AA announces fall double EQM promo. Others to follow?

AA just announced a fall double EQM promo. I wonder if other airlines will follow suit.

http://aa.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=2720

FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Starting today, American Airlines frequent flyers will be able to enjoy two special promotions geared toward putting them on a priority path to AAdvantage Gold®, AAdvantage Platinum® or AAdvantage Executive Platinum® status, along with the opportunity to select from a list of great extra rewards in recognition of their loyalty.

The Double Elite-Qualifying Miles promotion allows customers to earn twice the elite status qualifying miles when they fly on American Airlines, American Eagle, and AmericanConnection between Sept. 2, and Dec. 15, 2009.

Let's hope not! I want to stay under 125K MQM so I have a hefty rollover MQM to 2010 toward another PE/PM status.

Goodness isn't inflation bad enough?

Hahaha - this is classic.

I guess you could always use another FF programme but then no Plat benefits on those flights?

I'm hoping for Double EQM as I have a ton of Fall flying to do, got GE already, might get PE for the first time since the old Flying Dutchman RoyalWing days...

It would put me to DM for sure if I add a trip or two

Business travel is supposedly down > 30%... lots of people will be losing status this year.

UA has matched and has included EQS. Link is here:

http://www.united.com/page/article/1..._500bonusmiles

I have to imagine that DL will follow in one form or another. Now, legacy NW probably will not.

Safe Travels.

If they do it, I hope by Friday as I have a flight to ZRH.

That also will mean I'll have to go for DM because everybody and his dog will be Plat and with my low fare classes, I'll never get an upgrade (now 33% on DL, though its a low sample size)

But, if they match this they will have over 6 months of Double MQM. I am more worried about how many miles I can roll over and that I can earn 25k miles every 12 1/2 now vie EEP.

As incentive for DL double EQM came with Amex Skymiles credit card, offering Double EQM without Amex is doubtful unless DL is willing to give out Triple EQM for its card members. I highly doubt it. If anything, DL will likely provide different package of benefits from systemwide upgrades and free lounge access, etc using a point based qualification criteria.

Enough EQM has been given out already. It's time for DL to shell out something else to maintain interest for its members.

Jiburi

I've got really mixed feelings about DL matching. If they do the Elite inflation is going to be really thick - we already had one EQM promo, then the 'gift' EQM, a Hilton EQM is running now, Amex has given away various promo EQM on top of the EQM they give std with the Plat and Reserver cards - adding another would really stack the cake. Up to this point I figured I'd hold at Plat + 40K EQM towards next year but another EQM promo would make DM more attractive just to ensure a good upgrade rate next year.

Oh - if NW legacy gets left out we can always register our DL accounts and at least catch Nov/Dec. I have to agree DL would be reluctant to implement a last minute promo in NW IT but its probable we'd whine enough that they'd let us do some sort of bridging when the conversion happens in Oct as well. (all speculation of course - maybe let us do a post EUA swap to the DL number or retro credit the EQM when the conversion happens or alike.)

In the end though I'd probably go with saying DL shouldn't match - too much EQM already given away as it is. Honestly - when I think about it - I'm suppoed to get 15K EQM from plat Amex sign up, 10K EQM from the US Bank spend, 15K EQM from the 'gift' thing - that's Silver and 80% to Gold without flying a mile. This is just getting goofy.

The Amex double-earnings promo is RDM, not EQM - better be, or I'm in danger of making Diamond!

I already know that Delta/NWA wont match this, why should they? As mentioned above they already gave away up to 15,000 EQMs per member earlier this year; they are also doing a Hilton related promo where you earn EQMs for spending nights at the hotel; not to mention the WP Visa EQM promo earlier this year; and also by offering up to 40,000 EQMs for the new Delta Reserve Card (for certain members, and with a $450 annual fee)

They are also offering this new "rollover" plan.. which also involves EQMs..

Basically, AAdvantage is countering WP/SM.. they have to... you are not going to see Delta retaliate in a never ending match up of promos until basically everyone flies for free or earns Platinum Elite for not even flying once lol

The above sounds like fiction and falls into the classification of revisionist history.

AA is doing the same kind of thing this year that it did in years before DL management made announcements about the 2010 Medallion program or did what it did to SkyMiles+WorldPerks this year.

fiction? lol.. Your use of words are quite amusing.. irregardless, this is at least the second time AA has done this promo this year alone.. yes it common for AA to make a 2 for 1 EQM promo.. but twice a year? Obviously it would need to do something to prevent customers from switching to Delta with all the hype surrounding the merger... did you expect anything else?

And don't get me wrong, I fly both AA and NWA/Delta and side with neither, in fact I prefer AAdvatage's redemption options, but this is clearly a good way to entice people to fly with them and keep AA competitive, whether it be directly in response to Delta or just a coincidental two-time promotion given the financial crisis and the need to encourage travel