New American AAdvantage Instant Status Pass Program

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American AAdvantage just launched a new Instant Status Pass program this week. The offer gives you instant status. Then, you must meet qualification requirements throughout the year to retain or improve your status. If you meet thresholds throughout the year, you retain your status through the end of the membership year (March 31 of the following year).

Unlike other status challenges, this one has a multi-layered structure making it more like a game to keep you interested. So, how does it work?

Check your AA Account

For now, this promotion is targeted at various AA members. You need to log in to your AA account to see if you have been targeted and which status you have been allocated. Once logged in, head over to your promotions section to see if you have been targeted.

You can also call the AA call center to find out if you have been targeted and register for the promotion.  When calling, note that some travelers report needing to pay to enroll in an AAdvantage Instant Status Pass.

Whether online or over the phone, you must register for the promotion within 30 days of being targeted.

AAdvantage Instant Status Phases

Once registered, you can start to move through the phases of the promotion. The next 12 months are split into three phases, each four months long. To keep your status after the initial four months, you'll need to meet phase 1 criterion as follows:

• Gold status: Earn 10,000 Loyalty Points in the first four months.
• Platinum status: Earn 25,000 Loyalty Points in the first four months.
• Platinum Pro status: Earn 42,000 Loyalty Points in the first four months.
• Executive Platinum status: Earn 67,000 Loyalty Points in the first four months.

For reference, these values are one-third of the standard Loyalty Point earning requirements:

Depending on your allocated status, you must meet the minimum earning threshold to retain it through phase 2.

Phases 2 & 3

At the end of phase 1, you will receive an email from AA informing you of the following:

• Your status for phase 2 of the promotion.
• Your phase 2 qualifying requirements.

At the end of phase 2, the process is repeated for phase 3. American hasn't confirmed the criteria for phases 2 and 3. But, we understand it will be similar to phase 1 requirements — with a credit for any extra Loyalty Points you earned in the previous phase.

Status Changes During the Promotion

Interestingly, you can also have your status upgraded or downgraded during the promotion. So, for instance, If you are selected for Gold status but earn 44,000 Loyalty Points in the first four months, your status will be upgraded to Platinum Pro for phase 2.

On the other hand, if you receive Platinum during phase 1 but only earn 12,000 points. Your status may drop to Gold for phase 2.

Say you earn 75,000 Loyalty Points in phase 1. You would receive Executive Platinum status for phase 2. However, let’s assume you only earn 25,000 Loyalty Points. For phase 3 you would drop to Platinum Pro status. You'll need to earn another 25,000 Loyalty Points in phase 3 to finish the challenge with enough Loyalty Points for Platinum Pro status.

Eligible Loyalty Points

One thing to keep in mind is that there is more than one way to earn AA Loyalty Points. In addition to earning them by flying AA or with one of their Oneworld partners, you can also earn them for flying with Gol or JetBlue.

You can also earn tons of AA Loyalty Points without ever setting foot on an aircraft via credit card spending. American AAdvantage has a well-developed partnership with Citi offering a wide selection of American Airlines co-brand credit cards. Which card is right for you depends on your use of AA, travel goals, and spending patterns.

The Drawbacks of the Instant Status Pass

While the program is exciting and aims to keep customers hooked on the challenge, there are a couple of frustrations with the program.

First, you need to hit Loyalty Point thresholds every four months for an entire year. That sets this apart from other airline status matches and challenges which typically only require you to hit a threshold in the first few months. With the AAdvantage Instant Status Pass, you must constantly pay attention to your next deadline and requirements.

Second, the whole concept and system is pretty complex. While points and miles fans may eat up this kind of promotion, it is very likely your average traveler will not. This can lead to many unsatisfied customers who don’t exactly realize what they are getting.

Our Take

This new promotion is an innovative idea from AA. The clever aspect is that it is designed to keep customers engaged. From a traveler's perspective, it's great to get status upfront. Enjoy the perks and benefits for the first 4 months. If you hit the targets, then you can keep going, enjoying elite status the entire time. That makes the Instant Status Pass one of the few programs that is a win-win for the traveler and the airline!

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