Sep 8, 2017, 4:48 pm
Last edit by: thorofare
American Airlines "Special Fares" and EQD Earning
Link to aa.com Special fares: Earning Award Miles and Elite Qualifying Credits
"Special Fares" include some fares sold by other than AA, such as those sold in conjunction with a travel lodging package by AA Vacations, and those purchased with credit card points, such as Thank You Points and Membership Rewards points.
Like oneworld partner (and Alaska Airlines through 31 Dec 2017) fares, these earn Elite Qualifying Dollars based on a percentage of base miles / miles flown / flight distance and the fare class purchased.
Flights booked using Thank You Points, Membership Rewards, etc. where the cardholder is essentially buying your ticket most often are special fares as well.
NOTE: EQD credit varies for "Special Fares" (e.g. AA Vacations), and the chart for those changed on 1 Jan 2019. See here.
Link to aa.com Special fares: Earning Award Miles and Elite Qualifying Credits
"Special Fares" include some fares sold by other than AA, such as those sold in conjunction with a travel lodging package by AA Vacations, and those purchased with credit card points, such as Thank You Points and Membership Rewards points.
Like oneworld partner (and Alaska Airlines through 31 Dec 2017) fares, these earn Elite Qualifying Dollars based on a percentage of base miles / miles flown / flight distance and the fare class purchased.
Flights booked using Thank You Points, Membership Rewards, etc. where the cardholder is essentially buying your ticket most often are special fares as well.
NOTE: EQD credit varies for "Special Fares" (e.g. AA Vacations), and the chart for those changed on 1 Jan 2019. See here.
AA "Special Fare" (AA Vacations, TYP, MR, etc.) Questions, EQD, Issues (merged)
Mar 12, 2018, 6:15 pm
#181
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SBA
Programs: UA & AA 1 million miler
Posts: 1,134
Does anybody know if EQD for Orbiz vacation package with "Special Airfare" is calculated by distance?
Mar 14, 2018, 2:18 pm
#182
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: FL, USA
Programs: AA Plat, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriot Gold
Posts: 1,666
How do I calculate is a special fare booked through Citi Portal would be better than buying straight from AA? I am new to this so I'm sure this is probably a basic question but I can't seem to figure it out. Specifically I am looking at a light that on AA tells me the folllwing:
EQMs: 5216, Segments 2, EQDS 514, Award Miles 2,570. How would I know if using Citi portal would be better?
EQMs: 5216, Segments 2, EQDS 514, Award Miles 2,570. How would I know if using Citi portal would be better?
Mar 14, 2018, 2:27 pm
#183
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 181
How do I calculate is a special fare booked through Citi Portal would be better than buying straight from AA? I am new to this so I'm sure this is probably a basic question but I can't seem to figure it out. Specifically I am looking at a light that on AA tells me the folllwing:
EQMs: 5216, Segments 2, EQDS 514, Award Miles 2,570. How would I know if using Citi portal would be better?
EQMs: 5216, Segments 2, EQDS 514, Award Miles 2,570. How would I know if using Citi portal would be better?
Be aware that not all tickets booked through the ThankYou portal are wholesale fares, and the ones that are are even more restrictive than non-refundable normal fares.
Mar 14, 2018, 2:42 pm
#184
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: FL, USA
Programs: AA Plat, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriot Gold
Posts: 1,666
What is the booking code for each of the segments? If the code is either O, Q, N, S, or G, then you are flying 5216 BIS miles, at which a special fare would award you 522 EQDs (10% of 5216, rounded up) , a slight bit higher than the 514 that AA quotes. But my intuition suggests that your booking codes are likely V, L, M, or W, in which case you'd get 15% of 5216, or 784 EQDs.
Be aware that not all tickets booked through the ThankYou portal are wholesale fares, and the ones that are are even more restrictive than non-refundable normal fares.
Be aware that not all tickets booked through the ThankYou portal are wholesale fares, and the ones that are are even more restrictive than non-refundable normal fares.
Ok just checked and the portal says N as well.
ETA: Is there a way to know if it is? Also, would I get any less points than AA if I took the chance and booked thru the portal?
ETA2: Nvmd I googled BIS LOL
Last edited by miadukes; Mar 14, 2018 at 3:01 pm
Mar 20, 2018, 11:28 am
#185
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 181
Well when I dummy booked on AA it said code N but i havent actually seen what Citi Portal says, which one do I have to look at? What are BIS miles?
Ok just checked and the portal says N as well.
ETA: Is there a way to know if it is? Also, would I get any less points than AA if I took the chance and booked thru the portal?
ETA2: Nvmd I googled BIS LOL
Ok just checked and the portal says N as well.
ETA: Is there a way to know if it is? Also, would I get any less points than AA if I took the chance and booked thru the portal?
ETA2: Nvmd I googled BIS LOL
Mar 21, 2018, 6:55 am
#186
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Programs: Honors Diamond; AA Ex Plat; AS MVP 75K
Posts: 225
I admit I didn't read all 13 pages to find an answer but the very first post seems to indicate my question. Essentially if booked through Citi portal but AA displays correct fare/taxes can I expect special fares or AA earnings?
FWIW flight is booked on AA flight # operated by IB.
FWIW flight is booked on AA flight # operated by IB.
Mar 21, 2018, 10:42 am
#187
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: FL, USA
Programs: AA Plat, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriot Gold
Posts: 1,666
It will be the same booking code on Citi as AA if the price is the same. In this case you're better off just buying the ticket from AA. You'll get a minuscule additional amount of EQDs using Citi, but you'll be forced on a contract wholesale fare that cannot be changed by AA (in case of delays, etc.)
Mar 21, 2018, 12:23 pm
#188
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
Hey I did not see this anywhere in the thread, so if I am being duplicative, please forgive, but AA vacation package flights do count for challenge credit for PLT and GLD (assuming one fulfills the other criteria on fare class, operating carrier, etc.)
Safe Travels
Safe Travels
Mar 22, 2018, 5:38 pm
#190
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 181
Sorry, I should clarify that they cannot make *voluntary* changes, including when the passenger is at fault. Airport agents or elite desks will not able to make any changes, including rebooking, in case of a missed flight (passenger's fault), or any proactive changes. They will just refer you to contact the travel agency. In case of IRROPS, AA will rebook.
Mar 25, 2018, 7:25 am
#191
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London (~75% of the year).
Programs: AA PPro
Posts: 477
Delayed/reduced status benefits
Apologies if I've missed this up thread, I had a scan. I'm reporting an issue with booking AA marketed and operated flights on Expedia (and I would guess other 3rd party sites) I wish I'd understood earlier. The bookings were for a flight+hotel, I'm not sure if that makes a difference.
I had no issues with such bookings last year, but have had an issue twice this year whereby status benefits were troublesome. In the first instance I wasn't able to apply an SWU immediately on booking as apparently some sort of sync (not ticketing: that was confirmed) was needed which took ~3 days (I rang 1-2 times a day till it was possible) and by then the upgrade was no longer available: I politely tried my luck as there was a record of my trying whilst there was C availability, no dice. Fortunately an upgrade cleared the day before the flight.
That was a earlier this year. More recently I wasn't able to change my seats online to MCE (it showed it as possible but failed with an error) two days after booking and when calling the agent said there was no waiver for it to happen fee free. After a polite push back on being asked to pay the fee, the agent agreed to "try another way" and manually waived the fee.
I don't know if these are IT glitches AA would ideally see resolved or viewed as handy ways to nudge us to book direct with AA (which I generally do for flight only bookings).
I had no issues with such bookings last year, but have had an issue twice this year whereby status benefits were troublesome. In the first instance I wasn't able to apply an SWU immediately on booking as apparently some sort of sync (not ticketing: that was confirmed) was needed which took ~3 days (I rang 1-2 times a day till it was possible) and by then the upgrade was no longer available: I politely tried my luck as there was a record of my trying whilst there was C availability, no dice. Fortunately an upgrade cleared the day before the flight.
That was a earlier this year. More recently I wasn't able to change my seats online to MCE (it showed it as possible but failed with an error) two days after booking and when calling the agent said there was no waiver for it to happen fee free. After a polite push back on being asked to pay the fee, the agent agreed to "try another way" and manually waived the fee.
I don't know if these are IT glitches AA would ideally see resolved or viewed as handy ways to nudge us to book direct with AA (which I generally do for flight only bookings).
Mar 28, 2018, 11:26 am
#192
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,980
It is interesting that everyone is having mixed results with how bulk fares post when SWUs have been applied. There doesn't seem to be a consistent answer (I thought that if SWU is applied that it reverts to fare-based mileage rather than distance based), and I guess it is a "your mileage may vary" situation.
Apr 7, 2018, 10:59 am
#194
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 90
Does anyone know what the Special Fare earning is for Premium Economy? It's showing booking code P* (with the asterisk attached in AA Vacations) but according to the special fare chart, P is first class. Any insight?