Value of Elite Status on American Airlines: Priceless
@ 6:21 am
“In the right seat, getting there can be half the fun.” – Executive Platinum Program Guide
I did it! I ended the year with 101,816 elite qualifying miles granting me Executive Platinum status on American Airlines for the flying year of 2008!
How did I do it? Do you remember the mileage run I mentioned a couple of weeks ago? Well, I didn’t actually do a mileage run for the pure sake of the miles. Instead I cancelled my award ticket (free and doesn’t count for miles) for our holiday trip to see my family in Ohio and rebooked it as a regular (albeit very expensive) coach ticket. Jeanine still flew for free but because one of us had a paid ticket, they went ahead and upgraded both of us to first class.
What did this ticket cost me? $850. Before everyone gasps and chastises me for blowing a boat-load of money… hear me out. If you divide $850 by 14 months (I’m guaranteed Executive Platinum status through the end of Feb 2009), this comes to $60.71 per month. Pennies in my opinion for this perk. Some of you spend more on lattes every month.
Why did I do it? For the eight complimentary systemwide upgrades. You see, I have plenty of 500-mile upgrades in my account (over 30, yes thirty!), but these are only valid on North America flights and I rarely get to use them… that’s why I have so many sitting there unused in my account. But the systemwide upgrades allow me to get an advance confirmed upgrade when I book an international flight. So at the end of January, when I’m heading to Japan, I’m hoping the ten hours from Los Angeles to Tokyo will be in Business Class. Rinse and repeat on the seven other international flights I’ll likely be taking in 2008.
For four years, I’ve been flying coach all over the world. That’s how it works when you work for a start-up. Coach tickets. Name a city in Europe. I’ve been there via coach. Name a city in Asia. I’ve been there via coach. And after every trip, I have the swollen ankles to prove it.
For sixty bucks a month, it’s worth being able to put my feet up! And if some cute flight attendant fluffs my pillow and offers me a hot towel… well, that’s a gift with purchase. Executive Platinum status is priceless and I’m going to love every flying minute of it.
December 31st, 2007 at 9:02 am
Looks like you better rename the blog Queerdollaz, Nina, because you’re a balla
December 31st, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Congratulations on getting your status and simultaneously not wearing yourself out with an unnecessary trip! The only person I know who may travel more often than you is a distant cousin. He had so many miles he treated his parents and my parents to free airfare to Australia, and still had more left over than he wanted to use.
January 1st, 2008 at 7:11 am
A.J.: I’m not young and hip like you so I had to look up balla in the Urban Dictionary to know its meaning for sure. And then, of course, I laughed.
Larry: You’re the only friend that has seen the bright side of going to Ohio and not wearing myself out with an unnecessary trip.
January 1st, 2008 at 11:24 am
I knew you’d find a way to do it! Sounds like it’s definitely worth it.
November 10th, 2008 at 8:20 am
[...] Last year, I was 2,602 miles shy of Executive Platinum status on American Airlines so I did a mileage run. What’s a mileage run? Travel novice, listen up! A mileage run, as articulated by Wikipedia, is: A paid airline trip designed solely for gaining maximum frequent flyer miles and/or points for no other reason than to gain the miles and/or points… Another common reason to take a mileage run is to (re-)qualify for an elite level. Suppose that in a particular frequent flyer program, 70,000 yearly miles are required for Platinum status. If a person calculates that his or her business travel will net them only 65,000 miles, they might be tempted to take a mileage run in order to cover the difference and re-qualify for elite status. Indeed, such requalification may very well net the person much more frequent flyer miles the following year. [...]