lobo411

Hi all,
I was thinking of booking a mileage run that would cost me $500 and 4 days' time because I want to get Gold status, but then I realized I could probably do a challenge. It would be great if someone could double check my math because I'm still trying to figure these rules out:

I have two trips booked in the O, N, and G fare classes (June 17-June 24; July 16-July 24). I added up the miles and I come out with 10063 raw miles * 0.5 EQP multiplier = 5031 EQP. I was also planning to book a short one way flight on July 23 that would get me 300 miles * 0.5=150 EQP just in case I did my math wrong.

Now, the part that has me concerned is the date I begin my challenge. If I begin my challenge June 1 or before, my status will expire in Feb 2010. But if I start it on or after June 16, my status lasts until Feb 2011. Is that right? So I should wait until June 16 (the day before I leave on my first challenge trip) to even call them?

Thanks to anyone who can check this for me.

genotonda

Your math is correct as long as your first 2 trips do not include any segments that are less than 500 miles, that you have not adjusted to actual miles for your calculations since you will not get the 500 minimum until you are gld. As long as you have verified your first 2 trips you shouldn't need to waste the time or money on a "just in case" run. (Unless there was an actual purpose to that run besides the "just in case" part)

As far as when to call, I don't know if you can call ahead and post date the start of your challenge. Someone else Im sure will know. Otherwise you shouldn't have a problem calling the day before to start it.

Have fun on the MR

MichaelColey

When you call to start the challenge, they'll ask you what date you want to start. You can call in now, or you can call in on 6/16, or you can even call in on 6/18 or 6/19 (after you fly the first part, but before the miles post).

I would wait on the "just in case" trip. You'll still have about 45 days after your two main trips are done, so if you miscalculated you can always do it in those final 45 days.

mctrees02

I'm gold right now (expiring June 2010 I believe as it renewed Jan 2009). I'm looking at doing a MR in a few weeks (DFW-BOS-SFO-BOS-DFW) to take advantage of double EQM and the BOS triple miles promo. By my calculation that would be 17,064 EQM because of the promo (8,532 BIS miles).

A few questions:
1. Can I do a platinum challenge for status by taking advantage of the double EQM promo? I haven't done a challenge since 2007 so I think I'm eligible to do one.

2. If I can do the platinum challenge, when does that status take effect and when would it expire (read - when would I drop back to gold since I won't be able to keep platinum otherwise).

Thanks in advance. I'm hoping to book the trip today and take advantage of the Facebook discount.

SFO777

Your challenge is strictly EQP-based and dependent on fare class paid. Assuming you are buying a discounted MR-type ticket (O, Q or similar), your 8,532 BIS will only net you 4,266 EQPs, not even half way to the Platinum challenge threshold.

You will earn DBEQMs but these are unrelated to the challenge and will only be worth anything if you meet the Platinum challenge and then plan on going for 100K EQMs and EXP. You will earn triple RDM miles for the BOS flights plus your 25% Gold bonus RDMs.

If you plan on buying today, make sure your register for both DBEQM and BOS3X before you buy your ticket.

mctrees02

Thanks for that info. I forgot that challenges are EQP based and not EQM based.

SFO777

Yeah, it takes a lot of discounted BIS pain to make it. If you can find some cheap A class fares, you can do it pretty quickly. I found a SAN-SJC-DFW-FLL-DFW-SJC-SAN discounted First (A class) for just over $800 and, at 150%, was able to meet the challenge in 36 hours. Probably tougher to find from DFW though.

MichaelColey

In a "few weeks", the BOS triple miles promo will be over. It only runs through the end of this month (two more weeks), and most of the cheap trips that qualify are sold out now. Double EQM continues through 6/15.

bdemaria

Then your status expires at the end of February 2010 (not June).

lobo411

OK, thanks for the info all! I think I'll call tomorrow and set it up for June 16 so I don't have to worry about it.

kirschke

I have the following booked withing the next 90 days:

SJC - ORD r/t H & Q bc's
SJC - YYZ r/t H bc
SJC - VZE r/t H bc
SJC - EWR r/t N bc
SJC - YYZ r/t N bc
SJC - SEA r/t N bc

Just how close will this get me to EP? I've registered for the Double EQ, the UK 50K, and the Gold challenge figuring I can upgrade the challenge when needed (can't downgrade)... Need to see if I have to try and squeeze in one more trip!

dstan

Welcome to FlyerTalk, kirschke!

I have moved your post from the old AADER thread to the Challenges thread, which is more relevant to your question. Please review the first few posts of this thread, as well as our wiki page on Challenges, as you seem to have several misconceptions about this program:

1) Challenges are based on Points, not Miles, so DBEQM and other mileage bonuses will have no impact on your Challenge.
2) There is no EXP challenge, only PLT and GLD.

SFO777

As dstan noted, your challenge is based on points which are fare-related. Q and N fares earn you only .5 point per mile so you won't hit your Gold challenge until your 2nd trip after you arrive in YYZ. Your activity will not be posted until the third day after travel.

Also, bonus miles (special and elite) are RDMs and DO NOT add to your EQMs.

Further, the DBEQM promotion ends June 15 (28 days from today), so you will have to complete all of these trips by then to get all double miles. Anything flown after June 15 earns only single EQMs. Also, DBEQM can only be earned on AA metal. Code shares on non-AA metal (presumably AS from SJC-SEA) earn only single EQMs regardless of when you fly that one.

BIS miles appear to be about 40,000. In theory, if you flew all segments prior to June 15, you would earn a little less than 80,000 EQMs when they finally post about mid-July.

lobo411

OK, so I called today and tried to set up challenge to begin June 16. They took my info and then put me on hold. Then he said the system wasn't set up to charge me yet for a June 16 challenge so I should call back after June 1, and he was refunding me the $80 that had already been charged. Oh well.

I saw that some extremely cheap fares came out today--R/T to Boston (5700 mi) for $220 total. But then I remembered that if I started my challenge on June 1, my status would only last until Feb 2010, while if I wait two weeks until June 16 it will last until Feb 2011. Kind of funny how they set that up.

giblet

Okay, so I think I'm ready to do this after spending about 14 hours reading these boards. If someone could do a sanity check on my plans, I'd appreciate it.

Am going to do LHR > LAX > SFO: Fare class V: 5,793 miles
and SFO > DFW > LHR: Fare Class K: 6,215 miles

So I should be able to get over 12k miles for this one round-trip.

Am hoping it's all worth it--am changing my travel plans by a few days (to travel after June 16) taking a non-direct flight, slightly more expensive fares and the $150 challenge charge, all of which has me a bit nervous.

But because I can get status matching on UA, sounds like I will be able to use the lounges on all intl travel (and I'm London-based so it's mostly intl) so it could be all worth it!!

Also, I have 11 500-mile upgrades. Do you think there's any chance I will be able to use them for the US portions of my trip? Any suggestions for that? Sounds like it's a longshot since I'm not Gold.