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)
#272
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
Cheers.
#273
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Cincinnati, OH USA
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 178
Does anyone know of a site that helps calculate EQM,EQD, RDM based on different scenarios? i.e. AA or CX discounted business ord-hkg. I think my EP at risk this year because I can probably hit EQM but EQD might be a stretch. I usually fly long international discounted economy. It seems to me that non AA/BA PE or discounted business could produce significant EQD. AFAIK linked Barclay & Citi cards don't reduce EQD, but you can get a partial EQD reduction with $12k Barclay spend. Any change? Thanks.
#274
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 687
I flew DFW - HOU RT and the fare price was 452.70 USD plus 62.35 USD for taxes for a total of 515.05 USD. When posting it was split into two line items with one showing a manual entry for $50 EQD (was upgraded on the flight if it makes a difference) and the other $262 EQD. I contacted AA online about the issue but never received any feedback. Can I call the EXP desk to rectify this issue?
#275
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
I flew DFW - HOU RT and the fare price was 452.70 USD plus 62.35 USD for taxes for a total of 515.05 USD. When posting it was split into two line items with one showing a manual entry for $50 EQD (was upgraded on the flight if it makes a difference) and the other $262 EQD. I contacted AA online about the issue but never received any feedback. Can I call the EXP desk to rectify this issue?
Attachment 32841
Attachment 32841
Last edited by SpammersAreScum; May 18, 2017 at 12:09 pm Reason: remove extra quote
#276
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
Cheers.
#278
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
Title search on "spreadsheets" brings this up
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-download.html
Cheers.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-download.html
Cheers.
#279
Join Date: May 2016
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP, UA Gold
Posts: 98
Can't seem to find a definitive answer to this, but I purchased a ticket on AA.com a few months ago. Due to an unacceptable schedule change, I changed my outbound flight (return stayed the same).
Now when I go on my trips, the "print trip and receipt" has changed to "print trip" and the fare details are no longer available. Should I expect that my outbound flight will post per the Special Fares chart (specifically the fare detail unavailable section) and the return will post based on the original fare? Or would the whole itinerary shift to the special fares chart?
Now when I go on my trips, the "print trip and receipt" has changed to "print trip" and the fare details are no longer available. Should I expect that my outbound flight will post per the Special Fares chart (specifically the fare detail unavailable section) and the return will post based on the original fare? Or would the whole itinerary shift to the special fares chart?
#280
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
Can't seem to find a definitive answer to this, but I purchased a ticket on AA.com a few months ago. Due to an unacceptable schedule change, I changed my outbound flight (return stayed the same).
Now when I go on my trips, the "print trip and receipt" has changed to "print trip" and the fare details are no longer available. Should I expect that my outbound flight will post per the Special Fares chart (specifically the fare detail unavailable section) and the return will post based on the original fare? Or would the whole itinerary shift to the special fares chart?
Now when I go on my trips, the "print trip and receipt" has changed to "print trip" and the fare details are no longer available. Should I expect that my outbound flight will post per the Special Fares chart (specifically the fare detail unavailable section) and the return will post based on the original fare? Or would the whole itinerary shift to the special fares chart?
Cheers.
#281
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Can't seem to find a definitive answer to this, but I purchased a ticket on AA.com a few months ago. Due to an unacceptable schedule change, I changed my outbound flight (return stayed the same).
Now when I go on my trips, the "print trip and receipt" has changed to "print trip" and the fare details are no longer available. Should I expect that my outbound flight will post per the Special Fares chart (specifically the fare detail unavailable section) and the return will post based on the original fare? Or would the whole itinerary shift to the special fares chart?
Now when I go on my trips, the "print trip and receipt" has changed to "print trip" and the fare details are no longer available. Should I expect that my outbound flight will post per the Special Fares chart (specifically the fare detail unavailable section) and the return will post based on the original fare? Or would the whole itinerary shift to the special fares chart?
Making a change means re-ticketing everything that hasn't been flown yet, I think? And if the re-ticketing causes the fare info to get "lost", and therefore triggers Special Fares, that would apply to everything.
#282
Join Date: May 2016
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP, UA Gold
Posts: 98
I suspect that if anything goes to Special Fares it all will.
Making a change means re-ticketing everything that hasn't been flown yet, I think? And if the re-ticketing causes the fare info to get "lost", and therefore triggers Special Fares, that would apply to everything.
Making a change means re-ticketing everything that hasn't been flown yet, I think? And if the re-ticketing causes the fare info to get "lost", and therefore triggers Special Fares, that would apply to everything.
#283
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 47
If you purchased this on AA.com using cash, you should expect it to all post based on the original fare for EQD. Not unlikely that they'll make a mistake do to some, or all, by distance, but that would be a mistake as fare is correct here since it was a regular AA purchase with fare disclosed at the time of booking.
I suspect that if anything goes to Special Fares it all will.
Making a change means re-ticketing everything that hasn't been flown yet, I think? And if the re-ticketing causes the fare info to get "lost", and therefore triggers Special Fares, that would apply to everything.
Making a change means re-ticketing everything that hasn't been flown yet, I think? And if the re-ticketing causes the fare info to get "lost", and therefore triggers Special Fares, that would apply to everything.
#284
Join Date: May 2016
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP, UA Gold
Posts: 98
As an update...
My full itinerary (for EQD and Award Miles) posted based on original fare, however the schedule change did allow me to bump into a higher fare class (I to J) so I did get credit for 3x EQM on those segments which had changed code
Thanks all for your perspectives!
My full itinerary (for EQD and Award Miles) posted based on original fare, however the schedule change did allow me to bump into a higher fare class (I to J) so I did get credit for 3x EQM on those segments which had changed code
Thanks all for your perspectives!
#285
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
I had a similar situation happen earlier this year. It was an international AAVacations trip and I changed my outbound flight due to an equipment change. My inbound posted as special fare, distance, normal (which was expected for the AAVacations flight). The outbound flight posted as special fare, distance, data unavailable. Based on my sole experience, in your case, if the flight change caused the flight to switch to distance-based, then I think it would only affect the outbound flight. I can't wait to hear what happens!
As an update...
My full itinerary (for EQD and Award Miles) posted based on original fare, however the schedule change did allow me to bump into a higher fare class (I to J) so I did get credit for 3x EQM on those segments which had changed code
Thanks all for your perspectives!
My full itinerary (for EQD and Award Miles) posted based on original fare, however the schedule change did allow me to bump into a higher fare class (I to J) so I did get credit for 3x EQM on those segments which had changed code
Thanks all for your perspectives!
We've seen cases where reticketing pushed people up to full-fare Y, but you might be the first to report a push to J.
Thanks for the update.