HELP - I need tips on how to keep AA Platinum Status
 

I have AA Platinum status and this year I will fly across the Pacific twice and across the Atlantic once. I will have flown 40,000 miles after I make these trips, I need to fly 50,000 miles to keep my status for next year. I has been great accumulating double miles but I don't know if I should make a trip just to get the 10,000 miles I am missing, or if I should start redeeming my miles and give up Platinum status and get Gold status. What advise/comments can fodorites provide? Thanks in advance.

Post this question on the "Airline" forum (use the drop down box on the left hand side of the page). Hopefully AAFrequentFlyer will see it an give you and answer. He/she is the resident expert in this area.

try www.flyertalk.com/forum

go to the AA site and remember to search for your answer before you post a question...folks get testy if you don't do that first.

read about doing a platinum challenge, thats how me and hubby got our status

A_T....AAFF is a "he"......expert on other topics as well, particularly soccer..I've learned a ton about something I had zero knowledge of prior to reading his pposts on the Europe board regarding info on the upcoming World Cup, and other soccer events/info as well.

I've maintained my AA Platinum status for over ten years and have almost 3,000,000 AA miles so I am Platinum for life. I still fly between 50,000 to 75,000 miles on AA every year. All of my flying is leisure; I pay for the tickets myself.

The easiest was for me to fly at least 50,000 miles per year at the lowest cost, is to fly from the US (I'm out of AA homebase DFW)to Europe in the off-season (November through March). Each round-trip equates approximately 10,000 miles. AA has DFW to London for $333 plus taxes and DFW to CDG for $374 plus taxes from now until the end of February. Fares in November and December are usually around $400 to $500. Just fly to Europe for a long weekend two times this winter and you will have your 20,000 miles.

You should investigate FlyerTalk also and read the mileage run tips; you can schedule your flights through a number of connections and earn even more. For example, you can fly from MIA to DFW to ORD to CDG and get more miles than if you flew non-stop from MIA to CDG. FlyerTalk is an excellent resource; I've earned at least 250,000 miles just by using their suggestions and ideas.

If you don't want to do mileage run(s) then you should know that for the past few years AA has offered the opportunity to "buy up" to Plat renewal for a few hundred bucks - less if you have 40K miles/points so far, more if you have less. No flying, just send money. Details (use the search) on the AA board at flyertalk, or call the Plat desk at AA.

10K miles is pretty easy to do with or 1 or 2 mileage run weekends. I certainly wouldn't let 10K miles stand between me and renewed status.

Both my sons have "lifetime" Platinum status: unfortunately AA's, not theirs.
M

For what it's worth, I have flown an "extra" flight or two to maintain my Gold. My husband, who travels frequently for business, also has taken flights to meet the Platinum status. He gets upgraded frequently based on being Platinum and, to him, that is worth maintaining it.

If you can afford it, I would do an extra trip to keep Plat status.

BIG difference between Gold and Plat....

1. Plat = double miles / Gold only 25% bonus miles
2. Plat = OneWorld business lounge access during international travel with any OneWorld airline / Gold = nothing
3. Plat = 72 hours domestic upgrade window / Gold = 24 hours PLUS you trump any Golds regardless of the time of the request.

Wait until late November or December of this year. You may be able to do a nice quick trip to Europe for under $500 and it will give you the necessary 10K miles if routed correctly. I flew to DUB from LA for ~$350 last November for a total of 10.5K miles. Had a nice long weekend in Belfast and Dublin.

Also, for the last few of years AA has offered to "buy in" your current status for another year. The first year or 2, it was a straight forward flat fee of ~$600 for any Plat that did not make it. Last year they did it little differently. The fee was based on how many miles/points you had in the bank for the year. The lower the number the higher the fee. The problem with this is that AA does not announce it or offers it until the qualification year is over, so if they decide not to do it, then you are screwed. They could also just target some of the members with this offer. It's kind of risky, but knowing that AA needs cash, I believe they will keep on offering this option. You can't buy UP only maintain your current status.