While American doesn't publish full details about this program, we've gathered some information about the perks (and what it takes to qualify) from some TPG readers who are currently
Concierge Key members.
Additionally,
Concierge Key members may be able to take advantage of some «soft benefits.»
Top - priority pre-boarding —
Concierge Key members are entitled to pre-boarding ahead of all other passengers, though in reality this doesn't always play out.
Additionally, later next year, Executive Platinum and
Concierge Key members» award tickets will be eligible for upgrades after all revenue passengers.
American is also giving
its Concierge Key members a nice new bonus.
Until now,
Concierge Key members were grouped into the top priority level with Executive Platinum members (the highest elite level).
Effective January 1,
Concierge Key members will receive higher priority than Executive Platinum members when it comes to upgrade and standby waitlists.
The only thing that appears to be changing is that
Concierge Key members will trump Executive Platinum members for upgrades and, as I said last week, that was probably going to happen anyway.
Up until this point,
Concierge Key members only got the same priority as Executive Platinum, but that is now changing.
This is an unofficial AAdvantage Status level for which there are no published criteria (we do know it's primarily based on how much is spent with the airline) but doesn't come with too many of its own privileges —
Concierge Key members don't trump Executive Platinum members for upgrades for example.
Here's what you need to know to get the traveling year started off right especially if you're one of American's coveted
Concierge Key members.
As one
Concierge Key member puts it, «The program is practically invisible to the outside world, yet its agents are empowered with outsized discretion to go above and beyond traditional restrictions to deliver an end - to - end travel experience that is as frictionless as possible for the passenger.»
For example,
a Concierge Key member will likely have better luck than other non-CK elite members when requesting award space that isn't currently available.
Rumor has it that it's awarded to those who spend at least $ 45,000 in a year, and one
Concierge Key member reported earning this status after exceeding this spending amount and racking up more than 200,000 EQPs (elite - qualifying points, which were eliminated with this year's AAdvantage devaluation).
Not exact matches
All
member concierges wear their golden
key badges as lapel pins.
A
member of American AAdvantage Executive Platinum and
Concierge Key would be a Oneworld Emerald
member.
Unfortunately, while there are many great perks to American Airlines
Concierge Key, you do not earn any additional bonus points for being a
member.
There have been murmurings that the oneworld alliance needs a new top - tier elite level to accommodate (and further recognise) the very top elites from the various
member airlines — this would see the likes of
Concierge Key and Premier status holders separated out into their own new oneworld top tier (possibly called «Diamond»).
Yes,
Concierge Key (CK)
members would be placed above Executive Platinum
members on the upgrade priority list but that's about it.....
Free Admirals Club membership — While it's hard to assign a cash value to some of the
Concierge Key perks, complimentary membership to American Airlines» lounges is worth about $ 500, based on the cost for a new individual
member.
«On Friday May 4th, we will host a private
Concierge event, which will include an intimate tour of our LA headquarters, followed by dinner in the commissary and a sit - down Q&A with Chris Roberts and
key devs from the Star Citizen team,»
members of the Chairman's Club were told via email this week.