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[edit] AAdvantage Elite Status
There are three levels of AAdvantage Elite Status: Gold (GLD), Platinum (PLT), and Executive Platinum (EXP). AA.com now provides a chart summarizing qualification levels and elite benefits.
[edit] Elite Status Qualification Period
AAdvantage elite status is granted when the appropriate requirements are met within one calendar year (January 1 - December 31). Status earning is cumulative within the same calendar year and you do not "reset" to base zero upon achieving the next status level. However, status earning does not carry over into the next calendar year, and everyone resets to base zero on January 1.
In contrast, AA defines their elite status membership year as March 1 through the last day of February the following year. A status level can be attained at any time during the calendar year and carries through the current calendar year and following membership year. So, for example, if you qualify for PLT status anytime in 2009, your status will last through February 28, 2011 (unless you requalify in the 2010 calendar year, in which case it will last through Feb.28, 2012).
[edit] Qualifying for Yearly Elite Status
There are three ways to qualify for yearly AA Elite Status: Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM), Elite Qualifying Points (EQP), or Elite Qualifying Segments (EQS). Do not confuse EQM with redeemable miles (RDM) that you may earn from Non-Air Mileage or bonus miles - EQM are earned only by flying. See Miles and Points for details and examples of mileage and point calculations. See the AA.com Elite Status Qualification page for official rules.
| Qualification Method | Gold | Platinum | Executive Platinum |
| Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) | 25K | 50K | 100K |
| Elite Qualifying Points (EQP) | 25K | 50K | 100K |
| Elite Qualifying Segments (EQS) | 30 | 60 | 100 |
Your qualifying flight will accrue elite bonus mileage in accordance with your new elite level. Subsequent mileage bonus calculations will be made in the proper sequence even though your new status may not yet be processed and is not showing on AA.com. Call AA if you need to use your status in the days before it has been processed (to request an upgrade for example).
[edit] Gold and Platinum Challenge
A popular way for individuals to get status quickly when they start flying with AA is to take either the Gold or Platinum Challenge. There is no Executive Platinum Challenge.
[edit] Benefits of Elite Status
There are many benefits to having Elite Status documented at AA.com.
| Benefit | Gold | Platinum | Executive Platinum |
| Hotline | 800-848-4653 | 800-843-3000 | 800-843-6200 |
| In-flight Reservations Hotline | *044 | *055 | *066 |
| Book Exit Row | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 4 Domestic Upgrade "Stickers" every 10K miles | Yes | Yes | No |
| Complimentary Domestic Upgrade | No | No | Yes |
| Domestic Upgrade Clearing Window | 24 hours | 72 hours | 100 hours |
| Check-In (AA) | Business** | First | First |
| Check-In (oneworld) | Business | Business | First |
| Admirals Club Discount | $50 | $100 | $150 |
| oneworld Tier | Ruby | Sapphire | Emerald |
| Lounge Access based on Status for Int'l Travel* | None | Business | First |
| Boarding (if seated in main cabin) | Priority AAccess | Plat/EXP | Plat/EXP |
| Mileage Bonus*** | 25% | 100% | 100% |
| VIP Systemwide Upgrades | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Waived AAdvantage Award Fees | No | No | 21 Days in Advance |
| Expanded MileSAAver award availability | No | No | Yes |
| Guaranteed Economy Seating on Sold-Out Flights | No | No | 24 Hour Notice |
| Priority Waitlist for Purchased Business/First Seats | No | No | 24 Hour Notice |
| Luggage Tags per Year | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Free drink (1) & snacks on American Eagle**** | Unknown | Yes | Yes |
*Must be departing on a oneworld operated/marketed flight that day. Excludes AAdvantage members traveling on solely North American itineraries. North America is defined as U.S. (including Hawaii and Alaska), Canada, Mexico (except Mexico City), Bermuda, The Bahamas, and the Caribbean.
**In airports without Business Class check-in, AAdvantage Gold members may use First Class check-in.
***Elite status bonus miles on all eligible American Airlines and codeshares, as well as Alaska and eligible partner airlines. Exceptions: Japan Airlines, Malév, and effective March 1, 2008, British Airways.
****This is a new policy push, as indicated by flight attendants, but may not be formalized in benefits documentation. Previously, flight attendants were allowed to do this, but there was no policy encouraging it. As American Eagle takes on longer routes, they are trying to better serve elite members.
[edit] Lifetime Status
An undocumented benefit of the AAdvantage program is the ability to get lifetime Gold and Platinum status. Before you ask - there is no such thing as lifetime Executive Platinum status. Unlike the yearly status qualification where only EQM/EQP/segments qualify you, for lifetime status all miles count - including the ones accrued by credit card purchases. See Non-Air Mileage for ways to earn miles without flying.
As an undocumented bonus, it is subject to change at any time.
| Benefits | 1 Million Miles | 2 Million Miles | Each Subsequent Million |
| Status | Lifetime Gold | Lifetime Platinum | Lifetime Platinum |
| Luggage Tags | 2 Gold Tags (or current level, if higher) | 2 Platinum Tags (ditto) | 2 Platinum Tags (ditto) |
| Upgrades | 8 Stickers (or 4 VIPs for customers with 'international' addresses1) | 4 VIPs | 4 VIPs |
1When the million mile status is processed, members with addresses in Europe, South America, Asia, Australia/NZ, Africa will get VIPs. Members with addresses in Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, Bahamas, Caribbean and Central America will receive stickers. Changing your address may or may not result in the award of VIPs instead of stickers, and may violate the terms of the AAdvantage program.
It takes about 2-3 weeks after your qualifying flight for your million-mile status to be recognized by the system.
[edit] Prepaid Travel Card
In 2006, AA offered a Prepaid Travel Card declining balance card, where you could immediately get status by purchasing a prepaid travel card. The Prepaid Travel Card was reintroduced in 2008 (last date to purchase was March 31, 2008,) with the following details:
| Elite Level | Gold | Platinum | Executive Platinum |
| Initial Account Balance | $5,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
The 2008 card confers status through February 2009. A notable change in the 2007 and 2008 programs is formal assurance of a "soft landing," which has long applied to status earned in the usual manner, and which lets you drop down one level at a time.
See discussion of the 2006 program and discussion of the 2007 program.
The Prepaid Travel Card was not offered again in 2009.
[edit] Status Match
On occasion AA will do a status match to Gold or Platinum if a member has elite status on another airline. Typically, AA offers this to corporate travel desks as a perk. If your company has a travel desk, it is definitely worthwhile to inquire with them. If you have a travel agent who brings a lot of business to AA, he or she might be able to help as well. In addition, a status match is an official benefit offered with the Merrill+ Card at the +2 level ($20k in annual spend). Looks like merrill+ is no longer offering this advantage per their website. Based off of recent data points (09/2008), it appears that you will not be able to get status just by calling up AA and asking for a match.
Although there does not seem be any published rules, there is a FT thread (second thread) with some anecdotal information. There is also a FT thread indicating that under extremely special circumstances, AA would match up to EXP status.
[edit] Exception Policy
There is an unofficial exception policy for members who come close to qualifying, but don't quite make it. Note that you cannot request an exception before the end of the qualifying year and by then it is too late to fly more if the exception is not granted. The automatic exceptions have been as follows in previous years:
- 24,500 miles or points for Gold Status
- 49,000 miles or points for Platinum Status
- 99,000 miles or points for Executive Platinum Status
There have also been older reports of manual exceptions to get Executive Platinum if the member has flown 95,000 miles and has accrued 90,000 points. You will have to call for a manual exception. (N.B.: Reports of this exception all date back to the early days of the points system, when only paid First and Business fares earned more than 1 point/mile. Since then the point/mile ratio has been liberalized, with all fares from B (slightly discounted economy) and up earning 1.5 points/mile. Six more heavily discounted economy fares now earn 1.0 point/mile. A 90/95 ratio of points to miles no longer indicates heavy spending as it once did. As of late 2008, nobody has reported obtaining an exception on this basis for years. There is reason to doubt it still exists.)
The Exception Policy can change at any time.
[edit] Soft Landing Policy
In prior years (including the 2009 membership year), AA has had a "Soft Landing" feature which means that if you fail to requalify for a given status level, you will only drop down one level at a time. This is not a publicized aspect of the program, although it is mentioned on the Irish version of the AA website. At this time, (April 2009), it's not known how long this will continue.
[edit] Buy-Back Program
In 2009 and previous years, AA has offered a Buy-Back Program for elites who have failed to requalify for status in the preceding year.
The 2009 offer notes the following eligibility rules: "All current AAdvantage Platinum and AAdvantage Gold members who earned their 2008 elite status^ are eligible to participate in this offer provided they have flown at least one elite qualifying segment during 2008. Members who participated in the 2008 offer are not eligible to extend their status through this offer for the 2009 membership year."
- Gold members pay $349 or $449 (depending on mileage/segments flown in preceding year - breakpoint is 20,000 miles or 24 segments)
- Platinum members pay $549 or $649 (depending on mileage/segments flown in preceding year - breakpoint is 40,000 miles or 48 segments)
- Executive Platinum members are not eligible for the program (but will only drop to Platinum in any case)
- Members who participated in the previous year are not eligible
- Prepaid Travel Card members are not eligible
The Buy-Back Program can change at any time; it is unknown (Apr 2009) if it will again be offered in 2010, and what the pricing will be.
[edit] ConciergeKey
ConciergeKey Services are provided to a select group of VIPs to facilitate travel on AA. The program is offered on an invitation basis only and is targeted at customers who control travel policy for large organizations. Services provided include airport escorts and assistance with reroutes, flight changes, seat changes, and upgrade requests. ConciergeKey status is not linked to elite status.
