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Will AA eliminate ALL elite bonus miles like US Airways did today?

Will AA eliminate ALL elite bonus miles like US Airways did today?

 
Old Jun 12, 2008, 8:51 pm
  #1  
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Will AA eliminate ALL elite bonus miles like US Airways did today?

From the US Airways press release:

US Airways is also eliminating its bonus miles program for Preferred status Dividend Miles members. Preferred members currently receive mileage bonuses based on their status level. The Preferred bonus program will be discontinued for tickets purchased on/after Aug. 6, 2008.

http://www.usairways.com/awa/content...sreleases.aspx
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 9:00 pm
  #2  
brp
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Sure, why not?

Cheers.
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 9:03 pm
  #3  
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Very likely. The sky is falling.

I predict this will be announced on Monday at 12 noon.
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 9:13 pm
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It would certainly take care of the LT GLDs/PLTS complaining about how easy it is for new people to achieve their ranks and how it should be BIS....
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 9:13 pm
  #5  
 
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well if all airlines did this, would u still stick with AA for other reasons?
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 9:30 pm
  #6  
 
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If removing bonus miles stems from the obvious financial issues, then I can see a few ways to produce the same result:
1) remove the bonus miles (affects only elites)
2) increase the mileage requirements for redemption (affects everyone)
3) decrease redemption availability (affects everyone)

Seems as though #2 and #3 would be sufficient. AA has recently decided to implement #2, and it sure seems as though #3 is in effect (IME it's harder than before to score a 90k business AAward).
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 9:32 pm
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Aren't 90K Awards AAnytime Awards? I thought those weren't capacity controlled. Or are you referring to an International one as opposed to domestic first?
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 9:41 pm
  #8  
 
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Originally Posted by KD5MDK
Aren't 90K Awards AAnytime Awards? I thought those weren't capacity controlled. Or are you referring to an International one as opposed to domestic first?
Int'l.
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 10:54 pm
  #9  
 
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Originally Posted by oneant
If removing bonus miles stems from the obvious financial issues, then I can see a few ways to produce the same result:
1) remove the bonus miles (affects only elites)
2) increase the mileage requirements for redemption (affects everyone)
3) decrease redemption availability (affects everyone)

Seems as though #2 and #3 would be sufficient. AA has recently decided to implement #2, and it sure seems as though #3 is in effect (IME it's harder than before to score a 90k business AAward).
Or, they can do what actually would make some sense, reduce mileage earning for the very cheapest fares (no, I'm not giving them any ideas, this is how many non-US programmes already work) and perhaps at the same time increase the bonus for premium cabins. Presently, a PLT/EXP on a deep dicsount coach fare earns significantly more miles than a non-elite in paid first class, which is a bit odd.
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 10:58 pm
  #10  
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Originally Posted by Hagbard Viking
Or, they can do what actually would make some sense, reduce mileage earning for the very cheapest fares (no, I'm not giving them any ideas, this is how many non-US programmes already work) and perhaps at the same time increase the bonus for premium cabins. Presently, a PLT/EXP on a deep dicsount coach fare earns significantly more miles than a non-elite in paid first class, which is a bit odd.
They already do this. There is a Class of Service (COS) bonus on earned miles. I don't fly those fares enough to know the details, but it's all on aa.com, and someone will know it.

They've also taken a different tack along the same lines. Presumably under the assumption that status counts more than redeemable miles (it certainly does for me), they assign the Elite Qualifying Points (EQP) based on the fare purchased. This allows status more easily on higher fares.

I accumulate far more miles than I use, so I wouldn't mind this change at all- it would likely result in fewer people flying at status levels, and fewer people trying to steal my upgrades.

Cheers.
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 11:02 pm
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Nope. I don't expect a match. AA is smart enough to realize that one of the few AAdantages they have left is retaining the value of it's FF program. Maintaining elite benefits is a key to this value in attracting higher paying passengers. Without the benfits of AAdvantage, they have little left to the high value passnegers.

AA has many flaws, but this point they get.
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 11:19 pm
  #12  
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Originally Posted by brp
They already do this. There is a Class of Service (COS) bonus on earned miles. I don't fly those fares enough to know the details, but it's all on aa.com, and someone will know it.
Well, you're both somewhat right. There is a COS RDM bonus, but it's not as much as the PLT/EXP RDM bonus:

http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...horEvent=false
[AAdvantage members] also earn bonus miles for flying on an eligible purchased-fare Business Class or First Class ticket on American Airlines or any of our airline partners as follows:

An additional 25% of flight mileage flown in Business Class, or
An additional 50% of flight mileage flown in First Class.
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 11:21 pm
  #13  
 
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Originally Posted by oneant
Seems as though #2 and #3 would be sufficient. AA has recently decided to implement #2, and it sure seems as though #3 is in effect (IME it's harder than before to score a 90k business AAward).

currently 90k, soon to be 100k, business AAward

#2 and #3 combined, indeed...
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 11:21 pm
  #14  
 
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Originally Posted by brp
They already do this. There is a Class of Service (COS) bonus on earned miles. I don't fly those fares enough to know the details, but it's all on aa.com, and someone will know it.
I know that, that's why I said increase rather than introduce. AA gives 25% bonus in business class, 50% in first class, so a PLT/EXP in deep discount coach earns 200% of flown miles whereas a non-elite in F earns 150%.

On Lufthansa, for example, you earn (except intra-Europe where there are fixed numbers) 50% (status and redeemable) of flown miles in deep discount coach, double miles in business class, triple in first class, whereas their elite bonus is 25%. Here an elite member in deep discount coach would earn 75% of flown miles and a non-elite in F 300%.
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Old Jun 12, 2008, 11:46 pm
  #15  
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Originally Posted by flyer121
From the US Airways press release:

US Airways is also eliminating its bonus miles program for Preferred status Dividend Miles members. Preferred members currently receive mileage bonuses based on their status level. The Preferred bonus program will be discontinued for tickets purchased on/after Aug. 6, 2008.

http://www.usairways.com/awa/content...sreleases.aspx
WOW, $2 for non-alcoholic drinks.
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