Toward the end of each year AAdvantage members start to realize where they’ll end up at year-end. For many of us this is a good thing. We stop and see that we’ve earned $6,000+ EQD and 50,000 EQM. That puts us above the thresholds to earn AAdvantage Platinum status until Jan 2018. However, many of us instead realize that we’re not quite there. Some AAdvantage members (like myself) realize they’ve only earned $4,500 EQD and $46,000 EQM and start to worry.
It’s never fun to fall just short of an airline elite status level. Falling short of Platinum means lower upgrade priority and no access to OneWorld lounges. If you’re just shy of Platinum status it often makes sense to go out of your way to qualify. For some of us, that means taking that one last work trip before the end of the year. For others it may mean flying halfway around the world for a beer only to return the next day. Either way, many of us will start to dream up insane mileage runs to make sure we reach that otherwise elusive level of AAdvantage elite status.
Buy Up To AAdvantage Elite Status
If Mileage Runs don’t excite you, but you’re still just shy of your goals, American may have the answer. Beginning today, AAdvantage members can log in and see a special offer to “buy up” to an elite status. Buy up offers appear to vary from customer to customer, but in general the farther away you are, the more the buy up costs.
To see if you’re eligible for a buy up offer, visit this page, and log in to your AAdvantage account. Once logged in you should find an offer to buy up to a higher elite status for a price. In years past the price was dependent on how many EQMs short you were of the next highest elite status. This year, with the new EQD requirement, it appears that price varies greatly based on your YTD EQD earned.
One interesting aspect of this year’s buy up promotion is that the price paid will count toward your rolling EQD requirement. That rolling EQD requirement helps differentiate you from other customers when fighting for upgrades.
My 2018 AAdvantage Buy Up Offer
I currently have just $4,450 EQM and 46,400 EQM and maintain AAdvantage Gold status this year. When I logged in to view my buy up offer I found that if I pay $1,865 American will award me AAdvantage Platinum status for 2018. Better yet, my Platinum stats will take effect just a few days after I pay for the buy up and last till January 31, 2018!
I personally think this is a terrible deal. Right now, if I went out and purchased flights for $1,800 I’d most likely reach AAdvantage Platinum status on my own. Additionally, I’d much rather spend that $1,800 flying to a far of destination than simply paying for a higher elite status.
In fact, right now I could book a flight from Chicago to Hawaii in “first class” on American for $1,900. By doing so I’d earn the $1,500 EQD and 4,000 EQM I need to reach AAdvantage Platinum the old-fashioned way.
Final Thoughts
I’ve never really understood these buy up offers. I might consider using one if I found myself just shy of an elite level and physically unable to fly. Otherwise, I don’t know why you pay for a buy up. I’d much rather budget that same money for a long weekend in Hawaii.
Either way it’s nice to know that the offer exists. If I don’t end up taking all of my scheduled flights this year I’ll check back in to see if my offer improved. I’m guessing offers will change day by day based on current EQM and EQD. If you’re unhappy with your original offer, it may make sense to check back in just before the end of the year.
So far I’ve read about offers to every AAdvantage elite status level (except CK). If you’re just short of reaching the next highest elite status level, it makes sense to at least check your offer. I personally wouldn’t pay for a buy up offer, but that’s not to say your offer isn’t a better option.
