bhomburg

This 'overachieving EXP' program is EQP- based. EQM are irrelevant. What kind of fare are you typically buying? When you only buy deep discount economy fares that earn .5 EQP per mile, you'd need to have flown 250k miles to qualify for this program.
Honestly, with the EQP promos going on at the moment, combined with realistically priced premium cabin fares, I have some doubt they'll be overly generous with extra benefits.
I'm one TATL flight away from 125k EQP YTD so far, already requalified through Feb. 2017. I'll ask when I'm at 130k and report back .

If getting status on another airline makes sense for you, go for it. But keep in mind that the DL FFP generally isn't regarded as highly as AAdvantage ("Skypesos"), and there's spend requirements for status on DL.

THat's the problem. Personally, I couldn't even use all my SWUs last year: I started buying business tickets (given their advantageous pricing) and had nothing to upgrade into as AA downgraded the last three-class route (FRA) I am flying regularly to a two-class plane as well. This year, I've been booking flights from CDG for the sole purpose of being able to take advantage of those SWUs for upgrades to F.
This will get more of an issue in the future with the 772s all going two-class.

Dr. HFH

I've always been fascinated by this question; it's come up in hotel threads, too. Is your goal to achieve status, or to enjoy the benefits of status?

From my perspective, the whole point of getting there is to enjoy the benefits. As I see it, what's the point of achieving the highest status in a program only to switch carriers and start accumulating miles/points/credits in another program and flying a carrier on which I have no status? Elite status comes with lots of things which upgrade the experience. Status checkin, lounge admission, upgrade priority, etc. Why would I want to earn it then give it all up by switching carriers?

fish114

I think if you regularly fly 200k+ miles a year the benefits would be potentially enjoying status on 2 airlines on a regular basis. This allows flexibility to take the most convenient routing (i.e. for me, living in DC, I have AA out of DCA and UA out of IAD) and choose the lowest fare on 2 airlines.

I'll hit 100k next month on AA, thinking about doing a UA status challenge, will probably make it to at least gold if not plat by the end of the year.

SkyTeam777

Is there any way to definitively find out our Helix rating? for example, if someone here has access to Sabre, would they be able to privately tell us?

JonNYC

Some people have found out through various methods. Officially though, any AAgent you ask is supposed to deny knowing what you're talking about. And -certainly- never tell you.

It can be deduced in certain ways, but no AAgent should ever tell you.

anabolism

To answer your specific question about Sabre, I don't believe AA's customer relationship databases are stored in Sabre (and even if they were, they'd be partitioned so external agencies couldn't access them). So access to Sabre doesn't provide visibility to Helix/Eagle. (Although there have been occasions when an agent made mention of a customer's Helix/Eagle ranking in internal notes in a PNR, so someone with Sabre access might once in a while accidentally view the info.)

DrBillAtwood

If you REALLY want to be CK, buy $30,000 of AAirpass. That comes with CK. I was CK for years. My last year flew almost twice as much as in previous years when I was CK, all international travel was F or C (paid), usually at least double Exec Plat. They sent me the "go jump" letter. I was advised to appeal and wrote how I had been CK for years and how valuable it was for disruptions. They replied with "Sorry. Go jump. Our criteria is secret. You don't fit it." Ahhh, just remembering that makes me smile jubilantly and desire to fly on AA more.

Dr. HFH

Interesting. This year I've flown something like a half dozen TPAC roundtrips so far in paid F. A couple of days ago I received a text message from the CK people at NRT that my NRT-LAX was going to be an hour late. Am I now CK?

ThreeJulietTango

I don't believe so. I don't even know what a Helix rating is or how to look one up.

JonNYC

No, not anymore it doesn't.

SkyTeam777

Thanks, any guess on what spend level would lead one to be at least three Helix rating? My AA spend this year has jumped from $0 two years ago to $10k so far this year. Hardly that much compared to other FTers at all, but I wonder if the immediate jump may cause some type of attention as a "new customer."

EQP should be 125k soon, EQM will be 150k soon.

JonNYC

Helix not a gauge of spend, there's a separate tracking of that. Generally, I advise people not to stress to much about their Helix ranking, but I certainly understand the curiosity.

SkyTeam777

So striving to get more than 150EQP (if not needed or could fly on other carriers) may not be wise since very few will have a high Helix rating. Reason I ask is to achieve additional SWU.

JonNYC

Until and unless someone at ACS tells you (and they have and will in many cases do exactly that, historically, when applicable) that you have "something coming to you.." if you do hit 150k EQPs, then, no, I would not make any plans based on same this year.

Although in previous years, even a pretty low helix-scored 150k EQP member could get a pair of extra SWUs.

But to get 4 or more (2 @ every 25K EQPs) would require high/the highest helix score. Again, in the years when the overachieving EXP program is in effect.

LDVFlyer

This is just my view of things. I think the EQP bonuses offered this year have overinflated the number of EQP's. Not all totals over 150 represent the same value to AA.

I will give you an example. My partner has a 4 or 5 Helix rating. He received the additional SWU's last year. For the current year, these are his running totals, 160+ EQP and 115+ EQM. That's 1.39 EQP's for every mile. Earned the hard way too because the majority of those EQP's are not from bonus offers, but from flying business class on Cathay (AA codeshare). (One of his tickets with connecting flights can cost over $10,000.)

Now, with or without the EQP bonus, look at your totals and compare. See the problem AA faces with doling out additional SWU's. This was not the case last year.