Reader Miles and Discount Giveaway: 1990 AAdvantage Membership Guide
By now you’ve probably read that American will be converting AAdvantage Miles earned before July 1, 1989 into “regular” AAdvantage Miles. From AA.com:
In order to streamline our program, we are announcing a change to all AAdvantage miles earned before July 1, 1989 (Miles With No Expiration).
Starting on November 1, 2012, these miles will be converted to Miles Subject to Expiration, and if you have Miles With No Expiration in your account, you will automatically earn a 25% mileage bonus when these miles are converted.
Redeeming Miles With No Expiration
If you have more than 10,000 Miles With No Expiration, then you may redeem these miles for “Regular” Awards from the original AAdvantage award structure by calling AAdvantage Reservations at 800-882-8880 (“Regular” Awards start at 10,000 Miles With No Expiration).
If you have less than 10,000 Miles With No Expiration, then you can combine these miles with any Miles Subject to Expiration to claim awards from our current structure on AA.com. On November 1, the original AAdvantage award structure will be discontinued, and miles may no longer be redeemed for those awards.
Receiving the Conversion Bonus
To have your miles converted and to earn the mileage bonus, you do not need to take any action. Please note that after the conversion, as long as you earn or redeem AAdvantage miles at least once every 18 months, your miles will not expire, just like all miles earned today
Back in 1989 most of my travel was on $29 – $59 Southwest Airlines student fares (those were the days….) and my only frequent flyer program was Southwest’s Company Club. I didn’t join AAdvantage until 1990.
Actually, I joined AAdvantage twice: I sort of lost track of that original account, and when I switched from Delta to American ten years ago, I opened a new AAdvantage account and have been earning AA miles ever since.
A few years ago I found a box of old airline tickets and timetables in my parents’ garage. Also inside that box was a 1990 AAdvantage membership guide, and reading about these old miles reminded me that I still have it, so I decided to scan it and put it online.
Here’s a look at the cover.
The guide has a metallic silver ink cover. That must have been expensive.
American and American Eagle Award Chart.
Back then it cost the same number of miles round-trip or one-way.
Companion Awards and Upgrade Chart.
Partner Awards
Notice that Singapore was a partner back then.
How to earn miles: Airline Partners
This must have been before the had an elite program – no mention of elite qualifying miles.
How to earn miles: Hotel Partners
From 6 to more than 76 partners.
How to earn miles: Car rental
Redeeming Awards
Since there was no “online” back 1990 awards were redeemed at a ticket counter or through the mail.
Wow, how times have changed. That was many years and many miles ago….and that brings me to the reader giveaway.
Reader Giveaway
I’m giving away 1,000 Free AAdvantage Miles and a 10 percent discount code!
The miles are courtesy courtesy American Airlines (thank you) and the discount comes from a reader.
Thanks WIS!!
To enter, just tell me when you joined AAdvantage by leaving the year in the comments section. I’ll have a random drawing on Monday. One entry per person. The deadline to enter is Sunday, July 22 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.
Good luck and have a great weekend!!
1982! Even I’m shocked!
I finally converted over from Qantas’ frequent flyer program to AA in 2011. Should have done it much earlier than that!
Joined AAdvantage Miles Program in 1982 and I have burned through a lot of them over the years
Mid-1990s, I think.
1989…
2008
Member since Monday, February 26, 2001
2000
2007
1986 – but those miles have long been burned!
2012
I think was in 2000
1990-seems like a long time ago!
1986
I joined in 2012.
1988
New addition – 2011
June 1991
1999 I think.
2001
Friday, June 18, 1993….back when AA gave you a 500 mile bonus when booking online!
2007!
gosh – probably around 2001! Not long ago…
1980
2011- newbie in the miles world
Wednesday, August 26, 1998, 1,805,042 miles ago…..
2000
I joined in 1990 too
2008
2009
2011
2011
2012! Just getting into the game. 🙂
2000
2008
1981
2012
2002
2008… though I wish I would have done it sooner.
1989 – my junior year in college
1991
2006
2011
1995 for me — coincides with the third time I had ever traveled by plane
August 2005- when I started college 🙂
2010. Late to the party. 🙂
2007
1990, same as you! Love that the guide you posted references the Concorde.
2003
2012
Also 1990 – my parents signed me up. I was 10.
Since 2005, my spouse signed me up 🙂
1981
1992, give or take a couple of years.
1987, in my first semester of graduate school, for a trip back home across the country.
Sadly, I joined in 2007. Oh, if I knew then what I know now!
Lots of flying ago……1987
2009
2009
2005
Like you, I think I’ve had a couple of iterations. I’m pretty sure my current one dates to 2001, as a conversion from TWA’s program.
I joined the AAdvantage program as a college student in 2010 after going to Chile and learning that you could get miles for flying. I’ve been hooked since!
1993 – not as long as some others but being that I’m only 26 it is a pretty long time for me.
2005
2012 yes I am slow to join the game need every extra point
22 Jan 1985
1985
1997. A good year!
I joined in 2009.
2004
1988
2007
1992. Mine begins with a letter!
Member Since: Tuesday, December 27, 1988
May 25, 1988 and was a member of TWA’s program since March, 1986.
Member Since: Tuesday, July 8, 2003
2010, a bit of a rookie in the miles game
Well, I just looked mine up.. and it was Dec 26, 1985!!!!
I think it was in the late 80’s.
1989, but none of those miles are left…
2011, I’m a noob.
2004 (thanks for making me look) pretty sure I belonged in early 80s, a carryover from TWA but foolishly forgot about the account
2006!
1988
1998. Fingers crossed
1998
2002
1999
April, 1991. AA and I go waaay back!
2003
Summer of 2010, but already crossed the 2/3 mark to a million miler 🙂
2011
1995
2005, to earn miles on my flights home from college at GW – DCA/MIA rt a few times a year.
2011
2010
Wow!
“Member Since: Wednesday, August 1, 1990”
1998
Member since 2001
2011
2012!
2010
Member Since: Wednesday, April 28, 1999
July 1999 but I didn’t put as much emphasis on earning as I did spending … so I haven’t acheived lifetime status yet
2009
2012, on my way to Gold the first year after this next flight.
I was born 4-27-86. My dad signed me up the day after I was born, thanks dad!
I have been holding 78,000 miles on the old program. I always understood that they were for 2 free round trip first class tickets anywhere in the 50 united states. Now I am trying to redeem and the rep is telling me that they are for 2 free first class tickets not round trip. Are they right? Thanks