Actually requalified on the outbound, but after a SFO-LAX-HKG weekend run (not quite as wearing as it sounds, was Thurs night-Tues), I have qualified as EXP for the third and most likely (given EQD) last time (and only time I've re-qualified for it; I didn't keep it for 2015.)

Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs): 108,695 of 100,000 (YTD)
Elite Qualifying Segments (EQSs): 23 of 120 (YTD)

Million Miler balance: 1,894,962
and hoping I can cross the 2MM mark next year; I have 47,000 BIS (55,000 EQM) miles already booked for next year, all by the middle of april (and absent EQD would would be likely to make PPro just with other necessary flying.)

Having been PLT 14 years ago, ISTR that was just as they started taking away benefits. Prior to that, the blocked middle seat was pretty much the best thing ever.

Although loads were low so even as a lowly PLT my upgrade rate was quite good, and I don't think miles + copay had quite started yet, although it came in somewhere around then.

Just qualified for EXP last Thursday with segment 120, 41,xxx miles. :D Been a long grind since I started in April...I fly tomorrow and my boarding passes still are Plat. Called AAdvantage, EXP CS tried as best she could to update and said since I had already checked in that she couldn't do anything and to try at the airport tomorrow.

Here is my question that I really don't understand and have read as many threads on how it works, what is the algorithm for less than 500 mile upgrades to F? I have searched ...

120 segments / 41K miles!!! Much credit to you, that sounds painful!

Upgrades for flights under 500 miles do not require stickers from PLT/GLD. Other than that, the algorithm for deciding upgrade priority order is the same.

Thanks TY97! I need a pointer then to the formula for regular upgrades then :confused:

Sure! Here's the official word from AA:

https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...e-upgrades.jsp

Upgrades for flights under 500 miles are auto-requested for all elites (EXP/PLT/GLD). Upgrades for EXPs are also auto-requested on all flights over 500 miles, but PLT and GLD need to manually request if they desire to use stickers

As noted by AA, ordering is by status and then within status each status Tier. Y and B fares have priority within each status tier. Outside of Y and B fares, the time of request is used to determine order within each tier. Therefore, someone who booked and request the upgrade earlier will have higher priority within the tier.

The thread and wiki here also provides a host of information on the topic:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...questions.html

Note that this algorithm will change sometime in the second half of 2017. Priority will still be done by elite tier, but within each tier priority will be determined on spend (EQD) over the prior 12 months. More on EQDs here:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...es-2017-a.html

Try reprinting your BP at a kiosk. Seems like you must have seen lots of flying on an RJ. Hope it wasn't a CR2.

Will try that tomorrow, thanks.

CR9 to 738 then 738 to CR9 on the way back... :-)

"in the second half of 2017". Did I miss an announcement somewhere? As far as I know, AA has only said "later in 2017".

Oh, and your EQD link is busted due to an extra "l" on the end. This should work: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...es-2017-a.html

Fixed the link, thanks.

"Second half of 2017" was my possibly erroneous wording/interpretation/memory. You are correct that they officially have said "Later in 2017"

Ahhhh, it's good to be back in black and have crossed the 1mm mark finally, somewhere between Rome and Hong Kong....

One question: I know in the past my AA reservations haven't automatically updated to reflect a status bump, and I can see from the previous questions that's still the case-- but what about reservations on other OW carriers? I have a few flights booked on BA and JAL and want to be able to use their F lounges. Will my EXP card in my iPhone wallet suffice, since I won't get my "brick and mortar" EXP cards in the mail before I depart? Any recent experiences on this one? Thanks.

I'm also a newly minted EXP for the first and likely only time in my 40+ years of flying AA. Made it late Saturday on the return from an LAX-LIH-OGG-LAX trip. The miles from our HA trip LIH-OGG never posted, but it's only been a week and I suspect that HA messed up our request to earn AA miles. And they don't matter for anything but redeeming, anyway.:D

Finally made it. 105k EQM on 31 segments.

Just touched down from my mileage run! Can't wait for everything to update and see my new status. Will likely be the only time I qualify for EXP but exciting either way.

I just had last flight of RTW ticket yesterday that should get me EXP status.

Only missing QR flights to post to get mileage over 100000. QR flights are usually very slow to post and I will have my next flight on Thursday. Is there any way to expedite mileage posting or update the status before flights post to my account?

I already tried calling PLT AAdvantage desk, they saw missing flights that I have taken, agent tried to post them manually, but couldn't do it as those were partner flights. According to supervisor, I would need to wait. The ticket was on AA stock so would guess that it would have been enough to see flown coupons.

Haven't had this issue personally with QR, but having had to fight relentlessly for every mileage credit CX has ever owed me, I have some tips that might help.

First, if you call and get an agent who sympathizes, he or she can go ahead and submit the missing mileage request form to the partner airline. Usually you have to wait... 15 days? 30 days? some set interval, anyway. That should speed things up a little.

Second, if that doesn't work, you could try writing AAdvantage Customer Relations. I did that a few days ago as a last-ditch effort to get the CX miles I flew in March, and within 48 hours they were magically finally in my account, pushing me over the 100k threshold.

Good luck!