American AAdvantage has 4 printed elite tiers (along with Concierge Key standing, which is invitation-only). In a separate put up I wrote a information about American’s top-tier Govt Platinum standing, and on this put up I wished to try the elite tier beneath that, which is Platinum Professional.
I’d argue that Platinum Professional is a candy spot within the AAdvantage program, and that it’s the all-around most dear mid-tier elite standing at any of the “large three” US carriers. That’s as a result of Platinum Professional will get you oneworld Emerald standing, and most of the different some perks as Govt Platinum.
So let’s get proper into it. How do you earn Platinum Professional standing, what are the perks, and is it value it?
Tips on how to earn AAdvantage Platinum Professional standing
These days you’ll be able to earn elite standing within the AAdvantage program by racking up Loyalty Factors, which is American’s elite foreign money. Platinum Professional requires incomes 125,000 Loyalty Factors over the course of this system 12 months. Platinum Professional is 40% simpler to earn than Govt Platinum standing, in order that’s a fairly important distinction.
For context, right here’s what number of Loyalty Factors it’s essential earn so as to qualify for the varied AAdvantage elite tiers:
- AAdvantage Gold standing requires 40,000 Loyalty Factors
- AAdvantage Platinum standing requires 75,000 Loyalty Factors
- AAdvantage Platinum Professional standing requires 125,000 Loyalty Factors
- AAdvantage Govt Platinum standing requires 200,000 Loyalty Factors
Loyalty Factors are completely different than redeemable AAdvantage miles, as your Loyalty Factors whole resets each calendar 12 months.
With AAdvantage, the elite standing qualification 12 months runs from the start of March till the top of February of the next 12 months. In different phrases, the 2023 elite 12 months runs from March 1, 2023, by February 29, 2024. Standing earned throughout this elite 12 months could be legitimate throughout March 31, 2025 (there’s a one month buffer after the top of the standing 12 months).
You may earn Loyalty Factors by quite a lot of strategies, starting from bank card spending to flying. You earn one Loyalty Level per greenback spent on a bank card, so $125K in eligible bank card spending would earn you Platinum Professional standing. Be aware that the variety of miles flown is on no account factored into incomes standing — you may qualify for Platinum Professional standing with out stepping foot on a airplane.
For extra on find out how to qualify, see my information on the AAdvantage Loyalty Factors program, and my information to incomes Loyalty Factors with bank card spending.
AAdvantage Platinum Professional standing advantages
AAdvantage Platinum Professional standing comes with quite a lot of perks, starting from complimentary upgrades, to Loyalty Level Rewards advantages, to lounge entry, to further legroom seating. Let’s go over the small print of every of those perks.
I’ll rank them roughly within the order that I worth them, beginning with probably the most precious perks.
Complimentary upgrades inside North America
AAdvantage Platinum Professional members obtain limitless complimentary house out there upgrades inside North America, together with for as much as one journey companion:
- Complimentary elite upgrades can begin clearing as much as 72 hours earlier than departure
- Upgrades are prioritized first by elite tier, after which by your rolling 12-month whole of Loyalty Factors; so Platinum Professional upgrades clear after Govt Platinum upgrades, however earlier than Platinum upgrades
- American and Alaska supply reciprocal elite upgrades, and you may learn extra about how that works right here
How usually must you count on upgrades to clear as a Platinum Professional member? It actually is determined by the routes you fly, the times of the week you fly, and so forth. American has gotten significantly better at promoting firstclass seats over time, leaving fewer seats for upgrades.
When you fly in aggressive markets, I’d count on to be upgraded lower than half of the time as a Platinum Professional member. Admittedly individuals may have massively various experiences, as there are such a lot of components to think about.
See my information to American’s complimentary elite upgrades.
oneworld Emerald standing (together with lounge entry)
Except for upgrades, that is in all probability my favourite advantage of Platinum Professional standing. Platinum Professional standing will get you oneworld Emerald, which I’d take into account to be probably the most precious alliance-wide standing on the market. This provides varied advantages when touring on any of the over dozen oneworld airways, together with precedence check-in, precedence boarding, and extra.
As a oneworld Emerald member you’ll additionally get entry to most oneworld first & enterprise class lounges when touring on lengthy haul worldwide flights. This consists of the whole lot from American Flagship Lounges, to the Qantas First Lounge LAX.
So on the subject of oneworld recognition, Govt Platinum and Platinum Professional members get the identical advantages.
See my information to oneworld Emerald standing.
Complimentary Most important Cabin Further seating
AAdvantage Platinum Professional members obtain complimentary Most important Cabin Further seating for them and as much as eight companions on the identical reservation on the time of reserving, topic to availability. This perk applies on flights globally, and never simply flights inside North America. This is similar perk out there to Govt Platinum members.
Most important Cabin Further is American’s further legroom economic system seating, sometimes within the entrance of the economic system cabin and at exit rows, and it provides a number of further inches of legroom. Moreover, passengers seated in Most important Cabin Further can obtain complimentary alcoholic drinks.
When you’re going to be seated in economic system, then a minimum of with the ability to assign Most important Cabin Further seats makes the journey extra pleasurable.
80% standing mileage bonus
AAdvantage Platinum Professional members obtain an 80% mileage bonus on flights. All AAdvantage members earn 5x miles per greenback spent on American flights, that means that Platinum Professional members earn 8x miles per greenback spent. This identical share bonus applies on associate airways (although mileage incomes is calculated otherwise).
Remember that standing bonus miles qualify as Loyalty Factors, so meaning it’s simpler to qualify for standing if you have already got it, quite than ranging from scratch. As some extent of comparability, Govt Platinum members obtain a 120% mileage bonus.
Entry to Loyalty Level Rewards
This isn’t straight tied to elite standing, however American has the Loyalty Level Rewards program, whereby you’ll be able to choose advantages when incomes a sure variety of Loyalty Factors over the course of this system 12 months. That is additionally how one can earn systemwide upgrades, that are a profit that many respect, because it means that you can improve to enterprise class on lengthy haul flights.
Sadly the precious thresholds for this are above the Platinum Professional Loyalty Factors necessities.
For instance, at 175,000 Loyalty Factors you may choose two systemwide upgrades, and at 250,000 Loyalty Factors you may choose 4 extra systemwide upgrades. When you don’t worth these all these a lot, there are every kind of different perks you’ll be able to choose, together with bonus miles.
See my information to American Loyalty Level Rewards.
Three free checked (precedence) luggage
AAdvantage Platinum Professional members can examine three luggage freed from cost on all itineraries. The load restrict is ordinarily 50 kilos per bag, however in case you’re touring in first or enterprise class, the burden restrict is 70 kilos per bag.
Moreover, your luggage shall be tagged as being precedence. Don’t essentially count on that these luggage will constantly come out first at baggage declare, although.
This is similar perk out there to Govt Platinum members.
Precedence check-in, safety, and boarding
AAdvantage Platinum Professional members obtain quite a lot of precedence providers on the airport, together with:
- Precedence check-in, sometimes with first & enterprise class
- Precedence safety screening
- Precedence boarding, sometimes with group two
These perks are similar to Govt Platinum, besides Govt Platinum members can board with group one, quite than with group two.
Identical day flight adjustments & precedence standby
Platinum Professional members could make complimentary identical day flight adjustments to a different flight in the identical market. There are capability controls to this, so don’t count on that it’s going to at all times be attainable, even when there are seats out there.
Past that, Platinum Professional members obtain precedence standby, because the standby record is prioritized based mostly on elite standing. As a Platinum Professional member, you must sometimes be close to the highest of the standby record, behind Concierge Key and Govt Platinum members.
AAdvantage Platinum Professional telephone quantity
AAdvantage Platinum Professional members get entry to a particular elite telephone quantity. This typically provides a lot shorter maintain instances, and brokers who’re extra knowledgable. Gaining access to that is fairly precious, particularly throughout irregular operations.
Reciprocal elite perks on JetBlue
American and JetBlue have a partnership, and as a part of that they provide reciprocal elite perks. This may turn out to be useful in case you reside in a market the place you find yourself flying JetBlue with some frequency.
When touring with JetBlue, Platinum Professional members obtain precedence check-in, precedence boarding, precedence safety, two free checked luggage, complimentary Even Extra House seats 24 hours earlier than departure, and complimentary identical day flight adjustments. This makes flying with JetBlue a nice expertise. Be aware that Govt Platinum, Platinum Professional, and Platinum members all obtain the identical perks on JetBlue.
See my information to reciprocal American & JetBlue elite perks.
Is AAdvantage Platinum Professional value it?
Whether or not or not it’s value going for Platinum Professional standing relies upon completely in your journey patterns and what you’re hoping to achieve kind having elite standing. Typically talking, airline elite standing doesn’t supply as a lot worth because it used to, as airways have in the reduction of elite perks and have gotten higher at promoting firstclass (and thereby having fewer seats out there to improve to).
I’ll say that I feel Platinum Professional is an usually neglected tier within the AAdvantage program. The qualification necessities are 40% decrease than for Govt Platinum, but you get most of the identical advantages — oneworld Emerald standing (which is superior), Most important Cabin Further on the time of reserving, precedence airport providers, perks on Alaska and JetBlue, complimentary upgrades and extra.
The primary variations between Platinum Professional and Govt Platinum are that the latter has greater precedence for almost the whole lot, so that you’ll clear extra upgrades when you’ve got greater standing. Relying in your journey patterns, which will or could not make a fabric distinction.
Moreover, there’s worth available with the Loyalty Level Rewards program, together with the power to earn systemwide upgrades. Nonetheless, that’s circuitously associated to a selected elite tier.
When you can’t fairly earn Govt Platinum standing, then I feel Platinum Professional is a superb different.
Backside line
Platinum Professional is American’s second highest printed elite tier. It provides quite a lot of precious perks, together with further legroom economic system seating, firstclass upgrades, oneworld Emerald standing, and so forth.
I feel there’s an argument to be made for Platinum Professional being nearly as precious as Govt Platinum, particularly in case you incessantly flyer with oneworld companions, and worth the lounge entry provided by Emerald standing within the alliance.
When you’re Platinum Professional with American, what has your expertise been?
