The EXP agent didn't know an transferred me to AAdvantage customer service. I'm on hold right now. Pre-EXP Miles Toward Elite Upgrades balance was X8,683. Thanks!

I was just told no on the flight that crosses EXP. I was also told no on any pro-rated sticker credit. I've been given pro-rated stickers at the beginning of March as Plat but they wouldn't budge on this. I understand their reasoning but since EXPs still need stickers to upgrade companions but can't earn stickers, it seems a bit like a catch-22, oh well.

Why is it Catch 22? You had to "pay" (with stickers) for companion upgrades before EXP, and you still do.

But before you could earn stickers, now you can't.

I think it's also partly just me getting used to the whole sticker concept. It's still taking me a while to learn/adjust. Thanks for all of the help you've provided me BTW and your patience in answering my multitudes of AA related questions. I didn't mean to come across as complaining. OK maybe a little bit

<i>But before you could earn stickers, now you can't.</i>

And you had to in order to get yourself upgraded. The companion bit was an additional benefit of elite status - if you had enough stickers saved up you could use them for a companion ONLY if you were in the same class of service, i.e. had either paid for a premium cabin or used your own miles or stickers to upgrade. Earning them was a means to an end - getting the FFer - you - upgraded.

Now you don't have to earn them any more - the upgrades come for free. But not free to the companion. For AA to let you continue to amass stickers - which you don't need - while in EXP status is basically giving upgrades away to non-elite companions. Why would they want to do that? <i>You're</i> the important customer, not the companion.

That makes sense, thanks.