Lifetime elite status is offered by many travel loyalty programs. It's nice to be able to not worry about re-qualifying for elite status anymore because it's normal for it to be earned on an annual basis.
I have written about lifetime hotel elite status in the past, including with Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. I am looking at the lifetime status tiers offered by major airlines in the United States.
I wrote about Delta SkyMiles lifetime status and United MileagePlus lifetime status, so let's take a look at American AAdvantage lifetime status. The weakest lifetime elite program of the big three carriers in the United States is offered by American.
How to get a lifetime American AAdvantage status.
The million miler program is weak. American only allows you to earn the two entry level status tiers with the million miler program, while Delta and United allow you to earn lifetime top-tier elite status. I don't think the program is an incentive to be loyal to American Airlines in the long run.
The base miles earned for travel on eligible partner flights are used to calculate the distance of flights for which to qualify for American's lifetime elite status. This means that class of service bonuses, promotional miles, miles earned through credit cards, and other perks don't count towards million miler status.
Only flown miles count towards American million miler status.
Let's go over American's million miler elite thresholds.
Lifetime American AAdvantage Gold status is one million miles.
A million miler status with American Airlines entitles you to AAdvantage Gold status for life and 35,000 bonus AAdvantage miles. The entry-level elite status is called gold.
Two million miler is the Lifetime American AAdvantage Platinum status.
Those who earn two million miles with American Airlines get AAdvantage Platinum status for life, plus four systemwide upgrades, which can be used to upgrade any American Airlines flight. Platinum is the lower-mid-tier status of American AAdvantage.
There are rewards for more American AAdvantage million miler thresholds.
You can earn AAdvantage Platinum status, the highest lifetime elite status that you can earn, and still receive four additional one-way systemwide upgrades for each million miler threshold you cross, with no limits.
When passing million miler thresholds, you can earn systemwide upgrades.
FAQ about American AAdvantage lifetime status.
I will answer some of the questions people may have about the million miler program.
Can you earn lifetime American status with credit card spending?
Credit card spending doesn't contribute to million miler status with American. You can earn Loyalty Points with AAdvantage credit cards, but lifetime status is only earned via butt-in-seat miles flown.
How can you see your American million miler status progress?
You can check your progress on the American Airlines website. Go to the "Your Activity" section and you will see your million miler balance listed.
What is the count towards American million miler status?
The base miles earned for travel on eligible partner marketed flights count towards A million miler status.
Do American million miler miles last?
Over the lifetime of your account, miles towards million miler status will accrue. Unlike Loyalty Points, they don't reset every year.
It is not possible to use million miler miles towards anything, as they are completely separate from redeemable miles. It is a tally of how many miles you have flown on eligible flights over the years.
What are the benefits of AAdvantage Gold and Platinum status?
AAdvantage Gold is American's entry level elite status.
A free bag.
A mileage bonus of 40%.
Main cabin extra seats are free before departure.
You need to use upgrade stickers on flights over 500 miles.
AAdvantage Platinum is American's next higher elite level.
There are two free checked bags.
There is a mileage bonus.
The Main Cabin has extra seats.
Lounge access on international itineraries is included in Oneworld's status.
You need to use upgrade stickers on flights over 500 miles.
The million miler program will give you elite status for life.
The million miler program is not competitive.
The million miler program of American is less rewarding than those of Delta and United.
American counted AAdvantage miles earned towards million miler status until 2011. If you earned two million miles with your credit cards, you would get AAdvantage Platinum status for the rest of your life. Platinum status was more valuable than it is now, and that was very lucrative at the time. An American loyalist could earn two million miles with a few years of loyalty.
The rules were changed in the year of 2011) and it became more difficult to earn. The rewards for those earning lifetime status were not improved.
I think it is time for American to change its million miler program because it is worse than what Delta and United offer.
Delta makes it easy to earn miles towards a million miler, since all of the qualified miles count, and Delta lets you earn all the way up to Diamond status.
United calculates miles towards million miler status the same way as American, except you can earn Global Services status for life, and you can even nominate a companion for your status as well.
I understand the challenge from the American perspective. Back in the day, all miles counted, and the airline has some members with inflated million miler totals. Some 10 million milers have not flown American all that much.
What should American do? At the minimum.
Everyone has been issued a million miler tiers.
You can add lifetime Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum status at three million miler and four million miler using the new system.
I think that should be the minimum. I wouldn't hold my breath if American offered Concierge Key status or lifetime status for a companion like United.
I hope the million miler program is changed.
The bottom line.
elite status for life is offered by American Airlines' million miler program. You can earn AAdvantage Gold or Platinum status after passing a million miles. You earn four systemwide upgrades for each million mile threshold crossed.
American's million miler program is much weaker than Delta and United's, and it's not something to consider when deciding whether to be loyal or not. I wish American would make its frequent flyer program more competitive.
What do you think about American Airlines? How would you like to see it improve?
All Rights Reserved © 2024
