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GUIDE: Earning EQD / Elite Qualifying Dollars on AA & partner airlines (as of 2019)

Old Jun 8, 2016, 10:32 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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

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, well 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. Youll 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
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GUIDE: Earning EQD / Elite Qualifying Dollars on AA & partner airlines (as of 2019)

Old Aug 22, 2019, 12:54 am
  #646  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,669
Originally Posted by hirohito888
Trying to requalify for AA Gold and relatively new to the EQD scheme, so just wondering if my understanding of how EQD will be calculated for my ticket is correct.

001-ticket NYC-TYO-BKK round-trip on business:
AA2728 EWR-DFW (I class)
AA8481 DFW-NRT (I class, JL-operated)
AA8411 NRT-BKK (I class, JL-operated)

JL34 BKK-HND (X class)
JL6 HND-JFK (X class)

Outbound segments should earn EQD based on AA's fare calculation, whatever that may be. And inbound return segments, EQD is based on distance. Is that correct? Just want to make sure I have enough EQD to requalify.
It will be hard to be completely confident since you do not know how the fare will divide between outbound and inbound. Your inbound flights should earn EQDs at 25% of flown distance. If it is really critical to know before you travel if it will be enough, then I would call AA and ask them to tell you the outbound EQD earning (I presume they can do this in advance).
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SeattleDavid is offline  
Old Aug 22, 2019, 4:49 pm
  #647  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland
Programs: AA Explat, UA former 1K + PremExec, DL
Posts: 1,151
Iberia for Level Premium Economy EQD

Has anyone taken IB flight numbers where, on Google Flights, it says "Operated by Iberia for Level Spain"? I am thinking specifically of IB 2621 and 2622 BCN-SFO. I assume it will earn 20% EQD by miles flown according to the IB chart but the Level Spain part puts me off a bit. Thanks.
fanger is offline  
Old Aug 22, 2019, 5:34 pm
  #648  
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,424
Originally Posted by fanger
Has anyone taken IB flight numbers where, on Google Flights, it says "Operated by Iberia for Level Spain"? I am thinking specifically of IB 2621 and 2622 BCN-SFO. I assume it will earn 20% EQD by miles flown according to the IB chart but the Level Spain part puts me off a bit. Thanks.
from the AA earning page at https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...nes/iberia.jsp

As of November 1, 2017, travel on any flights marketed by Iberia and operated by Iberia for LEVEL (IB2600 – IB2699) aren't eligible for AAdvantage mileage accrual

so I would assume that the earnings will be zero
Dave Noble is offline  
Old Aug 22, 2019, 5:37 pm
  #649  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland
Programs: AA Explat, UA former 1K + PremExec, DL
Posts: 1,151
Thanks Dave
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Old Aug 26, 2019, 8:24 pm
  #650  
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Join Date: Jan 2007
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Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,655
General Thread for EQD Questions, Importance, Information, etc.

Seemed to me that this was missing from our thread list, so I thought that I'd start it. IMO EQDs are anything but transparent and simple things.

So I'll lead off with a question. I'm currently waitlisted for SWU upgrades on HKG-DFW-BOS. I'm EXP. My understanding is that within EXP, priority for SWU upgrades is based on one's rolling 12 month EQDs. Can anyone give me an idea of how many EQDs is a lot and thus likely to put me nearer to the top of the list? I just have no data on this at all.

Also, does AA distinguish between EQDs earned on AA metal and EQDs earned on partners?

Thank you in advance for your insight and advice.
Dr. HFH is offline  
Old Aug 26, 2019, 8:49 pm
  #651  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
AA Elite Qualifying Dollars are all the same, regardless of where and how earned.

Nobody likely out of AA has good information on “how many EQD is a lot”, as that is likely proprietary information.

In the end, after upgrade type status rules, EQD is merely the differentiator between members of the same status group
JDiver is offline  
Old Aug 26, 2019, 8:53 pm
  #652  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
Programs: AA CK MM, AC SE100K, UA 1K, DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,985
Originally Posted by Dr. HFH
Can anyone give me an idea of how many EQDs is a lot and thus likely to put me nearer to the top of the list? I just have no data on this at all.

Also, does AA distinguish between EQDs earned on AA metal and EQDs earned on partners?
I suspect that there is a large cluster of EXPs in the $15k to $20k range... and perhaps another, but smaller, cluster between $20k and $30k. Above $30k you're probably in more rarefied air, although you'll still find a number of $40k and $50k EXP spenders if the CK thread is any accurate indication (as there have been multiple posters in that range who have stated they were not granted CK status).

Your 12 month rolling EQD total that affects status is based on EQDs earned on both AA and partners (equally). There has been some discussion in the CK thread about whether partner spend is considered less valuable with regard to earning CK, but for upgrade purposes as EXP, any EQDs you earn from partner flights are considered to be of equal value/importance for upgrade priority.
metallo is offline  
Old Aug 26, 2019, 8:59 pm
  #653  
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This info is incredibly helpful, thank you. I should be all set, then. I have what apparently would be considered a lot of EQDs after doing two full (16 flight) RTWs in F and one in J during this calendar year. Good year to maximize the benefit from my SWUs.

(Sorry I didn't see the thread and started a new one unnecessarily.)
Dr. HFH is offline  
Old Aug 29, 2019, 8:10 pm
  #654  
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: American Airlines AAdvantage
Posts: 9
I am flying to London through Helsinki on Finnair, and I was wondering if I will still earn my EQM's, EQS's, and EQD's so I can hopefully achieve Platinum this year... Thanks.
AALGoldFlyer is offline  
Old Aug 29, 2019, 8:12 pm
  #655  
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Originally Posted by AALGoldFlyer
I am flying to London through Helsinki on Finnair, and I was wondering if I will still earn my EQM's, EQS's, and EQD's so I can hopefully achieve Platinum this year... Thanks.
Yes...

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...es/finnair.jsp
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Old Sep 2, 2019, 9:30 am
  #656  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 2,865
Originally Posted by SeattleDavid
It will be hard to be completely confident since you do not know how the fare will divide between outbound and inbound. Your inbound flights should earn EQDs at 25% of flown distance. If it is really critical to know before you travel if it will be enough, then I would call AA and ask them to tell you the outbound EQD earning (I presume they can do this in advance).
Is this presumption correct..that AA would be able to tell you in advance? As the rules become more complex it can be hard to confirm infirmation. Can I reliably use great circle mapper distances for mikes by distance. Flying Ord to doh to bkk in R class ..
worldiswide is offline  
Old Sep 14, 2019, 7:46 am
  #657  
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
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Ideas on the fastest (and cheapest) way to earn $700 EQD? Im a bit short this year?

Credit card spend not an option unfortunately.

Im thinking same day turnaround LAX-SAN in first... but after that Ill probably be posting Im only 8k short of two more SWUs
shuuy is offline  
Old Sep 14, 2019, 8:19 am
  #658  
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
Originally Posted by shuuy
Ideas on the fastest (and cheapest) way to earn $700 EQD? Im a bit short this year?

Credit card spend not an option unfortunately.

Im thinking same day turnaround LAX-SAN in first... but after that Ill probably be posting Im only 8k short of two more SWUs
LAX-NRT-LAX in Y can get you 700 dollars and 8000 miles
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gateH15 is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2019, 8:34 pm
  #659  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AAdvantage PltPro, AMEX Platinum
Posts: 239
JFK to HKG on BA EQD

Hello everyone. I am looking at a paid first class flight on all BA metal.

Not sure if a or F but I believe both are 40% distance. So my question is just to confirm what I suspect. You guys are the experts.

JFK to LHR 3457 miles
LHR to HKG 5967 miles

Doing a round trip so 18848 miles.

So will I earn 7539 eqd? I am platinum pro currently.

Thanks so much everyone. I should hit exp for the first time if this works out.
wireless_999 is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2019, 8:36 pm
  #660  
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
Originally Posted by wireless_999
Hello everyone. I am looking at a paid first class flight on all BA metal.

Not sure if a or F but I believe both are 40% distance. So my question is just to confirm what I suspect. You guys are the experts.

JFK to LHR 3457 miles
LHR to HKG 5967 miles

Doing a round trip so 18848 miles.

So will I earn 7539 eqd? I am platinum pro currently.

Thanks so much everyone. I should hit exp for the first time if this works out.
Only if it truly booked as F. If you are booked into discounted fare code by still in first class you will earn less.
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