hour upgrade window
- 120% elite mileage bonus
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra and Preferred Seats*
- 3 free checked bags
- Additional rewards starting at 150,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs)
My buy-back offer
As you can see from the screenshot below, so far this year I’m at $12,206 Dollars (EQDs), 99,096 Miles (EQMs) and 39 Segments (EQSs).
The craziest thing is my buy back offer (see screenshot below) is—get this—$2,995 or 299.5K miles!
Has AA lost its mind? Why would I or anyone ever spend that kind of money or miles for a level of status that’s not much better than the previous level (Platinum Pro) that I’ve achieved? To qualify for Platinum Pro, you need to fly either 75,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) or 90 Elite Qualifying Segments (EQS) AND spend $9,000 USD. Here’s what it gets you:
- Complimentary auto-requested upgrades*
- 72-hour upgrade window
- 80% elite mileage bonus
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra and Preferred Seats*
- 2 free checked bags
The bottom line
It’s the beginning of November so it’s a little presumptuous of AA to think that its frequent flyers are done flying for the year. Secondly, if it had better technology (or used it better), it would know that I have a bunch of trips already booked before December 31 that will put me past the minimum requirement. This is just another lame way that AA’s sales department is trying to squeeze more money out of its most loyal flyers. And no, I’m not paying up for AAdvantage Executive Platinum.
What’s your AA buy-back offer?
To check your own renewal price, check this link. I’m curious what your buy-back offer was, so please post in the comments below how much AA wants to charge you and how many miles/dollars you’ve accrued so far in 2019.
It’s all Doug Parker’s fault
I’m well over the dollar amount for Platinum Pro, and 4,000 EQM’s away (which I have a “First Class DFW-NYC flight in a week that’ll put me over). They sent me an email asking for $1400 OR 119k Miles!!!! And they DON’T Re-Send offers or redo them after you hit the next level. Plus, the “sales/marketing” dept is non existent when it comes to talking to them, EVER. I’m really upset with American this year. Being fully self employed, I can choose where to spend my money, but living in DFW I feel like I’m trapped.
That’s ridiculous. I don’t think many (if any) will take their offer. I’m guessing 2%. However, your offer should change if you fly/spend more before Dec 31
Mine is absurd….my stats are very similar to yours. EQD-$11,075; EQM-104,172; EQS-49. My offer was $4,114 or 337.5 miles for Executive Platinum. Why the extreme contrast compared to your offer??? Ridiculous!
Ridiculous is right!
$3,095 or 309.5k miles to get Executive. After this week I’ll be 15 segments shy of Executive. I’ll hit that by mid December. For someone who flies out of DFW and mostly north or south east, I have to rely on segments and many layovers through Chicago or Charlotte to achieve this status. I’ve only been flying like this for 2 years now and am already disappointed with AA and how much I’ve felt taken advantage of.
I am 5 segments and $3200 Spend from executive platinum.
I am booked for 9 segments and will hit my $50k spend threshold to earn $3k eqd on my aa silver card next month to reach spend requirements. My offer was $2867 to reach EP status.
They are clueless.
I got the same email this week. I am 7 miles from qualifying (basically my flight home today). Plus I have 25K more miles booked between now and 12/31. They are seriously lost.
Seriously lost!
Platinum status 1200 or 120k miles
Would you believe that they want $495 to get me to platinum Pro! I have already reached the miles and I am less then $300 dollars away! I already have 2 flights booked to get me over…but if I did not, it would be cheaper for me to fly somewhere then to pay their ransom!
Agreed. With these kind of offers there’s no way AA is making any extra revenue.
About five years ago I gave up my American Airlines credit card and no longer collect AA miles as I don’t fly them any more. It was too difficult to book flights with them and always required a ridiculous number of miles. Because I am no longer tethered to them, I no longer have to pu tup with their horrible service. Lots of other better airlines out there.
I now use the Barclay Card (US) exclusively. All travel is eligible, regardless of company, and it is a cinch to redeem points.
$1745.00 for Plat Pro.
If they bother to look at my reservations they would see that I am only 1027 EQM‘s away without shelling out more money to AA.
$1995 or 199.5k miles (almost all I have) to buy GOLD?!?! Lol. I struggle with them. I’ve had a lot of uncomfortable flights and hassles in the last couple years, but with credit card miles and flight miles I still have a lot of miles left and I’ve used them for some pretty extraordinary journeys.
Johnny, it seems to me as if American Airlines has lost its way. It is obvious to me, the shareholders come first, followed by management, then the unions. The customer gets to pay for it all. American seems to be cutting back services (for instance, as of November 1, 2019, they have further restricted access to the Admiral’s Club) and treating customers poorly, trying to squeeze every penny they can from them without improving service. I am seriously considering switching my loyalty to another airline too.
Steve Solosky
http://www.travelingprofessor.com