Targeted American Airlines Elite Fast-Track Promotion To Gold, Platinum or Executive Platinum

Update: The registration page mentioned below is no longer working and the promotion is targeted. It is only available to those who received the targeted offer and was put up available to everyone by mistake. So keep a lookout for the offer in case you are targeted! 

Update 2: Thank you @MacadamiaNutt on Twitter for providing me the new targeted offer page. I do not know it is the same registration code or whether it has changed as I am not targeted, but you may want to check whether the registration code H3TLI works for you. 

Update 3: I learned via Lucky at One Mile at a Time, there was an announcement in the Executive Platinum Facebook group:

Hi Everybody – yesterday was quite a day and I greatly appreciate your feedback in all forms and fashion! As you know, from time to time we run highly targeted offers to attract high-value customers. These offers are not intended to be publicly available or dilutive to the benefits that you have earned through your loyal flying on American. We believed the offer we launched yesterday to be significantly more targeted than it was, and as such took the offer down very quickly. The eligible customers who received the offer, registered for the promotion prior to its closing and achieve the mileage requirements during the stated time period will still receive status. We apologize for any confusion and appreciate your continued loyalty.

Update #4: AAdvantageGeek has clarified with American Airlines that everyone who signed up while the promotion was active and was non-elite is, in fact, signed up for the promotion. So congratulations to everyone who got in!

The original post:

American Airlines just announced a promotion to Fast Track Your Way to Elite Status (no longer working). Some non-elite members (or even non-member who signs up for an American Airlines AAdvantage account) can sign-up for the promotion. You must register by August 27, 2013 and use promotion code H3TLI.

After registration, simply fly on one of the following eligible airlines: American Airlines, American Eagle®, American Connection® carrier, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines and Qantas flights, as well as eligible codeshare flights.

You will earn elite status based on elite qualifying miles earned on these airlines from September 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013:

 

Elite Status Level	Elite-Qualifying Miles Required
Gold	6,000
Platinum	12,000
Executive Platinum	30,000

The status will last until February 28, 2015.

You can get a full breakdown of American Airlines Elite Benefits by tier here. They include the following:

• Mileage bonuses on eligible flights.
• Complimentary access to Preferred Seats.
• Special upgrade privileges.
• Priority Access at check-in and boarding.
• Free checked bags.

And don’t forget that American Airlines elite Platinum and Executive Platinum status can sometimes offer you big discounts with the American Airlines Cash and Points rates for hotels!

My thoughts:

This offer somewhat penalizes current elite status holders as even the low-level elites are not eligible for this fast track offer. The purpose is solely to bring in new members and customers and build loyalty among those not currently flying much on American Airlines.

Nevertheless, this is an extremely generous offer and I am very tempted to at least go for Gold level after flying 6,000 miles. I registered just in case I do end up flying the required miles next quarter. I like to book my international trips with miles, but can use Citi ThankYou points or U.S. Bank FlexPerks points to pay for some of my upcoming domestic flights. From the point of view of the airline, redeeming these points is the same as paying with cash for the ticket so the fares do earn miles. Award tickets booked with American Airlines miles will not earn elite qualifying miles. 

(Hat tip: Lucky at One Mile At a Time).