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JUST THE FACTS: 2016 AAdvantage Program Changes Announced 17 Nov 2015

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Old Nov 17, 2015, 2:47 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JDiver
AAdvantage Program Changes for 2016 - Just the Facts
as announced 17 Nov 2015 in FAQ on aa.com

PLEASE READ BEFORE ASKING YOUR QUESTIONS: we are seeing the same questions come up time and again, and those are often addressed here. NOTE: this thread is being closely monitored and moderated as needed to ensure it stays within the narrow remit of its topic.


Please see and post to AAdvantage Changes for 2016 - Discussion and Reaction all reactions, speculation about next steps, opinions, discussion, praise, complaints etc.

Link to AAdvantage program updates and FAQ links (17 Nov 2015)

New related threads:

FAQ: Award changes after 22 March 2016 - which incur redeposit, which not (Award changes 22 March 2016 or after may incur award miles redeposit (fees) and significant increases of miles required to issue new ones - but some changes may be made without doing so.)

See Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, oneworld, partners 2016 for more about earning EQM.

See Earning AA Award / Redeemable Miles / RDM on AA, partners later 2016 for more regarding AAdvantage Award ("Redeemable") Miles.
Link to Gary Leff's article with charts, etc.

Also: brp has revised his spreadsheet for 2016 conditions - now named Miles Tracker v. 8.0. It can be downloaded from Gargoyle's page linked to in the OP, or here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...Tracker-v8.xls (NOTE: due to technical problems, the proper spreadsheet was not uploaded.)

AA reducing some checked baggage allowance tickets pchs on / after 29 Mar 2016

Elite Qualification and Earning Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) - Change 1 Jan 2016
In 2016, there will be two methods to qualify for elite status:
  • Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) or Elite Qualifying Segments (EQS)

  • Elite Qualifying Points (EQP) no longer exist (EQM replaced them).

  • Thresholds for elite status qualification remain the same as 2015.
EQM will continue to be calculated based on distance flown (base miles). All EQM on AA marketed flights ("AA codeshares" / "AA coded flights") will earn at least 1 EQM per mile flown, with bonus multipliers for higher fares (regardless of operating carrier, AA itself or another carrier):


AA Marketed Flights Link
  • 3 EQMs/mile – Full-fare First or Business / F, J
  • 2 EQMs/mile - Discount First or Business / A, P, D, R, I
  • 1.5 EQMs/mile – Full-fare Main Cabin / Y, B and W when AA marketed on airline partners
  • 1 EQM/mile - Discount Main Cabin / all other Main Cabin fares
  • This applies to all AA marketed flight numbers, regardless of operating carrier.
  • Elites continue to earn 500 EQM minimum per segment

    Originally Posted by brp
    Further confirmation of above from inside AA. He (JonNYC) got a message from AAdvantage

    Originally Posted by JonNYC Vie
    That's what I'm told as well-- fix on the way, system not operating as intended at present.
    Further confirmation of above from inside AA. He got a message from AAdvantage
    Originally Posted by AAdvantage
    Thanks for your questions on EQM earning. There is a glitch in how the minimum mileage guarantee for EQMs is being calculated. The calculation should credit the 500 mile minimum before applying the EQM multiplier. Beginning in the next few weeks, we will be running a retroactive process to “true up” any accounts where the member did not earn the proper number of EQMs. This process will continue to run until the calculation can be reprogrammed in the AAdvantage system.
    So, they will do an adjustment for those that were shorted so far and the system will soon be fixed for real.
    Cheers.

    So, they will do an adjustment for those that were shorted so far and the system will soon be fixed for real.

    Cheers.
AA Elite-Qualifying Partner Airlines
  • 1.5 EQMs/mile - First, Business, and Premium Economy
  • 1.0 EQMs/mile - Full-fare economy (typically Y and B, but varies by partner)
  • 0.5 EQMs/mile - All other mileage-earning economy fares
  • This applies to partner-marketed flights which are eligible to earn AAdvantage miles (typically meaning operated by oneworld carriers and affiliates, though this varies by partner), even if operated by AA.
Link to aa.com Partner Airline Miles Earning Charts as of 1 Jan 2016.

The is no minimum dollar spending requirement to obtain status.

AAdvantage Miles Award Charts - Change 22 Mar 2016
Link to American Airlines Award Charts as of 22 Mar 2016 (Note: some region descriptions were updated ~10 Feb 2016.)

See this post by Smiley90 for a compilation of new mileage redemption charts and changes.

Link to oneworld and other airline Award Charts as of 22 Mar 2016

Link to tool for old and new award chart comparison by bgriz18.

The number of miles required for many awards changed effective March 22, 2016. Award flights ticketed on or after March 22, 2016 will be subject to the new award charts.

In addition, off-peak (OP) periods have been sharply reduced. For example, Europe OP has changed from Oct. 15-May 15 to Nov. 1-Dec. 14 & Jan. 10-Mar. 14.
NOTE: Region changes

  • Bolivia and Manaus, Brasil: changing from South America 2 to South America 1
  • Venezuela: changing from South America 1 to South America 2
  • Guam: changing from Asia 2 to South Pacific
  • Sri Lanka: changing from Asia 2 to Indian Subcontinent/Middle East
  • Kiribati, Palau, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu: added to South Pacific region
Earning Redeemable Miles (RDMs) / Award Miles - Change second half of 2016 (EST. ~1 OCT 2016)
For the first part of 2016, RDMs will continue to be earned as they are today. Sometime (most likely later) in "the second half of 2016" RDMs will switch to spend-based model, akin to Delta and United.

RDMs earned will be the base fare plus carrier-imposed fees (excluding any government-imposed taxes and fees) times the following multiplier based on status level:
  • 5 miles/U.S. dollar – non-status AAdvantage member
  • 7 miles/U.S. dollar – Gold Member
  • 8 miles/U.S. dollar – Platinum Member
  • 11 miles/U.S. dollar – Executive Platinum Member
It appears from the FAQ NO 500 mile minimum for elites - further information will be forthcoming from AA as these changes roll out.
In the example below, in Costa Rican Colones so used only for illustrative purposes, the airport and countered fees and taxes would be excluded from RDM calculations:

As it states in the thread specific to this issue, it appears ~01 October is the likely start date for revenue-based Award Miles earning - and they'll announce one month in advance.

Earning AA Award / "Redeemable" Miles / RDM on AA, partners later 2016

Originally Posted by Fernando_BR
(2 May 2016)

Hi everyone,

This is what I´ve read on a Brazilian blog.

The blogger met Suzane Rubin on the T-Mobile Arena, and posted that she told him that they would not change before September, and probably only in October, with a 1-month notice.

I have a booked roundtrip Sao Paulo to Dallas in August, so I hope he is right and this information helps !

I don´t know him, but I follow his blog. You can check it (in Portuguese):
http://www.mestredasmilhas.com/2016/...ards-2016.html

(Reformatted for wiki use.)

"Agora vamos às novidades. Tive o privilégio de conversar particularmente com a Suzane Rubin, e a equipe do AAdvantage, e já posso adiantar algumas informações aqui. Eles me confirmaram que a mudança para revenue não irá ocorrer antes de setembro, mas com data provável em Outubro deste ano, e com pelo menos 1 mês de aviso prévio. Também o crédito de pontos será na data do voo, ou seja, se você compra uma passagem agora, e voa somente em dezembro, provavelmente irá receber pontos, e não milhas pela distância voada."

Translated:

Now for the news. I had the privilege to talk particularly with Suzanne Rubin and the AAdvantage team, and I can share some advance information here. It was confirmed to me that the change to revenue (based earning) will not occur before September, but with a probable date in October this year, and with at least one month's notice. Also the credit points will be for the date of the flight, or if you buy a ticket now, and fly only in December, will probably get points, but not (Award / Redeemable) miles by distance flown.

Business Extra changes

Effective 30 Nov 2015, European Business Extra members' accounts have been migrated to the joint AA-BA-IB "On Business" programme. (Announced 24 Nov 2015)

Apparently effective ~1 Jan 2016, BPX- upgrades become more restricted. See this post. (Remains unannounced!)

24 hour ticket hold gone as of 1 April 2016

HOLD ticket WILL change 1 Apr 2016 - 24 hr hold or / & cancel

Effective April 1, you will not be able to put paid bookings on 24-hour hold if making them by telephone.

The 24-hour hold (as well as "pay for extended hold") will be available online, though 24-hour hold will only be available for an indeterminate, interim period of time.

There will be no free cancellation if travel is booked less than seven days out.

Other key changes
  • As of January 1, 2016, EXPs will earn 4 SWUs (down from 8) upon requalification with 100K EQM. Two additional SWUs will be earned at 150K EQM, and again at 200K EQM.
  • As of March 1, 2016, Gold and Platinum elite members will earn 4 "stickers" for each 12,500 EQM flown (up from 10,000 EQM) in a membership year.
  • As of March 1, 2016, the price to purchase a "sticker" (online, kiosk, agent) increases to $40 (up from $30 online/kiosk, $35 agent).
  • As of March 1, 2016, the price to purchase 8 "stickers" using miles increases to 40,000 RDM (up from 35,000 RDM).
  • Elite status earned in 2016 for 2017 will expire on January 31, 2018.
  • No announcement about the rumored revised status challenge has been made
Link to ARCHIVE: 2016 AAdvantage Program Changes (formally unannounced, but reliably sourced)
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JUST THE FACTS: 2016 AAdvantage Program Changes Announced 17 Nov 2015

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Old Nov 17, 2015, 8:06 pm
  #136  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: ABQ & RNO
Programs: AA EXP 4MM, Piper Dakota, Admirals Club, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Gold, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 1,426
Can one still earn 10,000 EQMs on both the Citi Executive card and the Barclays Silver Aviator?
New language seems to state "or".
236Dakota is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 8:32 pm
  #137  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: CX Diamond, AA EXP & 2M, SQ PPS, DL Diamond
Posts: 59
Q: if you fly on Cx but through AA code share do you get 2x for First (discounted) or 1.5 multiplier?
200nites is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 8:38 pm
  #138  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
Originally Posted by GNRMatt
Question here. Alaska's EQM earning was cut in half for 2016. However, if I bought a ticket before this devaluation was announced, will AA still honor what was posted on their site at the time of ticket purchase?
Very unlikely, in my opinion. The web page lists the new earning as "For travel on or after January 1, 2016" not "For travel on or after January 1, 2016 on flights ticketed after Nov 17, 2016".

But I would definitely complain. I'm almost frustrated that all of my currently-booked AS travel is before the New Year, so I don't have this as a legitimate reason to say "dude ..." to AA. Changing the earnings significantly for the worse with 6 weeks notice is highly unfriendly.
ashill is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:12 pm
  #139  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 66
I'm confused. Does this new program mean that Butt-in-seat miles will no longer count as redeemable miles?

Platinum status is useless then...

Say I book a flight from JFK to EZE:
• In the old system, I'd earn 10,564 miles Round trip (+100% bonus miles for being Platinum) totalling 21,128 miles.
• In the new system, if the ticket costs around $1,000 usd round trip, as a PLT, I'd earn only 8,000 miles (+100% bonus miles for being Platinum) totaling 16,000 miles.

Is this correct?
LostinCalifornia is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:13 pm
  #140  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 275
BA earning typo?

First it says Base Miles (elite qualifying) 100% for Economy class, but then lists EQMs at 0.5 for non-full fare. So which is it? Do I get 3000 or 1500 towards elite qualification if I fly 3000 miles on BA?



Same with Iberia. I'm thinking the "(elite qualifying)" part was a copy and paste error.

Last edited by kulflyer; Nov 17, 2015 at 9:15 pm Reason: Including Iberia
kulflyer is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:14 pm
  #141  
SK
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Syracuse, Boston, Athens
Posts: 995
Exclamation Dulce et decorum est

What $693.00 base fare ticket to LHR has $709.70 in taxes? (i.e., in government-imposed taxes and fees. They are the ones that will be excluded from RDM earning. Base fare plus carrier-imposed fees will count for RDM).
So, you will earn more than 8 * 693.00. But certainly less than 21,004 miles.
Originally Posted by LookingAhead
As a Platinum, I am really getting stiffed on miles. Last month I flew to London and earned 21,004 miles in my account. My ticket cost 693.00 base + 709.70 taxes for a total of 1402.70. If I understand this correctly, I would earn 8 * 693.00 for a total of 5,544 miles in my account, right? Or will I still get the 10,502 BIS miles plus the dollar multiplier? I am reading it to mean I will only get 5,544 miles in my account. If so, that is really, really bad.
SK is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:16 pm
  #142  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
Originally Posted by dkim
I'm confused. Does this new program mean that Butt-in-seat miles will no longer count as redeemable miles?

Platinum status is useless then...

Say I book a flight from JFK to EZE:
• In the old system, I'd earn 10,564 miles Round trip (+100% bonus miles for being Platinum) totalling 21,128 miles.
• In the new system, if the ticket costs around $1,000 usd round trip, as a PLT, I'd earn only 8,000 miles (+100% bonus miles for being Platinum) totaling 16,000 miles.

Is this correct?
No. You'd earn 8000 miles. If you were gold, you'd earn 7000 miles. Nice being PLT, huh?
lobo411 is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:18 pm
  #143  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 66
Originally Posted by lobo411
No. You'd earn 8000 miles. If you were gold, you'd earn 7000 miles. Nice being PLT, huh?
I put 8,000 miles in my calculations. What 7,000 are you talking about?
LostinCalifornia is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:19 pm
  #144  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
Originally Posted by dkim
I'm confused. Does this new program mean that Butt-in-seat miles will no longer count as redeemable miles?

Platinum status is useless then...

Say I book a flight from JFK to EZE:
• In the old system, I'd earn 10,564 miles Round trip (+100% bonus miles for being Platinum) totalling 21,128 miles.
• In the new system, if the ticket costs around $1,000 usd round trip, as a PLT, I'd earn only 8,000 miles (+100% bonus miles for being Platinum) totaling 16,000 miles.

Is this correct?
Nope. Your earning 8 FF miles per dollar (versus 5 FF miles per dollar as a general member) is your Platinum bonus.
Fanjet is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:20 pm
  #145  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 66
Originally Posted by Fanjet
Nope. Your earning 8 FF miles per dollar (versus 5 FF miles per dollar as a general member) is your Platinum bonus.
So there's no more elite bonus miles?
I'm stuck with a measly 8000 miles???

If that's the case, PLT is absolutely useless.

EDIT: nevermind, I saw on their site that elite bonus miles are intact.

Last edited by LostinCalifornia; Nov 17, 2015 at 9:25 pm
LostinCalifornia is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:21 pm
  #146  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
Originally Posted by dkim
I put 8,000 miles in my calculations. What 7,000 are you talking about?
If you're Gold, you get 7 miles per dollar. If you're Plat, you get 8 miles per dollar.

Plats got totally destroyed. To be Plat before, you had to fly 100% more EQM than Gold. But you earned 100% more RDM.

The new Plat (which should be renamed Brown, but I digress): you still have to fly 100% more EQM than Gold. But you only earn 12% more RDM.
lobo411 is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:24 pm
  #147  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 66
Originally Posted by lobo411
If you're Gold, you get 7 miles per dollar. If you're Plat, you get 8 miles per dollar.

Plats got totally destroyed. To be Plat before, you had to fly 100% more EQM than Gold. But you earned 100% more RDM.

The new Plat (which should be renamed Brown, but I digress): you still have to fly 100% more EQM than Gold. But you only earn 12% more RDM.
What about Elite Bonus Miles?
Did they get rid of that too?

If I earn 8000 miles via this crappy new devaluation, if I'm PLT, I won't be able to earn 100% elite bonus miles, totalling 16,000 miles?

EDIT: nevermind, I saw on their site that elite bonus miles are intact.
LostinCalifornia is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:25 pm
  #148  
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
Originally Posted by dkim
So there's no more elite bonus miles?
I'm stuck with a measly 8000 miles???

If that's the case, PLT is absolutely useless.
Yes. Because having extra checked-baggage allowance, free access to the Admiral's Club, free access to MCE seating at booking, priority boarding, and using the business class check-in counter at the airport have no value.
Fanjet is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:26 pm
  #149  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
Originally Posted by dkim
What about Elite Bonus Miles?
Did they get rid of that too?

If I earn 8000 miles via this crappy new devaluation, if I'm PLT, I won't be able to earn 100% elite bonus miles, totalling 16,000 miles?
The elite bonus is that non-status get 5 miles per dollar, Gold gets 7 miles per dollar, and Plat gets 8 miles per dollar. There is no other multiplier.
lobo411 is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2015, 9:31 pm
  #150  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,933
Originally Posted by dkim
What about Elite Bonus Miles?
Did they get rid of that too?

If I earn 8000 miles via this crappy new devaluation, if I'm PLT, I won't be able to earn 100% elite bonus miles, totalling 16,000 miles?

EDIT: nevermind, I saw on their site that elite bonus miles are intact.
Once the new system cuts in (second half of 2016) all that you earn is the dollar based mileage:
5 miles/U.S. dollar – AAdvantage member
7 miles/U.S. dollar – Gold
8 miles/U.S. dollar – Platinum
11 miles/U.S. dollar – Executive Platinum
Unless there is a special promotion you will earn no other RDMs (award miles).
MADPhil is offline  


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