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)
Sep 8, 2017, 1:51 pm
#46
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, UA Silver, HH G, IHG P, Hyatt P
Posts: 55
I booked a flight earlier this year using mostly points with a little spend (on my Prestige card). It came up as a special fare.
Sep 10, 2017, 6:10 pm
#47
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Santa Barbara, CA, Park City, UT
Programs: AA EXP, Delta Plat, Marriott Plat,Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat
Posts: 901
EQDs for membership rewards points use
I'm going to be a bit short with my platinum challenge on EQDs only. My last flight of the period is LAX to JFK RT and is only needed for EQDs. I know typically points needed is based on a dollar amount per point, 1 cent per dollar but with insider fares it's less(and then half back for grandfathered plat bus).
How are EQDs figured? I assume they are earned even though MP point redemption, correct? Couldn't get a straight answer from the Advantage people and she said she couldn't find it at first, something about a transfer. I do show it on my app, though. Should I be taking miles used, figuring 1 cent per mile to get EQD estimate?
How are EQDs figured? I assume they are earned even though MP point redemption, correct? Couldn't get a straight answer from the Advantage people and she said she couldn't find it at first, something about a transfer. I do show it on my app, though. Should I be taking miles used, figuring 1 cent per mile to get EQD estimate?
Sep 10, 2017, 7:38 pm
#48
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I'm going to be a bit short with my platinum challenge on EQDs only. My last flight of the period is LAX to JFK RT and is only needed for EQDs. I know typically points needed is based on a dollar amount per point, 1 cent per dollar but with insider fares it's less(and then half back for grandfathered plat bus).
How are EQDs figured? I assume they are earned even though MP point redemption, correct? Couldn't get a straight answer from the Advantage people and she said she couldn't find it at first, something about a transfer. I do show it on my app, though. Should I be taking miles used, figuring 1 cent per mile to get EQD estimate?
How are EQDs figured? I assume they are earned even though MP point redemption, correct? Couldn't get a straight answer from the Advantage people and she said she couldn't find it at first, something about a transfer. I do show it on my app, though. Should I be taking miles used, figuring 1 cent per mile to get EQD estimate?
Sep 10, 2017, 7:58 pm
#49
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,950
I'm going to be a bit short with my platinum challenge on EQDs only. My last flight of the period is LAX to JFK RT and is only needed for EQDs. I know typically points needed is based on a dollar amount per point, 1 cent per dollar but with insider fares it's less(and then half back for grandfathered plat bus).
How are EQDs figured? I assume they are earned even though MP point redemption, correct? Couldn't get a straight answer from the Advantage people and she said she couldn't find it at first, something about a transfer. I do show it on my app, though. Should I be taking miles used, figuring 1 cent per mile to get EQD estimate?
How are EQDs figured? I assume they are earned even though MP point redemption, correct? Couldn't get a straight answer from the Advantage people and she said she couldn't find it at first, something about a transfer. I do show it on my app, though. Should I be taking miles used, figuring 1 cent per mile to get EQD estimate?
Sep 13, 2017, 3:03 pm
#50
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
It sounds to me like you're confusing the percentage of miles flown with a percentage of dollars spent. If you earn EQDs based on actual dollars spent on airfare, a dollar is an EQD is a dollar (as long as its fare or carrier-imposed fees, not taxes or government-imposed fees). If you're on a special/consolidator fare (where AA doesnt actually know how much you paid), it's a percentage of miles flown, not of dollars spent. Sometimes that percentage of miles flown works out to be more than the dollars spent.
Sep 13, 2017, 7:34 pm
#51
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Santa Barbara, CA, Park City, UT
Programs: AA EXP, Delta Plat, Marriott Plat,Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat
Posts: 901
It sounds to me like you're confusing the percentage of miles flown with a percentage of dollars spent. If you earn EQDs based on actual dollars spent on airfare, a dollar is an EQD is a dollar (as long as its fare or carrier-imposed fees, not taxes or government-imposed fees). If you're on a special/consolidator fare (where AA doesnt actually know how much you paid), it's a percentage of miles flown, not of dollars spent. Sometimes that percentage of miles flown works out to be more than the dollars spent.
Sep 15, 2017, 6:40 am
#52
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
But if you're business class, your fare might be high enough for 475 as well. What did you pay?
Sep 15, 2017, 12:32 pm
#53
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Santa Barbara, CA, Park City, UT
Programs: AA EXP, Delta Plat, Marriott Plat,Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat
Posts: 901
Paid in membership reward points, about $950-1100 was the cash price iirc. Insider fares so even less points than typically would be. I cannot recall fare class but I believe it's a flexible fare, not nonrefundable. That seems to be what AMEX bookings for business/domestic First are always based on.
I think it was D
I think it was D
Last edited by Jonesdds; Sep 15, 2017 at 1:02 pm
Sep 19, 2017, 2:54 pm
#54
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: SAT
Programs: AA EXP/MM
Posts: 82
Paid in membership reward points, about $950-1100 was the cash price iirc. Insider fares so even less points than typically would be. I cannot recall fare class but I believe it's a flexible fare, not nonrefundable. That seems to be what AMEX bookings for business/domestic First are always based on.
I think it was D
I think it was D
1) Can anyone else who has booked business class with points via the AMEX travel portal confirm that they always (or usually?) end up coming up as "D"?
2) Can anyone confirm how EQDs and EQMs were calculated on such a fare? I'm assuming that it would follow the special fares chart (EQM=2xmileage; EQD=25% of mileage)?
I'm going to need to do an EQM/EQD run here pretty soon, and I'm trying to determine the most efficient way to do so (book through AMEX with points or book on AS with $$$).
Sep 19, 2017, 3:40 pm
#55
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Kamuela, HI
Programs: AA-Plat
Posts: 462
I am actually surprised that the wiki is so 100% sure that pay-with-points will definitely result in distance-based. DPs through spring indicated it wasn't always distance. A few DPs in Sep have all been distance. Is the conclusion based on just those? Plus maybe the statement (of dubious worth) I relayed from an AAgent? Or was there something more substantive I missed?
Last edited by hawaii-bound; Sep 19, 2017 at 3:57 pm
Sep 19, 2017, 3:52 pm
#56
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: AA Plat, IHG Plat, HH Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,933
I am actually surprised that the wiki is so 100% sure that pay-with-points will definitely result in distance-based. DPs through spring indicated it wasn't always distance. A few DPs in Sep have all been distance. Is the conclusion based on just those? Plus maybe the statement (of dubious worth) I relayed from an AAgent? Or was there something more substantive I missed?
Sep 19, 2017, 7:04 pm
#57
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland
Programs: AA Explat, UA former 1K + PremExec, DL
Posts: 1,151
Recently had an AA Vacations package upgraded with SWUs where one of the segments converted to fare-based, although both segments are listed as "Distance based" in the activity summary table. Has anyone experienced these sorts of oddities and had them changed later without calling in?
Sep 19, 2017, 7:42 pm
#58
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
Lots of discussion. Including the reply above. If u use a swu the Vacations segment designator changes to that for a swu. U need to call aa customer service to have it re posted.
Recently had an AA Vacations package upgraded with SWUs where one of the segments converted to fare-based, although both segments are listed as "Distance based" in the activity summary table. Has anyone experienced these sorts of oddities and had them changed later without calling in?
Sep 19, 2017, 8:38 pm
#59
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Everywhere
Programs: AA EXP - 3.7MM, Bonv LIFETIME Titan, HH Dmd, Hyatt Glob., Priority Clb Dmd, Ntnl Exec El., Sixt PLT
Posts: 1,680
- That was my experience as well. I have booked one vacation package to travel with my wife, the record locator was split into two, both were upgraded as separate tickets with SWUs. My ticket was credited as a special fare distance based but her was fare based. A call to AA got this fixed.
Sep 24, 2017, 8:02 pm
#60
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
I've been trying to find international special fares (marked with an asterisk after the booking code) on AAVacations, but haven't found anything. Most domestic fares I've found there show as special fares, but none of the international fares are.
Anyone have any experience with this? Looks like AA made some changes in June that may have affected this.
Anyone have any experience with this? Looks like AA made some changes in June that may have affected this.