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
- [*]
- [*]
- [*]
- [*]
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)
#364
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: CA
Posts: 304
I just booked a flight on AS in K fare, which earns 10% EQD per miles flown. I upgraded that fare to first class via MVP Gold Guest. Now it shows U fare which is not listed in for AA. Is Alaska going to report my fare as U or as the original K? Did I just screw myself out of EQD's?
#365
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP, lowly UA 1K; Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold; National EC, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,215
Curious how many RDM/EQD/EQM I should expect on a trip at the end of the year that covers five segments. -- SFO-MIA-GYE-LIM-LAX-SFO.
The flight was booked under a cheapish LAN biz fare but the first flight has an AA flight number as they do not codeshare on that particular flight. As such it is ticketed on 001 stock and when I go into my upcoming flights on AA.com I can see the full itinerary including the actual price paid for the full reservation. The second flight and the fifth flight are LAN flight numbers (XL and LA) but operated by AA. The third and fourth flights are LAN flights and flight numbers.
Does AA stock mean it is all under AA earning rules, is it some mix of everything or does it follow the LAN rules?
Any insight is much appreciated. Thanks!
The flight was booked under a cheapish LAN biz fare but the first flight has an AA flight number as they do not codeshare on that particular flight. As such it is ticketed on 001 stock and when I go into my upcoming flights on AA.com I can see the full itinerary including the actual price paid for the full reservation. The second flight and the fifth flight are LAN flight numbers (XL and LA) but operated by AA. The third and fourth flights are LAN flights and flight numbers.
Does AA stock mean it is all under AA earning rules, is it some mix of everything or does it follow the LAN rules?
Any insight is much appreciated. Thanks!
#366
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,535
I just booked a flight on AS in K fare, which earns 10% EQD per miles flown. I upgraded that fare to first class via MVP Gold Guest. Now it shows U fare which is not listed in for AA. Is Alaska going to report my fare as U or as the original K? Did I just screw myself out of EQD's?
Cheers.
#367
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
It will earn per each segment based on the marketing carrier. You can't get the exact EQDs or RDMs as u have a mix of AA and LAN and only the computer knows exactly how they will split the fare between segments.
Best u can do is estimate it using the tables for AA and LAN on AA.com
Best u can do is estimate it using the tables for AA and LAN on AA.com
Curious how many RDM/EQD/EQM I should expect on a trip at the end of the year that covers five segments. -- SFO-MIA-GYE-LIM-LAX-SFO.
The flight was booked under a cheapish LAN biz fare but the first flight has an AA flight number as they do not codeshare on that particular flight. As such it is ticketed on 001 stock and when I go into my upcoming flights on AA.com I can see the full itinerary including the actual price paid for the full reservation. The second flight and the fifth flight are LAN flight numbers (XL and LA) but operated by AA. The third and fourth flights are LAN flights and flight numbers.
Does AA stock mean it is all under AA earning rules, is it some mix of everything or does it follow the LAN rules?
Any insight is much appreciated. Thanks!
The flight was booked under a cheapish LAN biz fare but the first flight has an AA flight number as they do not codeshare on that particular flight. As such it is ticketed on 001 stock and when I go into my upcoming flights on AA.com I can see the full itinerary including the actual price paid for the full reservation. The second flight and the fifth flight are LAN flight numbers (XL and LA) but operated by AA. The third and fourth flights are LAN flights and flight numbers.
Does AA stock mean it is all under AA earning rules, is it some mix of everything or does it follow the LAN rules?
Any insight is much appreciated. Thanks!
#368
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: QDF
Programs: AA EXP (2MM), Marriott Tit
Posts: 1,039
EQD on AA flight booked as BA codeshare
I will be flying DFW-IAH-LHR, LHR-IAH-DFW in October. The transatlantic segments are booked in BA premium economy (T), and the domestic segments are booked in BA almost-full-fare economy (B). (I'm connecting through IAH, because the non-stop premium economy fare was almost $2,000 more.)
Is there any way of determining what my EQD earnings for the domestic segments will be? (This is my first BA itinerary that includes codeshares on AA metal, but my experience with CX itineraries leads me to believe that the AA segments will use the fare method for EQD earnings.)
Also, does anyone know what AA fare bucket BA B will map to?
Is there any way of determining what my EQD earnings for the domestic segments will be? (This is my first BA itinerary that includes codeshares on AA metal, but my experience with CX itineraries leads me to believe that the AA segments will use the fare method for EQD earnings.)
Also, does anyone know what AA fare bucket BA B will map to?
#369
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
Go to aa.com under partner earning and u will see the table for BA.
I will be flying DFW-IAH-LHR, LHR-IAH-DFW in October. The transatlantic segments are booked in BA premium economy (T), and the domestic segments are booked in BA almost-full-fare economy (B). (I'm connecting through IAH, because the non-stop premium economy fare was almost $2,000 more.)
Is there any way of determining what my EQD earnings for the domestic segments will be? (This is my first BA itinerary that includes codeshares on AA metal, but my experience with CX itineraries leads me to believe that the AA segments will use the fare method for EQD earnings.)
Also, does anyone know what AA fare bucket BA B will map to?
Is there any way of determining what my EQD earnings for the domestic segments will be? (This is my first BA itinerary that includes codeshares on AA metal, but my experience with CX itineraries leads me to believe that the AA segments will use the fare method for EQD earnings.)
Also, does anyone know what AA fare bucket BA B will map to?
#370
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Programs: BA GGL, FPC Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Amb
Posts: 3,372
For both T class and B class, EQD are 20% of miles flown.
LHR-IAH-DFW and return = 4834 + 225, so EQD should be (966 + 45) * 2
However, not sure if the 500 mile minimum applies to calculating EQD--that might bump it to (966 + 100) * 2.
LHR-IAH-DFW and return = 4834 + 225, so EQD should be (966 + 45) * 2
However, not sure if the 500 mile minimum applies to calculating EQD--that might bump it to (966 + 100) * 2.
#371
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: QDF
Programs: AA EXP (2MM), Marriott Tit
Posts: 1,039
So the question is whether there's any way to know what "fare" is allocated to these segments.
#372
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
Who is the marketing carrier? That is what determines it
#373
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Programs: BA GGL, FPC Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Amb
Posts: 3,372
You'd need to look at how your fare calculation is built. If the fare construction is end-on-end, then there would be a separate fare component for the AA sectors and they could be separated out. But if the fare is ticketed as a through-fare, then there is no method to unpack individual sectors so the percentage method has to be used.
#374
Join Date: May 2016
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP, UA Gold
Posts: 98
I have an upcoming flight on LATAM. I've added my AA # to the reservation, but curious which section of the AA Earn Miles site I should be looking at for my earning rates.
I see both a LAN page and a TAM page. I think my flight is ticketed as JJ 8057...so is that the TAM earning chart?
I see both a LAN page and a TAM page. I think my flight is ticketed as JJ 8057...so is that the TAM earning chart?
#375
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Aspen, CO
Posts: 792
I have an upcoming flight on LATAM. I've added my AA # to the reservation, but curious which section of the AA Earn Miles site I should be looking at for my earning rates.
I see both a LAN page and a TAM page. I think my flight is ticketed as JJ 8057...so is that the TAM earning chart?
I see both a LAN page and a TAM page. I think my flight is ticketed as JJ 8057...so is that the TAM earning chart?