This is something we all have to get used to. I've been with AA for a long time. In the early days with few partners it was relatively simple. As the number of partners grew it became more and more complex. My solution? I always check with AA before I make a booking with a partner for the first time as to what the specific rules are. This has become a must with all the variations between the oneWorld carriers. AA maintains a list of the valid booking codes eligible for miles and status - this information is not published on the web or any of the ff guides. A good example is what you get when you fly with BA. We all know you can't get miles on transatlantic services, but there are several quirky rules depending on which routes are flown - e.g. Japan only F/C/S classes are valid, super shuttle only C class, and other limitations too numerous to mention.