PLAT/Gold Challenges to end Sept.23 2015 - may be replaced in the new year

[serfty]

Thread on FT: Original Gold / Plat Challenge Ended 23 Sep '15. Speculation: New program to come? - FlyerTalk Forums

Originally Posted by JDiver

A recent challenge enrollee has posted:

Originally Posted by JRRinNC
I just enrolled for a Platinum Challenge for flights I have where I should qualify by mid October. When signing up, the rep told me that it's a good thing I called now as they've just found out they will be closing the challenge program on September 23rd, not taking any more signups after that through at least the end of the year. He said they will have a revamped program starting sometime next year.

AA representatives have alluded to a new challenge to be implemented in 2016, but at this time we have no details.
...
It appears we may have continuation of some kind of challenge program, but if the agent was accurate (and given the conditions of the conversation, I tend to give it some weight) it will be in a different form.

Speculation: it'll be more restrictive, as it has had relatively large numbers of sign ups?

 

[ejd711]

No more platinum challenge?!?

Hi all,

I rang up AA today to start a platinum challenge on 1 October (planned for ages), and was told that Platinum Challenges have ceased as of 24 September 2015. Anyone else heard this? I may HUACA too later to check.

I booked flights specially to organise this so if I can't do it I'll be swapping back to QFF to try to get an upgrade from PE to J/D LA instead of just earning AA miles.

Not happy Jan!

Anyone got any info? I haven't looked at FT yet but will check it out. I've been hanging for this to get my platinum status back...

 

[drron]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

According to FT it is ending 23/12/15-
HELP DESK: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenge (MUST END BY 23 Dec 2015) - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[doctau]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

I recently started one offered via email, and I have until Demember 23 to earn it. 9000 for Plat or 25000 for Ex Plat

 

[serfty]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

FT reports indicate it may be possible to backdate a challenge start ro 23rd September - to be achieved by 23rd Dec.

 

[moa999]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

I recently started one offered via email, and I have until Demember 23 to earn it. 9000 for Plat or 25000 for Ex Plat

The special challenge - did you actually get the initial invite?

 

[knasty]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

sad news indeed. I was depending on challenges post 2016.

 

[ejd711]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

FT reports indicate it may be possible to backdate a challenge start ro 23rd September - to be achieved by 23rd Dec.

Serfty - I was trawling through FT with no luck yet. I'd be happy to back date it - no problems there. I'd achieve by 17 October.

Ok - I will try to call again tonight and look for the thread on FT. Maybe it is possible!

To the others that took advantage of the targeted offer - congratulations! Wish I'd seen it.

 

[serfty]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

Serfty - I was trawling through FT with no luck yet. I'd be happy to back date it - no problems there. I'd achieve by 17 October.

Ok - I will try to call again tonight and look for the thread on FT. Maybe it is possible! ...

Here's a different thread: Original Gold / Plat Challenge Ended 23 Sep '15. Speculation: New program to come? - FlyerTalk Forums

Here's an anecdote from 8 hours ago:

Originally Posted by tramm7
Confirmed that status challenge is still available as long as you are okay with a Dec 23 completion date. I signed up today. At first the agent said it ended but when I pointed out that I am okay with a Dec 23 completion date she put me on hold briefly and enrolled me.

 

[casanovawa]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

Hmmm, i did enroll for the LinkedIn one which has until 23 December, starting to fly some legs for that challenge in a couple of weeks... If for any reason it they didn't want to honour the challenge I was going to try and call back up and pay for a Plat Chalenge, but not happy hearing that avenue seems to have closed...

 

[doctau]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

The special challenge - did you actually get the initial invite?

No, I read about it a month or so ago and realized I'll have some travel to the US coming up so went to the sign up page and entered my details. It did say that anyone signing up *may* get to participate, and you would be emailed in a few weeks if you were chosen. I received the "welcome to your challenge" email just under two weeks ago.

 

[JohnK]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

I recently started one offered via email, and I have until Demember 23 to earn it. 9000 for Plat or 25000 for Ex Plat

Oneworld Emerald for stuff all? Only special people eligible? Sad indeed.

 

[wandering_fred]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

I seem to recall the offer did not apply if you already had AA status. So a (cheaper?) variation of the offers made to UA status flyers to convince them to "jump ship".

Lots of marketing efforts have no appeal to me on principle, especially when the motives are plain.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[doctau]

Re: No more platinum challenge?!?

Oneworld Emerald for stuff all? Only special people eligible? Sad indeed.

I have no idea why I was eligible, I've only ever flown 4 AA/US flights in my life all on the same trip - one ticket with DFW-RDU-DFW sent to QFF and one DFW-XNA-DFW sent to AAdvantage. On top of the whole 289 miles from that short return flight, I have about about 10k in my AA account from non-flight sources, that's it.


I've also just realised something very sad - even if I did push to get ExPlat, I don't know if I'd get much benefit from it! mrsdoctau and I are going on a long RTW trip from March '16 to March '17, mostly in J awards on a variety of carriers (some OW some not). For all the airports we'll be flying out on OW carriers or unsure, the only one with a F lounge is the last one before we return home and ExPlat would have expired. Most of the other OWE benefits over OWS are fairly minor I think.

So that would leave any OW flights between getting ExPlat and flying out mid-March (probably just a return flight to LST to see my family before we go), and AA specific benefits. The AA SWUs could be useful for our MUC-MX or PTY-LAX flights, but the rest would expire before I can use them. Hmm...