Is American Airways Government Platinum or United Airways 1K higher?

Star Alliance or One World? The reply for me is obvious. There are worlds of variations, and after writing off $13,500 I’ve a narrative to inform.

Congratulations on incomes AAdvantage Government Platinum^® for incomes 124,296 Loyalty Factors in Section 1 of Instantaneous Standing Cross^TM. You’ll take pleasure in this standing now by way of August 25, 2023.

This was a message I obtained earlier this yr after flying three spherical journeys paying for enterprise class tickets from Honolulu to the Center East on American Airways and Qatar Airways within the final 4 months.

I made it from no standing to the very best on American Airways and within the One World system.

I’m additionally a 1K 3 Million Mile flyer with United Airways and benefit from the highest standing on United Airways and the Star Alliance community for all times.

I used to be excited to strive the advantages of American Airways Government Platinum standing with out dropping my lifetime United Airways 1K.

One World member Qatar Airways is among the finest airways I ever skilled, however it’s not value it to cope with its fellow One World member American Airways.

After spending near $65,000 on tickets, I misplaced $13,000 within the course of and was near a nervous breakdown. I wasted 3 hours on common over many days when calling the airline to get nothing resolved.

On 2 events, a international journey company issued a ticket for me and booked a $6,750 first-class airfare a technique between Honolulu to Los Angeles.

I obtained American Airways to rebook the F fare to an everyday R first-class fare foundation of $780 a technique.

I used to be instructed many months in the past there could be a credit score to my American Airways profile. I used to be instructed I may use it for one more journey. I agreed, however no credit score ever confirmed.

I made quite a few calls to American Airways with hours of maintain time, brokers hanging up on me, and supervisors making guarantees that had been by no means delivered.

As soon as, I used to be instructed to go to my house airport, Honolulu, to get a voucher, solely to search out the American Airways counter closed at 11 am throughout enterprise hours.

After a second journey, the two brokers that labored the counter invested 4 hours however weren’t empowered to subject this flight credit score voucher.

I used to be unable to face any longer, so I went house empty-handed, driving by way of rush hour.

Flying a small American Airways Airbus Neon from Los Angeles to Honolulu on a $6,000 one-way first-class airfare shouldn’t be a lot enjoyable.

• Sleeper seats: No
• One flight attendant for all the first-class cabin
• Substandard meals
• A rest room so small you can’t flip round
• No lounge entry whilst a prime member with a paid worldwide enterprise class ticket

When following up on my journey credit, I spent many hours on cellphone calls over many weeks and eventually obtained a name again from an American Airways supervisor.

I additionally despatched emails and crammed out types, solely to get normal responses telling me American Airways is taking my message critically to enhance – however with no answer, no response to my questions, and no flight credit score.

I used to be instructed by an AA supervisor in a voicemail I obtained in the course of the night time on March 25, 2023:

“My identify is Deedee. Sure, Mr. Steinmetz, that is Deedee with American Airways. I’m calling from a recorded line. I did communicate to you earlier in reference to the voucher that you just obtained.

“So that you had been suggested that the voucher was emailed to you. I do apologize that you just had been misinformed. I do present that it’s a transportation voucher. The quantity that you just gave me is appropriate 001-042-488-xxxx. That transportation voucher will probably be mailed to you. It’s not one thing. It’s going to be emailed. It’s going really to be mailed to you, so it’s a voucher that will probably be mailed to you, so you need to count on to obtain that shortly. I do apologize for the confusion, and I hope that this solutions a few of your questions. Thanks for calling American Airways; you take pleasure in the remainder of your night.”

I had obtained the identical response from the airport brokers, however nothing ever arrived.

After hours of extra cellphone calls, no extra data was out there.

My journey financial institution confirmed a flight credit score of $450 for an unrelated canceled journey throughout COVID in 2022.

I couldn’t use it on-line and had no time to attempt to use it throughout all this chaos. I couldn’t mix it with costlier tickets that included Qatar Airways.

Lastly, I referred to as and made a reservation utilizing the credit score for a Could 2023 flight from Honolulu to Las Vegas. The fare was a bit cheaper, however I used to be okay with writing off the distinction.

This reservation was confirmed to me by e-mail and posted underneath “upcoming flights” on my American Airways profile. I made this reservation in March with a name middle agent.

Final week I obtained an e-mail confirming a complimentary improve for a sector on this itinerary.

Since this portion was mixed with an impartial reservation to get to Frankfurt for IMEX subsequent week, and the timing was not perfect, I referred to as American Airways to make some slight adjustments.

To my shock, I used to be instructed I had a reservation however didn’t have a ticket. I used to be instructed the agent must re-calculate the ticket, and I couldn’t use the flight credit score from final yr because it was expired.

The agent mentioned whoever had booked the reservation for me 2 months in the past didn’t ticket it, and now it’s too late. I had no method of understanding or suspecting this.

I used to be livid and requested to talk to a supervisor working in Platinum customer support. After being on maintain for 92 minutes, the supervisor mentioned she may do nothing. If I needed to make a reservation, I must pay for it once more on the present charge.

Sorry American Airways, your customer support brokers are powerless to offer customer support, and your system is designed to upset and defraud prospects.

I’m so sorry, United Airways, for dishonest on you with American Airways.

United Airways, you spoiled me for 35 years, and I’ll proceed displaying my loyalty to you.

I loved my Government Platinum standing on American Airways due to my expertise flying the Q-suite on Qatar Airways.

Nevertheless, protecting American Airways to keep up this standing is not going to be value it, even with loads of low-cost Champagne in American Airways’ so-called top notch.

Maybe there’s a likelihood for Emirates to hitch Star Alliance?

United Airways – I will probably be loyal once more!

I miss the United Airways 1K customer support hotline.