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American Airlines has released its elite status buy-up offers for this year. These offers give AAdvantage members who haven't achieved their intended elite status one last opportunity to get that status through March 2024. While not always great, these offers are worth looking at. There's no end date on these offers, but it's worth taking advantage of by February 28 if you're interested.
American Airlines Elite Status Buy-Up Offers
Travel in 2022 went more back to normal, but plenty of people didn't reach the particular elite status they were aiming for. Recently, United Airlines sent out emails giving MileagePlus members the opportunity to buy up to the next higher status through January 2024. The problem was that many of the offers weren't worth taking advantage of.
Now, American Airlines is offering similar buy-up offers. If you go to the American Airlines status page, you can see what your current status is. The page will also show you whether or not you have a buy-up offer. The buy-up offer will allow you to buy your next status with miles or cash. The new status will be valid through March 31, 2024.
AAdvantage members are able to buy up to the elite status directly above the one they've qualified for so far in the 2022-2023 period — with the exception of Concierge Key. How much members need to spend in cash or points to buy up to elite status is the main limitation. In many cases, the prices are much more than travelers will want to pay.
Examples of Offers
American Airlines' buy-up offers are different for each member. They depend on the member's current status and how far they still have to go to reach the next status. And it's possible that some members won't receive a buy-up offer at all.
Some members have reported receiving different elite status buy up offers as they earn more Loyalty Points. Here are some examples of offers received:
Buy-up to Executive Platinum status for $2,319 or 232,000 miles
One current AAdvantage Executive Platinum elite received an offer to pay $2,319 or 232k miles when they had 161,490 Loyalty Points — which is 38,510 shy of requalifying for Executive Platinum:
Buy-up to Platinum Pro status for $1,999 or 200,000 miles
Another AAdvantage member received an offer to buy up to Platinum Pro elite status for $1,999 or 200k miles. At the time, the member had 117,971 Loyalty Points — just 7,029 shy of Platinum Pro. In this case, it'd make a lot more sense to try to use that money to requalify through the standard means before February 28, 2023.
Note that members can buy up with either cash or points, or a combination of the two.
If you want to get a jump start toward earning AAdvantage elite status for next year, you can charge the elite status buy up to an eligible AAdvantage credit card. As long as your credit card statement doesn't close before February 28, the Loyalty Points earned on the purchase will count toward the March 1, 2023 – February 29, 2024 earning year.
Terms and Conditions When Buying Up
- AAdvantage elite statuses purchased with a buy-up offer will be credited within three days.
- All AAdvantage elite status buy up purchases are non-refundable.
- Elite statuses purchased through this offer will be valid through March 31, 2024.
- Buy-up cash purchases do not accrue Loyalty Points unless purchased using an eligible AAdvantage credit card.
- Any Loyalty Points accrued before February 28, 2023 will likely lower the amount needed to buy-up.
Our Take
Some American Airlines buy up offers require an enormous cash or points purchase. AAdvantage members will have to decide individually whether the amount needed for the buy-up is equivalent to the benefits received by that higher status.
If you do want to buy up with cash, make sure to use an eligible AAdvantage credit card to collect your Loyalty Points.
Will you be taking advantage of your American Airlines buy-up offer?
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