If you are flying mostly domestic on the JB routes, it may be a better choice.

HA! ^ @:-)

Again, I think we're running into mixing of EQM and RDM. If OP was talking about spend-based elite qualification rather than mileage-based elite qualification, then B6 Mosaic may indeed be the better option as one can qualify on base flight points (earned based on the fare paid) alone.

But since Elite Qualification Thresholds will obviously change (There must be twice as many people qualifying in each class with the new 1-3 EQM range replacing 0.5 - 1.5 EQP), it might be easier to change all at once. When the other shoe drops, who's ever heard of the front of the sole hitting before the heel ?

I do not see that there is anything obvious in the thresholds for earning status changing ; even if they do change, they are not tied to redeemable mileage earning

That's rather misrepresentative, as it ignores the EQM avenue that previously existed -- it was impossible to qualify with points by exclusively flying <1 EQP/mile fares on average. Effectively, it's gone from 1-1.5 qualifying (miles or points) per mile flown to 1-3, and very, very few customers buy the 3 EQM fares. So it seems like an exaggeration to say that the number of people qualifying has doubled.

You are absolutely right on this.

What MAY save some of us requalifying where we've been is Corporate America's absolute rule that their staff overwhelmingly fly Economy regardless of the distance. Try this in France or Germany above 7 hours and you'll have a travel strike.

As to your mention that very very few people buy the 3 EQM fare, yes but I suspect that AA wants very very fewer people in their top tiers. Being EXP and nr 37 on the upgrade list of a LGA - DFW or a MIA - ORD is ridiculous... (admittedly, it happened only once).

Perhaps not doubled, but it has gotten a fair bit easier. A former EQM qualifier can now take advantage of any former-high-EQP flight that they take into the EQM qualification. Previously this just added some 1.5x EQP into a 0.5 EQP base and did nothing while only contributing 1 EQM.

Cheers.

I just got an email from United, they want me to spend $2k on the airline in exchange for 30k bonus award miles (6.6cpm actually, just for the bonus). Who says they always copy Delta, they seem to have hit a new low on their own. Let's hope that's not gonna be the future of AA.

Earning rate isn't a factor right now honestly. I have Alaska MVPG 75k. If my mission is to accumulate miles my best bet is to fly Alaska partners and credit to my Alaska account. Especially since the rumor is there will be a travel date cutoff (that no one knows) and not a booking date cutoff when AA switches their earning policy.

What I am trying to figure out is if with the AA program changes (once they are all released - again I doubt we have heard the whole story) if it makes sense to go for AA EP status. Or any AA status for that matter.

Going into this year I had planned to get Alaska MVG 75k (already completed) and go for AA status. Then next year I could decide what to stick with. But until I know the complete picture there isn't a point in me getting invested at all in the AA program now.

Since AA was up in the air I went with JetBlue and they have impressed me with their Mint offering. And with Mint expanding out of JFK next year (where I am based) I'm putting my money toward JetBlue for domestic flights (and their few international routes) until I hear more from AA.

And to anticipate potential comments, I don't fly at all for business. This is all personal travel and I go where the deals and my current mood take me. So it's easy for me to move between airlines/alliances.

My company doesn't pay for my flights, so my bookings are systematic - it used to be about cheapest/quickest option, but getting involved with AAdvantage in 2013 I have been sticking with Oneworld for 99% of my flights, justifying the premium paid with the benefits earned (mostly bonus miles and lounge access). Now there will be very little reason to fly OW over *anything in particular*, when the amount I'll save flying ANZ, EK, KLM or UA (always cheaper on my routes than CX/BA/AY/AA) will cover Priority Pass membership and any 'additional' flights I want. I was only ever upgraded once and never took advantage of bonus luggage anyway.

Indeed, the anxiety is real. I will be flying over 70,000 miles in the last third of the year, but until AA announce their implementation date I'll have to wait it out before I decide to buy OW flights as I always do or dig into my collection of AA miles. I'm happy to ride out the remainder of my Plat membership burning awards, it'll save me a ton of money and I won't have to feel like I'm being ripped off earning 5-10% of what I originally would have earned. But... we don't know anything. We don't know if the cut-off will be flight date or book date, whether it's happening July 2nd or September 1st, and THAT is the problem. Like ENycSea, this is a game I don't want to be a part of anymore - not if AA can pull the rug out from under us at their choosing.

I give them the benefit of doubt. While their previous changes, over 2 years ago, had been abrupt and with immediate effect, nobody can dispute the fact that the last changes, the only ones relevant under present management, have been lighter than expected and with plenty of warning, including announcing the next wave yet to be detailed. It seems clear to me that, learning on DL and UA History, they decided to alienate their FFP members not more than necessary.

If one adds that the merger was smoother and less chaotic for passengers than the other two, credit is (so far) due. Which is why I wait and see.

The only two benefits I value of AA EXP are SWUs and waived fees for award fee changes and redeposit...Rest I can leave without

I am leisure traveler and last year my family of 3 all hit AA EXP (thanks to BA biz class deal). this year we are traveling AA solely to take advantage of SWUs and in turn re-qualify for next year. Double RDMs help offset lot of cost difference as sometimes AA fares are much higher than others

with SWU benefit cut in half, RDMs for economy fares will be drastically lower and hugh devaluation of biz class awards, next year it hardly makes sense to continue with AA for us. Mostly it will be better to wait for some occasional deal on premium fares and just go with those

my only hope is if partner earnings don't change a lot then we can fly some good QR fares and continue the train

Totally agree. The two other things that surprises me a lot is that the profitability of the Big 3 is more than 50% of global airline profits (I read this somewhere and am not a 100% certain), and not for once did these airline management think that it could be because of their loyalty programs and not in spite of. The second is the massive blind spot they now have -- foreign carriers as well as the remaining 3 US airlines (Alaska, Southwest and JetBlue) can go after the loyal frequent flyers much more aggressively and even successfully.

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That's very much my approach and I suspect that of many others. I've been EXP/Plat continuously for the past 15 years but that will end when my current status expires. AAdvantage has been good for me over that period but it now makes much less sense to continue, which is a shame.

Precisely.