Confirmed: No 4th AAdvantage Elite Tier
Late last year a couple of variations of the same rumor started popping up in the forums and on Facebook: AAdvantage was adding a fourth elite tier.
One version had a new tier being created at the 75,000 elite qualifying miles/points level, the other version had a new tier being created for those who earn more than 125,000+ elite qualifying miles/points in year.
Some people speculated that American might the fourth tier at 75K elite elite qualifying miles/points so that they could better compete with United’s program, which offers a fourth elite level at 75K elite qualifying miles/points.
Others had mentioned that American was going to offer a new super elite level, something like Executive Platinum plus, that might be tied to how much you spend.
After 2012 came and went without an announcement, I figured we were at least another year away from any big changes to the AAdvantage program (especially now that the merger has been announced).
Still, the new 2013 AAdvantage Elite membership guides haven’t been published to the website yet, so I wasn’t entirely discounting the possibility that American might announce a fourth tier for the 2014 membership year.
Well, it looks like it’s not going to happen (for now).
Last Friday, the @AmericanAir team hosted a live Twitter chat with Vice President of Customer Care, Don Langford and one of the questions was:
Here was his answer:
No plans. Of course, US Airways has four tiers so I wouldn’t be shocked to see a new Elite level added at some point in the future. If it happens though, my guess is it will be 2015.
So what do you think? Do we need a fourth tier?
It would be ok if the gave the 4th tier for points ( cc money spent) and/or miles.
I think it stinks they don’t give exec plat for points now.
Tiers should be based on points or even better, types of routes traveled, and the amount of cash each individual passenger gives the airline per year. Very simple. That way airlines can better measure who their true elites are, and you cut a bunch of people that just take advantage of the system and, in some ways, screws it up for everybody else.
I’m a Untied 75k intrigued by AA with the merger and new planes. AA offers me a status match every year and I would strongly consider switching in 2014 but I’m not going from a United 75k to a garden-variety AA 50k.
If they don’t put in a 75k tier my spend stays with United.
Does this mean they’ll also keep the 500-mile sticker upgrades or go with US’s unlimited upgrades? If they phase out stickers, what will happen to people with large sticker balance? (they don’t expire)
Given that the merger is far from finalized, can we really trust these ansewrs?
ha, “garden variety” 50k elites, man was United right about its overentitled elites.