AA Platinum Challenge - Tips

[madmat777]

Doh Doh Doh! I remember reading that here.

Can I set that flight to go to QFF then?

 

[madmat777]

Does Credit Card points count towards the challenge?

 

[NM]

Why not change the flight to AA operated, and then try for an upgrade. If you know someone who has a VIPOW (give to Exec Plat members) you can upgrade LHR-JFK-LAX with the one upgrade cert and no co-payment needed.

 

[Alan in CBR]

Doh Doh Doh! I remember reading that here.

Can I set that flight to go to QFF then?

Yes. I would suggest not doing it now, as it may mess up allocations later. Wait until you are in London, then phone to change the FF number for that sector. Don't forget to phone again when you get to New York, just in case they have changed all subsequent to the QF number.

But as NM said, why not just change to an AA flight?

Does Credit Card points count towards the challenge?

No.

Does this also mean that I will be permitted into the AA lounges for my 4 internal US flights?

Regardless of any status you may obtain from AA, your QC membership will allow you access to Admirals Clubs prior to any flight on AA. Accessing with the QC card will also get you drink vouchers in the ACs, whereas accessing using AA status does not. (For the record, when flying domestically in North America AA Platinum only gives access to Admirals Clubs if the domestic flight is on the same day as an international flight.)

 

[Dave Noble]

Can I suggest that you modify your routing as SYD-LHR in WT+ ... This would then complete the challenge straight off and get you 4 Upgrade credits

If you need to go to FRA then just purchase ( if necessary ) a flight to Frankfurt and then continue on from there

Dave

 

[madmat777]

Can I suggest that you modify your routing as SYD-LHR in WT+ ... This would then complete the challenge straight off and get you 4 Upgrade credits

Unfortunately the SIN-LHR was booked out in both WT+ and ecconomy, the only way I could get to London on the required day was via FRA.

 

[Dave Noble]

Can I suggest that you modify your routing as SYD-LHR in WT+ ... This would then complete the challenge straight off and get you 4 Upgrade credits

Unfortunately the SIN-LHR was booked out in both WT+ and ecconomy, the only way I could get to London on the required day was via FRA.

In which case, might I suggest taking
(1) taking a flight within Australia before you go. e.g. do MEL-SYD-SIN-FRA and
(2) using the QF codeshare on the flight FRA-LHR so that you get 500 rather than 125

That way you'll have platinum on arrival into UK

Dave

 

[ladybird]

how many points?

Am i right that a return flight SYD-LHR on QF economy (S class) would get 50% of the miles travelled for qpoints for the platinum challenge? This should then be enough to get to platinum? Seems too easy - have I missed something?

thanks...

 

[ladybird]

AA platinum challenge - should I bother yet?

Actually, I could do with a bit more advice than just that previous question...

I am currently platinum, due to expire end August and highly unlikely to make it with only the economy trip to UK and possibly one to NZ planned before then.

Currently need 720 points to requealify for platinum by end august.

Current lifetime sc's is 6105, i.e. lifetime silver is vaguely on the horizon...

Am I better off forgetting about the AA challenge until I get to this point?

Highly unlikely to make any AA flights with no plans to go to the US in forseeable future..this looks like it may be a requisite for AA challenge qualification.

Thanks again...

 

[Dave Noble]

Re: how many points?

Am i right that a return flight SYD-LHR on QF economy (S class) would get 50% of the miles travelled for qpoints for the platinum challenge? This should then be enough to get to platinum? Seems too easy - have I missed something?

thanks...

A r/t SYD-LHR in S class will get Platinum status. If booked as LHR-SYD ( rather than LHR-SIN-SYD for example ), all the better since the platinum bonus will be received on the qualifying sector

Dave

 

[Dave Noble]

Re: AA platinum challenge - should I bother yet?

Am I better off forgetting about the AA challenge until I get to this point?

Highly unlikely to make any AA flights with no plans to go to the US in forseeable future..this looks like it may be a requisite for AA challenge qualification.

Thanks again...

That really depends on you really. What type of travelling do you do and how long would it take to get to Lifetime Silver?

You do not need 4 AA flights to complete the challenge

Dave

 

[ladybird]

That really depends on you really. What type of travelling do you do and how long would it take to get to Lifetime Silver?

It does tend to vary. Typically lots of Syd-Mel and the like in Y.

At least 1 x UK trip pa, occasionally business but more likely to be S with a request for points upgrade.

Then one or two other int flights, eg to BKK/NZ also in discount economy.

Once in a while get a business trip to States/UK, hence the platinum, which will be annoying to lose!

Most important are: check-in priority, lounge access, upgrade request priority, seat request priority.

With minimal plans at the moment, it would probably take another year to get to lifetime silver currently.

But at that rate its also unlikely I'd get to keep the AA Platinum anyway...

 

[NM]

It does tend to vary. Typically lots of Syd-Mel and the like in Y.

Assuming your QF Plat drops to Gold next year ...

Privileges for QF Gold and AA Plat will be similar except for checked baggage allowance is better for QF Gold on QF flights. AA Plat earns 100% bonus while QF Gold earn 50% Bonus, both being min 1000 points/miles for a SYD-MEL flight.

However, it takes 20 such SYD-MEL trips to earn an AA award such as SYD-PER-SYD or SYD-AKL-SYD (or even PER-AKL-PER), while QF would take 36 flights to earn the 36,000 points required. And AA will not hit you for 2 x fuel fines as well.

But if you want to redeem for short domestic flights, then QF only need 16 flights for a SYD-MEL-SYD return award, while AA still needs 20.

At least 1 x UK trip pa, occasionally business but more likely to be S with a request for points upgrade.

No option to upgrade with AA miles, so if you want the opportunity to waitlist for an upgrade, best to retain some QF status and of course you need lots of QF FF points as well.

However, be aware that you will need 96,000 QF FF points for a one-way upgrade from S to business class, making it 192,000 for the return journey - and no confirmed availability.

An AA award flight in business class SYD-LHR-SYD will cost 120,000 AA miles, and an award booking is confirmed not waitlisted, and you don't pay fuel fines and save the cost of the S ticket. First class awards to Europe is only 160,000 AA miles.

AA Plat and QF Gold get you the same checkin and lounge access benefits. QF Gold will get you increased checked baggage allowance on a QF flight, while AA Plat does not.

Once in a while get a business trip to States/UK, hence the platinum, which will be annoying to lose!

AA Exec Platinum is harder to reach than QF Platinum when using long-haul business class fares. If you can take those occasional flights as ATW fares (generally cheaper than point-to-point business class to USA or UK) then you can easily ensure AA Platinum renewal and possibly Exec plat depending on other travel and regularity of paid premium class travel.

Most important are: check-in priority, lounge access, upgrade request priority, seat request priority.

Priority checkin and lounge access are the same for QF Gold (assuming you don't retain QF Plat) and AA Platinum, with the exception of AA lounge access for USA domestic flights that are not same-day connections to international flights. Priority seat requests should be the same for AA Plat and QF Gold.

Upgrades are only available when flying your home airline. So you get very good upgrade choices for AA Plat on AA flights, but no option for QF flights. AA upgrades are generally confirmed at the time of booking (pending availability). Similarly, QF upgrades are available to QF members, but are wait-listed only and not confirmed.

With minimal plans at the moment, it would probably take another year to get to lifetime silver currently.

To me, there is no realistic benefit of QF Lifetime Silver that is not part of AA Platinum. Lifetime Gold is where the QF benefits are.

But at that rate its also unlikely I'd get to keep the AA Platinum anyway...

If you want attain QF Plat than AA plat is a walk in the park. If you can make one of your UK or USA trips into an ATW fare (generally less expensive than point-to-point business class fares) than AA Plat renewal is trivial.

 

[ladybird]

Wow, thanks NM for that extremely thorough response! You know your stuff...

AA does sound like an improvement on the many gripes i have with the qf program, however realistically, as i have over 680,000 qf points and had planned to use most of them to (hopefully) upgrade on UK flights, it may be best to stick with this for now

Wil keep an eye on it, especially if I get one of those long-haul business trips...

 

[ioki]

dear aa plat challenge experts,

my wife and i are looking at a trip SYD <-> NRT <-> SJC and have a need to start the trip on 3/4 of june and returning around the 20th of june.

great circle mapper has the miles between the 3 cities exactly at 10000 miles one way.

after reading the first entry from Dave, i am assuming we are much better off starting our challenge on the return segments as the consequence of completing the aa plat challenge will add an extra 12 months to the life of the precious plat status.

i have a couple of questions for the subject experts!

1) are we able to start the challenge on just the inbound segments while fixing the outbound against our QF numbers?
2) as the flights are with AA and provided the flight class are "H K L M V W", the 10000 miles/points attained will be the exact amount to complete the challenge?

thx in advance

ioki

 

[Dave Noble]

I would call QF to confirm the SYD-NRT mileage that they use and also call AA to confirm the mileage that they will give for NRT-SJC since it may not match that from great circle mapper. It would be a shame to miss it by a cpl of miles

There is nothing wrong with getting the challenge started on the 16th June; the outbound will post as a normal flight and the inbound will complete the challenge with status lasting till feb 08

Are you on an AA codeshare on SYD-NRT ? I didnt think AA codeshared that route. If you are on a QF number, be aware that you need K class to get 1 point per mile. For the AA flight numbers, you are correct that those classes will get 1 point per mile

Dave

 

[ioki]

hi Dave,

you are right on the money there, the SYD - NRT is indeed on QF metal and thus the flight class will most likely be in the 0.5 bucket! *bugger*

many thx for your words, i will need to give this wee more thought as we might have a trip to asia to follow in a month or two's time which hopefully will contribute toward completing the challenge!

ioki

 

[ioki]

hi Dave,

just called best flights and asked the class of travel and its Q for both QF and AA.. i see Q in the 0.5 bucket for AA, but no mention of Q under QF, which bucket should Q go under with QF flight? the 0.5 or 0.25?

ioki

 

[Dave Noble]

hi Dave,

just called best flights and asked the class of travel and its Q for both QF and AA.. i see Q in the 0.5 bucket for AA, but no mention of Q under QF, which bucket should Q go under with QF flight? the 0.5 or 0.25?

ioki

Q is a non mileage earning class to AAdvantage when travelling on QF.

Q will receive 100% miles but only 50% qpoints when travelling on AA

Perhaps you can change your booking to an eligable fare or go via LAX and use the AA codeshare to LAX ( and have a quicker journey ( unless you are stopping ove in NRT) )

Dave

 

[madmat777]

Warning

Do not let any friendly QF check-in staff just "add" your QF number to your booking! Even if they say it will not effect the booking.

She told me it was so I could use my GC to get in the lounge, but al the points for BNE-SYD-SIN-FRA have been credited to my QFF and not the AA. :twisted:

Is it possible to have them moved?