Question about Complimentary Upgrades
 

My apologies if this has already been covered, but I've searched the internet and Flyertalk with no clear answer.

I just status matched to AA Exec Platinum from United 1K.

1. Do you need to "request" your complimentary upgrades at booking, or are you automatically added to the list like United?

2. When you book a first class flight that is less than 500 miles (like LAX to LAS) do you get 1.5X 500 miles or 1.5x actual miles? I'm asking specifically about the elite qualifying points.

Thanks in advance!

During booking there are checkboxes you click to request to be upgraded.

It is 1.5X 500 miles.

AA.com has a"who, what, where of upgrading" page

I just status matched to AA Exec Platinum from United 1K.[/QUOTE]

From that page on aa.com:

The OP was asking about EQP. It is 1.5x EQP, 1x EQM, and 2.5x RDM.

Thanks for the help. The first issue seemed be an issue with the website last night, as it was not letting me click "request upgrade" but this morning it is doing so.

So just to summarize, a trip under 500 miles booked in first would garner 750 EQP each way?

No, I think it would not.

It would result in actual (base) miles x 1.5. E.g. SMF-LAX is 373 miles, for example. and though one would earn 500 EQM minimally with status, one would earn 559 EQP iirc.


As this pertains to the pre-merger American Airlines, it is being moved to that forum.

As noted in the Welcome to the New American Airlines Forum! PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING, questions and information pertaining to the existing AA or US operations should go in those forums as it will be quite some time before the two entities operate as a single airline.

Your understanding is appreciated.

/Moderator

I booked a LAX-LAS in P (discount F) once, and I received 1000 miles including the EXP bonus. I contacted AA and they said the 500 mile minimum was computed AFTER the 50% bonus.

I don't recall what the EQPs were -- sorry.

i do not recall ever getting 1.5 EQP on the SFO-LAX route when my upgrade clears. only 500 EQP and 500 EQMs and 1000 spendable miles.

I flew DFW-IAH earlier this week in S class, 224 base miles. Received the following:

EQM: 500
EQP: 250 (S earns .5 EQPs)
RDM: 1,000

So EQPs are based upon the minimum EQMs, not the base miles. F or P class would earn 1.5 times minimum EQM.

EQM and EQP are based on the original booking class, not the upgraded one.

Great that's what I thought. A P-class (First) should earn 750 EQPs then. It makes sense, as why would a discount economy like V or M earn more EQP than a first class.

I believe you are incorrect. EQPs are a multiple of EQMs and not of base miles.

Danville just posted above that he got 250 EQP on a deep discount fare under 500 miles. It would appear from his post that the multiplier (in this case 0.5) was based on the 500 mile minimum and not actual flight miles.

Correct. EQPs are calculated based on the 500 mile minimum for elites. Non-elites accrue EQPs based on actual miles flown.

This happens all the time on my feeder flights into DFW which are always less than 500 BIS miles.

As always, EQP/EQM are based on purchased inventory, not upgraded.

Thanks for the help. It will be cutting it close to get 25K EQPs by the end of the challenge, so I may need to book some short runs to LA.

It is frustrating that "discount fare economy" often doesn't show on searches, and only "deep discount economy" may be available. I'm willing to pay a bit more for the 1X earning classes, and find it odd that they aren't even available much of the time.