"if you have to ask..." :)

I can remember a couple of years ago expert FTers pontificating that AA would never convert to a dollar spend requirement for status. AA did. After 12/31/2016 the MR section for AA will sail off into the sunset (maybe occasionally used for those with the dollar spend but not the 100K EQMs).

To think there are not more changes coming down the pike to tie perks with dollars spent is naive.

I am flying based on a combination of need and fun. For example, I took 1 day trips to LAX, BOS, NYC, SFO to visit friends multiple times. The difficult part was when I started, since I had no status. I started late in 2015 (July) due to a bet with a friend who told me it was close to impossible to become EP for less than 5 grand, so I decided to prove that person wrong. I hit EP in early December and once I started getting upgraded to F, it just became a lifestyle.

I know I am getting affected by the new EQD minimum thresholds, but so far it has been an interesting adventure...

Exactly. Major US Airlines started this, we'll see when the rest of the world follows and other "devaluations" come up.

This:

Will absolutely never happen:
Was just stating, as a fact, that that will never "be the future." I'd bet every penny on that. It's 100% unpossible that that's "the future" of AAdvantage.

No one is saying a thousand other things won't happen, of course they will.

I spent $12,726 last year, all on international J. Due to the more favorable pricing for J fares this year, probably will come in at $10k or a little more. Hard to imagine your pricing and routes to make EXP on such low spend. I'd be interested in the details. Sure wish AA would let us know about the credit card spend waiver status, one way or the other.

Not really, I think partner PE fares like CX will become a good MR opportunity. JFK-HKG-SYD PE can sometimes be under $2000 roundtrip and results in almost $4000 of simulated EQD and almost 40K EQM.

Even better. JFK-HKG-SYD RT is over 25,300. 20% for EQD is over 5060.

I've spent $3242 in 2016 thus far (have $400 in vouchers not applied to that), Hit EXP on my way to Munich Oktoberfest a couple of weeks ago. I accumulated 180K points in the process. The only real runs I did was Panama and a couple of LAX-MIA cheapo fares. So big deal. This it not about bragging. I simply love to travel and almost 90% of it is for pleasure so I've had the time to plan my trips around the lowest fares on One World. And I've taken advantage of all the perks along the way. Recently I just cashed in some miles and did a first class leg from LHR to IAD on BA's new 787. And enjoyed a massage at Heathrow prior, of course.

What I've realized is that there is no going back for me. If that means I need to pay more, I'm OK with that. The advantages of being EXP make traveling that much more enjoyable for me. So maybe that's a win for AA, I dunno and I don't care. I will spend some time to figure out the most affordable way to retain the EXP status. But in the end, if that means I need to reach their spend requirement, then that is exactly what I will do.

This, and I agree. I earn EXP very inexpensively up until now. But I am not giving it up. If I have to spend $12K to maintain, then so be it. I'll just buy J fares for my international flights and take a few domestic mileage runs to get the 100K miles. I know this ticks some folks off because I have gotten some snide comments from other posts but I don't care. I do what works for me.

As of sometime next year you won't have to.

Some will not meet EQD requirements and will not maintain their EP status after 31 Jan 2018.

Others will lose out to you on upgrades because at some point they will be prioritized within status tiers by the previous twelve months' EQD spend.

Well, it certainly doesn't tick me off and I wouldn't make any snide comments regarding your choice. But I do question the value proposition. My wife has been EXP for a few years and is requal'd for 2017, but that will probably the end of the road. We are NOT willing to do "whatever it takes" to maintain it, because the value prop simply isn't adding up anymore. For example, historically, she didn't have to have any minimum spend and she received 8 SWUs. Now she would need to spend $12K and in return only received 4 SWUs.

And then of course, as AA roles out Premium Economy (PE) on international flights in the future, if they only allow SWUs to upgrade one class (i.e. Econ to PE, or PE to J) that is even further dilution, again, in exchange for more of our guaranteed spend.

If you don't mind my asking, if you are willing to pay for international J, what differences does make if you acheive EXP or not?

Regards

EXP ending for me (forever)
 

Sadly, after 9 really great years as EXP, my frequent traveling days are mostly over. (I actually only have 500EQM YTD in 2016) I've only flown international econ only 3 times since 2006 out of 82 or so TATL flights, so 94% upgrade rate. Those upgrades as far as LHR, BRU, CDG and FRA have made a huge difference on my many long trips from SFO to Africa, India and the Middle East.

No more SWUs after Feb2017, that hurts! But what really hurts is the devaluation of LTP status. :mad: As for the EQD, I probably would never have made EXP at the $12K level in any of those 9 years, as my NGO can only pay discount econ fares.

The bottom line: due to a ramp-down of my NGO's operations and my semi-retirement, Mrs.G and I are now spending down our miles.

I guess to each his own but to spend what is more like $13-$14K to keep EXP for mostly personal travel and MRs, I don't see it. Not sure what the future bodes for me travel and work wise but spending $12K+ plus for personal travel for me is just as waste compared to other things that money could do.