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 24, 2017, 2:18 pm
#106
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Everywhere
Programs: AA EXP - 3.7MM, Bonv LIFETIME Titan, HH Dmd, Hyatt Glob., Priority Clb Dmd, Ntnl Exec El., Sixt PLT
Posts: 1,680
Not sure how Special Fares fit into this.
And what are the other segments? AA-marketed/operated? BA-marketed/operated? I would assume that BA's YQ applies to BA-operated flights only, and you can probably find out how that applies per segment.
I was more wondering about how the base fare gets divied up.
And what are the other segments? AA-marketed/operated? BA-marketed/operated? I would assume that BA's YQ applies to BA-operated flights only, and you can probably find out how that applies per segment.
I was more wondering about how the base fare gets divied up.
Jan 24, 2017, 2:54 pm
#107
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
- If you are traveling on a Special Fare and it is AA-marketed flight you will be credited with RDM and EQD as % of the distance flown and AA fare class. For example, O will give you 50% of the distance in RDM and 10% in EQD. Whether the flight is operated by BA or JAL would not matter
Jan 24, 2017, 3:53 pm
#108
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 181
Not sure how Special Fares fit into this.
And what are the other segments? AA-marketed/operated? BA-marketed/operated? I would assume that BA's YQ applies to BA-operated flights only, and you can probably find out how that applies per segment.
I was more wondering about how the base fare gets divied up.
And what are the other segments? AA-marketed/operated? BA-marketed/operated? I would assume that BA's YQ applies to BA-operated flights only, and you can probably find out how that applies per segment.
I was more wondering about how the base fare gets divied up.
My specific case relates to a BA fare basis TLNCNAS, which allows for 2 free stopovers. The fare is C$625 each way regardless of whether I add the additional AA marketed segments as stopovers, so it is unclear as to how AA would award EQDs. Awarding them according to the special fares chart would give me significantly more EQDs than a proportion of the actual fare paid to BA. Awarding them as a proportion of the C$625 doesn't make sense either since they are technically not part of the 625.
Jan 25, 2017, 11:52 am
#109
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
It was suggested earlier that an AA marketed flight on BA ticket stock might credit as a special fare/booking where fare details are unavailable, but that appears not to be the case.
My specific case relates to a BA fare basis TLNCNAS, which allows for 2 free stopovers. The fare is C$625 each way regardless of whether I add the additional AA marketed segments as stopovers, so it is unclear as to how AA would award EQDs. Awarding them according to the special fares chart would give me significantly more EQDs than a proportion of the actual fare paid to BA. Awarding them as a proportion of the C$625 doesn't make sense either since they are technically not part of the 625.
My specific case relates to a BA fare basis TLNCNAS, which allows for 2 free stopovers. The fare is C$625 each way regardless of whether I add the additional AA marketed segments as stopovers, so it is unclear as to how AA would award EQDs. Awarding them according to the special fares chart would give me significantly more EQDs than a proportion of the actual fare paid to BA. Awarding them as a proportion of the C$625 doesn't make sense either since they are technically not part of the 625.
But yours is certainly an interesting case. Surely AA has to be allowing BA to do this, and is getting some sort of (possibly indirect) compensation. AA decides what your earnings should be, and nothing says that they have to be tied to what you paid BA. Might be zero, but that seems unlikely.
Actually, AA might decide the only sane thing to do is to use the Special Fares tables for the AA segments.
Last edited by SpammersAreScum; Jan 25, 2017 at 11:54 am Reason: final thought added
Jan 25, 2017, 12:59 pm
#110
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 181
I think it's generally been assumed that AA gets some $ -- at least on paper -- for the AA segments even if you buy the mixed-market ticket from a partner, and you'd get EQD and RDM for them accordingly. I think we've seen reports of that happening.
But yours is certainly an interesting case. Surely AA has to be allowing BA to do this, and is getting some sort of (possibly indirect) compensation. AA decides what your earnings should be, and nothing says that they have to be tied to what you paid BA. Might be zero, but that seems unlikely.
Actually, AA might decide the only sane thing to do is to use the Special Fares tables for the AA segments.
But yours is certainly an interesting case. Surely AA has to be allowing BA to do this, and is getting some sort of (possibly indirect) compensation. AA decides what your earnings should be, and nothing says that they have to be tied to what you paid BA. Might be zero, but that seems unlikely.
Actually, AA might decide the only sane thing to do is to use the Special Fares tables for the AA segments.
I think I should call AA to ask exactly how miles/EQDs would be awarded in the AA-marketed case, but I'm not even sure who to call, and whether the information they'll give me will even be reliable
Jan 25, 2017, 2:12 pm
#111
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,605
The AA marketed flights should be expected to credit as per fare - if gaining with a mileage based calc should be the unexpected nice surprise
I do not think that telephoning AA will be that beneficial. Is is possible to book on BA the whole way?
I do not think that telephoning AA will be that beneficial. Is is possible to book on BA the whole way?
Jan 25, 2017, 2:33 pm
#112
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 181
Yes it's possible, but more inconvenient. However, if AA will credit EQDs through some portion of the fare, it absolutely makes sense to book the BA routing (which nets nearly 5,000 EQDs)
Jan 25, 2017, 4:25 pm
#113
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,605
If you plan for earning as per normal table - and for a TATL fare would not be surprised if AA was able to apportion the fare and credit accordingly for the AA segments
Jan 28, 2017, 9:32 am
#114
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Something-ist, Bombay Sapphire
Posts: 69
Does anyone have experience booking a multi-leg ticket that's part of a vacation package? Looking for multi-leg itineraries that earn via distance based accrual method on AA metal. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!
Jan 28, 2017, 9:56 am
#115
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SEA
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 51
I fly a lot for work trans-pacific in economy, and have been thinking about paying out of pocket to fly PE on CX instead because of this, while crediting to AA. Wanted to get a sense for how other people value EQDs vs out of pocket cost (cpEQD?).
Jan 28, 2017, 11:00 am
#116
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Since AA doesn't offer PE (yet), you can't really do an apples-to-apples comparison. You need to take the flights, so your choices are 1) suffer in Econ, 2) pay big bucks for Bus (and make ExPlat easily), or 3) this. So you have to balance the subjective value of each class, as well as different EQM/EQD earning, against the cost difference.
Buying AA-marketed flights results in cpEQD > 1 because taxes (unless you wind up under Special Fares). So you could argue that any cpEQD <= 1 is a win, and obviously the lower the better. But you always have to balance it against EQM earned.
Correction: cents per EQ Dollar means that where I said 1 I should have said 100.
Last edited by SpammersAreScum; Jan 28, 2017 at 4:55 pm Reason: fixed the decimal point
Jan 28, 2017, 5:17 pm
#117
Join Date: May 2014
Programs: AAdvantage EXP
Posts: 152
I fly to Asia a lot myself- To me it's a no brainer to buy CX PE. I was looking at fares for my next flight and CX PE is $1700 AA Econ is $1300.
With CX PE i get 1.5 EQMS and 20% of BIS miles for EQDs- Which comes out to approx $2700 in EQMs.
unless I'm not reading something right- CX or JL is the way to go to Asia in their PE products vs Econ on AA- Price is typically $400-$600 more, but get more EQD, EQMs and most likely more RQMs.
What am I missing?
With CX PE i get 1.5 EQMS and 20% of BIS miles for EQDs- Which comes out to approx $2700 in EQMs.
unless I'm not reading something right- CX or JL is the way to go to Asia in their PE products vs Econ on AA- Price is typically $400-$600 more, but get more EQD, EQMs and most likely more RQMs.
What am I missing?
Jan 29, 2017, 12:40 pm
#118
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
I fly to Asia a lot myself- To me it's a no brainer to buy CX PE. I was looking at fares for my next flight and CX PE is $1700 AA Econ is $1300.
With CX PE i get 1.5 EQMS and 20% of BIS miles for EQDs- Which comes out to approx $2700 in EQMs.
unless I'm not reading something right- CX or JL is the way to go to Asia in their PE products vs Econ on AA- Price is typically $400-$600 more, but get more EQD, EQMs and most likely more RQMs.
What am I missing?
With CX PE i get 1.5 EQMS and 20% of BIS miles for EQDs- Which comes out to approx $2700 in EQMs.
unless I'm not reading something right- CX or JL is the way to go to Asia in their PE products vs Econ on AA- Price is typically $400-$600 more, but get more EQD, EQMs and most likely more RQMs.
What am I missing?
Others may weigh the pros and cons differently; I'm just trying to point out what the options, and their pros and cons, are.
Jan 30, 2017, 8:55 am
#119
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PHX
Programs: AA ExPlat, United Gold, IHG Amb Plat, HHonors Diamond(Aspire), Bonvoy LT Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 455
I am going to try the CX PE route in a couple months since it might be my only shot at getting enough PQD's to requalify for EP. Flying PHX-LAX-HKG-BKK and back booked on the CX website. Interesting thing is, due to the PHX-LAX segment on AA, the booking shows up on my upcoming AA flights, along with the dollar amount I paid for the ticket (the CX segments are NOT codeshares).
Question is, since the name of the game for AA these days is to reduce every potential benefit of AAdvantage, why do they not use this value for calculating the PQD for the ticket, as opposed to the 20% of miles flown calculation?
Or... maybe I made a mistake booking an AA segment on this itinerary, and that is what they will do?
Question is, since the name of the game for AA these days is to reduce every potential benefit of AAdvantage, why do they not use this value for calculating the PQD for the ticket, as opposed to the 20% of miles flown calculation?
Or... maybe I made a mistake booking an AA segment on this itinerary, and that is what they will do?
Jan 30, 2017, 10:15 am
#120
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,507
I am going to try the CX PE route in a couple months since it might be my only shot at getting enough PQD's to requalify for EP. Flying PHX-LAX-HKG-BKK and back booked on the CX website. Interesting thing is, due to the PHX-LAX segment on AA, the booking shows up on my upcoming AA flights, along with the dollar amount I paid for the ticket (the CX segments are NOT codeshares).
Question is, since the name of the game for AA these days is to reduce every potential benefit of AAdvantage, why do they not use this value for calculating the PQD for the ticket, as opposed to the 20% of miles flown calculation?
Or... maybe I made a mistake booking an AA segment on this itinerary, and that is what they will do?
Question is, since the name of the game for AA these days is to reduce every potential benefit of AAdvantage, why do they not use this value for calculating the PQD for the ticket, as opposed to the 20% of miles flown calculation?
Or... maybe I made a mistake booking an AA segment on this itinerary, and that is what they will do?