American Airlines is offering for you to lock in your elite level status for the 2021 membership year in the AAdvantage frequent flier loyalty program based on either or both of the following criteria:
- The expiration of your AAdvantage elite status membership level on Sunday, January 31, 2021
- Your elite qualifying activity in 2020
Lock In Your American Airlines AAdvantage Elite Status for 2021
All current members of the AAdvantage frequent flier loyalty program are eligible to participate in this offer based upon the aforementioned criteria — but not all members will actually qualify for an offer.
Your membership in the AAdvantage frequent flier loyalty program — as well as travel with American Airlines and related details — comprise the basis of your offer, including how far you are away from a tier based on your balance of Elite Qualification Miles, Elite Qualification Dollars, and Elite Qualification Segments; and other membership account and transaction related activity. Such variables are taken into account in order to allocate members into offer groups. Offers to eligible members may vary.
In order to find out just how much a qualification bundle for elite level status would cost, I resorted to viewing this discussion which was posted on FlyerTalk. Different offers to different FlyerTalk members varied wildly, from $895.00 or 89,500 miles to buy up to Platinum elite level status to $2,985.00 or 298,500 miles to buy up to Platinum Pro elite level status.
Others were greeted by the message of “Thanks for visiting. Our records show that you’re not eligible to receive an offer at this time.”
Select Terms and Conditions
The ability to obtain elite status through this offer is a one-time option and cannot be transferred. You must be a member in good standing of the American Airlines AAdvantage frequent flier loyalty program and hold AAdvantage elite level status, valid through Sunday, January 31, 2021, and/or meet the requirement for elite qualifying activity for 2020 in order to qualify for this offer. Customers receiving temporary elite status as part of a special challenge offer must first meet the qualification requirements to retain that elite status level beyond the temporary period to be eligible to participate in this offer.
You may choose the offer(s) for which you are qualified. You must pay the published amount for your selected offer, which is subject to change from time to time by American Airlines without notice to you.
All amounts paid by you under this program are exclusive of sales, use or privilege taxes, or tax-like charges, fees or similar liabilities. Goods and Services Tax applies to residents of Canada. American Airlines reserves the right to refuse to fulfill any elite status offer if you do not fully pay all amounts due and payable by you. All applicable fees are collected in United States dollars or if applicable, AAdvantage miles, and are non-refundable. You must pay the renewal fee, in addition to any applicable taxes and credit card processing fees, in full by Saturday, July 31, 2021, unless otherwise stated.
Select AAdvantage Members may be eligible to use miles to pay for this offer. Such select AAdvantage members will be provided with a payment option of paying for the elite status offer of the member with either a credit card, AAdvantage miles or a combination of miles and a credit card according to the sliding scale provided in the offer of the member. Each member must have sufficient AAdvantage miles in his or her account to complete the AAdvantage miles portion of his or her transaction. Redemptions may only be made from a single account per transaction. You may not combine AAdvantage miles from two or more accounts on a single transaction. AAdvantage miles referred to are not actual miles, but represent credits in the AAdvantage program. No cash value equivalent.
Elite status offers obtained through this program will not be authorized retroactively if payment is not completed before the current elite level status of the member expires. The elite status effective date for Members purchasing an elite status level higher than their current elite status level valid through Sunday, January 31, 2021, will be within five business days of the purchase being completed. The elite status effective date for Members purchasing an elite status level that is the same or lower than their current elite status level valid through Sunday, January 31, 2021, will be Monday, February 1, 2021, or if the purchase is completed after that date, within five business days of the purchase being completed.
Elite status offers made through this program are valid for elite status in the AAdvantage program only.
Your submission of an elite status request authorizes American to charge the credit card that you provided for the fees associated with the transaction undertaken by you, or to deduct the applicable number of miles from your AAdvantage account at the time of purchase. All charges related to an elite status offer should appear on your monthly credit card statement, or as a redemption in your AAdvantage account. In the event of any financial discrepancy, payment calculations under the program shall be based upon data maintained by American or its agent.
Basic Economy fares are not eligible for upgrades, complimentary/discounted Preferred or Main Cabin Extra seats, Same Day Standby or Same Day Confirmed Flight Change.
Other terms and conditions — including those of the American Airlines AAdvantage frequent flier loyalty program — apply.
Summary
I was one of the people who did not qualify for an offer to lock in elite level status for 2021 — but I am not sure I would have taken advantage of such an offer.
Although premium benefits of elite level status — such as complimentary upgrades, priority boarding and waived baggage fees to name a few perks — are nice to have and can be rather useful while traveling, the prices towards elite level status can be quite expensive. I would advise purchasing them only if you believe that the sum of the benefits you will receive in return exceed your investment — otherwise, I do not recommend participating in this offer…
…and as noted by Mike in the comments below, why would anyone participate in this offer when AAdvantage elite level status was extended for everyone in 2021 to 2022?: “Keep in mind, earlier this year, we extended all elite status expiring on January 31, 2021, until January 31, 2022.”
All photographs ©2019 by Brian Cohen.
