OMG, It Is Hard to Earn Elite Miles (EQM) on Alaska
May 5, 2019, 9:54 pm
#61
Join Date: May 2017
Location: SIN
Programs: AS MVPG75k, AA Plat
Posts: 741
If I spend $6K on AA to achieve Gold, how many RDM will I get? You can spend $6.5K on BA F(A), take 4 flights and earn 88K as a non AS Elite and achieve MVPG for nearly 2 years. Well technically, you would be MVP after the first 2 flights and earn a 50% Elite bonus on your return 2 flights; already accounted for in the 88K. Can I get a CX J Noth America to Australia and a JL J SIN-DEL award on $6K AA spend? Is AA Gold status alone worth 6K? It seems most want Status that returns little value in Elite recognition and don't consider the value of the RDM. If I rarely get upgrades on AA Gold I can purchase a lot of MCE seats and lounge access for $6K.
DUB-SFO runs in TP business, crediting at 200% to A3, $1,399 apiece...4 runs gets you 107k RDMs, *G for 3 years even if you don't fly any A3 and a neat stack of A3 upgrade vouchers should you ever need Mediterranean travel.
AA has certain sweet spots-- Asia 2 to Hawaii 55k in J, to Middle East (as far as Cairo) 40k in J, to Oceania 40k in J, NA-South Africa/Namibia 75k in QR J. People rack up those RDMs pretty quickly flying IB J and/or CX sale fare PE. Many of the bloggers renew their EXP every year because the F lounge access and RDM value strikes a reasonable balance to them. Also, for people who commute on the AA premium transcons for work, each complimentary Y-J upgrade represents a good amount of value, and some of them get like what...10, 20, 30 a year.
Last edited by Unionruler; May 5, 2019 at 10:06 pm
May 6, 2019, 1:41 am
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I agree that AA RDM are useful (I'm racking them up from Citi) but in terms of actual RDM earned from flying, AA is not remotely close to AS. The lack of elite bonus on partner flights is significant.
So, while AA miles are useful, flying is not a very good way to get them.
I agree about the lack of alliance status. With AS you get enough miles to take business award flights to reposition
Ok maybe not.
Actually, I find a big weakness in the AS partner program to be that you can't fly a route if it's not on the chart -- you don't get access to the partner's whole network. This is where 40k AA miles comes in handy to fly Australia - Japan on JL... you can't fly that route for any number of AS miles because it's not on the chart. Actually, flying to/from Australia has very limited options. The only Asian option is to go to/from HKG on CX and the award breaks there (no stopover or connection)
So, while AA miles are useful, flying is not a very good way to get them.
I agree about the lack of alliance status. With AS you get enough miles to take business award flights to reposition
Ok maybe not.Actually, I find a big weakness in the AS partner program to be that you can't fly a route if it's not on the chart -- you don't get access to the partner's whole network. This is where 40k AA miles comes in handy to fly Australia - Japan on JL... you can't fly that route for any number of AS miles because it's not on the chart. Actually, flying to/from Australia has very limited options. The only Asian option is to go to/from HKG on CX and the award breaks there (no stopover or connection)
May 6, 2019, 4:02 am
#63
Join Date: May 2017
Location: SIN
Programs: AS MVPG75k, AA Plat
Posts: 741
I agree that AA RDM are useful (I'm racking them up from Citi) but in terms of actual RDM earned from flying, AA is not remotely close to AS. The lack of elite bonus on partner flights is significant.
So, while AA miles are useful, flying is not a very good way to get them.
So, while AA miles are useful, flying is not a very good way to get them.
I get 60% extra RDMs on partner flying as an AA Plat. Iirc Exec Plats get 120% extra.
May 6, 2019, 4:35 am
#64
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
May 6, 2019, 8:27 am
#65
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
I agree that AA RDM are useful (I'm racking them up from Citi) but in terms of actual RDM earned from flying, AA is not remotely close to AS. The lack of elite bonus on partner flights is significant.
So, while AA miles are useful, flying is not a very good way to get them.
I agree about the lack of alliance status. With AS you get enough miles to take business award flights to reposition Ok maybe not.
Actually, I find a big weakness in the AS partner program to be that you can't fly a route if it's not on the chart -- you don't get access to the partner's whole network. This is where 40k AA miles comes in handy to fly Australia - Japan on JL... you can't fly that route for any number of AS miles because it's not on the chart. Actually, flying to/from Australia has very limited options. The only Asian option is to go to/from HKG on CX and the award breaks there (no stopover or connection)
So, while AA miles are useful, flying is not a very good way to get them.
I agree about the lack of alliance status. With AS you get enough miles to take business award flights to reposition
Ok maybe not.Actually, I find a big weakness in the AS partner program to be that you can't fly a route if it's not on the chart -- you don't get access to the partner's whole network. This is where 40k AA miles comes in handy to fly Australia - Japan on JL... you can't fly that route for any number of AS miles because it's not on the chart. Actually, flying to/from Australia has very limited options. The only Asian option is to go to/from HKG on CX and the award breaks there (no stopover or connection)
James in Santiago.
May 6, 2019, 10:11 am
#66
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
It depends on what you like.
I just did AA126 HKG-DFW in an O fare (UPG'd to J with a SWU,) and while the earnings on AS were only 4556 RDM's, it was better than AA's EXP rate, at 3300 RDM's. The EQM's were lower but I'm not planning on requalifying on AA for EXP. And the low fare coach BKK-HKG on CX earned 50% while AA would be -0-.
My Lifetime PLT on AA is useful for OW lounge access next year, and I've had no problem accessing the OW FC Lounges this year by showing my EXP card.
I like the 35k PE and 50k J AS awards levels on CX, though I'm sure they would be as difficult to find as they are with AA miles, and intra Asia at 10k is nice.
I just did AA126 HKG-DFW in an O fare (UPG'd to J with a SWU,) and while the earnings on AS were only 4556 RDM's, it was better than AA's EXP rate, at 3300 RDM's. The EQM's were lower but I'm not planning on requalifying on AA for EXP. And the low fare coach BKK-HKG on CX earned 50% while AA would be -0-.
My Lifetime PLT on AA is useful for OW lounge access next year, and I've had no problem accessing the OW FC Lounges this year by showing my EXP card.
I like the 35k PE and 50k J AS awards levels on CX, though I'm sure they would be as difficult to find as they are with AA miles, and intra Asia at 10k is nice.
May 9, 2019, 11:17 pm
#67
Join Date: May 2008
Location: "the world is my country"
Programs: Alaska 100K (aka OWS)
Posts: 811
MVPG is definitely attainable for a leisure traveler. 75K is much harder if you're not getting work to chip in for some miles.
Adding international partners does increase the rate at which you can earn, but also raises the bar of how far. It's probably not going to be as cost effective in terms of money, but can be more time effective in terms of reducing your time in the air. After 2014 I started more international travel and my cost has increased about 50% on average - but that's just one person's example and I try to find at least one good business class international deal a year - which even at a good deal, is expensive. But its a fun way to travel and to see new places.
Adding international partners does increase the rate at which you can earn, but also raises the bar of how far. It's probably not going to be as cost effective in terms of money, but can be more time effective in terms of reducing your time in the air. After 2014 I started more international travel and my cost has increased about 50% on average - but that's just one person's example and I try to find at least one good business class international deal a year - which even at a good deal, is expensive. But its a fun way to travel and to see new places.
May 13, 2019, 11:31 am
#68
Join Date: May 2017
Location: SIN
Programs: AS MVPG75k, AA Plat
Posts: 741
FWIW, my spouse and I have been 75K for the past 3 years and are leisure travellers....with full time jobs that don't involve travel. We accrue the majority of our miles using google flights to search partner business airlines for lower cost holiday destinations - SEA-JNB has been a good generator when booked J class, and BA often offers buy-ups to F on availability. That route alone has bumped us from gold to 75K twice, for around $5000 rt each and a very good holiday. When coach fares run $2700, I consider it a great deal. We've also upbid to J on cheap FI coach fares to Europe with some success, those garner less miles but still are a fun way to obtain status.