AA Hyatt Globalist Executive Platinum
News has been making the rounds the past few days about Hyatt and American Airlines being generous with status offers. Specifically, Hyatt is offering select Globalist members of their World of Hyatt program top tier American Airlines Executive Platinum status through January, 2021.
What Is Executive Platinum
Executive Platinum status with American Airlines is actually quite valuable. To earn it you normally have to earn 100,000 elite qualifying miles in a calendar year along with $15,000 elite qualifying dollars.
That is a lot of flying and spend, however it gets you:
- Unlimited upgrades from Main Cabin to the next class of service on flights within/between the U.S. (including Hawaii), Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Central America
- 4 complimentary systemwide upgrades
- 120% elite mileage bonus
- Lounge access on international itineraries
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra Seats
- No redeposit fee for awards
- and quite a bit more
My Executive Platinum Offer
The other day when news of this generous AA/Hyatt Executive Platinum offer came out, I admittedly was a little jealous. Then, our very own PDX Deals Guy received the offer from his Hyatt Concierge (concierge is a Globalist benefit of staying 60+ nights) and wasted no time in rubbing it in. 🙂
I decided at that point that it might be worth following up with my concierge who just happens to be the same person.
Emailing My Hyatt Concierge
Admittedly my relationship with my Hyatt Concierge has been mostly good, but not all gumdrops and roses. For example, I wasn’t happy with how she swept my issues at the Hyatt Regency Phuket under the table. I was fairly compensated for my troubles, but that hotel is just terrible and “paying me off” didn’t do anything to address the numerous issues it has.
The Phuket debacle aside, my concierge has been helpful whenever I have asked her for something. After emailing her to both ask if I was eligible for the promotion and for more information to share here about the criteria, I was asked to give her a call. Based on many data points now I can say it seems Hyatt doesn’t want to offer this status gift in writing. Everyone seemingly has to talk to the concierge over the phone. Let me know if your experience has been any different.
Getting the Good News
After playing phone tag with my concierge yesterday, we finally connected and I was given the good news. My name was on the list of Globalists who are being upgraded to American Airlines Executive Platinum status! I was excited, although admittedly had suspected this was the case when I was asked to call her.
As for who is eligible, that information is a bit murky. Some people have reported that concierges got to choose some of their Globalists members who they wanted to gift Executive Platinum status to. On the other hand my concierge told me that American Airlines chose which members they wanted to extend the offer to. I suspect this is at least partially true since it makes sense that American Airlines would want to control to whom they bestowed such a valuable “gift”.
Don’t Be A Hater
All of this leads me to a topic I want to discuss a bit more and that is negativity when it comes to people who get offers such as this. I am in some Facebook groups with Executive Platinum members who have earned the status the hard way and in general they haven’t been happy about this offer. Why should they be? They earn Executive Platinum by flying and spending a lot of money and thus are certainly more entitled to it. (Not the mention the torture of flying on AA! I kid.)
This sort of reminds me of a few years ago when Hyatt gave Diamond status to anyone with competing elite status. I had just struggled to earn the status the hard way by stretching out 25 individual one night stays over the course of a year. Back then award stays and co-brand credit card spend didn’t count, so it was not easy. And then my friend PDX and many many others just strolled into the ranks of top tier with Hyatt. At first I wasn’t happy.
Your Turn Will Come
Of course it didn’t take long for a little perspective to sink in and I even wrote about how I had no right to be upset. While I choose to earn Hyatt top tier status and thus could have been upset about that promo, it would be a bit hypocritical since I have received various other statuses without any work at all. Around the time of that Hyatt match, Hilton matched just about everyone to their Diamond tier. Of course I didn’t complain when I marched my way to Hilton’s top tier without even a single stay! I even got them to rematch me to Diamond when that initial match expired!
I’ve also taken advantage of countless status match opportunities over the years. From numerous challenges and gifts with American Airlines to surprise matches and re-matches with Alaska Airlines, I have scored tons of free upgrades. Heck, this year American, United and Delta have all given me status through various matches and promos. It is crazy.
Play The Game
If you are upset that someone was just given the status you have worked hard for, then don’t be. The truth is that these types of opportunities are available to those that play this lovely miles/points game and not available to those who don’t. Of course you won’t get in on every deal and there will always be friends in the community who seemingly “win” more than you, but if you do this right you’ll end up ahead way more often than not.
Bottom Line
I am thrilled that American Airlines and Hyatt have decided to gift Executive Platinum status to me. I have had that status before and will enjoy it while I can. Truthfully I still don’t know the criteria for why I and/or others were chosen, but it doesn’t really matter. When it comes to this “deal” we win, but if you are left a little bitter I’m sure your score will come soon.
Were you gifted Executive Platinum status from American Airlines & Hyatt? Are you upset about this promo or other fast tracks? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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Any word on it being reciprocal EP = Globalist I would be in for that.
I believe Concierge Key members got Hyatt Globalist, but I don’t think any Exec Plats did.
Don’t hate you, not too sure about AA after 10 years of EP the hard way. 175K miles so far this year and still on recent flight was #6 on the upgrade list. Not spending enough $$ to keep Doug happy I guess. Only 20K this year, I search for bargains since I own the business. Maybe time to consider Delta’s match offer.
PS Over 5 mil flown have been an AA customer since 1970.
It is becoming harder and harder to stay loyal with the current state of the airline award programs. That Delta match can be quite nice. Who knows maybe AA would target you with something to come back!
I’m Executive Platinum too and I don’t hate you. I was more jealous of your quicky trip to Hawaii a few months ago!
I got the EXP offer as a Hyatt Globalist. For what’s it’s worth, it will steer me to AA for a decent amount of flying. I have not flown a revenue flight on AA for 5-6 years, though I have had maybe 3-4 Avios RTs annually. I have about 650K lifetime with AA. Already planning several Europe trips now and maybe one to Indonesia and a slew domestically on business trips. Maybe AA’s data mining knows something.
Uh oh! Now you might be tempted to go for 1M to get lifetime Gold! 🙂
Hyatt gave top tier AA elites top tier Hyatt status automatically while top tier Hyatt members automatically got absolutely nothing. To call this incredibly skewed seems pretty accurate. Then some Globalists get EXP using a secret formula while once again most get nothing? You can call it hating but I take issue with the fact that I and the vast majority like me are getting hosed while some few gain for an unknown and mysterious reason. If you disagree, start majorly and visibly favoring some subset of a group (try it with family for extra fun) and see how the others react.
To be fair Concierge Key members are probably significantly more rare than Globalists and they are the only ones who received the status automatically.
My point about the hating is laid out in the post. When others got Globalist status a few years ago for nothing and I had earned it I still had that same attitude. Instead of getting mad about the stuff I don’t get, I look at all of the stuff I do compared to those who don’t know better. Either way I still come out way ahead. That kind of thinking helps keep me sane. I definitely understand your frustration though.
As an earned Exp and a Hyatt Globalist, i do not begrudge anyone the opportunity to gain a higher status. AA has other parameters that will distinguish the earned from the gifted status. Battle field upgrades will still be determined by spending, so those who have earned the status will still get a higher priority….at least for now.
Yup for the most part we’ll still be looking up at you on the upgrade list! 🙂
Does every globalist get a concierge? I am 103 night globalist and I was never contacted by any concierge. How can I find out mine?
Moved from Marriott to Hyatt this year.
Thanks
You should have been contacted by a Concierge when you hit 60 nights. I would call Hyatt Customer Service (or better yet Tweet them) and see if you can get the contact info for your concierge or at least a phone number to call the concierge line to get yourself setup.
So you have to have 60 nights to have a concierge? Do credit card credits count towards the 60 nights? What if I earned globalist from a 20 night challenge?
In same situation. Think we will get the 4 system wide upgrades?
I have heard that we will. This wasn’t personally confirmed to me, but a number of people I trust have said that is their understanding.
Did you received the 4 system wide upgrades?
Good for you. I am glad you got it.
A year ago I did the dumbest thing. AA gave me a temporary Exec. Plat. I got all those nice benefits. What was so dumb was to not keeping it. I could have done a few reasonable mileage runs and still be at Exec. Plat.
Congrats on getting to be Globalist and Exec. Plat.
And, I do not hate you or anyone else.
So, what was your offer? How many miles to fly in how many days with what kind of spend? Or did they just outright give you the status?
It was a gift! No flying required.
I know how you feel. Back in 2014 I was part of a challenge with AA and could have gotten Executive Platinum but chose only to do one mileage run and get Platinum instead. Big mistake since there is such a difference between the two. When I had the opportunity again a couple of years later (2016 I think) I made sure to fly enough to get Exec Plat. I did use that status quite a lot too. Glad to have it back.
Lesson to be learned, too, for all espoused AA haters, too! Am pretty sure all the non-Aadvantage folks won’t be looking this gift horse in the mouth (even if don’t live near a hub).
I hate you
Fair enough! 🙂