Many journey loyalty applications supply the power to earn lifetime elite standing. Ordinarily elite standing must be earned on an annual foundation, so it certain is good to have the ability to not fear about requalifying for standing anymore.
I’ve written up to now about lifetime resort elite standing, together with with Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt. Now I’m looking on the lifetime standing tiers provided by main airways in america.
I’ve written about Alaska Mileage Plan lifetime standing, Delta SkyMiles lifetime standing, and United MileagePlus lifetime standing, so now let’s check out American AAdvantage lifetime standing. In the event you ask me, American presents the weakest lifetime elite program of the “large three” carriers in america (by far).
How one can earn American AAdvantage lifetime standing
American AAdvantage’s million miler program is weak. Whereas Delta and United allow you to earn lifetime top-tier elite standing, American solely enables you to earn the 2 entry degree standing tiers with the million miler program. I simply don’t see this system as being a lot of an incentive to be loyal to American Airways in the long term.
Qualifying for American’s lifetime elite standing relies on the gap of flights for journey on American marketed flights, plus the bottom miles earned for journey on eligible associate marketed flights. Which means that class of service bonuses, promotional miles, miles earned via bank cards, and so on., all don’t depend towards million miler standing.
Now let’s go over American’s million miler elite thresholds.
Lifetime American AAdvantage Gold standing (a million miler)
Those that earn a million miler standing with American Airways obtain AAdvantage Gold standing for all times, plus 35,000 bonus AAdvantage miles. Gold is American AAdvantage’s entry-level elite standing.
Lifetime American AAdvantage Platinum standing (two million miler)
Those that earn two million miler standing with American Airways obtain AAdvantage Platinum standing for all times, plus 4 systemwide upgrades, which can be utilized to improve any American Airways flight. Platinum is American AAdvantage’s lower-mid-tier standing.
Rewards for additional American AAdvantage million miler thresholds
Whereas AAdvantage Platinum standing is the very best lifetime elite standing that you could earn, you do obtain 4 further one-way systemwide upgrades for every additional million miler threshold you cross, with no limits.
American AAdvantage lifetime standing FAQs
Whereas the above covers the fundamentals of American’s million miler program, let me reply among the questions individuals could have about this system.
Are you able to earn lifetime American standing with bank card spending?
These days bank card spending doesn’t contribute in any method towards million miler standing with American. Sure, you may earn Loyalty Factors with AAdvantage bank cards, however lifetime standing is now earned purely through “butt-in-seat” miles flown.
How will you verify your American million miler standing progress?
You may verify your progress towards million miler standing straight on American Airways’ web site. Simply log into your AAdvantage account, go to the “Your Exercise” part, and on the high proper you’ll see your million miler steadiness listed.
What counts towards American million miler standing?
These days solely flight distance on American operated flights, plus the bottom miles earned for journey on eligible associate marketed flights, depend towards AAdvantage million miler standing.
Do American million miler miles expire?
Miles towards million miler standing will proceed to accrue over the lifetime of your account. Not like Loyalty Factors, they don’t reset every year.
Additionally remember the fact that miles towards million miler standing are utterly separate from redeemable miles, as you may’t use million miler miles towards something. It’s merely a tally of what number of whole miles you’ve flown over time on eligible flights.
What are the advantages of AAdvantage Gold & Platinum standing?
AAdvantage Gold is American’s entry degree elite standing, and perks embody the next:
AAdvantage Platinum is American’s subsequent larger elite degree, and perks embody the next:
- Two free checked bag
- A 60% mileage bonus
- Primary Cabin Additional seats on the time of reserving
- oneworld Sapphire standing, which incorporates lounge entry on worldwide itineraries
- Complimentary upgrades inside North America on an area accessible foundation, as much as 48 hours upfront
American’s million miler program is uncompetitive
American’s million miler program is considerably much less rewarding than these of Delta and United, so let me first present a little bit of background.
Up till 2011, American counted all AAdvantage miles earned towards million miler standing. In different phrases, for those who earned two million miles with bank cards, you’d get AAdvantage Platinum standing for all times. On the time that was extraordinarily profitable, particularly since Platinum standing was extra priceless than it’s now. An American loyalist might simply earn two million miler standing with just some years of loyalty.
Then the principles modified in 2011, and solely “butt-in-seat” miles began counting towards lifetime standing, so it acquired rather more tough to earn. The issue is, the rewards didn’t enhance for these incomes lifetime standing “the arduous method.”
I’ve lengthy mentioned that I feel it’s time American overhaul its million miler program, as a result of it’s a lot worse than what’s provided by Delta and United:
I get the problem from American’s perspective. The airline has some members with closely inflated million miler totals, provided that again within the day all miles counted. There are positively some 10 million milers on the market, who haven’t truly flown American all that a lot.
What do I feel American ought to do? At an absolute minimal:
- Honor the million miler tiers that everybody has at present been issued
- Add lifetime Platinum Professional and Government Platinum standing at three million miler and 4 million miler, calculated utilizing the brand new system (based mostly on how a lot you’ve flown, quite than what number of miles you’ve earned)
I feel that must be absolutely the minimal. It certain can be superior if American provided lifetime Concierge Key standing or lifetime standing for a companion (like United), however I wouldn’t maintain my breath.
Backside line
American Airways’ million miler program presents elite standing for all times. You may earn AAdvantage Gold or Platinum standing after passing one or two million lifetime miles, respectively. After that, you earn at most 4 systemwide upgrades for every further million mile threshold crossed.
American’s million miler program is way weaker than what’s provided by Delta and United, and it’s probably not one thing to contemplate when deciding whether or not to be loyal or not. I want American would overhaul its lifetime standing program, and make it a bit extra aggressive.
What do you make of American Airways’ million miler program? How would you wish to see it improved?