Nov 17, 2015, 2:47 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
AAdvantage Program Changes for 2016 - Just the Facts
as announced 17 Nov 2015 in FAQ on aa.com
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.
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.
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:
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 LinkAA Elite-Qualifying Partner Airlines
Link to aa.com Partner Airline Miles Earning Charts as of 1 Jan 2016.
The is no minimum dollar spending requirement to obtain 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.
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
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 AAdvantageCheers.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.
So, they will do an adjustment for those that were shorted so far and the system will soon be fixed for real.
Cheers.
- 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.
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.
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
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: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.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
Earning AA Award / "Redeemable" Miles / RDM on AA, partners later 2016
(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.)
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.
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
JUST THE FACTS: 2016 AAdvantage Program Changes Announced 17 Nov 2015
Mar 12, 2016, 11:52 pm
#661
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 307
Not such a big chance the 772 will be a 77D. 13 of 47 converted, no new vendor identified for the second tranche of planes and Zodiac very slow on finishing the first, IMO.
As to changes from AA and AS to one world, requires redeposit iirc.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l-changes.html
As to changes from AA and AS to one world, requires redeposit iirc.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l-changes.html
Yeah I found that thread today and read a lot in it. What I ended up doing is booking SEA-LAX-NRT-PVG (AS-AA-JL), which was easy. This way I'm fine with how it is right now as I can do some shopping at NRT which is worth a stop, or I can swap out the AA segment with a JL flight if any JL F becomes available. I chose AS as my first segment instead of AA so that if I need to change anything, I will have more options for the first segment (there are more AS flights from SEA-LAX than AA).
Does this sound good, or do you have any other suggestion?
Mar 14, 2016, 5:56 am
#665
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
For EXP earning RDM will at some future date change from mileage based to $0.11/$paid. When the (new) program is implemented will the calculation be based on the date you purchased the ticket or the date you fly.
[Assuming the purchase date is before D0
, but the flying date is after.]
[Assuming the purchase date is before D0, but the flying date is after.]
Mar 14, 2016, 6:15 am
#666
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
For EXP earning RDM will at some future date change from mileage based to $0.11/$paid. When the (new) program is implemented will the calculation be based on the date you purchased the ticket or the date you fly. [Assuming the purchase date is before D0, but the flying date is after.]
[Assuming the purchase date is before D0, but the flying date is after.]How it will be implemented for existing purchases hasn't been stated yet I believe and would seem to be more a question for the speculation thread
Mar 14, 2016, 6:39 am
#667
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,043
Mar 14, 2016, 10:19 pm
#668
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,399
New award redemption charts as of 22 Mar 2016 - Q&A, discussion
Not taking credit for this, I saw it on reddit but it's a few neat little charts displaying the changes that might find a new home in the OP/Wiki?
Mile changes in absolute numbers (k):
Mile changes in percentage:
from here: https://www.reddit.com/r/awardtravel..._award_charts/
Mile changes in absolute numbers (k):
Mile changes in percentage:
from here: https://www.reddit.com/r/awardtravel..._award_charts/
Mar 15, 2016, 5:12 pm
#669
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Not taking credit for this, I saw it on reddit but it's a few neat little charts displaying the changes that might find a new home in the OP/Wiki?
... (Images not repeated)
from here: https://www.reddit.com/r/awardtravel..._award_charts/
... (Images not repeated)
from here: https://www.reddit.com/r/awardtravel..._award_charts/
Last edited by JDiver; Mar 15, 2016 at 9:49 pm
Mar 15, 2016, 8:41 pm
#670
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ADL
Programs: QFF, AAdvantage, All
Posts: 1,137
At a quick glance I see 1 error already; South Pacific - Asia Region 1 (Biz) is -5, not -10.
Last edited by LukeO9; Mar 15, 2016 at 9:05 pm
Mar 15, 2016, 9:49 pm
#671
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
NOTE: Questions about awards changes post March 21 have been moved to the proper thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...posit-not.html.
/Moderator
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...posit-not.html.
/Moderator
Last edited by JDiver; Mar 16, 2016 at 2:36 pm Reason: Emphasize
Mar 16, 2016, 10:31 pm
#673
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Mar 16, 2016, 10:34 pm
#674
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Yet another change
AA reducing some checked baggage allowance tickets pchs on / after 29 Mar 2016
EP still retain three checked bag allowance
Plat retain two bag allowance
Two class F or Business will allow two bags, no longer three.
For tickets purchased on or after 29 March 2016. See thread for further details.
EP still retain three checked bag allowance
Plat retain two bag allowance
Two class F or Business will allow two bags, no longer three.
...allow two checked bags for free in two-cabin aircraft, including domestic First and international Business Class. That’s down from the current allowance of three checked bags. AA quoted by Gary Leff.
Mar 17, 2016, 6:42 am
#675
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott/SPG Ambassador, Delta Diamond, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 215
CBS News just aired what I believe to be a blatantly false report claiming that beginning next week, the switch to revenue-based RDM accrual occurs. Their travel "expert" used the JFK-LAX example to say that today you'd receive 4000+ miles, but next week, you'd receive 1750.
Did I miss something? Aren't we still looking at second half of 2016 for these changes to take effect?
Did I miss something? Aren't we still looking at second half of 2016 for these changes to take effect?