Big American AAdvantage Announcement Coming?

Wouldn't the announcements be for positive events?
and negative program changes quietly implemented.

What about a new AAdvantage Airline parnter..drum roll please....USAirways

Settle. Partner and then work through the details to close the marger.

Would they dare do a devaluation effective immediately? I am wondering if I should do a couple bookings for xmas 2014 now and change dates later.

I agree with JetsettingEric. If it's a negative change, it would be quietly implemented..

What about announcing a sole credit card partner?

Agreed re the positive change, and I think it'll be a partnership with Hilton. Did anyone else get the HHonors Gold offer for AA elites a few weeks back? (I've never had HHonors status). Three stays for Gold, 5 stays for 25k AA miles, so quite the promotion. I imagine they were trying to drum up some loyalty in advance of some kind of reciprocal partnership.

It has to be some amazing promotion to lure all the disgruntled United elites, right?

Don't tell anyone but they're giving me a million miles. Because i'm a nice guy. Shhh till next week.

To make life easier for Lucky to end 2 status chases, AA is buying AS.
🙂

I can't imagine American would do anything negative at the moment given the positive turn settlement talks about the merger seem to have taken.

i hope it is about double EQM. we have not seen those in a while

All these "crossover" partnerships with hotels are awkward. Unlike airlines, hotel pricing is anything but commoditized, so staying loyal to one chain can easily mean paying a REALLY large premium

of course, if someone else is footing the bill, why not.

I just don't see them introducing any huge negative change so close to the DOJ antitrust lawsuit. In fact, I wonder whether the timing of the United announcement was specifically to try to influence the American merger.

@ anon -- If it is an award chart devaluation I'd be willing to bet they'll provide advance notice, so I wouldn't rush to book anything.

DEQM through the end of the year!

While DEQM crossed my mind, I guess my question is why would they delay that announcement? It seems pretty straightforward to implement and seems they'd want to announce it quickly after United's devaluation. Just doesn't seem like an announcement they'd delay by a week.

Matt

I"t has to be some amazing promotion to lure all the disgruntled United elites, right?"

and shortly after they get the refugees raise the award limits

if we book in Advance of AA devalue and change dates in the future, will AA charge mileage difference between old and new award chart ?

@ choi -- If the origin and destination remain the space then generally not.

The original source for this info was a respected member of the AA EXP Facebook group. It was subsequently posted elsewhere without attribution.

@ Dom -- The "respected member" of the EXP community that posted it was the same person that posted it on Traveling Better. 😉

"Adjusting the elite mileage bonuses" that is my bet

I think it might be a revenue requirement for elite status or a new partner. I can't imagine they'd devalue the award chart or make any negative changes to elite benefits with the fate of the merger still uncertain.

Hypothetical announcement: AAdvantage miles can be redeemed on US as US joins oneworld as soon as possible regardless of the outcome of the merger.

I called today to find out the requirement for a status match/challenge. I asked a number of questions about the challenge and the person at the advantage desk said that there will be changes to the program that would affect the challenge as well. The impression that I got was that I should call to enroll asap.

Love the meme!!!

With this rumored change, is it crazy to be booking some CX F awards for next year and OneWorld Explorer or two? I don't want to be caught with my pants down like Black Friday.

@lucky, I read the FB conversation differently.

@ TopGunner -- It can never *hurt* to book a good redemption, but if they do change their award chart I imagine they'd give some advance notice.

@Lucky - As a lifelong corporate man, I know that most of the guys at the top are lemmings and if they believe they can overcome bad news by saying the other guy did it too or was worse, they will take that pathway. Even if they really weren't contemplating a devaluation and it was some other "enhancement" to the program this is as good a time as ever after the MP+ shock&awe.

Clearly from the AG's comments, the merger going through is all about what DCA slots are to be divested; forget consumer protection issues that doesn't appear to be a factor in the negotiations.

It would be great if it were DEQM; I'd status match immediately. Alternatively (though unlikely), an announcement toward expanding their relationship with AS to ward off DL would be welcome, too.

AA hasn't done a hotel elite link-up yet, as have UA and DL so it could be about that. Or it could be about crediting US flights to AA and vice versa laying the ground for merging of the two programs when the DOJ case gets kicked out of court and the merger is finalized.

Suppose it could also just be the general requalification criteria for 2015 elite status...which could include a new 75K tier and a spend requirement.