Since 2019, World of Hyatt and AAdvantage have been offering reciprocal benefits for their members with elite status. You must link your accounts – click here if you haven’t already done so. The benefits of this partnership include:
- World of Hyatt elite members can earn 1 point per US dollar spent on American Airlines flights (credited to an AAdvantage account)
- AAdvantage elite members can earn 1 miles per US dollar spent at Hyatt hotels
Occasionally, this partnership also extends to offering fast track opportunities to earn elite status. Hyatt has recently emailed members with details of a status challenge with AAdvantage.
I believe that many offers are similar to mine (as a Globalist with no AA status). You can pick up AAdvantage elite status:
- Earn $700 Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs) and either 6,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) or 7 Elite Qualifying Segments (EQSs) for Gold status
- Earn $1,500 EQDs and either 12,000 EQMs or 14 EQSs for Platinum status
- Earn $2,300 EQDs and either 18,000 EQMs or 21 EQSs for Platinum Pro status
(you cannot fast track your way to Executive Platinum status, but it’s worth noting that Platinum Pro was recently upgraded to “Oneworld Emerald” equivalence)
If you have already linked your accounts, you should find details of this promotion in your AA account. You can register at any time before September 30th, 2021 and you would have 3 months to complete the challenge. So… DON’T register today. Register a day ahead of your next flight on the eligible airlines, which are: American, American Eagle, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, JetBlue or Qantas.
You are not obliged to pick a target. You can aim for Platinum Pro but end up with Gold if a trip or two don’t happen – not an issue…
Terms & Conditions
- This is an exclusive offer only for World of Hyatt Globalist members who successfully linked their AAdvantage® and World of Hyatt accounts
- Register by 11:59 p.m. CDT on September 30, 2021, for your EQMs, EQDs and EQSs to count toward this promotion
- After you reach the required thresholds, your elite-status membership benefits will be extended immediately
- Flights completed before registration or 3 months after your registration start date aren’t eligible for this challenge
- Qualifying eligible flights must be marketed by American Airlines or marketed and operated by American, American Eagle®, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, JetBlue or Qantas
- Flights marketed and / or operated by codeshare partners not listed above aren’t eligible for this challenge
- Qualifying eligible flights may be purchased in any fare that earns EQMs, EQSs and EQDs in the AAdvantage® program
- EQDs, EQMs and EQSs earned through methods not listed above aren’t eligible for this challenge
- Basic Economy flights aren’’t eligible for this challenge
- After you reach the required thresholds, your elite-status membership benefits will be extended immediately through January 31, 2023
- You must requalify for elite-status membership annually
- You can only participate in 1 elite-status challenge at a time
- American may, at any time and without notice, change, stop or end this promotion in part or in full
Conclusion
Since the pandemic began, many frequent flyers have come to the conclusion that airline elite status is not quite so crucial. Perhaps due to this, many frequent flyer programs have been offering shortcuts. If you already have elite status with AAdvantage, you might have already taken advantage of one. But if you are not, this promotion might be a quick and easy way to pick up AAdvantage elite status. Tomorrow I’ll explain how one return trip to Europe could get you there…
