AA Platinum Challenge - Tips

[NM]

Wouldnt status appear on the boarding pass? All my BPs have something like "FF GOLD ONEWORLD SAPPHIRE" or "QCSL RUBY" on them.

When I did my Plat Challenge earlier this year, my subsequent QF boarding passes showed my AAdvantage number but not OneWorld status. So the QF system had not picked up the fact that my AA status had changed since the reservation had my AA number inserted.

I expect that removing the AA numnber from the booking and having it re-applied may force an update of status in the QF system, but I have no evidence. However, I have two remaining QF sectors on that ticket so might test that theory. But I won't be taking them until 2007.

 

[Dave Noble]

I expect that removing the AA numnber from the booking and having it re-applied may force an update of status in the QF system, but I have no evidence. However, I have two remaining QF sectors on that ticket so might test that theory. But I won't be taking them until 2007.

It does refresh the status nicely but it is still not guaranteed that , even though the system says Sapphire that the OW status will appear on the BP.

Dave

 

[ioki]

dear Dave and others,

i am ticketed on qf B class between from syd <-> nrt, so by Dave's initial post (some 30 odd pages back) and my calculation, i should qualify for AA platinum (~8000miles X 1.5 = 16000 qpoints) just as i touch down at narita airport?

thx in advance

ioki

 

[simongr]

From SYD-NRT is 4871 miles. In B class you would earn 1.5 qpoints/mile which is 7306qpoints - thus I think you would complete your challenge on the return flight (unless syd <-> nrt means your have some connecting flights in there to take it up to 8000 miles - in which case it would be 12,000 qpoints but still qualifying).

 

[Dave Noble]

dear Dave and others,

i am ticketed on qf B class between from syd <-> nrt, so by Dave's initial post (some 30 odd pages back) and my calculation, i should qualify for AA platinum (~8000miles X 1.5 = 16000 qpoints) just as i touch down at narita airport?

thx in advance

ioki

I am not sure of your calculation here

SYD-NRT is approx 4896 miles which gives 7344 qpoints for the outbound flight. The inbound NRT-SYD flight will earn another 7344 qpoints ( total 14,688 ) and will compleete the challenge

Dave

 

[ioki]

thx simon and dave for the corrections.. i think i've gotten a bit ahead of myself there..

let the "challenge" begin!! :mrgreen:

on the return leg, am actually coming home via HK.. still same class as outbound with both cx and qf.. so i shall expect a tad more points than what Dave had worked out for a direct return!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I think you'll get more points but not that much more (1200 or so). Since you still wont be Plat by HKG, you only pick up PLT bonus miles on HKG-SYD (thus loosing a few hundred which offsets the gain from extra distance going via HKG).

 

[ioki]

*argh*

just completed the outbound flight and even thought i had asked the TA to swap the QF number for AA ones, the TA just added the AA number to the booking only..

so now the outbound flight is credited to QF.. anyone if its possible to reverse the crediting?

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Please repeat after me - you must check the boarding passes religiously if you are switching FFP #s.

It is technically possible, but a right pain and every chance of being denied. You would need QF to reverse out the credit - in itself this will be difficult. Then claim missing miles through AAdvantage, which if your BP shows QF # won't be easy since they will be inclined to automatically deny on basis you're double dipping.

Yes, I feel your pain. Even SQ's PPS system which is designed with double dipping in mind does not work 100%. I've taken to bringing along a BP to show check in agents what it should look like when correct. I have successfully reversed out incorrectly credited points from SQ to another program, but I did have evidence of my intention and spent more than 6 months chasing up to get the points.

 

[Dave Noble]

*argh*

just completed the outbound flight and even thought i had asked the TA to swap the QF number for AA ones, the TA just added the AA number to the booking only..

so now the outbound flight is credited to QF.. anyone if its possible to reverse the crediting?

It may well be difficult to get it reversed since it has correctly posted to QF and no error has occurred. This is why I always recommend to ensure that the QF number is not in the booking and verifying this using checkmytrip before adding an AA number

You can try phoning QF and asking for it to be reversed and if they agree, then send a fax to AA requesting mileage credit. If the points are reversed ok, then I would suggest blanking out the QF FF number on the BP before faxing it to avoid going through an initial stage of them simply replying that points have already been credited elsewhere

Dave

 

[NM]

*argh*

just completed the outbound flight and even thought i had asked the TA to swap the QF number for AA ones, the TA just added the AA number to the booking only..

so now the outbound flight is credited to QF.. anyone if its possible to reverse the crediting?

It is very difficult and no guarantees you can have it reversed. This is why there are so many posts here pointing out the importance if checking and double-checking that the right FF number is included in the right way. The final check should always be on the boarding pass. It is still easy to change it at check-in if the wrong number shows on the boarding pass.

Once you have taken the flight and it has posted to QF, your only hope is if you can convince QF to revers out the transaction on your QF account and for them to send you a letter saying they have done this. Then contact AA and show them that QF has reversed the credit and ask AA to credit it. That is not going to be a simple process and AA would still be within the rights to refuse to credit the flight if they so choose.

 

[ioki]

*sob*

i did check during check in and had it changed at that point to AA, thus that boarding pass shows the AA number..

its only when i checked online that i had noticed the flight had been credited to QF.

i've called qantas since earlier today and they've told me the chance of credit reversal is zero at this point in time... i am still wondering how such trivial task is refused!!

 

[Dave Noble]

i've called qantas since earlier today and they've told me the chance of credit reversal is zero at this point in time... i am still wondering how such trivial task is refused!!

If your BP indicates the AA number, then phone Qantas customer relations and complain to them that you requested the FF number to be changed to AA, that it was changed and the BP reflects the desired account number yet it still credited to QF . Tell them that you contacted QFF to have the incorrect posting reversed so that it can be credited to the correct account , yet they are refusing to do so and that this in unacceptable

QFF are quite capable of reversing points , yet normally need a good kicking in order to get it done. If you do have the AA number on the BP, it should be quite possible to get this corrected. I have done it for people before

Do make sure that the QF and AA numbers have been completed purged from the booking ( use checkmytrip to verify ) and then get the AA number added before the return trip

Dave

 

[Maca44]

I have the same problem about four weeks ago concerning some domestic flights within the USA. When I initially booked the tickets I was not a member of AA and used my QF FF number. However, after learning of the benefits and joining AA I contacted AA and asked that my QFFF be removed and AA number be inserted into the booking. This is where I went wrong because I didn't checkmytrip to confirm etc etc. It wasn't until I arrived back in Sydney that I realised my QF number was still on the AA boarding passes.

I initially contacted AA and they were very helpful and explained that I needed QF to remove my QF from the booking and then email them confirmation that this had occurred. I contacted QF Customer Service who asked that I send them an email requesting the removal, and they emailed me a confirmation email that it had been removed. I then forwarded that confirmation email to AA and within three days my AA account had been credited with the points.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

If your BP indicates the AA number, then phone Qantas customer relations and complain to them that you requested the FF number to be changed to AA, that it was changed and the BP reflects the desired account number yet it still credited to QF . Tell them that you contacted QFF to have the incorrect posting reversed so that it can be credited to the correct account , yet they are refusing to do so and that this in unacceptable

QFF are quite capable of reversing points , yet normally need a good kicking in order to get it done. If you do have the AA number on the BP, it should be quite possible to get this corrected. I have done it for people before

Agreed. With AA FFP # on the boarding pass, QFF has no valid excuse.

 

[Shano]

I have been scrolling through this thread but have been unable to find the answer to this question:

If you enrol in and complete the platinum challenge, but then fail to requalify for AA Plat status, can you then redo the challenge to regain status for a further 12+ months i.e. is there a limit on the number of times you can do the challenge?

If your flight activity varied greatly from year to year this might be one way to always try and have some status if it were possible??

 

[Altair]

I read this thread a few months ago when I first joined. I cannot remember seeing this specific question.
Can someone do the Gold Challenge and complete it within the 3 month period. Once the challenge is successfully completed can they then ask to do the Platinum Challenge?
Of course I do not expect the Gold flights to count to the Plantinum challenge nor the Gold status bonus miles do not count to the qualification points, they are different from earned miles. But is this possible or are you limited to 1 challenge per account?

 

[simongr]

I googled and got this link.

Basically they say:

You can take the Gold Challenge only if you have no elite status with AAdv (i.e. not GLD, PLT, or EXP). You can take the Plat Challenge only if you are not PLT or EXP. In other words, you can't use the Challenges to re-qualify for elite status. Contrary to what you may be told, you can go directly from no status to Plat Challenge; you don't have to do the Gold Challenge first.

 

[Shano]

Thanks simongr, a good find. The power of Google.....

 

[simongr]

I guess what this means is you have to live as year as AA Gold and then do the challenge again. So say you do the challenge this month you will have:

2006 - Plat 100% status bonus
2007 - Plat 100% status bonus
Jan - Feb 2008 - Plat 100% status bonus
Mar 2008 - Feb 2009 - Gold 50% status bonus
Mar 2009 - Challenge again!

Which is still better than QF SG over the same period.