Jan 17, 2017, 3:49 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Earning Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM (and AA status)
on American Airlines and its partner airlines
on American Airlines and its partner airlines
Note: Earning EQM / and their purpose changed 1/1/2016, and values earned changed 1/1/2019 for AY, BA, IB.
New Elite Qualifying Miles earning
link to AAdvantage program changes for 2016 on aa.com
"You’ll continue to earn EQMs based on the airline and booking class purchased. Plus, Full-fare Economy, Business Class or First Class tickets on American-marketed flights will earn EQMs at a higher rate (up to 2.0 or 3.0 EQMs per flown mile) – getting you to elite status faster." - aa.com
Caveat: Some, even AA new Basic Economy fares as well as others' discount or deep discount economy fares may be credited with fractional or even no EQM / Elite Qualifying Miles. Read carefully.
Please see this page (link) on aa.com for earning AAdvantage miles flying oneworld and additional airline partners, then read the chart for that airline partner. Be sure to note some fares operated by oneworld and additional partners may earn full, partial or no AA miles (E.g. Cathay Pacific only earns AA miles on H, B and full Y fares in coach; BA and IB fares may earn as few as 0.5 EQ Miles per mile flown as of 1 Feb 2016.)
Link to AAdvantage program update page on aa.com
link to AAdvantage program changes for 2016 on aa.com
"You’ll continue to earn EQMs based on the airline and booking class purchased. Plus, Full-fare Economy, Business Class or First Class tickets on American-marketed flights will earn EQMs at a higher rate (up to 2.0 or 3.0 EQMs per flown mile) – getting you to elite status faster." - aa.com
Caveat: Some, even AA new Basic Economy fares as well as others' discount or deep discount economy fares may be credited with fractional or even no EQM / Elite Qualifying Miles. Read carefully.
Please see this page (link) on aa.com for earning AAdvantage miles flying oneworld and additional airline partners, then read the chart for that airline partner. Be sure to note some fares operated by oneworld and additional partners may earn full, partial or no AA miles (E.g. Cathay Pacific only earns AA miles on H, B and full Y fares in coach; BA and IB fares may earn as few as 0.5 EQ Miles per mile flown as of 1 Feb 2016.)
Link to AAdvantage program update page on aa.com
Read The AAdvantage Terms and Conditions here
Glossary:
- Award mile ("RDM" often "Redeemable Mile" on Flyertalk): a unit that can be spent on an award, such as a bonus, purchased, or other AAdvantage mile.
- Base mile: A unit based on a flown mile (can be a percentage of flown miles on AA partners) used to calculate redeemable (award usable) miles (changes late 2016 to revenue based system)
- Bonus Mile: Award Mile earned through various activities including flying, credit card use, hotel stays, auto rentals, shopping etc. with various American Airlines partners. See Earning AA Award / Redeemable Miles / RDM on AA, partners later 2016.
- Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQD): credit for spend on AA and partner airlines over the calendar year (base fare plus carrier imposed fees, but excluding taxes, government and ancillary fees); minimum EQD spend now required for status. See more here.
- Elite Qualifying Mile (EQM): A unit used to earn status, based on flown miles X purchased class of service for the marketing airline.
- Elite Qualifying Segment (EQS): A unit used to earn status equivalent to a sector flown by a qualifying flight (but note when the same flight number is flown over two or more sectors the entirety will generally count as one segment. "You’ll still earn 1 EQS (Elite Qualifying segment) for each eligible segment you fly." - aa.com (NOTE: the new AA Basic Economy fares earn 0.5 EQS.)
- Flown mile: actual miles flown (as published by AA - Great Circle Mapper, etc. are close
- Marketing airline is the airline "plating" or issuing the boarding pass, e.g. QF operated by FJ. The marketing airline's chart on aa.com (not the airline's) determines your miles earning on airline partners. (Neither the airline selling or issuing the ticket makes any difference.)
- Operating airline is the airline operating the flight. except for AA and QF (and a very few others) to earn miles on a oneworld marketed flight, the operating airline must generally be a oneworld airline.
- Qualifying flight: an AA or partner flight on which one can earn EQM, EQS in this instance
On American Airlines, qualifying British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Japan Airlines marketed flights: (all AA flights operated by various AA partners but as AA “codeshares” - your boarding pass states “AA 1234” and not AS, QF, EY, etc.)
Exceptions: There are certain airline ticket types that are not eligible for mileage accrual regardless of the booking class. These include, without limitation, the following:
- 3 EQMs/mile – Full-fare First or Business class fares
- 2 EQMs/mile - Discount First or Business class fares
- 1.5 EQMs/mile – Full-fare Main Cabin, or Premium Economy class fares
- 1 EQMs/mile - on most Discount Main Cabin
- 0.5 EQMs/mile on highly discounted the new Basic Economy fares
- All tickets issued as AAdvantage awards
- Other free ticket promotions including free or reduced rate tickets
- Companion tickets
- Charter flight tickets
- Travel agency/industry reduced rate tickets
- Infant tickets
- Items occupying a purchased seat (e.g. XTRASEAT)
- (Also Extra seats purchased by a passenger for him/herself)
- Unpublished fare tickets, including consolidator fares
- Tickets issued subject to special provisions
- oneworld marketed flights operated by non-oneworld airlines, with the exception of most Qantas (but not Jetstar operated) and Japan Airlines flights. E.g. QF operated by FJ, yes. BA operated by UK, no.
Earning EQM on AA partner airlines:
The amount of EQMs you earn on partner airlines has changed. Earning rates will vary depending on the marketing airline. On qualifying flights of airlines other than AA marketed flights, the maximum EQM that can be earned is 1.5 EQM per base mile flown,
EQMs may be earned at different rates and with differing fare classes, depending on airline, flown miles and fare class. Not all partner airlines' or their fares earn EQM. See here to partner airlines' miles earning charts link on aa.com.
Some non-oneworld partner airlines award only award / redeemable miles, not EQM (e.g. Etihad, Gulf, Fiji), unless flying them as an AA or QF marketed ("codeshare") flight.
Explore our partner airlines (link)
For example, using CX / Cathay Pacific Airways marketed flights operated by oneworld partners including AA, as of 1 Feb 2016:
The amount of EQMs you earn on partner airlines has changed. Earning rates will vary depending on the marketing airline. On qualifying flights of airlines other than AA marketed flights, the maximum EQM that can be earned is 1.5 EQM per base mile flown,
EQMs may be earned at different rates and with differing fare classes, depending on airline, flown miles and fare class. Not all partner airlines' or their fares earn EQM. See here to partner airlines' miles earning charts link on aa.com.
Some non-oneworld partner airlines award only award / redeemable miles, not EQM (e.g. Etihad, Gulf, Fiji), unless flying them as an AA or QF marketed ("codeshare") flight.
Explore our partner airlines (link)
For example, using CX / Cathay Pacific Airways marketed flights operated by oneworld partners including AA, as of 1 Feb 2016:
- 1.5 EQMs/mile - CX all published, purchased First Class fares
- 1.5 EQM / EQMs/mile - CX all published, purchased Business / Club fares
- 1.5 EQM / EQMs/mile - CX all published, purchased premium economy / Traveller Pus fares
- 1.0 EQM / EQMs/mile - CX all published, purchased full economy / Y and B fares
- 0.5 EQM / EQMs/mile - CX B or H Economy class fares
- 0 EQM all other published, purchased economy / fares
AAdvantage Elite minimum mileage guarantee (applies to EQM but not RDM)
How is the 500-mile EQM minimum benefit applied for AAdvantageelite members?
If your flight is less than 500 miles we’ll raise the base EQM amount to 500 prior to applying any multipliers, according to the booking code purchased. After applying the multiplier, the number of EQMs awarded could be less than 500. For example, if your flight is 300 miles in length, we will raise the base EQM amount to 500. If the multiplier to be applied is 0.50, you will earn 250 EQMs for the flight.
AAdvantageelite members will earn at least 500 (250, in reality - see immediately above) miles for flights under 500 miles on American Airlines and American Eagle (including codeshare flights booked as an American Airlines flight number) and participating AAdvantage and oneworld airlines: *LAN includes LAN Airlines, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru.
AA new Basic Economy fares appear not to earn minima defined above?
The 500 EQM minimum is what multipliers should be applied to, not actual miles when flown miles are under 500. See:
Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, oneworld, partner airlines 2016.
aa.com: link
How is the 500-mile EQM minimum benefit applied for AAdvantage
If your flight is less than 500 miles we’ll raise the base EQM amount to 500 prior to applying any multipliers, according to the booking code purchased. After applying the multiplier, the number of EQMs awarded could be less than 500. For example, if your flight is 300 miles in length, we will raise the base EQM amount to 500. If the multiplier to be applied is 0.50, you will earn 250 EQMs for the flight.
AAdvantage
- British Airways
- Fiji Airways (non-oneworld; RDM only)
- Finnair
- Gulf Air (non-oneworld; RDM only)
- Iberia
- LAN*
- Qantas
- Royal Jordanian
- SriLankan Airlines
- TAM Airlines
AA new Basic Economy fares appear not to earn minima defined above?
The 500 EQM minimum is what multipliers should be applied to, not actual miles when flown miles are under 500. See:
Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, oneworld, partner airlines 2016.
aa.com: link
Elite Qualifying (EQM) or Redeemable (RDM)?
To determine if you earn EQM or RDM, read the "Earn miles" statement for each airline:
This will earn EQM:
This will not earn EQM, only RDM:
To determine if you earn EQM or RDM, read the "Earn miles" statement for each airline:
This will earn EQM:
Earn miles
Earn elite-qualifying AAdvantage miles when you fly on airberlin marketed and operated flights as well as airberlin codeshare flights operated by American Airlines. Simply:
Earn elite-qualifying AAdvantage miles when you fly on airberlin marketed and operated flights as well as airberlin codeshare flights operated by American Airlines. Simply:
- Buy an eligible published fare ticket booked in an eligible code
- Fly an eligible route
- Specific flights, routes or cities that are excluded from earning miles or award travel are listed as exceptions if applicable.
Earn miles
Earn AAdvantage miles when you fly on Fiji Airways marketed and operated flights as well as Fiji Airways codeshare flights operated by American Airlines. Simply:
Earn AAdvantage miles when you fly on Fiji Airways marketed and operated flights as well as Fiji Airways codeshare flights operated by American Airlines. Simply:
- Buy an eligible published fare ticket booked in an eligible code
- Fly an eligible route
- Specific flights, routes or cities that are excluded from earning miles or award travel are listed as exceptions if applicable.
oneworld Codeshares Operated by non-oneworld Airlines or Affiliates
Other than flying Qantas(except Jetstar operated) and most Japan Airlines codeshares / marketed flights, oneworld codeshare flights must be operated by oneworld airlines and their oneworld affiliates to earn miles.
E.g. AA codeshare operated by EY, earn as if flying AA.
E.g. Flying EY, earn Redeemable (not Elite Qualifying) miles.
E.g. BA operated by Bangkok Airways, no AA miles.
E.g. BA operated by Vistara yields no AA miles.
E.g. QF flown by FJ will earn EQM.
Other than flying Qantas(except Jetstar operated) and most Japan Airlines codeshares / marketed flights, oneworld codeshare flights must be operated by oneworld airlines and their oneworld affiliates to earn miles.
E.g. AA codeshare operated by EY, earn as if flying AA.
E.g. Flying EY, earn Redeemable (not Elite Qualifying) miles.
E.g. BA operated by Bangkok Airways, no AA miles.
E.g. BA operated by Vistara yields no AA miles.
E.g. QF flown by FJ will earn EQM.
Examples: (For a flight of 1,000 flown miles)
- AA marketed on full F fare class First: 3,000 EQM (regardless of status, regardless of operating airline)
- AA marketed on discounted First or Business (A, P, D, I, R): 2,000 EQM
- AA in deep discount economy: 1,000 EQM
- BA marketed qualifying flight in F First, Business (Club), Premium Economy (World Traveller Plus): 1,500 EQM (even if operated by AA)
- BA marketed qualifying flight in Economy (World Traveller) B, Y: 1,000 EQM
- BA marketed qualifying flight in Economy (World Traveller) H, K, L, M, N, S, V, G, O, Q: 500 EQM
NOTES:
- All AA marketed ("AA codeshares") flights in paid, qualifying fare classes earn 1.0 or more EQM (regardless of "metal" or operating airline
- oneworld marketed flights operated by oneworld airlines earn miles in accord with the marketing airline's miles earnings chart on aa.com (link)
- AAdvantage
elitesmembers are awarded 500 EQM minimum on qualifying flights, 250 on Basic Economy fares.
- oneworld marketed flights operated by NON-oneworld airlines do not earn EQ (or any) miles, with rare exceptions - QF, a few JL, marketed flights
- Exception: Qantas flights operated by other airlines earn AA EQ miles in qualifying fare classes, other than those QF codeshares operated by QF subsidiary Jetstar
- Some airline partners allow crediting base miles and earning redeemable miles (no EQM) flown "natively", such as Etihad or Fiji
Earn more EQMs via credit card earning
Also, as a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive card or AAdvantage® Aviator™ Silver MasterCard® credit cardmember, you’ll can earn 10,000 EQMs after you reach your qualifying spend for the year when you use your eligible AAdvantage credit card.
Learn more about the Citi®/AAdvantage® Executive card
Learn more about the AAdvantage® Aviator™ Silver MasterCard®
Also, as a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive card or AAdvantage® Aviator™ Silver MasterCard® credit cardmember, you’ll can earn 10,000 EQMs after you reach your qualifying spend for the year when you use your eligible AAdvantage credit card.
Learn more about the Citi®/AAdvantage® Executive card
Learn more about the AAdvantage® Aviator™ Silver MasterCard®
The now obsolete thread: Earning AA miles / EQM on oneworld, partner & other airlines (OBSOLETE)
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GUIDE: Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, partner airlines 2017 on
Dec 3, 2018, 12:03 pm
#211
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Titanium, UA Gold (*G), DL Silver, Makers Mark Ambassador
Posts: 4,642
Hey everyone,
I'm currently trying to figure out my mileage totals for year end and trying to determine whether or not I'll need to book a mileage run to secure Platinum Pro status for 2019. As of now I'm 17,140 miles short of requalifying with a few trips booked for 2018. My DFW-DEN and DFW-LGA roundtrips should clock in at 2,308 and 5,000 respectively but the itinerary that I can't quite figure out is as follows:
JFK-LHR-CDG roundtrip, 2/4 flights are marketed as AA, the other 2 as BA. 1/4 flights is on AA metal, the remainder are on BA. All segments were booked via American. When I'm doing calculations I'm getting anywhere between 6,212 and 14,224 depending on how the earnings are calculated. The outbound is booked in (V) JFK-LHR-CDG, while the return is in (S) CDG-LHR and (N) LHR-JFK.
Thanks in advance for any insights you all may have.
I'm currently trying to figure out my mileage totals for year end and trying to determine whether or not I'll need to book a mileage run to secure Platinum Pro status for 2019. As of now I'm 17,140 miles short of requalifying with a few trips booked for 2018. My DFW-DEN and DFW-LGA roundtrips should clock in at 2,308 and 5,000 respectively but the itinerary that I can't quite figure out is as follows:
JFK-LHR-CDG roundtrip, 2/4 flights are marketed as AA, the other 2 as BA. 1/4 flights is on AA metal, the remainder are on BA. All segments were booked via American. When I'm doing calculations I'm getting anywhere between 6,212 and 14,224 depending on how the earnings are calculated. The outbound is booked in (V) JFK-LHR-CDG, while the return is in (S) CDG-LHR and (N) LHR-JFK.
Thanks in advance for any insights you all may have.
Dec 3, 2018, 3:30 pm
#212
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: JFK/LGA
Programs: AA EXP/5 MM, BA Blue Bayou, HH LT Diamond
Posts: 5,827
I had a recent segment on AY, HEL-LHR. Booked cheapest fare available. I got 50% EQM- and 25% million mile credit. Frankly i don't give a chit about either as I won't get to PPro this year, and for LT once you are at 2 MM the benefits thereafter are scant. But still it seems austere.
Dec 3, 2018, 3:34 pm
#213
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
I had a recent segment on AY, HEL-LHR. Booked cheapest fare available. I got 50% EQM- and 25% million mile credit. Frankly i don't give a chit about either as I won't get to PPro this year, and for LT once you are at 2 MM the benefits thereafter are scant. But still it seems austere.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...es/finnair.jsp
It looks like the lowest economy buckets have 25% base miles.
Dec 4, 2018, 12:34 am
#214
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
JFK-LHR-CDG roundtrip, 2/4 flights are marketed as AA, the other 2 as BA. 1/4 flights is on AA metal, the remainder are on BA. All segments were booked via American. When I'm doing calculations I'm getting anywhere between 6,212 and 14,224 depending on how the earnings are calculated. The outbound is booked in (V) JFK-LHR-CDG, while the return is in (S) CDG-LHR and (N) LHR-JFK.
Dec 4, 2018, 7:42 am
#215
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Titanium, UA Gold (*G), DL Silver, Makers Mark Ambassador
Posts: 4,642
AA flight numbers will earn 1 EQM per mile and the BA flight numbers will earn 0.5 EQM per mile. Since you don't say which flights are AA#s and which are BA#s, I can't work it out for you. Ticket source and operating airline are irrelevant - the flight number is all that matters.
Last edited by wakesetter93; Dec 4, 2018 at 7:52 am
Dec 4, 2018, 10:01 am
#216
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Your status may affect how much RDMs (i.e., award miles) you get, but your status doesn’t affect how much EQMs you will get. Your AA-marketed flights will earn 1.0 EQM, and your BA-marketed flights will earn 0.5 EQMs.
Dec 4, 2018, 10:35 am
#217
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Titanium, UA Gold (*G), DL Silver, Makers Mark Ambassador
Posts: 4,642
Dec 5, 2018, 1:53 pm
#218
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Plano, TX, USA
Programs: AA: PPro, 4MM; HH: Lifetime Diamond; MAR Life Titanium Hertz: Prez Circle
Posts: 547
Does anyone know of an easy way to display EQM for a ticket that has been issued, but not yet traveled? I know EQMs are displayed in the booking flow right before purchase, but I don't know how to display them again. I have found a few cases where EQMs earned are slightly different than what is calculated on the Webflyer mileage calculator (e.g., DFW-SAN-LAX-LIH - AA came in very slightly higher than Webflyer) - differences are minor, but I'm tracking to land this year at 100,027 EQMs and it wouldn't take much of a miss to land just shy of 100k.
Dec 5, 2018, 3:51 pm
#219
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,700
Call AA or book a dummy PNR for the same routing and see what it says.
Does anyone know of an easy way to display EQM for a ticket that has been issued, but not yet traveled? I know EQMs are displayed in the booking flow right before purchase, but I don't know how to display them again. I have found a few cases where EQMs earned are slightly different than what is calculated on the Webflyer mileage calculator (e.g., DFW-SAN-LAX-LIH - AA came in very slightly higher than Webflyer) - differences are minor, but I'm tracking to land this year at 100,027 EQMs and it wouldn't take much of a miss to land just shy of 100k.
Dec 9, 2018, 9:43 pm
#220
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Plano, TX, USA
Programs: AA: PPro, 4MM; HH: Lifetime Diamond; MAR Life Titanium Hertz: Prez Circle
Posts: 547
Dec 11, 2018, 7:47 am
#221
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,191
Ok all the expects here.
Trying to sort out the best value on booking flights (J)
I could be wrong but it seems that booking flights on OW partners websites (Qatar/BA)
rather then on AA yields more EQM and EQD...
Am I correct?
(I along with my wife have been checking and rechecking AA site info, but want to sure we are reading it corectly)
Thanks
Trying to sort out the best value on booking flights (J)
I could be wrong but it seems that booking flights on OW partners websites (Qatar/BA)
rather then on AA yields more EQM and EQD...
Am I correct?
(I along with my wife have been checking and rechecking AA site info, but want to sure we are reading it corectly)
Thanks
Dec 12, 2018, 6:42 pm
#222
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Ok all the expects here.
Trying to sort out the best value on booking flights (J)
I could be wrong but it seems that booking flights on OW partners websites (Qatar/BA)
rather then on AA yields more EQM and EQD...
Am I correct?
(I along with my wife have been checking and rechecking AA site info, but want to sure we are reading it corectly)
Thanks
Trying to sort out the best value on booking flights (J)
I could be wrong but it seems that booking flights on OW partners websites (Qatar/BA)
rather then on AA yields more EQM and EQD...
Am I correct?
(I along with my wife have been checking and rechecking AA site info, but want to sure we are reading it corectly)
Thanks
2. You won't get more EQM with a partner, and with some partners you'll get less. You can get more EQD, but you'll have to do the math for what you're considering to be sure.
Jan 12, 2019, 10:10 am
#223
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
Wondering how a AA-BA-AA-AA itinerary ticketed on AA stock (all in I) purchased on AA.com will credit. The BA flight is a codeshare on AA metal, but that doesn't really matter.
I know the BA flight will credit via the BA earning chart, but does anyone have an idea about the AA legs? Will they somehow split the remaining fare (however they calculate the fare attributed to the BA flight) across those three legs or will it credit via distance due to the random BA leg?
I know the BA flight will credit via the BA earning chart, but does anyone have an idea about the AA legs? Will they somehow split the remaining fare (however they calculate the fare attributed to the BA flight) across those three legs or will it credit via distance due to the random BA leg?
Jan 12, 2019, 1:41 pm
#224
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
Wondering how a AA-BA-AA-AA itinerary ticketed on AA stock (all in I) purchased on AA.com will credit. The BA flight is a codeshare on AA metal, but that doesn't really matter.
I know the BA flight will credit via the BA earning chart, but does anyone have an idea about the AA legs? Will they somehow split the remaining fare (however they calculate the fare attributed to the BA flight) across those three legs or will it credit via distance due to the random BA leg?
I know the BA flight will credit via the BA earning chart, but does anyone have an idea about the AA legs? Will they somehow split the remaining fare (however they calculate the fare attributed to the BA flight) across those three legs or will it credit via distance due to the random BA leg?
Jan 12, 2019, 1:52 pm
#225
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
Cool, the fare is the same both ways so I guess they do some sort of proportion for the outbound based on flight miles per segment for the AA flight.