American Airlines has sent out its annual gift to its Concierge Key customers. Reader Alex shared his.
A year ago the chocolate company that provided the Concierge Key gift published that American AIrlines had ordered 11,300 of them. That’s consistent with the 10,000 to 15,000 estimate I’ve been using since 2014.
The first thing to note is that this year’s chocolates are provided ‘in partnership with Barclays’. That means American made Barclays pay for the chocolates.
The chocolates have artistic packaging featuring various cities.
There’s also a drawing Concierge Key members can enter to win (1) 100,000 AAdvantage miles, and (2) an Admirals Club membership they can gift (Concierge Key members receive complimentary Admirals Club for themselves).
There are (5) prizes, and only residents of the 48 contiguous U.S. states and the District of Columbia can win. They value the prize at $2640 so the tax reporting hit will be real. If we assume $650 for the Admirals Club members (the first time non-elite price) they’re valuing the 100,000 miles at $1990 or 1.99 cents per mile. That’s a lot lower than they used to report miles at for tax purposes.
These chocolates aren’t one of the better benefits of Concierge Key status. I’d like to see something of the sort sent to lower-tiered elites, like how Alaska Airlines used to send Christmas cookies to MVP Gold members. Nonetheless they’re a nice touch.
I received one but it was branded from Citi vs. Barclays.
I wonder if citi vs barclay depends on the card you have? or just random…
I would like to see Concierge Key become something actually attainable rather than a mysterious offering for which no one has a clue other than to speculate.
At this point there is no incentive for me to go beyond 100K and the spend requirements (which I usually meet months before the deadline). No rollover miles like Delta and no other “tier” to achieve for with American. As such, come around September, I start flying whatever carrier offers the best discounted premium cabin at the most beneficial times as all other incentive is over.
It’s time to remove the Kimono of Concierge Key and promote a clear upper benefit/tier that encourages me, and I imagine thousands of others, to feel more incentive to care beyond the EXec Plat requirement. It would drive more loyalty to AA and create more revenue and spending. Win/Win.
As an executive Plat I received a gift of a plastic luggage tag not just one but 2
So eat your heart out
The generosity at American is mesmerizing
Maybe I don’t remember correctly, but as a 1K on UA i received luggage tags each year. After I stopped flying UA and my status dropped. they sent me Platinum and Gold luggage tags as well. Thy are in my bottom drawer. How many luggage tags do you need?
DL lets me choose my Diamond gift, and I choose the lounge access that would otherwise cost $495 a year. To me that’s better than upgrade certs or luggage tags.
This year as a 1k UA i got a wireless charger for my phone, of course some luggage tags and drink coupons.
Key level is an absolute joke….A farce and a joke! So many EP spend more money and fly more miles than a huge chunk of these so called high value flyers.
As @Gary wrote in a linked story: “There are also more than one tier of ConciergeKey.”
Indeed there must be since I have received neither chocolates, nor does the published link to the drawing work for me.
I suppose I will cry myself to sleep tonight…..
I did however receive a nice note from Ms. Bridget Blaise-Shamai who sent me a heavyweight metal baggage tag with the embossed image of B767 N39356, now retired. I think they’d have been better off tantalizing us with an embossed 737MAX (equally retired).
If I suck on the baggage tag, do you think it has a chocolate flavour? 🙂
The worst thing about CK is when it ends and you are powerless to renew it.
WTF? Alaska and Hawaii excluded? So, not American Airlines but rather Mostly American Airlines or maybe Mainland Airlines.
A few thoughts:
@Stuart @Craig – CK to a large extent is about profitability, so it’s not just about how much you spend, but how much per flight you’re spending. An EXP spending $100k on discounted business fares is not as profitable as a CK spending $40k on full-fare business/first. The first year I made CK, I don’t think I’d event spent $50k, but what I did spend was on a lot of last-minute, full-fare J tickets to Sao Paulo. I think my spend averaged something like $1,500 per segment.
@Woofie – I do wonder if the chocolates were for renewal CK’s. My first year as CK, I didn’t get the chocolates that others did. This year was a renewal for CK, and I did. Who knows…
@flightwonk Good try at justification…. Again, I’m sure there are many EPs that have earned a CK status over your travel habits. But happy travels buddy!
Whatever happened to AA Airpass?