We're American Airlines Gold AAdvantage ...

[RonaldCol]

We made it to Gold AAdvantage because of our extensive mileage ... over 25,000 miles on American Airlines this year! Hooray!!!!

So, we started using our benefits .... by checking in on our recent flights using the Business Class check-in lines. Instead of waiting for up to 20 minutes to check our luggage through the regular lines, we sped along in less than five minutes. Then they addressed us when we boarded our planes by our names. In this day and age if anybody remembers your name you're lucky! We haven't figured out how to upgrade to first class or business class from coach yet; flying long flights with real reclining seats are a huge benefit.

We're starting to figure out how Mileage Runs (MRs) are done. Crazy, but this is one unexpected benefit of getting upgraded.

[Pat H]

Congrats. I'm AA Gold down from Platinum last year. I'm still debating if I should do a MR to retain Gold for 2006. Don't have much time left in the year to do one though.

Other Gold benefits - for every 10,000 miles you fly, you get 4 500 mile upgrades. The timeframe for getting the 10,000 miles is March 1-Feb 28 not the calendar year. I hope you and the Mrs. get 10,000 miles in before Feb. 28. You can book exit row seats when you buy your ticket. You have more FF seats available to you. You get 25% more miles each time you fly. You get to board in the first group while there is still overhead space available. I love being elite. I'm so spoiled.

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by RonaldCol

We made it to Gold AAdvantage because of our extensive mileage ... over 25,000 miles on American Airlines this year! Hooray!!!!

Good job! I'm sure you will enjoy the added benefits. Nothing like not having to wait in long lines every time you go the counter at the airport. Add to that your free upgrades and you are in very good shape for your trips next year. Actually, your gold status is valid until Feb 28th, 2007 and it will be extended for another year as soon as you requalify next year.

[Carolinian]

Elite status in indeed useful to have. With most airlines, you also have an advantage in snagging ff award seats, which is a real benefit. Preboarding before other coach passengers is also very helpful. You don't have to worry if there will be enough space in the luggage bins.

I am currently mid-tier elite on NW, and have in the past been mid-tier elite on DL and US. I believe every domestic carrier gives double milage to mid-tier elites, which is a big plus in building up your milage balance.

At 25K miles, it appears that Gold on AA is lower tier elite. Most US based carriers give a 25% bonus on actual miles flown to lower tier elites, although NW gives a 50% bonus.

The upgrades are a real plus. In the old days with DL, they had System Wide Upgrades (SWU's) which were really great and could be used on trans-Atlantic flights to upgrade to business class, but were discontinued a few years ago. When I was a DL gold medallion, I got domestic upgrades about 30-40% of the time. As a NW elite, I have been upgraded on every single domestic NW paid flight I have been on, and even once on an award ticket.
NW does it automatically, so you don't have to request it like you did at DL.

You also sometimes get operational upgrades. If economy is oversold and they have extra space in business class, they move some elites up to business class to accomodate all those holding economy tickets. I have gotten operational upgrades trans-Atlantic 4 or 5 times on DL and once on NW. Sometimes that happens on partner airlines. Once flying on Air France metal on an Air France ticket, I got an operational upgrade from Washington Dulles to Paris because of my DL elite status.

[aleksir]

Congrats!

I remember the first time I made Gold on AA. We used our check-in benefits on our first trip to Asia. Cathay pilots were actually on strike, so our flight out of Hong Kong was canceled. Due to our status, we got put up in a 5* in Kowloon, chauffeured Mercedes, the whole works

I'm less than 5000 miles from my lifetime Gold, which I should make by the end of the year. Charging the new TS helped

To find out more about playing the status game - check our www.flyertalk.com. A wealth of information, much like TUG.

AA Platinum
Starwood Platinum

[RonaldCol]

Originally Posted by Pedro

Good job! I'm sure you will enjoy the added benefits. Nothing like not having to wait in long lines every time you go the counter at the airport. Add to that your free upgrades and you are in very good shape for your trips next year. Actually, your gold status is valid until Feb 28th, 2007 and it will be extended for another year as soon as you requalify next year.

I didn't know the requalification period was until Feb 28, of 2007. Thought it was 2006. Well, that's one less thing to worry about since there's now an extra year to rack up more mileage on AA. Let's see ... we're flying to LA again from our home hub of Chicago ... then to Puerto Rico on another trip ... then to Las Vegas on another trip ... then might be going to Shanghai on AA's inaugural flight sometimes next year .... yep, looks like it will be a piece of cake.

[aleksir]

Originally Posted by RonaldCol

I didn't know the requalification period was until Feb 28, of 2007. Thought it was 2006.

Your current Gold status is valid until Feb 07. Requalification is via calendar year - 12/31/06.

[Bajanswife]

Lucky you! DH doesn't travel as much as he used to, and hasn't made Gold status for a couple of years now - I really miss it!!

[RonaldCol]

With the strategies I learned on reducing our costs of timeshare accomodations on this website and the help of other TUG members my wife and I have managed to reduce our costs for timeshare accommodations to relatively nothing, or close to it. In fact, if we wanted to, we could make a slight profit and vacation 90 days a year with the information accumulated from this website.

Now, with my novice's knowledge of air travel, and the FlyerTalk.com website, I'm now on my way to getting free air travel. The creation of Mileage Runs (MR) by booking different connecting flights just to accumulate frequent flyer miles seemed to be exercises not only in frustration but also in stupidity.

After studying how these MRs are done efficiently, i.e. fewer hours traveled on airplanes and fewer dollars spent on airplane tickets, I can see HUGE benefits.

As a published author with a ready audience of my writings I can see myself just sitting on airplanes to accumulate traveled miles for free future flights and typing away on my laptop. I write at home, at my office, so why not write on a two hour flight? AND have the opportunity to spend a few days between flights in London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Berlin, Amsterdam, New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and other myriad cities?

Ain't the internet great?

[TomCayman]

Don't expect to get too many confirmed upgrades with Gold status... Platinum and Executive Platinum have priority over you.

If you can fly 50,000 miles per year, Platinum status is well worth it :
- 100% mileage bonus (not 25%)
- Increased upgrade priority
- Use of First Class check ins (important at hub airports)
- Use of lounges on any One World carrier on international flights (which means Asia or Europe, not Caribbean/Mexico).

Oh, and if you earn 1,000,000 miles, you are Gold for life , 2MM for lifetime Platinum... get flying !

[RonaldCol]

Originally Posted by TomCayman

Don't expect to get too many confirmed upgrades with Gold status... Platinum and Executive Platinum have priority over you.

If you can fly 50,000 miles per year, Platinum status is well worth it :
- 100% mileage bonus (not 25%)
- Increased upgrade priority
- Use of First Class check ins (important at hub airports)
- Use of lounges on any One World carrier on international flights (which means Asia or Europe, not Caribbean/Mexico).

Oh, and if you earn 1,000,000 miles, you are Gold for life , 2MM for lifetime Platinum... get flying !

I'm 56 so if I can expect to fly for the next ten years I'll need to rack up 100,000 miles a year to get to 1,000,000 cumulated miles in order to qualify for Gold for life. That'll take me to 66. Hmmm. Looks like I'm going to have to get a few MRs in a year for that.

Platinum status? You must be joking. Maybe I can start my 17 year old son on this program now.

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by RonaldCol

I'm 56 so if I can expect to fly for the next ten years I'll need to rack up 100,000 miles a year to get to 1,000,000 cumulated miles in order to qualify for Gold for life. That'll take me to 66. Hmmm. Looks like I'm going to have to get a few MRs in a year for that.

Platinum status? You must be joking. Maybe I can start my 17 year old son on this program now.

In AA all the miles count towards the lifetime Gold or Platinum Status. That is: miles flown, bonus miles (25% or 100% bonus), AAdvantage credit card, etc. It is not at hard as it seems.

[Pat H]

Originally Posted by Pedro

In AA all the miles count towards the lifetime Gold or Platinum Status. That is: miles flown, bonus miles (25% or 100% bonus), AAdvantage credit card, etc. It is not at hard as it seems.

I'm at 800,000 now and really chomping at the bit to get to 1 million. Most of those miles have been from other than flying. Credit card spending is the big one for me.

[Pat H]

Originally Posted by RonaldCol

With the strategies I learned on reducing our costs of timeshare accomodations on this website and the help of other TUG members my wife and I have managed to reduce our costs for timeshare accommodations to relatively nothing, or close to it. In fact, if we wanted to, we could make a slight profit and vacation 90 days a year with the information accumulated from this website.

Now, with my novice's knowledge of air travel, and the FlyerTalk.com website, I'm now on my way to getting free air travel. The creation of Mileage Runs (MR) by booking different connecting flights just to accumulate frequent flyer miles seemed to be exercises not only in frustration but also in stupidity.

After studying how these MRs are done efficiently, i.e. fewer hours traveled on airplanes and fewer dollars spent on airplane tickets, I can see HUGE benefits.

As a published author with a ready audience of my writings I can see myself just sitting on airplanes to accumulate traveled miles for free future flights and typing away on my laptop. I write at home, at my office, so why not write on a two hour flight? AND have the opportunity to spend a few days between flights in London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Berlin, Amsterdam, New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and other myriad cities?

Ain't the internet great?

If you haven't been to Singapore, it's a great city for a mileage run. We're there now. My first time here and I'm entranced. The biggest surprise is the fabulous Christmas decorations and hearing Christmas songs being broadcast outside.

[RonaldCol]

Originally Posted by Pat H

If you haven't been to Singapore, it's a great city for a mileage run. We're there now. My first time here and I'm entranced. The biggest surprise is the fabulous Christmas decorations and hearing Christmas songs being broadcast outside.

Singapore is one of the cities I will want to visit in the near term.

From my limited understanding of Mileage Runs (MRs), there is hardly a chance to stopover in some cities that comprise the MR for more than a few hours if you are flying domestically. If you're flying international, then it's possible to stopover for up to 23 hours before that segment of the MR is considered a layover. If this is the case, then trying to integrate some sightseeing of a few days in the MR is not possible. Can someone correct me on this?

[Sandy Lovell]

I am lifetime gold on AA, and am about to drop to Gold for the first time in years. I have always been platinum or Executive Platinum.

I have 1,231,925 so only 768,075 to go to hit the 2 Million Mile club.

I need to change jobs and start flying again, or I will never make it.

[RonaldCol]

Originally Posted by Sandy Lovell

I am lifetime gold on AA, and am about to drop to Gold for the first time in years. I have always been platinum or Executive Platinum.

I have 1,231,925 so only 768,075 to go to hit the 2 Million Mile club.

I need to change jobs and start flying again, or I will never make it.

If you do MRs at about 20,000 miles each, you can do it in 35 trips this year. For this to work you might as welll get glued to the seat.

[Carolinian]

Originally Posted by Pat H

I'm at 800,000 now and really chomping at the bit to get to 1 million. Most of those miles have been from other than flying. Credit card spending is the big one for me.

With over half a million miles on three bankrupt airlines (DL, NW, UA), I am not hoarding miles. I even did something this year I have never done before, which is use miles three times for tickets in shoulder season to Europe. I guess I am holding back my AA miles in preference to the other three.

I have hit the 800K level a number of times, but always burn enough that I have never been a miles millionaire. I never seem to get below 500K on the other end.

[Carolinian]

Originally Posted by Sandy Lovell

I am lifetime gold on AA, and am about to drop to Gold for the first time in years. I have always been platinum or Executive Platinum.

I have 1,231,925 so only 768,075 to go to hit the 2 Million Mile club.

I need to change jobs and start flying again, or I will never make it.

The color codes vary by airline. Gold is mid-tier elite on many airlines, but lowest tier on AA.

When I bailed out of DL after the (since rescinded) elite program changes a few years ago, I looked at moving to AA, but their lousy partnership arrangements with their European partners do not make them very attractive for someone who does much travelling to Europe and prefers flying European carriers when they can. I also like the fact that NW is the only US-based carrier that still gives free alcohol across the pond in coach (something every European carrier I am familiar with still does).

[Carolyn]

Do the miles that I have deposited into my AA ff acct from the Starwood AMEX count toward anything? We maxed out the AA card this year. I didn't realize I could only get a maximum of 60K miles from that credit card. Thanks.

[Jaybee]

Hi, Pat....I hope you'll write about your visit to Singapore. We're going there in January, just for 5 days. I was really bummed to find out our tickets don't qualify for FF miles , but the price was too good to pass up. I'll be very interested to hear about your experiences there.

Originally Posted by Pat H

If you haven't been to Singapore, it's a great city for a mileage run. We're there now. My first time here and I'm entranced. The biggest surprise is the fabulous Christmas decorations and hearing Christmas songs being broadcast outside.

[Pat H]

Originally Posted by Carolinian

With over half a million miles on three bankrupt airlines (DL, NW, UA), I am not hoarding miles. I even did something this year I have never done before, which is use miles three times for tickets in shoulder season to Europe. I guess I am holding back my AA miles in preference to the other three.

I have hit the 800K level a number of times, but always burn enough that I have never been a miles millionaire. I never seem to get below 500K on the other end.

Carolinian, you misunderstood my post. Right now I only have 9600 AA miles. I think the most I have ever had at one time was less than 200,000. I use miles a lot for upgrades and this year, I sent my daughter and SIL first class for their honeymoon. To be lifetime Gold on AA, you need to have been credited with a total of 1,000,000 miles during your particpation in the program.

[Pat H]

Originally Posted by Carolyn

Do the miles that I have deposited into my AA ff acct from the Starwood AMEX count toward anything? We maxed out the AA card this year. I didn't realize I could only get a maximum of 60K miles from that credit card. Thanks.

Yes, they count towards lifetime miles. If you have status with AA, there is no limit on the amount of miles you can earn on the AA credit card. Actually the Starwood Amex is better because you get a 25% bonus when you transfer 20,000 miles to AA and other airlines.

[Pat H]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

Hi, Pat....I hope you'll write about your visit to Singapore. We're going there in January, just for 5 days. I was really bummed to find out our tickets don't qualify for FF miles , but the price was too good to pass up. I'll be very interested to hear about your experiences there.

Hi Jean, don't have too much to tell since we only had one full day there. Got in just around midnight on Saturday after the 11 hour flight from Tokyo. Actually wasn't a bad flight, since I slept part of the way. We were in business so we had 2 meals and 6 or 7 movies that are shown continuously. Plenty of taxis were available at the airport. We stayed at the Marriott and it was about 20 minutes or so by taxi. The city was decorated with lots of lights and elaborate decorations. We decided to walk around a little before bed. There were plenty of people on the street but it wasn't crowded or noisy. The sidewalks and streets are wide. It felt very safe and it sure was clean.

On Saturday we took the hop on/hop off bus. It's $8 in Singapore dollars which is about $5 US. There is a map which is very easy to follow and the various stops are announced in English. We went to the Raffles hotel and had Singapore Slings at the Long Bar. Very tasty. We walked from there to the shopping center where the world's largest fountain is. The fountain itself is big but not the water spray. We then got back on the bus and went to Chinatown and visited the Temple and walked around. It is very humid and warm so that was all we did. Went back to the hotel for awhile. Walked around at dinner time and it was extremely crowded. Lots of people and traffic. We had to get up at 4:00 AM for our early flight back. I loved it and want to go back and spend a few more days.

Bring an umbrella with you. It rains just about every day at some point.

[Jaybee]

Thanks, Pat... Any little info helps. We've loved the hop-on, hop-off buses in other places, and it's nice to know the cost. We're going on a Globotours trip Jan 10, for 5 days, and want to make the most of it, if we can stay awake and alert. Lucky you, in Business Class. I hope the economy seats are "sleepable".
Of course, we must go to Raffles for Singapore Slings, too. LOL!
At least we'll be able to stay at the Ritz Carlton, which is some consolation to the lack of FF miles, but not a whole lot.
I hope you're all rested up now. That must be some kind of jet lag.