Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > American Airlines | AAdvantage
Reload this Page >

ARCHIVE: Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, partner airlines 2016

Old Jan 3, 2016, 11:18 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JDiver
Earning Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM (and AA status) earning in 2016
on American Airlines and its partner airlines
Note: Earning EQM / Elite Qualifying Miles and their purpose changed 1/1/2016


Please continue discussion in our 2017 version of the thread:

Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, partner airlines 2017


Thanks! /Moderator


New Elite Qualifying Miles earning

link to AAdvantage program changes for 2016 on aa.com

"Youll continue to earn EQMs based on the airline and booking class purchased. Plus, Full-fare Economy, Business Class or First Class tickets on American-marketed flights will earn EQMs at a higher rate (up to 2.0 or 3.0 EQMs per flown mile) getting you to elite status faster." - aa.com

Caveat: other than on American Airlines, discount or deep discount economy fares may be credited with fractional or even no EQM / Elite Qualifying Miles. Read carefully.

Please see this page (link) on aa.com for earning AAdvantage miles flying oneworld and additional airline partners, then read the chart for that airline partner. Be sure to note some fares operated by oneworld and additional partners may earn full, partial or no AA miles (E.g. Cathay Pacific only earns AA miles on H, B and full Y fares in coach; BA and IB fares may earn as few as 0.5 EQ Miles per mile flown as of 1 Feb 2016.)

Link to AAdvantage program update page on aa.com
See Earning AA Award / Redeemable Miles / RDM on AA, partners later 2016 for more regarding AAdvantage Award ("Redeemable") Miles.

Read The AAdvantage Terms and Conditions here

Glossary:
  • Award mile ("RDM" often "Redeemable Mile" on Flyertalk): a unit that can be spent on an award, such as a bonus, purchased, or other AAdvantage mile.

  • Base mile: A unit based on a flown mile (can be a percentage of flown miles on AA partners) used to calculate redeemable (award usable) miles (changes late 2016 to revenue based system)

  • Bonus Mile: Award Mile earned through various activities including flying, credit card use, hotel stays, auto rentals, shopping etc. with various American Airlines partners. See Earning AA Award / Redeemable Miles / RDM on AA, partners later 2016.

  • Elite Qualifying Mile (EQM): A unit used to earn status, based on flown miles X purchased class of service for the marketing airline. On AA coded flights you earn from 0.5 EQM on Basic Economy to 3.0 full undiscounted J and F.

  • Elite Qualifying Segment (EQS): A unit used to earn status equivalent to a sector flown by a qualifying flight (but note when the same flight number is flown over two or more sectors the entirety will generally count as one segment. "Youll still earn 1 EQS (Elite Qualifying segment) for each eligible segment you fly." - aa.com (NOTE: New Basic Economy fares only earn 0.5 EQS.)

  • Flown mile: actual miles flown (as published by AA - Great Circle Mapper, etc. are close

  • Marketing airline is the airline "plating" or issuing the boarding pass, e.g. QF operated by FJ. The marketing airline's chart on aa.com (not the airline's) determines your miles earning on airline partners.

  • Operating airline is the airline operating the flight. except for AA and QF (and a very few others) to earn miles on a oneworld marketed flight, the operating airline must generally be a oneworld airline.

  • Qualifying flight: an AA or partner flight on which one can earn EQM, EQS in this instance
AAdvantage Status Four Annual American Airlines Segment Requirement

*Must fly at least four segments on American Airlines during the qualifying year to receive elite status. no longer a requirement as of 1/1/2027.
  • AA marketed flights / AA codeshares operated by other carriers count. It has been reported codeshares operated by American Airlines also count.
On American Airlines marketed flights: (AA flights operated by AA and AA codeshares)
  • 3 EQMs/mile Full-fare First or Business

  • 2 EQMs/mile - Discount First or Business

  • 1.5 EQMs/mile Full-fare Main Cabin, or W Premium Economy on AA codeshares

  • 1 EQMs/mile - Discount Main Cabin

  • 0.5 EQMs/mile - Basic Economy fares (new Feb 2017)
Exceptions: There are certain airline ticket types that are not eligible for mileage accrual regardless of the booking class. These include, without limitation, the following:
  • All tickets issued as AAdvantage awards
  • Other free ticket promotions including free or reduced rate tickets
  • Companion tickets
  • Charter flight tickets
  • Travel agency/industry reduced rate tickets
  • Infant tickets
  • Items occupying a purchased seat (e.g. XTRASEAT)
  • (Also Extra seats purchased by a passenger for him/herself)
  • Unpublished fare tickets, including consolidator fares
  • Tickets issued subject to special provisions

Earning EQM on AA partner airlines:

The amount of EQMs you earn on partner airlines has changed. Earning rates will vary depending on the marketing airline. On qualifying flights of airlines other than AA marketed flights, the maximum EQM that can be earned is 1.5 EQM per base mile flown.

EQMs may be earned at different rates and with differing fare classes, depending on airline, flown miles and fare class. Not all partner airlines' or their fares earn EQM. See here to partner airlines' miles earning charts link on aa.com.

Some non-oneworld partner airlines award only award / redeemable miles, not EQM (e.g. Etihad, Gulf, Fiji), unless flying them as an AA or QF marketed ("codeshare") flight.

Explore our partner airlines (link)

For example, using BA / British Airways marketed flights operated by oneworld partners including AA, as of 1 Feb 2016:
  • 1.5 EQMs/mile - BA all published, purchased First Class fares

  • 1.5 EQM / EQMs/mile - BA all published, purchased Business / Club fares

  • 1.5 EQM / EQMs/mile - BA all published, purchased premium economy / Traveller Pus fares

  • 1.0 EQM / EQMs/mile - BA all published, purchased full economy / Traveller Y and B fares

  • 0.5 EQM / EQMs/mile - BA all other published, purchased economy / Traveller fares
AAdvantage Elite minimum mileage guarantee (applies to EQM and RDM)

How is the 500-mile EQM minimum benefit applied for elite members?

If your flight is less than 500 miles well raise the base EQM amount to 500 prior to applying any multipliers, according to the booking code purchased. After applying the multiplier, the number of EQMs awarded could be less than 500. For example, if your flight is 300 miles in length, we will raise the base EQM amount to 500. If the multiplier to be applied is 0.50, you will earn 250 EQMs for the flight.


Elite members will earn at least 500 (250, in reality - see immediately above) miles for flights under 500 miles on American Airlines and American Eagle (including codeshare flights booked as an American Airlines flight number) and participating AAdvantage and oneworld airlines:
  • airberlin
  • Alaska Airlines
  • British Airways
  • Fiji Airways (non-oneworld; RDM only)
  • Finnair
  • Gulf Air (non-oneworld; RDM only)
  • Iberia
  • LAN*
  • Qantas
  • Royal Jordanian
  • SriLankan Airlines
  • TAM Airlines
*LAN includes LAN Airlines, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru. Minima seem to not apply to new Basic Economy fares.

The 500 EQM minimum is what multipliers should be applied to, not actual miles when flown miles are under 500. See:

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.
Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, oneworld, partner airlines 2016.

aa.com: link
Elite Qualifying (EQM) or Redeemable (RDM)?
To determine if you earn EQM or RDM, read the "Earn miles" statement for each airline:

This will earn EQM:
Earn miles
Earn elite-qualifying AAdvantage miles when you fly on airberlin marketed and operated flights as well as airberlin codeshare flights operated by American Airlines. Simply:
  • Buy an eligible published fare ticket booked in an eligible code
  • Fly an eligible route
  • Specific flights, routes or cities that are excluded from earning miles or award travel are listed as exceptions if applicable.
This will not earn EQM, only RDM:
Earn miles
Earn AAdvantage miles when you fly on Fiji Airways marketed and operated flights as well as Fiji Airways codeshare flights operated by American Airlines. Simply:
  • Buy an eligible published fare ticket booked in an eligible code
  • Fly an eligible route
  • Specific flights, routes or cities that are excluded from earning miles or award travel are listed as exceptions if applicable.
oneworld Codeshares Operated by non-oneworld Airlines or Affiliates

Other than flying Qantas (and some Japan Airlines) codeshares / marketed flights, oneworld codeshare flights must be operated by oneworld airlines and their oneworld affiliates to earn miles.

E.g. AA codeshare operated by EY, earn as if flying AA.
E.g. Flying EY, earn Redeemable (not Elite Qualifying) miles.
E.g. BA operated by Bangkok Airways, no AA miles.
E.g. Iberia operated by SN yields no AA miles.
E.g. QF flown by FJ should to earn EQM.

Examples: (For a flight of 1,000 flown miles)

  • AA marketed on full F fare class First: 3,000 EQM (regardless of status, regardless of operating airline)

  • AA marketed on discounted First or Business (A, P, D, I, R): 2,000 EQM

  • AA in deep discount economy: 1,000 EQM

  • BA marketed qualifying flight in F First, Business (Club), Premium Economy (World Traveller Plus): 1,500 EQM (even if operated by AA)

  • BA marketed qualifying flight in Economy (World Traveller) B, Y: 1,000 EQM

  • BA marketed qualifying flight in Economy (World Traveller) H, K, L, M, N, S, V, G, O, Q: 500 EQM

NOTES:
  • All AA marketed ("AA codeshares") flights in paid, qualifying fare classes earn 1.0 or more EQM (regardless of "metal" or operating airline

  • oneworld marketed flights operated by oneworld airlines earn miles in accord with the marketing airline's miles earnings chart on aa.com (link)

  • AAdvantage elites continue to be awarded 500 EQM minimum on qualifying flights - see above (non-elites also earn minimum 500 EQM on Shuttlesonly through the first half of 2016)

  • oneworld marketed flights operated by NON-oneworld airlines do not earn EQ (or any) miles, with rare exceptions - QF, a few JL, marketed flights

  • Exception: Qantas flights operated by other airlines earn AA EQ miles in qualifying fare classes, other than those QF codeshares operated by QF subsidiary Jetstar

  • Some airline partners allow crediting base miles and earning redeemable miles (no EQM) flown "natively", such as Etihad or Fiji
Earn more EQMs via credit card earning

Also, as a Citi / AAdvantage Executive card or AAdvantage Aviator Silver MasterCard credit cardmember, youll still earn 10,000 EQMs after you reach your qualifying spend for the year when you use your eligible AAdvantage credit card.

Learn more about the Citi/AAdvantage Executive card

Learn more about the AAdvantage Aviator Silver MasterCard
CAUTION: To earn status on AA you must fly a minimum of four qualifying segments on an AA marketed or operated flight within the qualifying year. (The exception has been for elite status challenges.)
There is some redundancy above, because it's very important to understand these changes and how they affect earning AAdvantage status going forward.

The now obsolete thread: Earning AA miles / EQM on oneworld, partner & other airlines (OBSOLETE)

Signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost; wiki contents may be printed by using the (lower right wiki corner)

UNDER CONSTRUCTION


Updated 23 Jan 2017 - JDiver
Print Wikipost

ARCHIVE: Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, partner airlines 2016

Old Jan 3, 2016, 1:26 pm
  #1  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
ARCHIVE: Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, partner airlines 2016

Information moved to wikipost. If you have turned off wikiposts, use the [+] feature at the far right of the blue wikipost menu bar.

Please continue discussion in our 2017 version of the thread:

Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, partner airlines 2017

Thanks! /Moderator

Last edited by JDiver; Feb 28, 2017 at 3:01 pm
JDiver is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 9:14 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,027
EQM calculation for minimum mileage guarantee

Hello, JDiver. Thank you for getting the wiki started.

I'm a bit confused over how 500-mile minimums now work compared to the old EQP system. Yesterday I took the LAX-SJC segment, which is 308 base miles according to AA. This segment was a B fare, so according to AA's chart I receive 1.5 EQM per mile flown (462 EQM). My EQM counter increased by 500 miles when this segment posted overnight due to the 500-mile minimum, but I believe this behavior is different than what the old system would have calculated. Under the old system, would I have received 750 EQP for this B fare segment?

I am flying the same segment roundtrip on a P fare - to attend the Pan Am Experience with a fellow FlyerTalk member - next month, so based on this behavior I'd expect to see the EQM counter increase by 616 miles per segment.
Majuki is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 9:45 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: AA EXP / 2MM, BAEC GGL, CCR, Marriott AMB
Posts: 288
Originally Posted by Majuki
Hello, JDiver. Thank you for getting the wiki started.

I'm a bit confused over how 500-mile minimums now work compared to the old EQP system. Yesterday I took the LAX-SJC segment, which is 308 base miles according to AA. This segment was a B fare, so according to AA's chart I receive 1.5 EQM per mile flown (462 EQM). My EQM counter increased by 500 miles when this segment posted overnight due to the 500-mile minimum, but I believe this behavior is different than what the old system would have calculated. Under the old system, would I have received 750 EQP for this B fare segment?
I believe under the old system you would have received 462 EQP. The 500-mile minimum applied to Miles and not Points, so you would also have received 462 EQM + 38 bonus miles (RDM miles), bringing this total to 500.

Your Million Miler total would also increase by 462 miles.
aSWUplz is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 9:57 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,027
Originally Posted by aSWUplz
I believe under the old system you would have received 462 EQP. The 500-mile minimum applied to Miles and not Points, so you would also have received 462 EQM + 38 bonus miles (RDM miles), bringing this total to 500.

Your Million Miler total would also increase by 462 miles.
Thanks for the explanation. I never paid close attention to the minimum EQP before since I had always qualified on EQM. After the December 2011 change, the MMM has not been subject to the 500-mile minimum, so my MMM counter only increases 308 for this segment, which is the base mileage calculation.
Majuki is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 10:02 am
  #5  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: AA EXP / 2MM, BAEC GGL, CCR, Marriott AMB
Posts: 288
Originally Posted by Majuki
my MMM counter only increases 308 for this segment, which is the base mileage calculation.
Ah yes, you are right. You would only receive the bare minimum base miles for MM! You would have thought that with the increase in difficulty earning MM's they would make the benefits more generous.... but that's a whole new thread.
[says me who's 30k from 2MM, hint, hint AA ]
aSWUplz is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 12:58 pm
  #6  
dw
 
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,454
Originally Posted by aSWUplz
I believe under the old system you would have received 462 EQP. The 500-mile minimum applied to Miles and not Points, so you would also have received 462 EQM + 38 bonus miles (RDM miles), bringing this total to 500.

Your Million Miler total would also increase by 462 miles.
That's very interesting. So it looks like for 2017 qualification elites will receive a minimum of 500 EQMs per segment. Since the whole concept of the 500-mile minimum has historically been tied to redeemable miles, I wonder if the concept as applied to EQMs will stay around once AAdvantage transitions to dollar based earn later this year?
dw is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 3:10 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM; UA 1K; AA 1MM
Posts: 4,486
Originally Posted by dw
That's very interesting. So it looks like for 2017 qualification elites will receive a minimum of 500 EQMs per segment. Since the whole concept of the 500-mile minimum has historically been tied to redeemable miles, I wonder if the concept as applied to EQMs will stay around once AAdvantage transitions to dollar based earn later this year?
The 500 mile minimum for elite qualification will remain for those with elite status per the AAdvantage 2016 page (see the Elite Qualification section in the FAQs)

Will the 500-mile minimum for elite members on all flights and for non elite members on shuttle flights for EQMs continue to apply under this new methodology?

Yes, the 500-mile minimum for elite members for EQMs will continue to apply. The 500-mile minimum for non-elite members on shuttle flights will, however, be removed when the changes to award miles are implemented in the second half of 2016.
ty97 is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 4:44 pm
  #8  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Originally Posted by Majuki
Hello, JDiver. Thank you for getting the wiki started.

I'm a bit confused over how 500-mile minimums now work compared to the old EQP system. Yesterday I took the LAX-SJC segment, which is 308 base miles according to AA. This segment was a B fare, so according to AA's chart I receive 1.5 EQM per mile flown (462 EQM). My EQM counter increased by 500 miles when this segment posted overnight due to the 500-mile minimum, but I believe this behavior is different than what the old system would have calculated. Under the old system, would I have received 750 EQP for this B fare segment?

I am flying the same segment roundtrip on a P fare - to attend the Pan Am Experience with a fellow FlyerTalk member - next month, so based on this behavior I'd expect to see the EQM counter increase by 616 miles per segment.
The wiki is under construction yet, but AAdvantage elites continue to receive the 500 EQM minimum on qualifying flights.

To me, it's frustrating AA IT didn't provide EQM detail in our account listings.

Last edited by JDiver; Jan 4, 2016 at 11:28 pm
JDiver is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 7:29 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: CVG
Programs: AA: Plat HH:Gold
Posts: 17
Earning Qualifying Miles on AA code share partners

So, looking to get some clarification.

I see many MR to CGK at very good prices. My question is do you still earn the miles on the flight that is being operated by Japan Airlines. (or other code shares)

Tried doing research on AA.com and it seems that code share airlines allow you to qualify for miles at XX% of what is actually flown.
For example Japan Airlines:
Y, B =100%
H,K,m = 70%
L,V,S,G,O,R = 50%
N, Q = 30%

So, basically if you are flying on AA metal (coach). You are not getting 100% of the miles flown? This obviously really limits the value in doing a MR on JAL or even BA.

Or is this only for earning reward miles and not for Elite Qualifying miles?

Current Plat looking to make the run towards EXP, but don't want to do a MR and end up only getting 30% on a 2000K mile leg.

Thanks
Triharder is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 9:14 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM; UA 1K; AA 1MM
Posts: 4,486
EQM earning is determined by the marketing carrier (aka whose flight number it is). Therefore:

  • AA metal with AA flight numbers earns according to the AA chart (which will always earn at least 1.0 EQM)
  • AA flight numbers on other carriers (JL, etc) metal earn according to the AA chart as well. Therefore, at least 1.0 EQM when on the AA code, even if operated by another airline.
  • Partner flights numbers on partner metal earn according to the partner chart. For JL flight numbers this can mean as little as 0.50 EQM per mile flown (The 70%/50%/30% is RDMs, not EQMs. Some fares earn 30% RDM but 0.50, or 50%, EQM. See here. The column furthest to the right is EQMs)
  • Important: partner flight numbers operated on AA metal will earn according to the partner chart, even though AA operates the flight. So it is possible to earn less than 1.0 EQM on AA metal if you don't book an AA flight number.
ty97 is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 11:33 pm
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,027
Originally Posted by aSWUplz
Ah yes, you are right. You would only receive the bare minimum base miles for MM! You would have thought that with the increase in difficulty earning MM's they would make the benefits more generous.... but that's a whole new thread.
[says me who's 30k from 2MM, hint, hint AA ]
Yeah, I got in on the game far too late to do much Citi churning and fell short of the mark. I wish AA would have a lifetime EXP level. Lifetime Platinum seems so pedestrian.

Originally Posted by JDiver
The wiki is under construction yet, but AAdvantagevelites continue to receive the 500 EQM minimum on qualifying flights.

To me, it's frustrating AA IT didn't provide EQM detail in our account listings.
Yeah, I wish they had more than the counter. It's sometimes difficult to backcalculate the totals when they update with multiple segments that have different earning rules.
Majuki is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 11:40 pm
  #12  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Originally Posted by ty97
EQM earning is determined by the marketing carrier (aka whose flight number it is). Therefore:...
Exactly correct!

If it's an AA marketed flight operated by Air Tahiti Nui, it earns a minimum of 1.0 EQM per mile flown, in a qualifying fare

If it's a BA marketed qualifying flight operated by AA, you will earn 0.5 - 1.5 EQM per flown mile

If it's a BA marketed flight operated by Alaska Airlines, a non-oneworld carrier, you will earn bupkis

If it's a CX marketed flight operated by AA, you may earn 0.0 - 1.5 EQM per flown mile

If it's an Air Tahiti Nui flight operated by AA you will earn bupkis

More added to the wikipost.
JDiver is offline  
Old Jan 5, 2016, 12:29 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Munich, Deutscheland
Programs: Try to be elite again... :)
Posts: 488
Etihad - I read all details on AA website and my understanding is that we can earn AA miles by flying Etihad, but those miles might not be elite qualifying? It is true? On Etihad earning page of AA website, there is no such indication at all about EQM... If those miles are elite qualifying, then it seems only Etihad will earn you 100% miles even if we fly the cheapest fare class? This is the link I looked at: http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ea...nes/etihad.jsp
Please be noted that I am talking about booking a flight on Etihad directly (not AA code shared flights)...

Thanks a lot for the clarification!
Tommys888 is offline  
Old Jan 5, 2016, 12:39 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM; UA 1K; AA 1MM
Posts: 4,486
Originally Posted by Tommys888
Etihad - I read all details on AA website and my understanding is that we can earn AA miles by flying Etihad, but those miles might not be elite qualifying? It is true? On Etihad earning page of AA website, there is no such indication at all about EQM... If those miles are elite qualifying, then it seems only Etihad will earn you 100% miles even if we fly the cheapest fare class? This is the link I looked at: http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ea...nes/etihad.jsp
Please be noted that I am talking about booking a flight on Etihad directly (not AA code shared flights)...

Thanks a lot for the clarification!
Etihad flight numbers operated by Etihad earn RDMs only, not EQMs. AA flight numbers on Etihad metal earn EQMs in addition to RDMs. From the Etihad page, bolding mine:

Travel ticketed as an American Airlines marketed flight (booked as an AA flight number) and operated by Etihad Airways will earn AAdvantage base miles and elite qualifying miles, points and segments according to the AA mileage accrual chart.
As a rule, if a partner page says that you can "Earn miles on partner XYZ" they will be RDMs only. It must explicitly say "Earn elite-qualifying miles" in order to earn EQMs.
ty97 is offline  
Old Jan 5, 2016, 1:33 am
  #15  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: FNT, but DTW if I can't help it
Programs: AAdvantage Former EXP/Current PLT / Total Rewards - Diamond / Hilton HHonors - Gold
Posts: 757
Originally Posted by Majuki
Hello, JDiver. Thank you for getting the wiki started.

I'm a bit confused over how 500-mile minimums now work compared to the old EQP system. Yesterday I took the LAX-SJC segment, which is 308 base miles according to AA. This segment was a B fare, so according to AA's chart I receive 1.5 EQM per mile flown (462 EQM). My EQM counter increased by 500 miles when this segment posted overnight due to the 500-mile minimum, but I believe this behavior is different than what the old system would have calculated. Under the old system, would I have received 750 EQP for this B fare segment?

I am flying the same segment roundtrip on a P fare - to attend the Pan Am Experience with a fellow FlyerTalk member - next month, so based on this behavior I'd expect to see the EQM counter increase by 616 miles per segment.
So, if I'm understanding this correctly, the implication here is that the 1.5x bonus EQM is essentially useless for flights < 334 miles, the 2x bonus EQM is useless for flights < 251 miles, and the 3x bonus is useless for flights < 167 miles? Taking an extremely short flight example:

- A 100-mile flight booked in O would net 500 EQM
- A 100-mile flight booked in Y would net 500 EQM
- A 100-mile flight booked in I would net 500 EQM
- A 100-mile flight booked in F would net 500 EQM

It was my understanding that bonuses were to be applied after the minimum mileage:
- A 100-mile flight booked in O would net 500 EQM
- A 100-mile flight booked in Y would net 750 EQM
- A 100-mile flight booked in I would net 1000 EQM
- A 100-mile flight booked in F would net 1500 EQM

I called AAdvantage CS to ask about this the day they announced the changes, and I was told the latter (I realize they may not have been well-informed). I have a 223-mile Y fare booked in April that my mileage tracking spreadsheet is expecting 750 EQM out of. Is it actually going to net me 500 EQM? I also have a 255-mile P fare scheduled for later in January that I was expecting 1000 EQM for. Again, 500 EQM? It seems strange that there's literally no advantage to booking a more expensive fare code for these types of flights.

Last edited by josmul123; Jan 5, 2016 at 1:45 am
josmul123 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.