Maximize Rewards with an Elite Card Strategy
This year’s been a bit out of the ordinary for me in the realm of airline elite status. Allow me to walk you through my cunning strategy, especially since there’s a major plot twist this time around…
I’m Climbing the AAdvantage Elite Ladder!
A few weeks back, I mentioned my unfortunate fate of not requalifying for AAdvantage Executive Platinum status. After an impressive 14-year streak, I plummeted to AAdvantage Gold. Cue the mixed emotions! Sure, elite status isn’t what it once was—those sweet perk upgrades are a distant memory. But for someone like me, who practically has one foot in international airports at all times, those oneworld Emerald status perks are pure gold. The lounge access alone is worth the pursuit.
Although I didn’t hit the mark last year, it doesn’t mean I’m giving American the boot. I’m just shifting gears to a more efficient approach:
- Aiming for Platinum Pro over Executive Platinum—less hassle, same Emerald perks, and about 40% fewer Loyalty Points required (125,000 versus 200,000).
- Strategically qualifying every two years instead of annually. Start strong at the beginning of the current program year (say, 2025-2026), and you’re golden till March 2027.
Spending My Way to AAdvantage Platinum Pro Status
American has this nifty Loyalty Points system—so even your wallet can earn you elite status without ever boarding a plane! Swipe that eligible co-branded American credit card, and it’s one Loyalty Point per dollar spent. Here’s how those loyalty rankings shake out:
- AAdvantage Gold: 40,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Platinum: 75,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 125,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 200,000 Loyalty Points
If plastic is your weapon of choice, brace yourself—a staggering $125,000 gets you Platinum Pro status. Yet, there’s a glimpse of hope in the form of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®. Achieve 90,000 Loyalty Points, and they bless you with a 20,000 bonus, cutting your climb to 105,000. Still, I’ll admit, it’s not all roses and rainbows earning status this way. Spending $125,000 when you could be earning two transferable points per dollar elsewhere is a steep price, but I figure it’s a decent plan…
I Might as Well Collect Two-for-One Elite Status
Here’s where things get even juicier. The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® is the ace up my sleeve. Not only does the card offer sweet perks and a fab welcome bonus, but there’s a snag. Generally, the authorized user scores the Loyalty Points from their spending, not the primary cardholder.
Now, here comes the kicker: a temporary, perhaps extendable promotion that allows double dipping—both the primary cardmember and authorized user rake in Loyalty Points. It’s like scoring two for the price of one! If I’m swiping, why not let Ford (my traveling partner-in-crime) grab oneworld Emerald status too?
Is Double Dipping Worth More Spending?
So, if I rake in 125,000 Loyalty Points for two people and hoist that Platinum Pro flag, should I just keep swiping? With double dipping on the table, consider American’s Loyalty Point Rewards. They bait you with incremental goodies:
- 175,000 Loyalty Points nets you two systemwide upgrades or 25,000 bonus miles.
- 250,000 Loyalty Points earns you four systemwide upgrades or 60,000 bonus miles.
As we go from Platinum Pro to Executive Platinum, spending another $125,000 upgrades two folks to 12 systemwide upgrades or 170,000 bonus miles. Add the miles earned per dollar; we’re talking 290,000 AAdvantage miles for that cash. That’s a mighty fine offer, better than most transferable cards.
I’m playing it by ear—if I can make this spending happen, terrific. But the numbers don’t lie: this could be gold compared to a card promising two points per dollar.
The Bottom Line
In a twist straight out of an airline thriller, I found myself without the Executive Platinum badge for the first time in ages. Not because I’ve lost my mojo, but because I’ve got a cunning new approach.
This year, I’m playing the game with my credit cards, aiming for Platinum Pro. The cherry on top? That double-dipping promotion from the Citi AAdvantage Business Card lets us score status for two at no extra cost. Between Loyalty Point Rewards pushing those bonuses, who wouldn’t raise a glass? Here’s a rare chance to earn that two-for-one elite status.
Is anyone else out there cashing in on this double dipping scene for that AAdvantage status?