djibouti

Does a coach fare earn 250 or 500 EQM minimum? If the latter, it's a real slap in the face to anyone buying F on short routes!

Majuki

Sure. I can ask about it in the next few days. I'm still waiting on a missing segment to post, so I will likely have to call them anyway. I would like to get a few more data points first.

Microwave

As this really plays into EQM calculations for 2016, and I'm still confused about what actual fact facts are in this thread, I'm going to merge it into the 2016 EQM discussion.

Apologies for any continuity issues as multiple threads are merged in.

~Moderator

Microwave

This question is directly related to EQM calculations for 2016, so I'm going to merge it into the extant thread on that subject.

Apologies for any continuity issues as multiple threads are merged in.

~Moderator

lamuxiiii

I'll be based in Europe for the first half of the year and I have to understand if I will be credited with EQSs when I book a flight within Europe directly with oneworld partners.

I've called AAdvantage desk but the guy who answered wasn't sure.

My question is: if I book a AA Codeshare flight directly with BA or Iberia will those segments count?

Microwave

AA marketed BA/IB operated flights count the same as AA marketed and operated flights. That said, if you live over here and need to travel around the continent that doesn't do you any good–you cannot buy AA marketed BA/IB operated flights wholly within Europe all on their own, you can only buy them as part of a transatlantic itinerary. That said, you will get 1 EQS for a BA/IB marketed and operated flight, even if it earns fewer than 1 EQM per mile flown, so if you're a segment qualifier you should be fine.

lamuxiiii

Thanks Microwave.

I will be definitely trying to qualify via segments as most of the flights within Europe are super short.

Just to make it clear: if I book a flight from Madrid to Rome directly with IB (Codeshare with AA) I will be credited the segment, right?

Microwave

A couple of things... First, remember that you'll still need 4 segments on AA to qualify for status, so don't forget that at the end of the year. Second, as I mentioned upthread, you cannot book an AA marketed IB operated flight between MAD and FCO without it being an extension of a transatlantic itinerary bought from AA. If you go to IB's website to book it, you'll get an IB marketed IB operated flight, issued on IB paper–no codeshare anywhere, just a plain old bog standard Iberia ticket. That said, all IB flights will earn 1 EQS when you take them, so even though you might not net as many EQMs or redeemable miles, you'll still get 1 EQS.

I think you may be a bit confused about the term codeshare. Just because an airline codeshares on a specific flight doesn't mean you've booked the codeshare; I fly all the time on BA shorthaul flights to the continent that are also AA codeshares, but I cannot buy those AA marketed flights because I'm just flying from London to the continent. Thus, that flight is operated both as a BA marketed flight and an AA marketed flight (and sometimes all sorts of other oneworld partners too), but I haven't booked the codeshare so I don't get the benefit of it. Also, from a terminology perspective, the marketing carrier is the one who issues your flight number, and the operating carrier is identified by the name painted on the plane. Thus, if you book JFK-LHR-AMS, with JFK-LHR on AA and LHR-AMS on BA, AA will give you AA flight numbers for both flights (so they are both AA marketed flights), and when you actually fly you'll have an AA plane for the first flight (so it is AA marketed and AA operated) and a BA plane for the second flight (so it is AA marketed and BA operated). I just wanted to make that clear so you understand what I mean by saying that you cannot book AA marketed BA/IB operated flights within Europe on their own; there's no way to go to AA's website and say you want to fly from MAD to FCO and have it sell you a nonstop flight with an AA flight number on an IB plane.

C17PSGR

Earlier this week, I flew SLC-PHX-LAX in P. The P fare was 280 while the lowest available coach fare available was 125. As an EXP, I'm confident I would have been upgraded on both legs. I thought it might be helpful to lay out the actual comparison.

SLC-PHX is 507 miles. PHX-LAX is 370.


By flying in P, I received 1754 in EQM. (507+370) times 2. If I had flown in coach, I thought I would receive a minimum of 500 EQM per segment, but apparently not. I'm a little worried about requalifying as an EXP so there is some value in the P doubling.

In terms of RDM, I received 4388 RDM (1268+1000 bonus for SLC-PHX and 1120+1000 bonus for PHX-LAX. If I had flown Y, I would have received 2014 RDM.

So, in essence, I paid an extra $150 to double my EQM and earn 2200 RDM. Not sure that makes sense.

Of course, under the new system, I would earn 3080 RDM (11 times 280) so its a significant decrease. As I understand it, the EQM would remain the same.

AJLondon

I am EXP. Still earned 872 EQM on this flight.

JonNYC

Yeah, have received numerous reports of this-- system is definitely broken.

jordyn

I think your math is correct. It seems like for EQM calculation purposes, AA is not first applying the minimum segment milage and then applying the COS multiplier as they have in the past, but rather simply promising that you'll get at least 500 EQMs per flight. So on premium flights 250-499 miles in length, you'll get fewer EQMs than you would have last year.

daru1

Look at the recent merged thread that I had started. There is a solution to this, but beware it means a lot of calls to AA CS this year if you regularly fly under 500 miles.

radarskiy

Previously, the elite benefits explictly stated that the minimum mileage applied to computing base miles. The product of the multiplier and the base miles then gave the reaults for EQP or RDM, and also EQM for partners that derated earning on discount economy.

For example, in previous years flying from PDX on a premium fair I would connect via SEA on AS in Y booking class (QX operated, so there is no F cabin). AA elite status increased 129 actual miles to 500 minimum base miles. Then the 1.5 EQP multiplier for Y is applied, resulting in 750 EQP for each segment like this.

Now the elite benefit page says "Elite members will earn at least 500 miles for flights under 500 miles" implying that the multiplier comes first and then the minimum is applied. This would be consistent with the changed values people are seeing.

This would flatten out the premium vs. non-premium earning for flights under 333 miles.

Microwave

Is this from a source, or suspicion? Genuinely curious...