i got this from bootsnall.com
Skyehiker
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Posted 22 November 2005 19:24 Hide Post
I'd say one of the best kept secrets to a more pleasant flying experience, while also one of the best kept secrets to earning more FF miles per flight (more FREE flights!!), is the un-published "challenge" that one can do to snag elite status on American Airlines & it's OneWorld partners. One year, I challenged my way to Gold. Then, I challenged my way to Platinum. So very worth it: pass up the lines at the ticket counters & at security, snag the better seats in advance, priority on standby, access to the airline's VIP lounges at airports (showers,food, booze, wireless, etc.), bonus miles on flights. Example: On a $500, 13-thousand-mile trip to Japan snagged me twenty-six thousand miles--more than enough for a free trip across the US ($500 bucks for a trip to Japan and a trip across the US is a very good deal) In the "Frequent Flier" thread in the Chit-Chat discussion, I posted this info. on how to do it. NO, I don't work for the airline...it's just something that has been a huge God-send to me, that--for the savvy BnAer who wants to milk his/her air travel for all he/she can get out of it, and enjoy from it, and save $$ on it, it's worth the homework:
It's one of those things with an explanation that SEEMS a lot more complicated than it is. Bear with this...it's really a LOT easier than it sounds at first. And, once you've done it, and done your homework to get it, you'll be sooooo very glad you did, and swear you'll never go back. The thing about elite status on any airline is that it always seems it's harder to GET initially than to KEEP once you've got it. It could be as simple as looking at one international trip you've got coming up, and if it's on American or one of American's partners, signing up for a challenge to get "points" for that trip...and a few days after you've come back--you'll be at either Gold or Platinum on AA, and will be SOOO glad you did when you're next journey comes around.
It is a completely UNPUBLISHED thing that American Airlines does...you won't find it advertised or discussed anywhere on American's website. That also means that you can call three American Airlines AAdvantage Customer Service agents and get three different explanations of how it works, as they're a little unclear on their own rules sometimes.
You can "challenge" your way to either their Gold or Platinum Elite Levels: Gold normally requires you fly BIS (butt in seat) 25k in a year, Plat normally requires that you fly 50k in a year. However, you can challenge your way to Gold by earning 5k elite qualifying points within a 90 day period. Or, you can challenge your way to Platinum by earning 10k elite-qualifying points within a 90 day period. What are those elite qualifying points? You earn so many qualifying points per mile based on the type of fare you have. Don't just think of the class or service you're in (like First, Business, or Coach) but the type of first, business (or--more to the average BnA traveler---) coach fare you've paid for (not upgraded to, or used an AWARD ticket on, but PAID for). Each fare has a "booking class" or booking code, that's one letter. You can usually see it on the fare rules for whatever fare you're looking at. Here are a few examples from the fares that American and some of their partners use:
First Class A, F, P 1.50
Business Class D, I, J 1.50
Full Fare Economy Class B, Y 1.50
(Now, onto the stuff that most BnAers REALLY want to see...)
Discount Economy Class H, K, M, L, W, V 1.00
Deep Discount Economy Class G, Q**, N, O**, S 0.50
[** Tickets between North America and Europe, India, Asia and Latin America booked in O and Transatlantic tickets booked in Q are not eligible. Excludes Internet fares noted as non-mileage earning. ]
I've GOT to point out that many times, the difference between discount and deep discount isn't always that huge, and sometimes it's worth slapping down a few extra bucks for the extra points it earns.
So, let's say you've snagged a really cheap "S" fare from Los Angeles to London & back. That's flying 10,092 miles. You'll earn .5 points per mile flown, so you'll earn at least 5,000 points...that trip alone would qualify you for Gold status! Or, you realize that for another $100, you could snag an H fare instead, so you do, and...shazam...that one trip earns you Platinum status.
Or, maybe you live in L.A. and you're taking a couple of trips to the East Coast on a couple of good G fares, and you decide to thrown in a connection or two instead of going non-stop, to earn as many points as you can on those trips, and shazam, you're Gold status. (flying thru Seattle on the way to New York from L.A. earns a lot more miles--and thus a lot more points---than an L.A./NYC non-stop)
Or, maybe you're in L.A. and you're taking a couple of trips to the East Coast on a couple of cheap H fares, and you throw in a connection or two--maybe even one that seems kind of' outta' the way, but for the extra miles it's worth it--and, shazam, you're Platinum status.
Or, maybe you're in L.A., and you book a trip to be on the East Coast for two months, with a trip or two back to L.A. in between....you could be Gold or Plat depending on the fare you buy.
Here’s a slightly more complicated example, for the kind of long hauls that some BnAers do: Let's say you've snagged a really cheap W fare from LAX to London on American, then a cheap S fare on British Airways onward to Johannesburg. You'll snag one point per mile on the trip to London, but only half a point per mile going from London to South Africa and back. So, you'd definitely make Gold status...BUT, you'd only be a few thousand points shy of Platinum: So, within your 90 days, you should do another short hop or two, at home or at your destination to finish off those points (maybe a trip home for Christmas, or a British Airways flight to somewhere in Europe & back before returning to L.A., who knows...).
Once you've started, you only have 90 days to do all the flying you're going to use to count for your challenge: So, you have to carefully time when you start your challenge with when you're flying. You can start a challenge at either the beginning of a month, or halfway thru a month. So, if you're taking that long haul to Auckland in late February, you don't want to begin your challenge now in mid-November, because your 90 days will be over by then. But, if you're in San Diego and flying to Frankfurt in late February, and from L.A. up to Seattle for a weekend in early Marcy, you may want to time your challenge to include that Seattle trip, if those extra thousand points or so would be needed.
The benefits from the Gold and Platinum levels are really worth it to the frequent traveler---you'll get those shorter lines at the ticket counters & at security, you'll get to pick better seats (including exit rows!) in advance...and you'll earn bonus miles for each flight you take once you've made the status. That adds up financially, since every flight you take is earning your way at a faster rate to your next "free" ticket. For example, at Platinum status, I get a 100% bonus for each flight I take. Throw in the occasional bonus miles promotions that airlines do and that really adds up: I'm doing a $300 trip to Ireland soon, that will snag me 25k (12k for the miles I fly, 12K for that 100% bonus, and 1k for booking in online)...that's a free trip in the U.S. At Platinum status, you also get access to the OneWorld alliance airport lounges internationally (and American's clubs domestically) on the day you fly...that's a God-send when you're flight's delayed and you need to chill out, take a shower, grab some "free" drinks/food, etc. I could go on, but I think I've dumped enough info. into one post for now.
I should stop and let that digest, and then check back. I know it sounds complicated, but it's not as hard as it seems...VERY do-able for anyone who LOVES travel and the perks are SO very worth it. (Maybe in another post I'll elaborate on the perks...)
Go for it!!!!
--Skyehiker
