Jun 8, 2016, 10:32 am
Last edit by: JDiver
Earning Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQD) on AA and partner airlines
Minimum Spend" requirement for each status tier began 1 Jan 2017
Minimum Spend" requirement for each status tier began 1 Jan 2017
In addition to the required EQM or EQS (same as 2016) to earn status in 2017 and onward one must also earn "Elite Qualifying Dollars" / "EQD" spend credit as follows (during the calendar year):
"Starting January 1, 2017, we’ll add Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs) to our earning requirements. Qualify in 1 of 2 ways:
- Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) + Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs)
- Elite Qualifying Segments (EQSs) + Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs)
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
- Flights marketed by oneworld® carriers, "Special Fares" such as some AA Vacations flights, Thank You Points purchased fares, etc. earn EQDs based on a percentage of the flight distance and the fare class purchased
With the addition of EQDs, the rule that 4 segments must be traveled on American or American Eagle during the qualifying year to receive elite status has been eliminated.
NOTE: EQD credit varies for "Special Fares" (e.g. "select flights" included in AAVacations packages), and the chart for those changed on 11 Jan 2017. See here.2019 Status qualification tiers and requirements: link
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aa.com: aa.com is updated to show EQM, EQD and RDM/AW for your convenience when booking and in your account for keeping informed about your accruals.
Another impact of EQD is on upgrade priority within status tiers instead of time of upgrade request (FYI only, not discussion here):
Change to upgrade priority to EQD-based priority
The way your upgrade request is prioritized changed in 2017. You’ll be listed according to the type of upgrade, by your elite status level followed by the number of EQDs earned in the last 12 months. The date of upgrade request will no longer be used except to break ties not resolved by higher priority levels. Applies both upgrade request and airport list if request goes to airport list.
Partners (AS and oneworld): accrual of EQM and EQD as reflected on charts on aa.com.
FAQ
Q. How will AA EQD be calculated?
Yes: Base fare plus carrier imposed fees, e.g. YQ etc. (Status buyup fees will count.)
No: Taxes, government or airport imposed fees, e.g. PSC, APD, TSA, etc. and ancillary fees (see below)
Q. How will flights on other oneworld carriers, AS, and "Special Fares" qualify for EQD?
Partner earning tables are here and special fare table here on aa.com.
Q. Will checked bag fees, seat purchases, LFBU and 500-mile upgrades, buy miles, or other products/service fees count toward earning award miles and EQDs? (AA FAQ)
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 (or overweight) baggage fees, Admirals Club® memberships (or passes), 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. (Status buyup fees will count, however.)
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 base miles flown)
EQS: Elite Qualifying Segments (discrete segment marketed as AA)
Platinum Pro: new tier beginning 1/1/17 requiring $9,000 EQD and 75,000 EQM or 90 EQS in one calendar year
Links
Link to FT: JUST THE FACTS: EQD, status tier, other changes announced 6 Jun 2016
Link to AAdvantage Program Updates page on aa.com (including FAQ).
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
GUIDE: Earning EQD / Elite Qualifying Dollars on AA & partner airlines (as of 2019)
Jan 30, 2017, 5:29 pm
#136
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,605
Do you not mean JFK-LHR-BOM?
If this was r/t ticket , I would expect the taxes in economy to be about $161
If the total fare was $700, that would give about $539 of eligible earnings - or about $270 each way
If a one way ticket, then the tax component should be about $48
( assuming no stopover in London )
$300 total earning on a $700 ticket JFK-BOM sounds incorrect
If this was r/t ticket , I would expect the taxes in economy to be about $161
If the total fare was $700, that would give about $539 of eligible earnings - or about $270 each way
If a one way ticket, then the tax component should be about $48
( assuming no stopover in London )
$300 total earning on a $700 ticket JFK-BOM sounds incorrect
Jan 30, 2017, 5:37 pm
#137
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Each segment will earn whatever the Special Fares table says you should earn for the distance and fare class for that segment.
Jan 30, 2017, 5:41 pm
#138
Join Date: May 2007
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors-Diamond, Marriott-Silver, SPG-Gold
Posts: 391
Thanks. I paid the fare difference between 1st class and economy AFAIK. The ticket was re-issued in "I" fare class. Your explanation is what I thought should happen.
Jan 30, 2017, 5:50 pm
#139
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: BA Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,260
Do you not mean JFK-LHR-BOM?
If this was r/t ticket , I would expect the taxes in economy to be about $161
If the total fare was $700, that would give about $539 of eligible earnings - or about $270 each way
If a one way ticket, then the tax component should be about $48
( assuming no stopover in London )
$300 total earning on a $700 ticket JFK-BOM sounds incorrect
If this was r/t ticket , I would expect the taxes in economy to be about $161
If the total fare was $700, that would give about $539 of eligible earnings - or about $270 each way
If a one way ticket, then the tax component should be about $48
( assuming no stopover in London )
$300 total earning on a $700 ticket JFK-BOM sounds incorrect
Jan 30, 2017, 7:31 pm
#140
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: RDU
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 114
You are correct. It was just a small portion of the total fare that was credited for the AA segments.
Feb 1, 2017, 5:01 pm
#141
Join Date: May 2007
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors-Diamond, Marriott-Silver, SPG-Gold
Posts: 391
Upfare fare differene didn't post to EQD
AAdvantage customer service responded today and posted the correct EQD amount to my account for the fare difference I paid to upfare. I'll be watching this like a hawk moving forward, but hope they do it right in the future.
Earlier this month I decided to upfare my ticket from Y to F at the ticket counter.
When the EQDs posted to account it was only for the base fare of the Y ticket. Today when I called AAdvantage Customer Service the first person I spoke to informed me only the original base fare qualified for EQD. She directed me to the Q&A section below on AA.com and compared it to a seat purchase fee.
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.
I pressed on and asked to speak to a supervisor who said she would send it for review. IMHO the above section doesn't make it clear that upfaring won't earn additional EQD. This wasn't a fee, I paid additional $$ to buy a more expensive ticket.
Does anyone else have experience with this?
When the EQDs posted to account it was only for the base fare of the Y ticket. Today when I called AAdvantage Customer Service the first person I spoke to informed me only the original base fare qualified for EQD. She directed me to the Q&A section below on AA.com and compared it to a seat purchase fee.
Do checked bag fees, seat purchases, 500-mile upgrades or other products/service fees count toward earning award miles and EQDs?
No, only the base fare paid for your ticket including any carrier-imposed fees will count toward earning award miles and EQDs. Fees for other products or services will not be awarded miles or EQDs, including but not limited to the following: checked baggage fees, Admirals Club® memberships, Wi-Fi passes, in-flight food and beverage purchases, in-flight entertainment, unaccompanied minor fees, pet travel fees, 500-mile upgrades, mileage upgrade cash co-payments, Mileage Multiplier, BuyMiles, GiftMiles, ShareMiles or other mileage purchases, ticket change fees, ticketing fees, same-day confirmed flight change or standby fees and service charges.
I pressed on and asked to speak to a supervisor who said she would send it for review. IMHO the above section doesn't make it clear that upfaring won't earn additional EQD. This wasn't a fee, I paid additional $$ to buy a more expensive ticket.
Does anyone else have experience with this?
Feb 5, 2017, 9:01 am
#142
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP MM, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Ti, UA Silver
Posts: 5,037
Bump Vouchers and EQD?
I have an upcoming flight that looks like it might need volunteers. I'm happy to take a voucher and a later flight. Does anyone have experience with EQD earning when using a bump voucher to pay for a flight? I suspect that it would be just like paying cash, IOW you'd earn the full EQD that goes with the cash ticket price, but I'd like to be certain.
Last edited by PHLGovFlyer; Feb 5, 2017 at 9:07 am
Feb 5, 2017, 9:16 am
#143
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
I have an upcoming flight that looks like it might need volunteers. I'm happy to take a voucher and a later flight. Does anyone have experience with EQD earning when using a bump voucher to pay for a flight? I suspect that it would be just like paying cash, IOW you'd earn the full EQD that goes with the cash ticket price, but I'd like to be certain.
Feb 6, 2017, 9:26 am
#144
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 44
EQD earning on JAL
Hi All: I have spent some time looking through the forum and I want to make sure I am understanding EQD earning for partner travel correctly.
I am about to purchase a series of flights on expedia with JAL (BOS-NRT-MNL-BOS) that comes in at $1,600. The booking code is "V" and the total mileage for the trip, according the to the Expedia calculation, is 17,160. On aa.com "V" class earns 50% base miles and 10% EQDs per mile flown.
Am I correct to assume that I would earn 8,580 aa miles and $1,716 EQDs for the itinerary? In other words -- the EQDs earned on partner travel is not tied to the actual fare of the ticket but, rather, to the miles flown?
Thank you for your help with this! I spoke to 3 agents at AA today and none of them were able to offer clear guidance.
I am about to purchase a series of flights on expedia with JAL (BOS-NRT-MNL-BOS) that comes in at $1,600. The booking code is "V" and the total mileage for the trip, according the to the Expedia calculation, is 17,160. On aa.com "V" class earns 50% base miles and 10% EQDs per mile flown.
Am I correct to assume that I would earn 8,580 aa miles and $1,716 EQDs for the itinerary? In other words -- the EQDs earned on partner travel is not tied to the actual fare of the ticket but, rather, to the miles flown?
Thank you for your help with this! I spoke to 3 agents at AA today and none of them were able to offer clear guidance.
Feb 6, 2017, 11:06 am
#145
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Hi All: I have spent some time looking through the forum and I want to make sure I am understanding EQD earning for partner travel correctly.
I am about to purchase a series of flights on expedia with JAL (BOS-NRT-MNL-BOS) that comes in at $1,600. The booking code is "V" and the total mileage for the trip, according the to the Expedia calculation, is 17,160. On aa.com "V" class earns 50% base miles and 10% EQDs per mile flown.
Am I correct to assume that I would earn 8,580 aa miles and $1,716 EQDs for the itinerary? In other words -- the EQDs earned on partner travel is not tied to the actual fare of the ticket but, rather, to the miles flown?
Thank you for your help with this! I spoke to 3 agents at AA today and none of them were able to offer clear guidance.
I am about to purchase a series of flights on expedia with JAL (BOS-NRT-MNL-BOS) that comes in at $1,600. The booking code is "V" and the total mileage for the trip, according the to the Expedia calculation, is 17,160. On aa.com "V" class earns 50% base miles and 10% EQDs per mile flown.
Am I correct to assume that I would earn 8,580 aa miles and $1,716 EQDs for the itinerary? In other words -- the EQDs earned on partner travel is not tied to the actual fare of the ticket but, rather, to the miles flown?
Thank you for your help with this! I spoke to 3 agents at AA today and none of them were able to offer clear guidance.
Feb 6, 2017, 1:59 pm
#147
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,605
The table you need to check is indeed the one at https://www.americanairlines.com.au/...n-airlines.jsp
V class earns 50% of distance in base award miles, 25% of distance in qualifying miles and 10% of distance for Qualifying Dollars
If total distance is 17,160 miles, you will earn
8,580 award miles
4,290 EQMs
1,716 EQDs
You will come out slightly ahead of an AA flight at same price on EQDs (1716 vs 1600) and base award miles (8580 vs 1600), but lower on EQMs at 4,290 vs 8580
V class earns 50% of distance in base award miles, 25% of distance in qualifying miles and 10% of distance for Qualifying Dollars
If total distance is 17,160 miles, you will earn
8,580 award miles
4,290 EQMs
1,716 EQDs
You will come out slightly ahead of an AA flight at same price on EQDs (1716 vs 1600) and base award miles (8580 vs 1600), but lower on EQMs at 4,290 vs 8580
Feb 6, 2017, 5:01 pm
#148
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 3
I have the choice between an AA flight (operated by AA) and an AA flight (operated by BA) to the same destination. SJC to AMS.
The BA flights have the better flight times and duration. As this would be business class flights I assumed that the AA flights result in more miles and EQDs and I should go with the longer duration flights.
My apologize if this is an obvious question.
Feb 6, 2017, 6:58 pm
#149
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,605
Feb 14, 2017, 2:19 am
#150
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
EQD accrual
I was booked JFK-LAS-JFK (all non-stops). Due to a snow storm in NYC, JFK-LAS was cancelled and rebooked LGA-ORD-LAS (these 2 segments are listed as W class).
All segments (for EQD computation) show as FARE based, except ORD-LAS which is listed as "method: distance--data unavailable"; I'm not complaining
, but why did this happen?
All segments (for EQD computation) show as FARE based, except ORD-LAS which is listed as "method: distance--data unavailable"; I'm not complaining
, but why did this happen?