Jun 6, 2016, 10:25 am
Last edit by: JDiver
AAdvantage Changes Announced 6 Jun 2016 - JUST THE FACTS
This thread is dedicated to "JUST THE FACTS" about the changes announced June 6, 2016.
For discussion of impact, reactions, etc. please use REACTION, DISCUSSION: EQD, status tier, upgrade changes as of 6 Jun 2016
Link to AAdvantage Program Updates page on aa.com.
Link to Gary Leff's "View from the Wing" blog article on these changes.
Link to Ben "Lucky" Schlappig's take in "One Mile at a Time" on View From the Boarding Area
Summary of changes:
aa.com: Unknown but intended: aa.com updated to show EQM, EQD and RDM/AW for your convenience when booking and in your account for keeping informed about your accruals.
Change to earning Award / Redeemable Miles to revenue based begins (see FT thread
Bonus award miles "More Miles" for premium cabin discontinued
For travel beginning August 1, 2016
Earn award miles based on your ticket price and elite status on American-marketed flights.
You earn miles on the base fare plus carrier-imposed fees minus government-imposed taxes and fees. The more you spend (and the higher your elite status level) the more you’ll earn.
On most flights marketed by partner airlines, you'll earn award miles based on a percentage of the flight distance and the fare class of your ticket. Rates will be available by July 15.
NOTE: this also pertains to "special fares", such as those purchased through AA Vacations. (not AA language)
You earn miles on the base fare plus carrier-imposed fees minus government-imposed taxes and fees. The more you spend (and the higher your elite status level) the more you’ll earn.
- AAdvantage® member – 5 miles for every U.S. dollar
- Gold member – 7 miles for every U.S. dollar (40% bonus)
- Platinum member – 8 miles for every U.S. dollar (60% bonus)
- Platinum Pro - 9 miles for every U.S. dollar
- Executive Platinum member – 11 miles for every U.S. dollar (120% bonus)
NOTE: this also pertains to "special fares", such as those purchased through AA Vacations. (not AA language)
Domestic First cabin fares recoded 12 Nov 2016
Also see AA 2 class Domestic US50 First re-coded as J, D, I, R, C Nov 12, 2016
1 Jan 2017:
Status earning to have EQM/EQS criteria AND "EQD" revenue spend requirement
In addition to the (same as 2016) required EQM or EQS, to earn status one will have to also earn "Elite Qualifying Dollars" / "EQD" spend credit as follows (during the calendar year):
"EQDs will be awarded based on:
Ticket price (base fare plus carrier-imposed fees, excluding any government-imposed taxes and fees) on American-marketed flights
EQD calculations will not include change fees and similar (premium seats, baggage, etc.) charges.
Flights marketed by oneworld® carriers and Alaska Airlines will earn EQDs based on a percentage of the flight distance and the fare class purchased (as may "special fares" - not AA language)
NOTE: EQD offset may be earned by spend on Barclaycard AAdvantage Aviator Red and Silver cards (added language not from AA)
With the addition of EQDs, we’ll remove the rule that 4 segments must be traveled on American or American Eagle during the qualifying year to receive elite status."
Ticket price (base fare plus carrier-imposed fees, excluding any government-imposed taxes and fees) on American-marketed flights
EQD calculations will not include change fees and similar (premium seats, baggage, etc.) charges.
Q. Do checked bag fees, seat purchases, 500-mile upgrades or other products/service fees count toward earning award miles and EQDs?
No, only the base fare paid for your ticket including any carrier-imposed fees will count toward earning award miles and EQDs. Fees for other products or services will not be awarded miles or EQDs, including but not limited to the following: checked baggage fees, Admirals Club® memberships, Wi-Fi passes, in-flight food and beverage purchases, in-flight entertainment, unaccompanied minor fees, pet travel fees, 500-mile upgrades, mileage upgrade cash co-payments, Mileage Multiplier, BuyMiles, GiftMiles, ShareMiles or other mileage purchases, ticket change fees, ticketing fees, same-day confirmed flight change or standby fees and service charges. (Thanks to ty97.)
No, only the base fare paid for your ticket including any carrier-imposed fees will count toward earning award miles and EQDs. Fees for other products or services will not be awarded miles or EQDs, including but not limited to the following: checked baggage fees, Admirals Club® memberships, Wi-Fi passes, in-flight food and beverage purchases, in-flight entertainment, unaccompanied minor fees, pet travel fees, 500-mile upgrades, mileage upgrade cash co-payments, Mileage Multiplier, BuyMiles, GiftMiles, ShareMiles or other mileage purchases, ticket change fees, ticketing fees, same-day confirmed flight change or standby fees and service charges. (Thanks to ty97.)
NOTE: EQD offset may be earned by spend on Barclaycard AAdvantage Aviator Red and Silver cards (added language not from AA)
With the addition of EQDs, we’ll remove the rule that 4 segments must be traveled on American or American Eagle during the qualifying year to receive elite status."
- Gold - $3,000
- Platinum - $6,000
- Platinum Pro - $9,000 (beginning 1/1/17)
- Executive Platinum - $12,000
NOTE: Concierge Key is treated as a higher status tier than Executive Platinum for upgrade Priority, but is not otherwise an AAdvantage status tier.
Change from three status tiers to four - new 75K "Platinum Pro" added
"In 2017 you can start earning toward a new level, Platinum Pro, with benefits like:
- Complimentary upgrades on flights within North America and between the U.S. and Central America
- Earn 9 award miles/U.S. dollar (80% bonus)
- 2 free checked bags
- oneworld® Sapphire status
- 72 hour upgrade window* (announced elsewhere)
February 2017
Introduction of highly restricted AA Basic Economy fares. FT link.
These will accrue 0.5 EQM, 0.5 EQS, will not permit rollaboard size / overhead baggage (only one personal item) unless you have status, no upgrades permitted, etc.
"Late" 2017:
Change to upgrade priority to EQD-based priority
"The way your upgrade request is prioritized will change later in 2017. You’ll be listed according to your elite status level followed by the number of EQDs earned in the last 12 months."
Executive Platinums able to upgrade MC / coach award flight (On flights 500 mile upgrades are usable, courtesy upgrades; priority within EP by last 12 month EQD spend.
"Starting later in 2017, Executive Platinum members can use their complimentary 500-mile upgrade benefits on AAdvantage® award tickets for travel on American from Main Cabin to the next class."
Peripheral issues:
AA Vacations: AA Vacations packages (like partner airline tickets) will earn EQD based on the distance flown as determined by the fare class purchased. This is in accordance with the "Special Fares" section of the new EQD earnings pages, and confirmed here
EQD requirements will apply to non-US residents as well as US as currently exists
EQD requirements can be partially offset by spend on Barclaycard AAdvantage Aviator Red or Silver cards.
Partners (AS and oneworld): accrual of EQM as reflected on charts on aa.com; EQD credit to be announced (15 Jul 2016)
Status: AA has no current plans to add "Lifetime Platinum Pro" status.
Resources:
GLOSSARY:
EQD: Elite Qualifying Dollars (base fare + carrier imposed fees, - government imposed taxes and fees)
EQM: Elite Qualifying Miles (accrual depends on fare basis, airline and miles flown)
EQS: Elite Qualifying Segments (discrete qualifying segment credited by AA)
Platinum Pro: new tier beginning 1/1/17 requiring $9,000 EQD and 75,000 EQM or 90 EQS in one calendar year
For links to new threads about these and other recent changes affecting AA flyers, see below.
Link to AAdvantage Program Updates page on aa.com.
Link to Gary Leff's "View from the Wing" blog article on these changes.
Link to Ben "Lucky" Schlappig's take in "One Mile at a Time" on View From the Boarding Area
Link to Andy's take on the Award Miles earning changes on View From the Boarding Area.
Links to useful threads:
GUIDE: Earning EQD / Elite Qualifying Dollars on AA and partner airlines (2017 on)
GUIDE: Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, oneworld, partner airlines 2017
GUIDE: Earning AA Award / Redeemable Miles / RDM on AA, partners 1 Aug 2016
HELP DESK: Elite Qualifying EQD, EQM & Award / RDM Calculations & Planning 2017
AAdvantage® earning estimates - FAQ (aa.com)
(aa.com "AAdvantage program updates" - link
Link to FT thread: What are AA Platinum Pro Benefits? Are they worth it? (master thread)
Link to FT thread: oneworld not requiring connecting protection or interline baggage 1 Jun 2016
Link to ARCHIVE: Speculation about upcoming changes tba 6 Jun 2016"
Updated 6 Jan 2012 - JDiver
JUST THE FACTS: EQD, status tier, other changes announced 6 Jun 2016
Jun 7, 2016, 9:54 am
#151
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Los Angeles& Telluride
Programs: UA1K, 1MM,AA Exec. Platinum, Global Entry, Nexus
Posts: 731
Now that the playing field is level.... the real winner is??
The consumer. For me loyalty is now a thing of the past. I'll choose my flights going forward based on schedule, equipment, and fare. My priority will be comfort/hard product. AA needs to step up their game going forward now that UA has their new 1-2-1 hard product coming out. AA still has dinosaur 767's. (Been stuck on those, when I bought 1-2-1 configs three out of my last four flights). One new plane a week if its a 737 is meaningless. Hard domestic product is terrible at best.
So in the end, the merger bought us a year or so of the old ways.
With the A350's and 789's coming on line in the next few years on all carriers for me it will be all about the hard product and then the best schedule for me out of LAX.
So in the end, the merger bought us a year or so of the old ways.
With the A350's and 789's coming on line in the next few years on all carriers for me it will be all about the hard product and then the best schedule for me out of LAX.
Jun 7, 2016, 9:59 am
#152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
I would expect that they'll treat AA Vacation packages like they intend to treat any other vacation packages, and award RDMs (and EQDs) based on distance flown and a multiplier. Hopefully we'll know those multipliers by 7/15, and hopefully they'll clarify whether AA Vacations bookings are treated differently from, say, Expedia vacation bookings.
Thus, it may be easier to disambiguate for AA Vacations packages versus others.
Now, whether they choose to do this or not is a different story.
Cheers.
Jun 7, 2016, 10:28 am
#153
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SMF
Programs: AA EXP 4MM
Posts: 811
Please clarify 2016 EQM earning
This information is probably already in this thread but I couldn't find it.
I'm currently at 55k EQM. If I earn another 45k EQM this year flying as usual, will I have achieved EXP again for another year?
In other words, do the changes after 8/1/16 and the issue of EQDs have any impact on requalifying for EXP this year?
Thanks for any help.
I'm currently at 55k EQM. If I earn another 45k EQM this year flying as usual, will I have achieved EXP again for another year?
In other words, do the changes after 8/1/16 and the issue of EQDs have any impact on requalifying for EXP this year?
Thanks for any help.
Jun 7, 2016, 10:30 am
#154
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,148
This information is probably already in this thread but I couldn't find it.
I'm currently at 55k EQM. If I earn another 45k EQM this year flying as usual, will I have achieved EXP again for another year?
In other words, do the changes after 8/1/16 and the issue of EQDs have any impact on requalifying for EXP this year?
Thanks for any help.
I'm currently at 55k EQM. If I earn another 45k EQM this year flying as usual, will I have achieved EXP again for another year?
In other words, do the changes after 8/1/16 and the issue of EQDs have any impact on requalifying for EXP this year?
Thanks for any help.
The Aug 1, 2106 changes affect RDM.
Jun 7, 2016, 10:32 am
#155
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,026
You have to book the flight with the AA code to earn according to the AA chart. It doesn't matter whether the flight has an available AA code if that's not what you booked.
For trans-Atlantic flights, the same fares are often but not always available with the BA, IB and AA codes. I have, on occasion, run into a case where a BA-operated trans-Atlantic flight was available with an AA code but only for a considerably higher price. For intra-Europe flights with no connection to the US, it is usually (always?) not possible to book the AA code; on most (all?) fares, the AA code requires a connection to the US (possibly with a stopover allowed).
For trans-Atlantic flights, the same fares are often but not always available with the BA, IB and AA codes. I have, on occasion, run into a case where a BA-operated trans-Atlantic flight was available with an AA code but only for a considerably higher price. For intra-Europe flights with no connection to the US, it is usually (always?) not possible to book the AA code; on most (all?) fares, the AA code requires a connection to the US (possibly with a stopover allowed).
These changes are making me rethink OW programs.
Is it possible to book AA flights with a BA code-share domestically? For example SJC-LAX with a BA flight number?
Jun 7, 2016, 10:33 am
#156
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SMF
Programs: AA EXP 4MM
Posts: 811
Thanks, that's what I thought
Thanks that's what I thought. So I'll keep flying as usual this year, then decide whether to keep going in 2017.
Jun 7, 2016, 11:05 am
#157
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
Jun 7, 2016, 11:43 am
#159
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
Without an international connection? No. That would be illegal cabotage, I believe. And even if it's not cabotage, BA doesn't offer standalone domestic US flights.
Jun 7, 2016, 11:47 am
#160
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Philadelphia, LAX, Paris
Programs: UA 1K/2MM, SPG/Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Lifetime HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 3,326
Late to the party as a UA 1K lurker with a (now devaluated) AA Platinum status (AA targeted me with this comp).
It's about time that AA joins the 'real world' of mileage programs, pioneered by DL and seconded by UA
^
Glad to have UA MP as my primary program, although the AA Platinum comp comes in handy to get good seats for free on my occasional AA flights.
It's about time that AA joins the 'real world' of mileage programs, pioneered by DL and seconded by UA
^Glad to have UA MP as my primary program, although the AA Platinum comp comes in handy to get good seats for free on my occasional AA flights.
Jun 7, 2016, 2:00 pm
#162
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: OKC, DFW
Programs: AA Platinum, DL, GE, AAA
Posts: 77
I am a new AA Advantage member. I recently lost my status at DL when they pulled the same switch.
My question is I am flying Business Class MCI-DFW-SYD on 22 July, returning on 6 August. Will I earn miles under the old format for the going and returning segments, or will I be under the old format for the going segment, and the new format for the return segment?
My question is I am flying Business Class MCI-DFW-SYD on 22 July, returning on 6 August. Will I earn miles under the old format for the going and returning segments, or will I be under the old format for the going segment, and the new format for the return segment?
Jun 7, 2016, 2:09 pm
#163
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
They don't appear to actually state that EQD is earned when you fly rather than when you buy, but it's strongly implied. If so, how does the EQD get assigned to appropriate years when a ticket has outbound in Dec and return in Jan? Do you get EQDs for an outbound added to the running total used for upgrade ranking for the return?
But my questions were still unanswered, so I tweeted @AA. They pointed me at the usual AAdvantage number. Needed to call CS about another matter anyway, so I asked. Agent said the question of cross-year itineraries didn't come up in their training, so she would ask and get back to me.
Jun 7, 2016, 2:18 pm
#164
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
I am a new AA Advantage member. I recently lost my status at DL when they pulled the same switch.
My question is I am flying Business Class MCI-DFW-SYD on 22 July, returning on 6 August. Will I earn miles under the old format for the going and returning segments, or will I be under the old format for the going segment, and the new format for the return segment?
My question is I am flying Business Class MCI-DFW-SYD on 22 July, returning on 6 August. Will I earn miles under the old format for the going and returning segments, or will I be under the old format for the going segment, and the new format for the return segment?
The real interesting question would be, what if a segment was an overnight flight starting Jul 31 and ending Aug 01?
Jun 7, 2016, 3:02 pm
#165
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
Since they compute miles on each individual segment (MCI-DFW, DFW-SYD, etc) -- unless the segments share the flt# -- I'd expect them to handle each based on the rules in effect for that day.
The real interesting question would be, what if a segment was an overnight flight starting Jul 31 and ending Aug 01?
The real interesting question would be, what if a segment was an overnight flight starting Jul 31 and ending Aug 01?