Comments on: Mileage devaluation letter offends frequent fliers

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:40:48 +0000

Isn’t this the same difference as United Airlines, who charges a much higher fee for a fare to be “upgradeable” in the first place? I paid $3000 for an upgradeable economy ticket to Beijing from Washington and used miles to upgrade to business class. The same flight was available to me for $1300 at an unupgradeable fare in economy class. In essence, that is a co-pay of $1700 plus miles to upgrade. By the way, purchasing the upgradeable fare does not guarantee that there will be an upgrade available and you can’t get your money back if you find out that one or all of your legs will not be upgraded.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 07:44:15 +0000

If you have already purchased an upgraded ticket, you won’t have to pay the higher copays. These new copays are outrageous.

By: Carolyn Russell

Carolyn Russell — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:59:29 +0000

I was already frustrated at the cost, in cash each way, to “upgrade” with lots and lots of miles for US – Europe flights. Now I’ve had it. Have been loyal to AA since it bought TWA years ago, and loyal to TWA for a decade before that. But now, what is the point?!

My question, Chris, is what we do with the upgrade we have already purchased. I used 30K miles to get these a few months ago. Any ideas?

Thanks…

By: Brooks Hurd

Brooks Hurd — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:32:04 +0000

AA used to make an effort to satisfy their frequent flyers, whereas DL for the past 5 or so years seemed to be intent on irratating their frequent flyers.

Recently, DL seems to have switched back to improving bennies for Skymails Elite flyers, whereas AA is clearly going the other way.

Did the genius who was running Skymiles (into the ground) get a new job running AAdvantage?

These days, all the airlines have made it harder and more costly to use frequent flyer miles. Based on my recent expereince, the “saver” tickets are essentially unavailable. These moves by all the airlines that I fly has decreased the value of miles, at least for me. Consequently, it is the elite level bennies that matter more than ever in selecting an airline.

Whatever airline wants my 150k+ per year business needs to understand that I make my selection based on what their elite programs offer me. I have many choices flying between the US and East Asia.

AA, and thus Oneworld, have basically slammed the door in my face with these actions.

By: Robyn Blackwell

Robyn Blackwell — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:41:24 +0000

I began questioning AA management’s grasp on reality when they tried to pass off a box of raisins as an acceptable “fruit” on a fruit and cheese tray that was offered for sale at $4. After reading AA’s latest love note to its frequent fliers, well, let’s just say I don’t any more questions.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:52:39 +0000

Time to switch over to Hotel or Cashback CC.

Also time to seriously consider spent down/donate miles in ALL airline programs.

By: Nick Hawkins

Nick Hawkins — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:44:05 +0000

The best way to go is to get the premium award tickets if you can a) afford the miles and b) get the tickets. I’m an Exec Platinum on AA, and I can hardly get premium award tickets, even 6+ months out.

It’s sad watching my stack of miles devalue more quickly than my 401k.

By: Joe Farrell

Joe Farrell — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:13:51 +0000

The copayment has been around for YEARS. We paid it in 2004 when we traveled to Italy on AA. So it is no news.

What IS new are the amounts. The fee used to $250 each way. Now it is $350 to Europe. $700 a roundtrip. $2800 for a family of 4.

Yes, it is generally easier, with fewer restrictions, to simply buy an advance purchase business class ticket. Plus, if there are any ‘schedule irregularities’ you are ahead of every single coach and free ticket passenger on that flight getting accommodated.

WE have CANCELED ALL of our airline affinity credit card arrangements and have gone to 1% cash back – its REAL money and offsets payments and we do not have the play the silly airline frequent flier game chasing points that in 2 years will be devalued to 20% of what the airline promised when we got them.

By: Janice Hough

Janice Hough — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:56:48 +0000

I had the same reaction, and these charges aren’t trivial. On top of it all, they are ONE-WAY. So upgrading a ticket to Europe will now cost 700.00 – on top of the miles…and of course, on top of the fuel surcharge. For example, a roundtrip discount 42 day advance ticket business class ticket JFK to London is only 1976.00 (albeit plus the same fuel surcharge.)

Cashing in 50,000 miles, plus buying a ticket for say about 600.00, plus the 700.00 co-payment…. Wow, American is really being generous here, aren’t they?.

(Not to mention, book a cheap ticket, accrue actual flight miles, book a discounted business class ticket, receive a 25 percent mileage bonus. )