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GUIDE: Earning AA Award / Redeemable Miles / RDM on AA, partners 1 Aug 2016

Old Jan 27, 2016, 7:50 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JDiver
Earning AA Award ("Redeemable") Miles / RDM earning as of 01 Aug 2016
on American Airlines and its partner airlines
Note: Earning RDM / Award Miles changed 1 Aug 2016 -

Award Mile changes: American Airlines announced 1 Aug 2016 they have implemented a revenue-based scheme for earning what American is calling Award Miles (previous AA terms have included "Prize-winning miles", also frequently referred to as Redeemable Miles (RDM) in this forum).

This means miles that can be spent on awards are now earned on the basis of price paid (base fare plus carrier-imposed fees such as fuel surcharges, not including government-imposed fees and taxes such as airport passenger service fees, etc.) times a factor determined by one's status. This change applies only to AA-"marketed" flights -- that is, flights booked with an "A" flight number -- with exceptions described under "Special Fares".

Partner-marketed flights (flights with a flight number other than an "AA" one) continue to earn based on miles. See below. This change applies to all flights flown on or after 1 Aug 2016, regardless of when the ticket was purchased.


Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM are merely mile posts to count for status qualification as of 01 January 2016. NOTE: some airline partner EQM changes occur 1 Aug 2016. See here. These are no longer Redeemable.

Bonus Miles: The earning of Bonus Miles (which are always Award or Redeemable Miles, never Elite Qualifying), has changed as a result of the new system. Cabin service / fare class bonus miles may be earned on flights marketed by AA airline partners; see the mileage earning chart for 1 Aug 2016 for each airline partner on aa.com.

See Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, oneworld, partners 2016 for more about earning EQM.

Link to aa.com page "AAdvantage program updates".

Award Miles (also called Redeemable miles)

Earning as of 01 Aug 2016 and beyond

Earn miles

To earn AAdvantage miles when you fly on American and American Eagle marketed flights (including flights sold as AA codeshare flights operated by other airlines):
  • Buy an eligible published fare ticket in an eligible booking 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.

Calculating award miles

For travel beginning August 1, 2016, you'll earn miles based on ticket price (base fare plus carrier-imposed fees, not including government-imposed taxes and fees). The more you spend, and the higher your elite status, the more you'll earn.
  • AAdvantage member 5 miles for every U.S. dollar

  • Gold member 7 miles/U.S. dollar (40% bonus)

  • Platinum member 8 miles/U.S. dollar (60% bonus)

  • Platinum Pro member (New in 2017) - 9 miles/U.S. dollar (80%bonus)

  • Executive Platinum member 11 miles/U.S. dollar (120% bonus)

Or, as mchensel said in another post, to clarify:

AAdvantage member 5 miles for every U.S. dollar*

Gold member 7 miles/U.S. dollar* (5 miles + 2 miles, 40% bonus)

Platinum member 8 miles/U.S. dollar* (5 miles + 3 miles, 60% bonus)

Platinum Pro member - 9 miles/U.S. dollar* (5 miles + 4 miles, 80% bonus)

Executive Platinum member 11 miles/U.S. dollar* (5 miles + 6 miles a 120% bonus)

*dollar spent on basic fare and carrier imposed fees only - not government fees or taxes, ancillary fees such as baggage, upgrade, changes, etc.

NOTE: You can earn a maximum of 75,000 award miles per E-Ticket. Note that a single PNR might have more than one E-Ticket, and various kinds of changes may cause an E-Ticket to be re-issued, which we believe resets the maximum mileage counter.

Earning award miles for travel on most flights marketed by partner airlines is based on a percentage of the flight distance and the fare class purchased. Updated tables were posted 15 Jul 2016 and reflect new award earning rates on partner / fare class combinations.

See here.

Elite bonuses on partners: Earning on flights marketed by Alaska and almost all oneworld partners will also use those same elite status bonus ratios (40%/60%/80%?/120%), as announced by AA on 1 Aug 2016. See here.

Special Fares: AA has specified a set of "Special Fares", which includes AA Vacations. NOTE: Award Miles earning varies for "Special Fares" (e.g. AA Vacations), and the chart for those changes on 11 Jan 2017. See here.

Some fares (such as bulk or consolidator fares) earn award miles and Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs) at a modified rate based on a percentage of the distance flown as determined by the booking code.

Special fares are often purchased through a specialized agent, third party or as part of a package including air transportation and lodging.

Examples:
  • Bulk fares

  • Cruise fares

  • Consolidator fares

  • Discounted or inclusive tour packages

  • Vacation packages, including American Airlines Vacations (AAV) packages

  • Other tickets where the fare isn't disclosed, excluding bookings made through priceline.com or hotwire.com where the carrier isn't disclosed before buying
Initial reports have revealed interesting cases which apparently fall under that final "fare isn't disclosed" catch-all, and therefore earn according to the Special Fares mileage-based table:
  • At least some purchases made with Citi TYPs and the like

  • At least some reissues, whether changed beforehand or due to IROPS
Again, these reports are few and preliminary. Further data points to confirm or refute these, or to add to the list, are welcome.

Elite Bonuses on Special Fares: The Special Fares page also says, "AAdvantage elite member bonuses will be applied in addition to the percentages shown for award miles." These bonuses are the same as for partner flights.

See the "Special Fares" earning chart (and note the chart for those changes on 11 Jan 2017). See here.

BE SURE to read the FAQs here.

Sample calculation

AAdvantage member flying round-trip on an American marketed flight from Dallas (DFW) to London-Heathrow (LHR) (NOTE: All $ figures are USD / U.S. Dollars)

Code:
Elite status	        Base fare    Carrier imposed fees   Miles/USD 	Award miles earned
 AAdvantage member	$1,436	     $458	            5	        9,470
 Gold	                $1,436	     $458	            7	        13,258
 Platinum	        $1,436	     $458	            8	        15,152
 Executive Platinum	$1,436	     $458	            11	        20,834
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:



Bonus miles

Bonus (award) Miles are no longer earned as before - see earnings for EQM, A/RDM (and for 2017 EQD) here and from other partner activities such as hotel stays, auto rentals, purchases from AA shopping portal vendors and partners, credit cards, etc.

(NOTE: Bonus miles are Award / Redeemable, not Elite Qualifying, miles)
"Exceptions
Certain airline ticket types aren't eligible for mileage accrual regardless of the booking code. These include, without limitation:
  • All tickets issued as AAdvantage awards
  • Charter flight tickets
  • Companion tickets
  • Infant tickets
  • Items occupying a purchased seat
  • Other free ticket promotions including free or reduced rate tickets
  • Tickets purchased through a travel agency where the airline is not disclosed prior to purchase, such as Priceline or Hotwire
  • Tickets issued subject to special provisions
  • Travel agency/industry reduced rate tickets"
Older speculative and obsolete posts in this thread have been moved to the Archive, ARCHIVE: Earning AA Award / Redeemable Miles / RDM on AA, partners (obsolete posts).

Updated 07 Jan 2017 - JDiver with thanks to spammersarescum

Historical information moved to ARCHIVE thread, link to same renewed. JDiver

Signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost; wiki contents may be printed by using the (lower right wiki corner)
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GUIDE: Earning AA Award / Redeemable Miles / RDM on AA, partners 1 Aug 2016

Old Jan 3, 2016, 1:26 pm
  #1  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
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Arrow GUIDE: Earning AA Award / Redeemable Miles / RDM on AA, partners 1 Aug 2016

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

There has been sufficient discussion in various threads about Award Miles (American Airlines' current term for what we have been calling "Redeemable Miles") that we have started a new thread to discuss the new AAdvantage Award Miles earning scheme.

At such time as American Airlines announce further details, posts may be archived; the wikipost should be edited as new details are revealed. Wiki posts are community property; any member with 90 days and 90 posts can edit (or create) wiki posts.

/American Airlines | AAdvantage forum Moderator team

Last edited by JDiver; Aug 3, 2016 at 8:29 am
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Old Jun 6, 2016, 2:30 pm
  #2  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
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AA has announced revenue based earnings of Award / Redeemable Miles will begin August 1st, 2016. The wikipost has been revised to reflect the effective date and the earning rate for the new "75k" Platinum Pro status tier in 2017.

For all the changes announced June 6, 2016, see:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...un-2016-a.html
JDiver is offline  
Old Jun 8, 2016, 9:32 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
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American Airline's August 1 award points

Sorry, I looked trough some of the threads but didn't see anything about my questions.I have enough miles accumulated for 1 round trip(70K) and a (35K)one way total 105,000 to SE Asia on American Airlines.How will this August 1 AA new award ruling affect my points going forward? And do you think the standard economy miles requirements will go up?
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Old Jun 8, 2016, 10:17 pm
  #4  
 
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It will only change how you earn award miles going forward, not how you want to spend them. The rates were recently changed, so it should be a while before they change again.
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Old Jun 8, 2016, 10:32 pm
  #5  
 
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It's a race to the bottom, courtesy of incessant mergers that are always "a win-win for consumers." Earn and burn, as fast as you possibly can. Today we fly, because tomorrow our frequent flyer points are sure to die!
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Old Jun 17, 2016, 9:34 pm
  #6  
 
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Surprisingly, not a lot of discussion here on RDMs.

So, we won't know the extent of the changes to RDMs on partner airlines until July 15, but is it possible that they will announce a complete overhaul of the earning rates for August 1? Two weeks notice sure seems cruel (but unsurprising for AA at this point).

1. We know we will still receive an "elite bonus", but we don't know if it will still be 100% (for Plats), or if they'll drop it.
2. We also don't know which airlines will award elite bonuses (right now, for eg, CX does; AB does not).
3. We don't know if some economy earning rates will be removed/reduced.

Am I right in assuming that it is the partner airline that pays for RDMs, therefore they have an input in earning rates?
lycidas is offline  
Old Jun 17, 2016, 11:29 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
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Originally Posted by lycidas
Surprisingly, not a lot of discussion here on RDMs.

So, we won't know the extent of the changes to RDMs on partner airlines until July 15, but is it possible that they will announce a complete overhaul of the earning rates for August 1? Two weeks notice sure seems cruel (but unsurprising for AA at this point).

1. We know we will still receive an "elite bonus", but we don't know if it will still be 100% (for Plats), or if they'll drop it.
2. We also don't know which airlines will award elite bonuses (right now, for eg, CX does; AB does not).
3. We don't know if some economy earning rates will be removed/reduced.

Am I right in assuming that it is the partner airline that pays for RDMs, therefore they have an input in earning rates?
No. There is no overhaul coming. We are waiting for the partner RDM %
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Old Jun 18, 2016, 7:59 am
  #8  
 
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Originally Posted by AAExecPlatFlier
No. There is no overhaul coming. We are waiting for the partner RDM %
So, to lycidas' point, we can assume that the status bonus factors on partner RDM will continue as before. Either that, or AA rolls out the new partner RDM tables with, "Oh, by the way, we're changing the status bonus factors on these, too."
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Old Jun 24, 2016, 6:46 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
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O class mileage earning (to merge)

I am looking at LAX - RAK (on AA metal, BA and IB) all numbered as AA (AA 2404, AA 36, AA 8760, AA 8534, AA 6279, AA 6180) and books into "O" class.

I looked up on wheretocredit and it 2 listings. I couldn't figure out the actual mileage earnings:

Code:
AA	American Airlines	100%(500 miles [this is in subscript])
AA	American Airlines (from 8/1/2016)	5 miles per USD
If it makes any difference, its in Y for 11/18-11/27

I appreciate any help in understanding this.
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Old Jun 24, 2016, 7:15 pm
  #10  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
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Originally Posted by daKav
I am looking at LAX - RAK (on AA metal, BA and IB) all numbered as AA (AA 2404, AA 36, AA 8760, AA 8534, AA 6279, AA 6180) and books into "O" class.

I looked up on wheretocredit and it 2 listings. I couldn't figure out the actual mileage earnings:

Code:
AA	American Airlines	100%(500 miles [this is in subscript])
AA	American Airlines (from 8/1/2016)	5 miles per USD
If it makes any difference, its in Y for 11/18-11/27

I appreciate any help in understanding this.
Anytime you fly on an AA marketed (coded) flight, regardless of operating airline, you earn as if flying AA. As you are flying after 01August, you will earn as explained on the AA earnings chart on aa.com: https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/e...s/american.jsp.

If you are addressing Elite Qualifying Miles, you'll earn 1.0 EQM per flown mile for status earning.

If you're addressing award / redeemable miles and have no status, you will earn 5 miles per dollar spent on air fare including carrier imposed fees, but excluding government imposed taxes and fees.

2Award miles are calculated based on what you pay for your ticket (base fare plus carrier-imposed fees, excluding any government-imposed taxes and fees) and your elite status. Ancillary fees imposed by airlines such as checked baggage fees, seats, etc. do not count as carrier-imposed fees. Award miles are subject to a maximum of 75,000 miles per ticket.
E.g. Base fare of $1,436.00 plus Carrier imposed fees of $458 = $1,894.
1,894 X 5 = 9,470 miles.

Does this answer your question? See more in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ug-2016-a.html (Read the Wikipost at the top of the page).

Last edited by JDiver; Jun 24, 2016 at 7:27 pm
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Old Jun 24, 2016, 7:20 pm
  #11  
 
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Between now and 7/31/16, this would earn 100% of the actual miles flown. If you have any status with AA, then any segments shorter than 500 miles would be rounded up.

Effective 8/1/16, award miles are earned based on the amount of money you spend, not on the distance you fly. It could be calculated off of the fare and any carrier imposed fees, excluding any taxes and government fees, and multiplied by 5 (or by 7/8/11 if you are Gold/Plat/EXP).
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Old Jun 24, 2016, 7:21 pm
  #12  
 
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Thanks! I am still a little confused as to how to comprehend that chart. I do not have any status with AA this year. The row which has Y listed mentions only EXP earnings, which I am clearly not.
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Old Jun 24, 2016, 7:25 pm
  #13  
 
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sjpmurph01 beat me to it. Thanks.
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Old Jun 24, 2016, 7:46 pm
  #14  
 
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Never actually looked at it, but you're right - those charts for the post-8/1 earnings are terribly formatted. The description of the base/GLD/PLT/EXP multiplier should be in a separate table, as they have nothing to do with the fare class purchased.
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Old Jun 25, 2016, 7:24 am
  #15  
 
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Sample AAdvantage Earning - Pre August 1st vs. Post August 1st For Platinum

AA.com now gives mileage earning for flights August 1st and beyond before you book.

Am I reading this right? Similar itinerary to what I flew in May - total of 2,160 miles.

May itinerary was about 9,600 miles total.

No change in EQM's/segments, but total earnings cut by 80%?

I get the earn based on what you pay, but cutting Platinum bonuses like this.

This is just awful if true. Did other airlines cut elite flying bonuses to this degree?

Terrible AA if true.

Similar DCA itinerary:

Award miles

Base miles Bonus miles Total
1350 810 2160

4876 4 -- 1350 810 2160

DCA - DFW
Sep 27, 2016 1192 1 -- 340 204 544

DFW - SNA
Sep 27, 2016 1205 1 -- 335 201 536

SNA - PHX
Oct 01, 2016 500 1 -- 95 57 152

PHX - DCA
Oct 01, 2016 1979 1 -- 580 348 928
Similar IAD itinerary:

Total

4754 4 -- 1350 810 2160

IAD - DFW
Sep 27, 2016 1172 1 -- 335 201 536

DFW - SNA
Sep 27, 2016 1205 1 -- 340 204 544

SNA - DFW
Oct 01, 2016 1205 1 -- 340 204 544

DFW - IAD
Oct 01, 2016 1172 1 -- 335 201 536

AMERICAN AIRLINES 1556 Y IAD DFW 5/9/16 1,172 1,172 2,344
AMERICAN AIRLINES 2389 Y DFW SNA 5/9/16 1,205 1,205 2,410

AMERICAN AIRLINES 2506 Y SNA DFW 5/12/16 1,205 1,205 2,410
AMERICAN AIRLINES 2235 Y DFW DCA 5/12/16 1,192 1,192 2,384
The kicker/really sad part for Platinum's is that post August 1st, upgrade chances will go way down too.

Last edited by chix; Jun 25, 2016 at 7:50 am
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