dstan

Several topics arise quite frequently in the AA Forum due to their complexity. To assist members with questions about these topics that they have not been able to answer on their own using the resources in this forum, the AA Moderator team has established a series of "Help Desk" threads on these topics.

Our goal is to provide a place where members can feel welcome to post questions on these topics and can expect helpful, accurate responses. In this way, we hope to accommodate the needs and desires of both new and veteran members - those who aren't sure they are interpreting the available resources correctly can ask for help without fear of snarky-appearing responses; those who do not wish to participate in such threads are invited and, indeed, encouraged, to ignore these threads.

Please be forewarned: These threads are subject to heavy moderation. Posts that are incorrect will be subject to deletion without notice - DO NOT POST answers unless you are 100% sure your answer is complete and correct. Posts that are unhelpful or off-topic will also be subject to deletion without notice - DO NOT POST unless you can be friendly, helpful, concise, and salient.

Finally, a few guidelines for members posting queries to these threads:
Note that these threads are not designed to develop into searchable databases and, as such, post may be shed or pared down from time to time to a trailing thread or similar device. We will consider similar threads on commonly broached topics in the future - please feel free to contact us by PM with suggestions.

Enjoy!
The AA Moderator Team

• Help Desk: Lounge Access and Lounge Access Rules
  Get help parsing AA and oneworld lounge access rules for your trip (for questions about individual lounges, please search for and post to the appropriate specific thread instead).
  
  
• Help Desk: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenge (Gold and Platinum)
  Get help signing up for and successfully completing an elite status Challenge.
  
  
• Help Desk: AA Miles and Points Math Calculations
  Get help figuring out the different types of miles and points that post to your account after a flight.
  
  
• For Award-related questions, please see the award threads in the "Combined Airline and Program" Forum.
  

Several related threads are not yet explicitly designated as Help Desks, but have operated similarly :

• MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability - Help, Assistance & Discussion (consolidated)
  Assistance, tips and tricks to secure that MileSAAver award
  
  
• Chances of upgrade clearing, upgrade availability discussion (consolidated - 2014 on)
  Ask about specific routes, times, days of week
  
  
• What's a Systemwide Upgrade SWU VIP eVIP SWUs, questions etc. (2012 on, consolidated)
  Ask general questions about Systemwide Upgrade procedures
  
  
• Lost baggage /luggage delay, loss, damage - advice, compensation, etc. (consolidated)
  Ask about obtaining compensation for lost and delayed baggage
  
  
• Help: I need XXX miles by XXX date (2012 onward - Consolidated)
  Ask about the best ways to obtain the miles you need for an award
  
  
• There's a new Lounge Dashboard "sticky" thread in the Combined Airline and Prigrams Forum that has a "dashboard" with widget buttons that take you to the Lounge Access Help Desk, threads about status and oneworld based access, membership and pass information and master threads about the Admirals Club and oneworld lounges AAers are most likely to use.