AA Platinum Challenge - Tips

[NM]

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

There is no booking fee for award flights for AA Platinum members. I can confirm that the recorded message presented when call to make the award booking does indeed indicate such a fee, but I can also confirm this fee is waived for Platinum and Exec Platinum AAdvantage members.

 

[Dave Noble]

There is no booking fee for award flights for AA Platinum members. I can confirm that the recorded message presented when call to make the award booking does indeed indicate such a fee, but I can also confirm this fee is waived for Platinum and Exec Platinum AAdvantage members.

I was under impression it is also waived for bookings which cannot be booked online ( such as flights on partner airlines )

Dave

 

[NM]

I was under impression it is also waived for bookings which cannot be booked online ( such as flights on partner airlines )

Dave

Perhaps that is the general case. I certainly was not charged the booking fee for my QF award flights.

 

[simongr]

Just a couple more questions for a mate of mine. He is just about to take the plunge based on the advice I gave him

He does a reasonable amount of travel now in his new job but they only fly WT+ (again). He is flying to amsterdam soon in WT+. i have told him that he will earn as follows - assuming he does a plat challenge:

Base miles: 10,368
Status bonus:10,368
Cabin bonus: 2,592

Total: 23,328

That's each way.

So for a round trip he will earn: 46,656 - enough for two return economy flights to Adelaide.

If he had been on QF it would have been:

Base miles: 10,368
Status bonus:0
Cabin bonus: 2,592

Total: 12,960
Rnd trip: 25,920

Just about enough for one round trip. And he might make QF silver on the return trip on QF.

So basically between the two options its: No status and one flight on QFF vs. QF Gold (equiv) and two flights on AAdvantage. thats all correct yeah?

 

[Dave Noble]

Assuming that he books SYD-LHR rather than booking it as SYD-BKK/SIN-LHR , he will earn

On AA: the base of 10,586 plus 10% Cabin bonus of 1059 plus Platinum bonus of 10,586 giving 22,231 . r/t gives 44,462. He will also earn either 250 or 1000 each way between LHR and AMS depending on the fare basis giving a total of either 44,962 or 46,462

If he books it as SYD-SIN-LHR, then he would only get the platinum bonus from the SIN-LHR sector so would reduce the overall earn by about 3908

On QF, his earning would be 10,586 plus cabin bonus of 25% of 2647 on the SYD-LHR run giving 13233 . r/t gives 26,466. He would also earn 125 or 500 each way on the flights between LHR and AMS giving a total of 26,966 or 27,466

As far as QF status goes, if he does SYD-LHR-AMS r/t , he would earn 240 SCs and as SYD-SIN/BKK-LHR-AMS r/t , 300SCs so wouldn't actually even make silver status

Would seem to be a no brainer to take the candy to me

Dave

 

[simongr]

Wouldnt there also by the upgrades that are tradable for every 10K he gets 4 upgrade credits that can be converted to 2K miles (500miles each)? Isnt theer also a platinum bonus of 5K on qualification or am I making that up?

Its also Amsterdam rather than LHR

 

[Dave Noble]

Wouldnt there also by the upgrades that are tradable for every 10K he gets 4 upgrade credits that can be converted to 2K miles (500miles each)? Isnt theer also a platinum bonus of 5K on qualification or am I making that up?

Its also Amsterdam rather than LHR

Indeed, he could convert his 8 UCs he earns to get another 4,000 AA miles. The bonus on qualification via a challenge is getting the 100% bonus on the qualifying flight. There isn't a 5k bonus

I took into account that he was travelling to AMS in the calculations. Given that he is travelling WT+ , he must be going via London I assume

Adding the extra 4k from UCs, he would end up with 48,962 or 50,462 depending on the booking class for the LHR-AMS sector

Of course, it also means that he may be able to access the lounges on his way back since he will be Platinum. It might be worth getting AA to fax a letter to him to confirm his status so that he can show it to the lounge dragons and hopefully get in the lounges

Dave

 

[NM]

And if he uses the current BA promotion for paying for WT+ and getting an upgrade to Club World in one direction, I believe the CW sector books as D class so expect AA will pay J class cabin bonus for that sector, and on 10,000+ flown miles that can help to add up too.

I also expect QF would similarly pay J SCs and cabin bonus for the same CW sector with that fare type.

 

[Dave Noble]

And if he uses the current BA promotion for paying for WT+ and getting an upgrade to Club World in one direction, I believe the CW sector books as D class so expect AA will pay J class cabin bonus for that sector, and on 10,000+ flown miles that can help to add up too.

he would have to be quick to get it though ( British Airways - Travel in Style ) since it does have to be booked today ( book by 14 Sep 2006 )

Dave

 

[simongr]

Of course, it also means that he may be able to access the lounges on his way back since he will be Platinum. It might be worth getting AA to fax a letter to him to confirm his status so that he can show it to the lounge dragons and hopefully get in the lounges

Dave

Doesnt WT+ give you lounge access? I think it does.

 

[Dave Noble]

Doesnt WT+ give you lounge access? I think it does.

Nope. Lounge access is provided for Business and 1st class passengers but not WT+ or WT

Dave

 

[simongr]

Wow I must be making up a lot of stuff at the moment

 

[NM]

But he will have lounge access for the return flight since he will be an newly crowned candy thief by then. OneWorld Sapphire members get business class lounge access when travelling in WT or WT+, except for the temporary anomaly at the new BKK airport of course.

 

[Altair]

Well I suggested the cany theft for the father and mother of a co-worker. Unfortunately it does not look like it will earn much.
Plan is
CHC-AKL QF
AKL-HKG CX
HKG-DEL CX
DEL-HKG CX
HKG-AKL CX
AKL-CHC NZ (I know.... )
The booking class is M. Does anyone have a suggestion for candy theft or should they try another FFP?

 

[Dave Noble]

Well I suggested the cany theft for the father and mother of a co-worker. Unfortunately it does not look like it will earn much.
Plan is
CHC-AKL QF
AKL-HKG CX
HKG-DEL CX
DEL-HKG CX
HKG-AKL CX
AKL-CHC NZ (I know.... )
The booking class is M. Does anyone have a suggestion for candy theft or should they try another FFP?

Unfortunately M class on CX is ineligable for mileage earning on AA

Dave

 

[Altair]

Unfortunately M class on CX is ineligable for mileage earning on AA

Dave

So off to QF or CX FFP then:!:

 

[NM]

So off to QF or CX FFP then:!:

CX M class fares earn 0.5 QF FF points per mile flown, and discount economy SCs. And remember no status bonus on CX flights.

Look for an AA codeshare on the CX flights wherever possible as they typically earn better for both AA and QF programs, including the QF status bonus.

 

[simongr]

FYI - I tried the whole "I am doing 50K miles between now and Xmas - can I do an exec challenge?". The answer - no Not a major suprise. The only thing I mitgh try now (and this wont work though but its worth a shot) will be if I do the UK trip and everything else pans out as planned - I might send them my status info compared to where I would be if I had stayed with QFF.... you never know

Also Mrs Sim now logged for plat challenge One benefit of that will be that if we do ever fly with my parents or hers between now and Feb 2008 - we will be able to get everyone into the lounge - which may or may not be a good thing

 

[dubno]

Hi Everyone,

Been lurking for a while, this is a great thread and thanks to those who share their detailed knowledge.

I have a simple question regarding lounge access that neither qantas.com or this thread seems to given an answer to (maybe its too obvious), so here goes:

Lets say I'm going to complete the Plat Challenge by doing a simple SYD-LHR-SYD on WT+, and have QP membership. Will I have QP access in SYD and SIN if (because presumably i'll be on an AA codeshare) the flight number reads AA___ and not QF or BA___?

Qantas website states:

"When you arrive at any Qantas Club, QantasLink, joint Qantas/British Airways, Qantas/American Airlines® or Qantas/Air Pacific lounge, present your Qantas Club card, or your Platinum or Gold Qantas Frequent Flyer card, together with your ticket or boarding pass for travel on that day with a Qantas or British Airways flight number."

Hope this makes sense, hope you can help!

Cheers

Dubno

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Welcome to AFF dubno

Once you have AA Plat status then you'll have lounge access on any OW flight (where lounge exists and excluding solely north american itineraries). The airline code is irrelevant (except if it is a codeshare not operated by OW then no access).