Ford Fairlane

In the AS app and on the AS site Mileage activity page, we can see the details of RDM deposted into our accounts.

Is there a place I can see details of EQM that's been deposited to my account?

For a recent trip on BA with an itinerary booked on AA, the correct base and bonus RDM amounts have been deposited into my account.

But the EQM increase in my account since that trip (completed two weeks ago) does NOT match the EQM percentages reported in the partner award charts for AA and BA. It should match the base RDM for the flights, but it's short by about 45%.

My EQM amount was correct for the year before this trip, AS flights only, and I've flown nothing else since getting back.

I'd like to get my missing EQM, but without details of how much was deposited for each segment, I'm not sure where to start.

I hope I've explained this clearly. Any suggestions on how to easily get EQM deposit details?

Flying for Fun

The mileage activity doesn't break out any EQM. It is only RDM that is displayed; total, base & bonus. To make things more challenging, any Class of Service Bonus COS will be included as RDM in the bonus amount because COS earns both EQM & RDM.

We can derive EQM from the base if we know the fare class and the flight number. It doesn't matter who operated the flight, the carrier that preceeds the flight number is what matters. A BA codeshare operated by AA will earn according to the BA charts; similarly, an AA codeshare operated by BA would earn according to the AA charts. AA can even sell you a BA codeshare operated by AY.

If we knew the route, flight numbers as flown and fare classes, we could assist in determinimg if your earnings are correct.

James

djp98374

As above poster said…

since you have miles posted it was a good flight number to earn on ( some flight number groups you don’t earn on) and then it’s based on class of service in the ticket and then see the AA/BA chart based on who you booked thru for the reward percentage formulae

Flying for Fun

It isn't who you booked through, it is the carrier on the flight number. As mentioned earlier, AA will sell me a BA codeshare on a flight operated by AY - Finnair. So, I pay AA for the flight. The flight has a BA flight number but AY flies me from point A to point B.

I earn according to the BA charts (all BA codeshares operated by AY are in range). That is favourable since AY J only earns a 25% COS for I & R fares. With an AA flight number, it earns a 50% COS bonus and COS is both EQM & RDM, while with a BA flight number it earns not only the 50% COS bonus but also earns an additional 100% RDM bonus. A 5000 mile J (R, I) flight with a BA flight number would earn 7500 EQM & 12,500 RDM (250%) before any Elite bonus; who sold you the ticket and who operated the flight is irrelevant.

You can have an itinerary that has multiple carrier flight numbers so you need to refernce the appropriate chart for each segment.

James

Ford Fairlane

Thanks, James. I'm putting the relevant info down below, including fare classes, earning %s, and my calculations. Given the earning %s, my calculated RDM and deposited RDM are the same, 4448 RDM. Per the charts, EQM earnings should be the same, but it's increased in my account by only an even 2500. (And I'm sure the increase is only 2500. I track all EQM in a spreadsheet.)

If I'm overlooking some fine print or calculating something incorrectly, I'd be satisfied to know about it. If not, I suppose I'll have to figure out which airline(s) I need to contact.

Note: I've read in the BA & AA forums about this happening sometimes, but on the same booking, I was given a different confirmation code for one segment (FCO/LHR), and no reported AA codeshare flight number for it. And as you can see from the screenshot, that RDM was reported from BA. All the others from AA. All the flights were on BA metal.


My calculations


Reported mileage activity

ETA: I just noticed that in mileage activity, the BA flight no. is 551. In my trip confirmation email, it's 553. I don't think that affects anything for this issue, as the route's the same.

isaacchambers

by my calcs - you should have earned 4446 EQM for the whole trip.

Ford Fairlane

Thanks. I'd gladly sacrifice the 2 EQM difference, even double that , to get what I'm convinced is missing. There's no calculation where 2500 EQM makes sense.

VegasGambler

This doesn't make sense. There isn't even any combination of flights that adds up to 2500.

I would just call or email customer care and tell them that your EQM isn't adding up and ask them to do an audit of it. If they say it's right, ask them to itemize all the EQM you've earned on every flight and email it to you.

I might wait another week before doing it, just to see if it somehow fixes itself.

Flying for Fun

Looking at your mileage activity, everything in the "base" column is EQM, but that is not all of it. COS isn't accounted for as EQM, it is included in the bonus total as it is also RDM. Similarly, when the base is less than 500 miles (EQM) the base is displayed and the top-up to 500 is included in the bonus total. Those top-up miles are also EQM. The two short haul flights were over 500 miles in distance, but reduced by the fare class ratio such that the base on each of those flight was less than 500.

Most AS Partner earnings, not all, earn the 500 mile EQM minimum. BA does earn the minimum.

For a 100K Elite you will always earn a minimum of 1250 RDM on any AS flight 500 miles or less because every mile flown is an EQM earned; "base" = miles flown, minimum 500. We use base & miles interchangeably.

On a flight of 500 miles, Base = 500, Bonus = 750, total is 1250. For your FCO-LHR flight Base = 449, Bonus = 801, total is 1250. The 51 mile shortfall in the base was topped up by 51 miles in the bonus (750 + 51 = 801) and that top-up is also EQM.

On partners, where fare classes can earn less than 1 mile for every mile flown, on certain fare classes, we need to distinguish between base mies & miles flown. Ultimately, though, earnings will be a minimum of 500 base miles.

Getting back to your Mileage postings, your EQM earned collectively is 2401 + 500 + 500 + 1201 = 4602, RDM = 4602 � 2.50 = 11,505. The column total is 11,506 because of rounding.

Your EQM total after these flights should have increased by 4602. If it hasn't, you should be dealing with AS. The flights have already posted so BA has done their part in forwarding on the details to AS. It appears to be correct from your mileage activity. The RDM earnings on the two short-haul flights is 2500 miles.

As ​​​VegasGambler suggested, I would ask AS for a breakdown of EQM earnings and compare that to your spreadsheet.

Initially though, you can extract data from your mileage activity. On the desktop version, filter activity to flights, date range to six months and then extract the data in spreadsheet format. Delete any 2021 flights that may have been included. You can then create running totals in the spreadsheet to see how your data compares to what activity AS has posted.

James

Ford Fairlane

Thanks for the suggestion, VegasGambler , and for the detailed (and clear) analysis, Flying for Fun . I agree. It should be 4602, given the 500 mile min. I'll gather the data and send all to AS this weekend. Much obliged.

isaacchambers

There is NO minimum EQM of 500 IF the earning is less than 100% - anything under 500 miles should be multiplied to the earnings rate - so if you purchase a fare with 25% earning - you will earn 125 EQM on all flights under 500 miles long! Take this from a long time AC flyer that saw 63 miles post for YYZ-YOW flights!

The above should be ~ 4446 EQM total

Flying for Fun

Huh???

What does AC have to do with Mileage Plan? In Mileage Plan, you earn a minimum of 500 base miles on most Partners. Everytime I fly the 337 miles LAX<->PHX on AA, regardless of fare class, (B excepted; it doesn't earn in Mileage Plan) I earn at least 500 EQM and 1250 RDM as a 100K. Make it a connection LAX-LAS-PHX and you earn 1000 EQM & 2500 RDM. An AA, O class, 25% earning, flight has a base of 85 miles but still earns 500 EQM. The Elite Bonus is based on the base miles. If what you said was correct, then the flight would post as 125 EQM (on a base of 85 miles???) & 313 RDM for a 100K. The base is the multiplier � distance flown, not the multiplier � the 500 minimum. If that were the case, all base figures in the account activity would be 125 for sub 500 mile flights.

You are contradicting yourself by saying that there is no minimum 500 EQM on flights that don't earn 100% but also say all flights less than 500 miles earn 125 EQM on a 25% fare class. Which is it? "Anything under 500 miles should be multiplied to the earnings rate." What happens when the flight earning less than 100% is greater than 500 miles?

BA flights, as does AA flights, earn the 500 mile minimum. To ensure flight credit, the two-letter airline code (BA) must precede the flight number (for example, BA XXXX) on your ticket receipt or boarding pass.

Earn 500 minimum miles on flights shorter than 500 miles. No miles will be earned for classes of service not listed above.

There is nothing saying that for a base, less than 500 miles, you don't earn the 500 mile minimum. EQM is also RDM so there is no need to differentiate. Conversely, you earn 500 RDM on flights less than 500 miles, which is also EQM towards status.

James

Ford Fairlane

So...did someone make a call to AS on my behalf about this? Or maybe the suggestion to wait a bit "just to see if it somehow fixes itself" wins the day.

My miles balance updated sometime in the past few days. I hadn't contacted AS yet and haven't taken any other flights in the meantime. It now reflects exactly the 4602 EQM increase you called out for the entire itinerary, @Flying for Fun, and not a mystery partial 2500 increase or my original 4448 calculation.

My most recent BOA card activity and ticket purchase bonuses also posted to RDM in the past couple days. Those aren't related to EQM, of course, but maybe that shook something loose that was stuck in the EQM/RDM vending machine?

Baffling, but of course I'm fine with the end result.

Flying for Fun

Awesome to hear! I guess that puts to rest that the 500 EQM eanings on AS Partners, with 500 Mile minimums, is accurate, regardless of the multipler by fare class.

Looking at my own mileage activity for this year, I was topped up 3884 EQM on flights that earned less than 500 base miles.

James

rjque

Remember when using Mileage Plan did not require degrees in accounting and contract law?