Select your AAdvantage Elite Rewards
Last night, the Geek Traveler posted the news on his blog that 2011 AAdvantage Elite Rewards are available for redemption.
If you’re not familiar with Elite Rewards, last year American offered their elite status members a reward for extra travel. Unlike the last time Elite Rewards were offered in 2009, 2011 rewards were determined by the number Elite Qualifying Points earned, rather than Elite Qualifying Miles:
Reward choices are based on both the member’s elite status level and the number of elite-qualifying points earned for the year ending Dec. 31, 2011. Elite-qualifying points are earned based on a combination of earned miles and class of service purchased.
These are reward choices:
AAdvantage Executive Platinum members who earn 125,000 or more elite-qualifying points during 2011 will be eligible to select two of the following rewards: 35,000 AAdvantage bonus miles; two one-way systemwide upgrades; a one-year Admirals Club membership; one 20 percent AA.com discount promotion code for future systemwide travel on American; or a gift of AAdvantage Gold status for a friend.
AAdvantage Platinum members who earn 75,000 – 99,999 elite-qualifying points during 2011 will be eligible to select one of the following rewards: 25,000 AAdvantage bonus miles; eight 500-mile upgrades; four Admirals Club One-Day passes, one 15 percent AA.com discount promotion code for future systemwide travel on American; or a gift of AAdvantage Gold status for a friend.
AAdvantage Gold members who earn 40,000 – 49,999 elite-qualifying points during 2011 will be eligible to select one of the following rewards: 15,000 AAdvantage bonus miles; four 500-mile upgrades; two Admirals Club One-Day passes; or one 10 percent discount code for future systemwide travel on American.
Go here for more details (and while you’re there, take a look at the Geek Traveler’s photos!).
Just an FYI, when you use the tiny urls in your links I am a lot less likely to click on any of them because I can’t see where the link is going to take me (another boarding area site, aa.com, some other random site, etc). I guess it’s the product of knowing there’s too many malicious sites out there (not yours, of course) and I want to know what link I’m clicking on before I do so.
Wow, this is better than Delta’s. While not as sexy on the serface as a Delta Tiffany gift card, the extra miles (70k AA vs 50k DL) or swu (can actually use AA) certs at exp plat level can get you to some pretty exotic locations at a good cost.
@ Scott – I understand your concern, I’m reluctant to click on a link if I don’t know the destination.
I started using the short URLs a year ago for two reasons.
When I come across something interesting that I might want to post to the blog, I create a Bitly link so that I can find it later (sort of like a bookmarking tool).
The other reason I use Bitly is that it lets me track clicks. And that’s something I like to track so that I know that whether or not readers finds a topic interesting.
That’s why you see fewer route announcements. I used to post them all the time, but from viewing the outbound clicks, I realized that unless it’s an international route, readers don’t care.
I really do try to link responsibly though. I don’t send readers to a site unless its obviously credible (AA, other airlines, hotels, well know blogs, milepoint, FlyerTalk, national media outlets), and I even avoid sending readers to sites that a parent might find objectionable.
I really do appreciate your feedback. And if you’re ever concerned about an outbound link that you find on my site, please let me know.
Thanks for commenting (and reading)!
@ The Weekly Flyer – I wasn’t familiar with Delta’s Choice Benefits until I read your comment. Delta offers some nice gifts, but you’re right, using a Delta system wide upgrade on an international fare carries far more restrictions.
Hmmmm…maybe it’s time to chAAnge frequent flyer programs? 😀
Hmm.. it says I am not eligible for the program but I signed up for the elite rewards and I had good amount of Platinum level qualifying points.. any help on why it wont work??
@ Bhumik – I haven’t actually received an email from American yet, and from the way I read his post, I don’t think the Geek Traveler has either. Maybe that haven’t loaded all the data yet.
You might even consider sending a Tweet to the AAdvantage team on Monday. They’re pretty responsive and will look into it for you.
If you don’t mind me asking, how many points did you finish the year with? Take a look at your AAdvantage account online and look at your December statement and confirm that they recorded your total 2011 Elite Qualifying Points correctly.
Executive Platinum member here who didn’t earn more than 125,000 EQP, but it sucks that I can’t even get the Platinum rewards as a fallback reward since I fall into the 75,000 – 99,999 elite-qualifying points category 🙁
@ Jamison – That does seem more fair. The average EXP that earns 110 EQP probably generates more revenue than a PLT with 99K EQPs.
Maybe instead of “Thank You” their real message is “Spend More”? Of couse, I’d have to be a cynic to believe that… 😉
I had 63K EQP’s — I guess I fall under in the 40000 to 49999 category.!!