Is American Airlines Executive Platinum or United Airlines 1K better?

<br />

Congratulations on earning AAdvantage Executive Platinum^® for earning 124,296 Loyalty Points in Phase 1 of Instant Status Pass^TM. You’ll enjoy this status now through August 25, 2023.

This was a message I received earlier this year after flying three round trips paying for business class tickets from Honolulu to the Middle East on American Airlines and Qatar Airways in the last four months.

I made it from no status to the highest on American Airlines. and in the One World system.

I am also a 1K 3 Million mile flyer with United Airlines and enjoy the highest status on United Airlines and the Star Alliance network for life.

I was excited to try the benefits of American Airlines Executive Platinum status without losing my lifetime United Airlines 1K.

One World member Qatar Airways is one of the best airlines I ever experienced, but it is not worth it to deal with its fellow One World member American Airlines.

After spending close to $65,000 on tickets, I lost $13,000.00 in the process and was close to a nervous breakdown. I wasted 3 hours on average over many days when calling the airline to get nothing resolved.

On two occasions, a foreign travel agency issued a ticket for me and booked a $6750.00 first-class airfare one way between Honolulu to Los Angeles.

I got American Airlines to rebook the F fare to a regular R first-class fare basis of $780.00 one way.

I was told many months ago there would be a credit to my American Airlines profile. I was told I could use it for another trip. I agreed, but no credit ever showed.

I made numerous calls to American Airlines with hours of hold time, agents hanging up on me, and supervisors making promises they were never delivered on.

Once, I was instructed to go to my home airport, Honolulu, to get a voucher, only to find the American Airlines counter closed at 11 am during business times.

After a second trip, the two agents that worked the counter invested 4 hours but were not empowered to issue this flight credit voucher.

I was unable to stand any longer, so I went home empty-handed, driving through rush hour.

Flying a small American Airlines Airbus Neon from Los Angeles to Honolulu on a $6000.00 one-way first-class airfare is not much fun.

Sleeper seats: No
One flight attendant for the entire first-class cabin
Substandard food
A toilet so small you cannot turn around
No lounge access even as a top member with a paid international business class ticket.

When following up on my travel credits, I spent many hours on phone calls over many weeks and finally received a call back from an American Airlines supervisor.

I also sent emails and filled out forms, only to get standard responses telling me American Airlines is taking my message seriously to improve – but no solution, no response to my questions – and no flight credit.

I was told by an AA Supervisor in a voicemail received in the middle of the night on March 25, 2023:

My name is Deedee. Yes, Mr. Steinmetz, this is Deedee with American Airlines. I am calling from a recorded line. I did speak to you earlier in reference to the voucher that you received.

So you were advised that the voucher was emailed to you. I do apologize that you were misinformed. I do show that it is a transportation voucher. The number that you gave me is correct 001-042-488-xxxx. That transportation voucher will be mailed to you. It’s not something. It’s going to be emailed. It’s going actually to be mailed to you, so it’s a voucher that will be mailed to you, so you should expect to receive that shortly. I do apologize for the confusion, and I hope that this answers some of your questions. Thank you for calling American Airlines; you enjoy the rest of your evening.”

I had received the same response from the airport agents, but nothing ever arrived.

After hours of additional phone calls, no more information was available.

My travel bank showed a flight credit of $450.00 for an unrelated canceled trip during COVID in 2022

I could not use it online and had no time to try to use it during all this chaos. I could not combine it with more expensive tickets that included Qatar Airways.

Finally, I called and made a reservation using the credit for a May 2023 flight from Honolulu to Las Vegas. The fare was a little cheaper, but I was ok with writing off the difference.

This reservation was confirmed to me by email and posted under “upcoming flights” on my American Airlines profile. I made this reservation in March with a call center agent.

Last week I received an email confirming a complimentary upgrade for a sector on this itinerary.

Since this portion was combined with an independent reservation to get to Frankfurt for IMEX next week, and the timing was not ideal, I called American Airlines to make some slight changes.

To my surprise, I was told I had a reservation but didn’t have a ticket. I was told the agent would have to re-calculate the ticket, and I could not use the flight credit from last year since it was expired.

The agent said whoever booked the reservation for me two months ago did not ticket it, and now it’s too late. I had no way of knowing or suspecting this.

I was furious and asked to speak to a supervisor working in Platinum customer service. After being on hold for 92 minutes, the supervisor said she could do nothing. If I wanted to make a reservation, I would have to pay for it again at the current rate.

Sorry American Airlines, your customer service agents are powerless to provide customer service, and your system is designed to upset and defraud customers.

I am so sorry, United Airlines, for sheeting on you with American Airlines

United Airlines, you spoiled me for 35 years, and I will continue showing my loyalty to you.

I enjoyed my Executive Platinum status on American Airlines because of my experience flying the Q-suite on Qatar Airways.

However, keeping American Airlines to maintain this status will not be worth it, even with a lot of cheap champaign in American Airlines’ so-called first class.

Perhaps there is a chance for Emirates to join Star Alliance?