Loyalty programs are typically tight-lipped about statistics involving their membership base. Sure, they like to promote things like how many members they have altogether, and how many new members they have (assuming the numbers are impressive), but you'll almost never see them share details of their membership base with status. I imagine they don't share…
Continue reading: How Many American Concierge Key Members Are There? We May Have Just Found Out…
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I'd be curious to know what you based your estimate of 10,000-15,000 absent this new information
At the end of 2014 there were a little over 50k Executive Platinums and a bit shy of 15k CKs.
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/11/22/many-elite-members-frequent-flyer-programs/
This image has now since been removed from his IG feed...but if you look in the tagged images section, the same image appears from a would be Concierge Key Member.
“a big thank you to American Concierge Key for trusting us... to spill the beans.” Or maybe that's the way the cookie crumbles.
Interesting find.
I'm not a ConciergeKey member but if I were, the last thing on my mind as a benefit of being a member is receiving bon-bons.
To answer your question though, I think 10k-15k makes sense.
How many of these are truly earned , and how many are given out as corporate incentives is a better question.
United gives out hundreds of GS memberships to corporate bigwigs as conract incentives.
Lucky —
I am a first-time CK for 2019. Early last week, I received a metal luggage tag made out of a piece of a retired MD-80. I have not yet received these chocolates (or the offer to choose a framed Gray Malin print, which I’ve also seen online).
My theory is that the chocolates/prints may be going only to CK *renewals* — in the year-end summary I received from AA with all the fun details about how far I traveled, it noted that CK members collectively flew “to the sun” 16 times. The sun is around 93 million miles from Earth; multiply by 16 and you get around 1.488 billion miles. If you divide only by 11,300, you get around 133,000 BIS miles per CK member. I actually think that’s a tad high as an average. If you divide by 15,000, you get around 99,200 BIS miles per CK member, which is maybe more reasonable (keep in mind the operating assumption that CK is based on profitability, not spend).
What a fascinating world we live in when a chocolatier potentially gives away closely-held proprietary information by bragging on Instagram
I would guess slightly fewer than that as they might keep some for the company or to account for loss or breakage
On a related note...I too have found it nearly impossible to use some AA ExecPlatinum VIP upgrades they expire the end of this month, so I am offering them up to anyone who might need them. Do you or anyone else you know might be able to use them? Let me know! PS really enjoy reading your posts!
Hi MikeF
I'm taking a birthday trip tomorrow as a lowly Gold. Do you think the upgrades could be transfered? Feel free to email me at aw1361(AT)gwu.edu I can give those expiring upgrades a good home 🙂
@Gary
Those are just your (educated) guesses from 2014, not confirmed numbers, right?
@mikeF I can use the upgrades that you want to donate. I've been an AA member since 2015. I fly pretty often (every week) but apparently not often enough to get any benefits or bonuses from AA, well except boarding in zone 5. I'd appreciate anything you're willing to offer. Thank you!
What does it even matter? AA treats all customers like garbage, with or without chocolate.
what an idiot, why is everyone's first reaction to anything go post it to instagram/social media. Zero chance this guy gets any more business from AA or another big corporate client.
@MikeF I’m flying domestic ord to las for my wife’s birthday in late Feb could use them if possible (I’m AA Gold). Please email me at [email protected] if possible. Thank you for the generosity!
@MikeF I’m flying domestic ord to las for my wife’s birthday in late Feb could use them if possible (I’m AA Gold). Please email me at nick33889 at hotmail if possible. Thank you for the generosity!
I would LOVE to use those! I have a couple of connecting flights and a red-eye to Berlin for a conference for work in March and my University is too cheap to approved even PE, even though I asked repeatedly. If you're feeling kind, you can mail me at vml205(AT)yahoo. Thank you!
N MARANO...need your email to reply to you on AA upgrades. Also to others who replied, check your emails I sent.
@MikeF oh man if you still have leftovers I’d love to upgrade one of my cross country flights coming up in a few months that would be awesome.
Hey Mike. If you any upgrades left I'll be happy to put one to use. Have a flight coming up next week. goal216207 at aol dot com
Why do you think 133k BIS miles is less reasonable than 99k BIS miles?
Also BIS = Butt In Seat, yes?
@Super - yes, BIS = butt in seat. Let me preface all this by saying I have zero certainty about what it takes to make CK, other than it is based on profitability -- with obviously some connection to spend and distance, but spend and distance alone aren't the focus.
From the data points I've seen online, there are at least two things that help one achieve CK: (1) Average spend of around USD 1,000 per segment, and (2) spend per actual mile flown greater than USD 0.50.
133k BIS miles is doable -- but I think fewer/shorter trips that are more expensive are more profitable to AA. That's why I think between 90k-100k as an average BIS number for CKs is more on the money. But I could be totally wrong.
@MikeF sorry forgot to give my email if there is still available: flyingrohit (at) yahoo.com thanks again and hope I strike gold!
@MikeF
That is very kind of you! I'm taking my daughter on an international journey to cap off her gap year of volunteerism. As a first time Platinum with very few miles, upgrades are beyond my reach. If you have any left, we would put them to great use on a very special mother/daughter trip.
Thanks! candiance[dot]bynum[at]gmail[dot]com
@MikeF if you have any upgrades still available that would be awesome. If not, it was still very generous. God Bless
My email is [email protected]
I received the chocolate box last week along with a voucher for framed art work, I have a pic I can send you.
@MikeF, I could use one of those for my upcoming trip to Japan. My company is too cheap to even pay for PE on a 14-hr flight 🙁
Email is victor diaz AT gmail
Thank you for your generosity!
Many years ago when AA started their FF program, I flew all the time with AA. They were very secretive about who could become a "gold" member. After a long time and still no gold status, I phoned AA. A very nice telephone agent told me that gold status was based on zip codes and since I live in Manhattan, there were probably zillions of other AA flyers who flew more than me. I changed my address with AAVantage to my upstate NY house and within weeks was made a gold member.
I have always found that interesting as well as infuriating.
I flew about 215,000 miles in 2018 but did not spend $50,000
I received a notice from American congratulating me announcing that my activity (miles & $) put me in the top 1% of Executive Platinums. I am more than sure that I out performed many CK's. But, no offer to be a CK 🙂
So I found that all Deloitte partners are CK and they have options to add assistants also. I would say Deloitte has 80% of the concierge key status. They give them out as rewards for goals reached also.
@Brian -- if you flew 215,000 miles and spent under $50k, you're not terribly profitable for AA. CK is based on profitability.
Third year being CK. Second year for the box of chocolates. Strange they didn't mix it up as the offering was the same. Although this year there was also a gift for a signed/framed travel photograph that could be selected from a website. I liked the chocolates better.
So you're saying that, based on that number, AA has fewer than 11,300 satisfied customers.
"....Life is like a box of chocolates.." - sometimes your plane takes off on time, sometimes its delayed due to maintenance, sometime its the crew...sometimes you get the upgrade, sometimes the food is hot....
So last year I flew more miles than I ever had in 20 years as a member, more than 250k. Got an email in December telling me I was in the top 1% of Ck members in travel miles. I did spend less this year as I took less international business to control budgets. Thank you from AA. Sorry CK not being renewed
@Sam S.B.
Those appear to be [somewhat educated] guesses from a self-promoting link. I wouldn't put too much stock in them.
Just a thought. Since American has about 6,700 flights per day. If every CK members made a round trip every week, and there are 11,300 CKs, you would expect to see 0.48 CKs per flight.
Since, CKs probably fly more peak hours and weekdays (I do), the number might be closer to 1+ for every flight during busy times. Ao, that total number of CKs (11,300), sounds about right.
BTW, I did not get the fancy chocolate, but the “regular “ chocolate this year instead..
I am always envious when there is a Concierge Key member on my flight. I could never reach this status because I am not a business traveler nor do I spend anywhere near the amount needed per year. However, I am happy with my Platinum status because it definitely has afforded me more upgrades than when I was only at Gold status. My strategy is to buy first class tickets for longer domestic flights and coach for the shorter flights. I also try and fly one international trip each year in business class. However, AA has now made it so difficult to obtain lifetime status. I have been lifetime gold for years but with the changes it will take me about 20 years to achieve lifetime platinum.