Jan 2, 2016, 10:53 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
HELP DESK & FAQ: AAdvantage Elite Status Challenge (Gold and Platinum)
The 2016 AAdvantage Gold and Elite status challenges are now obsolete.
See HELP DESK & FAQ: 2017 Gold and Platinum status Challenge for the current Challenge thread
The 2016 AAdvantage Gold and Elite status challenges are now obsolete.
See HELP DESK & FAQ: 2017 Gold and Platinum status Challenge for the current Challenge thread
American Airlines initiated a new AAdvantage Gold and Platinum elite status challenge for 2016, available to anyone, (unless they have attempted or completed a recent challenge, or are trying to use a challenge to regain status). There is no publicly available documentation currently. Please update here as the information becomes available, e.g. signup fees.
Call +1.888.697-5636 for details and to sign up.
NOTE: There are also Corporate and Targeted status challenges offered to some levels of certain companies or targeted subgroups (LinkedIn had one, Founders Card may still offer one); some may offer up to Executive Platinum status. These differ significantly from this challenge offered the general flying public for a fee, and are discussed here.
Frequently Asked Questions and Requirements
Q. What are the requirements for successfully completing a Challenge?
- Gold status: earn 7,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) in 3 months (not 90 days). Signup fee (non-refundable): $120.00 for start date in Jan 2016, $100 in April 2016, $140 on June 16 2016
- Platinum status: earn 12,500 EQM in 3 months; signup fee (non-refundable) $200.00 for start date in Jan 2016, $180 in April 2016, $240 on June 16 2016. As of October 15 2016 it was $200.
Q. When can I sign up for a Challenge? Can I backdate to include flown flights? How far out can I enroll?
Start dates are now anytime, not a particular date, and may be backdated two weeks (although at least one member was denied in a request to backdate). You probably won't be allowed to engage farther than six weeks out.
Q. How long will Challenge-earned elite status last?
Challenges started prior to 16 June 2016 earn status good through 28 Feb 2017; challenges started 16 June or after earn status good through 31 Jan 2018. (It is the start date, not the date of the phone call or the date the challenge is completed, that matters.)
Q. Are there restrictions on earning EQM for the Challenge?
Yes. To qualify, EQM must be earned on flights marketed* by AA's Joint Business Venture partners:
- AA American Airlines
- AY Finnair
- BA British Airways
- IB Iberia
- JL Japan Airlines
- QF Qantas
* "AA marketed" = AA flight is displayed on your boarding pass
AA marketed fights earn as if flying AA, regardless of operating carrier. AY, BA and IB marketed flights must be operated by a oneworld airline; normally, JL and QF are the exceptions to this requirement.
Q. How many EQM do I earn per flown mile?
On AA marketed flights (AA flight on your boarding pass - regardless of operating carrier) you may earn, on qualifying paid fares:
- 3 EQM per base mile flown on full F, J fares
- 2 EQM per base mile flown in discounted Business and First fares
- 1 EQM minimum per base mile in all other qualifying fares
- 1.5 EQM maximum on all eligible First, Business and Premium Economy fares
- 1.0 EQM on the most expensive economy fares (full Y and maybe one or two other fares, depending on marketing airline)
- 0.5 or 0.25 EQM on most paid discount economy fares
- 0 EQM on some paid economy fares, dependent on marketing airline and fare class
Q. Will my credit card that pays to $200 incidental fees cover paying for the challenge?
Reports from members indicate your credit card might indeed credit you up to $200 for your challenge fee.
Q. Where can I learn more about earning EQM on AA and partner airlines?
Read Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, oneworld, partner airlines 2016 (particularly the wikipost at the top of the page) for further information about earning EQM on AA and its partners.
Q. Do status or class of service bonus miles in Business and First count toward my Challenge or "normal" status?
No. Class of service, status (and all "bonus") miles are Award (Redeemable) miles, not Elite Qualifying.
Q. I know for "normal" status one must fly four segments at least marketed by AA, or AAdvantage elite status will not be granted. Is this true for completing a Challenge?
No. You may earn Gold or Platinum status flying qualifying AY, BA, IB, JL or QF marketed flights for Challenge-earned AAdvantage status. (The four AA marketed flights requirement for normal status earning will no longer be in place in 2017.)
Q. How can I calculate miles flown for EQM calculations on partner airlines?
Distance calculations may be made reasonably with Great Circle Mapper (link).
Q. Can I qualify by any other measure, such as EQD spend or Elite Qualifying Segments?
No. Only by EQM as defined previously.
Q. I've noticed some have been granted Gold upon enrollment. Can I?
Those with status on competing airlines may be granted interim AAdvantage Gold status while flying a Platinum challenge. A few others may get lucky, but don't expect being granted interim status easily.
Q. Do I automatically gain Gold status when I earn 7,000 EQM on my Platinum Challenge?
No, you will not. There may be reports of one or two members requesting Gold once they've earned 7,000 EQM and being granted Gold status, but this does not seem to be a norm.
Q. If I earn Platinum through a Challenge, can I earn Platinum Pro with 25,000 EQM or Executive Platinum (EP) with 50,000 more EQM?
No. You must earn the full number of required EQM, EQS (and EQD in or after 2017) to earn higher status, regardless of Challenge status.
Q. Do I earn bonus miles, etc. on the flight I cross my Challenge threshold?
No. Status is awarded after the flight upon which the required threshold was crossed (some years ago, it was during and miles earning benefits applied to the earning flight - that has changed).
Q. Will my new status update automatically on my account and previously booked flights? Will my new status benefits be available automatically? How long does it take?
Once your miles post in your account, your status will normally update. But you might have to call AAdvantage Customer Service to have Your existing PNRs updated. The AA agent will remove, re-enter your AAdvantage number, which will cause the record to update.
Q. How often can I sign up for a Challenge?
First, one can not extend or retain status made through a Challenge with a subsequent Challenge. As well, knowledgeable members have posted AA generally allows two "status exceptions" in a five year period, and the Challenge is considered as a status exception. Buying status back would be considered a status exception as well.
NOTE: AA has announced changes to Award (redeemable) Mile earning effective 1 Aug 2016. This has no effect on elite qualifying miles and therefore no effect on completing the challenge. See Earning AA Award ("Redeemable") Miles / RDM earning in later 2016 on American Airlines and its partner airlines]
Elite Status Challenge and Flyertalk History
The now defunct original AAdvantage elite Gold and Platinum status challenge is archived; thread can be read here.
The original EQ Points based challenge lasted a number of years. It was AFAIK first documented systematically by FT member FewMiles, who had it on his web pages with other status-earning information.
First FT thread about the challenge was started 17 Dec 1998: The Elite Challenge
On a fateful day, 26 Jun 2000, FewMiles asked about taking the challenge in this post; fish on!
On 27 Oct 2000, FewMiles starts a new thread announcing a web page for his Unofficial guide to AAdvantage - elite status, Gold/Plat challenge ....
It appears this 18 year old program has been selected by the new management to continue going forward so AA can offer a shortcut to status that they possibly feel is more rewarding (to AA) and effective than merely handing out status matches to anyone with status in another airline / alliance.
Updated 31 July by JDiver
Note: there is a "reingagement challenge" to get back miles lost for inactivity within the last five years, which can be read about here: How to Reactivate / Restore Expired Miles – Reengagement Challenge (consolidated)
ARCHIVE: HELP DESK & FAQ: 2016 AA Elite Status Challenge
Jun 10, 2016, 1:27 pm
#751
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Mem
Programs: Delta GM, Amex Reserve, Amex Plat, JP Morgan Palladium
Posts: 984
I am gonna give it a try and report back with my success or lack thereof!
Jun 10, 2016, 2:08 pm
#752
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Mem
Programs: Delta GM, Amex Reserve, Amex Plat, JP Morgan Palladium
Posts: 984
Just signed up the wife and myself for the Platinum challenge starting June 17. They gave us courtesy gold but I had to ask and the agent had to look into it. I will report back when I find out if the Amex fee reimbursement will work here.
Jun 11, 2016, 9:56 pm
#753
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 5
Edit:
This is the charge that showed up:
AA MISC SALE/ TAX/ FEE/EX BAG 4510517 - DALLAS, TX
Received the $200 credit 3 days later
Last edited by tuggernuts; Jun 12, 2016 at 5:28 pm Reason: Poor spelling
Jun 12, 2016, 11:36 am
#754
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Mem
Programs: Delta GM, Amex Reserve, Amex Plat, JP Morgan Palladium
Posts: 984
Jun 12, 2016, 6:02 pm
#755
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
Contemplating doing Platinum challenges for my wife and three kids post June 16. We're doing SEA-LHR-MAD return in a few weeks in BA business which would qualify them for Platinum under the challenge. Then we have SEA-BCN over Thanksgiving and PEN-HKG-LAX-YVR in full J on Jan 3. In other words, other than the Platinum mutltiplier for RDMs after Aug 1, i think they'll also benefit from the qualification through 1/2018, even though they will probably all hit Platinum again at some point in CY18 by virture of the fast start with the 3x EQMs on the PEN fare.
Anything i am missing before i plop down close to $1k for the four of them? They are all coming over from DL as elites so should get Gold in the interim too.
Anything i am missing before i plop down close to $1k for the four of them? They are all coming over from DL as elites so should get Gold in the interim too.
Jun 13, 2016, 3:39 am
#756
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PEK
Posts: 102
For the Platinum Challenge so I still need to do 4 legs on AA metal?
I am already up to 11k miles on a UL trip from PEK-MLE and was going to take a quick weekend on CX to HKG to pass the 12.5k
I am already up to 11k miles on a UL trip from PEK-MLE and was going to take a quick weekend on CX to HKG to pass the 12.5k
Jun 13, 2016, 7:25 am
#758
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Q. Are there restrictions on earning EQM for the Challenge?
Yes. To qualify, EQM must be earned on flights marketed* by:
- AA American Airlines
- AY Finnair
- BA British Airways
- IB Iberia
- JL Japan Airlines
- QF Qantas
* "AA marketed" = AA flight is displayed on your boarding pass
AA marketed fights earn as if flying AA, regardless of operating carrier. AY, BA and IB marketed flights must be operated by a oneworld airline; normally, JL and QF are the exceptions to this requirement.
Jun 13, 2016, 2:00 pm
#759
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,447
Data point: called today to sign up for the PLT challenge beginning 6/16 and was granted interim GLD status on account of my CX Gold status (OW Sapphire).
Jun 14, 2016, 12:07 pm
#760
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Gold, AA Plat, SPG Gold
Posts: 383
Has anyone had luck pointing to already-ticketed AA nonrefundable travel >12,500 EQMs as an argument for getting provisional GLD on a PLT challenge? I'm planning to sign up my wife for a challenge beginning June 16, and on the first try the agent gave me a flat no without further research. But he also didn't even ask whether she had status on another airline (she doesn't) which made me wonder whether he was misinformed about his level of discretion on provisional status. Think it's worth any more HUACA attempts?
Jun 14, 2016, 1:00 pm
#761
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: DTW
Programs: AA EXP, Delta GM, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 159
I just told them I was gold on delta, and they didn't ask any questions and matched my status. They didn't ask for any proof or anything.
Jun 14, 2016, 2:40 pm
#762
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,383
Has anyone had luck pointing to already-ticketed AA nonrefundable travel >12,500 EQMs as an argument for getting provisional GLD on a PLT challenge? I'm planning to sign up my wife for a challenge beginning June 16, and on the first try the agent gave me a flat no without further research. But he also didn't even ask whether she had status on another airline (she doesn't) which made me wonder whether he was misinformed about his level of discretion on provisional status. Think it's worth any more HUACA attempts?
I don't ACTUALLY have AC status. There's no check in place so it's very much HUACA
Jun 14, 2016, 4:44 pm
#763
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Gold, AA Plat, SPG Gold
Posts: 383
Originally Posted by rfett2
I just told them I was gold on delta, and they didn't ask any questions and matched my status. They didn't ask for any proof or anything.
Originally Posted by Smiley90
I said I had AC status and got temp gold.
I don't ACTUALLY have AC status. There's no check in place so it's very much HUACA
I don't ACTUALLY have AC status. There's no check in place so it's very much HUACA
Jun 15, 2016, 8:10 am
#764
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Mem
Programs: Delta GM, Amex Reserve, Amex Plat, JP Morgan Palladium
Posts: 984
Amex has already credited the fee on both our cards FYI.
Jun 15, 2016, 10:38 am
#765
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730