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)
Apr 8, 2017, 4:18 pm
#226
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
Has this happened to anyone? I flew a RT YYZ-PEK. One of the four segments posted according to AA's "special fare" chart. I was really excited since this meant and extra ~1500 EQD for the segment. This was about 3 weeks ago, and as of two days ago, nothing had changed. Last night I look at my phone and I'm missing about 10,000 miles in my account, so I glance at my qualifying status section, and sure enough, AA reran their calculations and removed RDM and EQD from my account. Two days ago I booked a trip on AA metal rather than a partner because I knew I would clear 12K EQD. Now, not so much.
I'm well aware that the correction is back to what I should have earned according to my fare. I'm just pissed that AA would post the segment one way, wait three weeks, and then choose to re-calculate something they already posted according to their published "backup" chart.
**EDIT** I just looked at my husband's account and AA had originally posted his in the same way as mine, but now all 4 of his segments are posted via the "special fare" chart. What the heck AA?
I'm well aware that the correction is back to what I should have earned according to my fare. I'm just pissed that AA would post the segment one way, wait three weeks, and then choose to re-calculate something they already posted according to their published "backup" chart.
**EDIT** I just looked at my husband's account and AA had originally posted his in the same way as mine, but now all 4 of his segments are posted via the "special fare" chart. What the heck AA?
Apr 8, 2017, 8:27 pm
#227
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: ORD
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 71
After one of my segments reverted (3 weeks later) to fare after posting as distance, I called AAdvantage to inquire as to why. The rep was initially puzzled, put me on hold, and came back to explain that for 2 days in March ticket data was not being paired with reservation records and that about three weeks later IT ran a batch fix for all of those segments. She said that she was told they don't typically go back for one-off issues, but since it was all segments flown for two days, that warranted an automated fix. For what it's worth, she said that's the first time she had seen an automatic after the fact reversion to fare from distance.
Apr 8, 2017, 10:58 pm
#228
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
Eh, so yeah I guess my last post is a good example of why nobody ever seems to say, "boy I wish I'd have read fewer posts before writing that last post."
Which is to say, yeah, I guess they really will retroactively jack your EQs. Bunk.
Now I'm unsure of the dominant strategy. Seems like there's still some sense in "go ahead and push the errors, maybe you'll slide in when you wouldn't have otherwise" but there are also risks if you actually change your behavior based on that (e.g. you take spend somewhere else at the end of the year and then they truly hose you in January '18).
I still feel like if they tell you at some point this year that you (re)qualled EXP that'll be hard to walk back. But I already look dumb in this thread so that could just be terribly naive.
Which is to say, yeah, I guess they really will retroactively jack your EQs. Bunk.
Now I'm unsure of the dominant strategy. Seems like there's still some sense in "go ahead and push the errors, maybe you'll slide in when you wouldn't have otherwise" but there are also risks if you actually change your behavior based on that (e.g. you take spend somewhere else at the end of the year and then they truly hose you in January '18).
I still feel like if they tell you at some point this year that you (re)qualled EXP that'll be hard to walk back. But I already look dumb in this thread so that could just be terribly naive.
Apr 9, 2017, 7:13 pm
#229
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
You can believe I'll be keeping a close eye on this.
Apr 20, 2017, 2:49 pm
#231
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: Lots of faux metal
Posts: 6,422
Take $1522 and subtract $1108.28. Add $500.
Easy.
Why make it so hard, AA?What is the routing that the taxes are so high?
Apr 20, 2017, 3:22 pm
#232
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SNA
Posts: 18,240
Apr 20, 2017, 3:39 pm
#233
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,586
Apr 20, 2017, 4:25 pm
#235
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
$2153.72 - $413.72 = $1740, or $870 each.
Such a nice round number; it's what I'm picking for the pool.
Apr 20, 2017, 4:29 pm
#236
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Apr 20, 2017, 4:52 pm
#237
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: Lots of faux metal
Posts: 6,422
Bottom line, no one can figure out where that amount that AA states came from.
Apr 20, 2017, 6:27 pm
#239
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,586
The AA surcharge on that route seems to be $250 , so taxes and surcharges would be about $486.26 per person - or $936.52 total. The UK tax component is $151.20 , which would seem to be the only bit that will vary based on date of purchase
Apr 20, 2017, 8:00 pm
#240
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Posts: 432
Last time this happened to me, I spent an extended amount of time on the phone with AA trying to get them to send me a receipt that actually showed what I paid. They said there was no way to do it, despite the fact that they could see the incorrect info on aa.com and could see the correct info in their reservation system. I had to email customer service and they emailed me a correct receipt a few days later.