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GUIDE: Earning AA Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM on AA, partner airlines 2017 on

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Old Jan 17, 2017, 3:49 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JDiver
Earning Elite Qualifying Miles / EQM (and AA status)

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
See Earning AA Award / Redeemable Miles / RDM on AA, partners later 2016 for more regarding AAdvantage Award ("Redeemable") Miles.

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
NOTE: There is no requirement for a minimum number of segments to be flown on AA marketed flights as of 2017.

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.)
  • 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
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:
  • 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:
  • 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 AAdvantage elite 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.


AAdvantage elite 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:
  • British Airways
  • Fiji Airways (non-oneworld; RDM only)
  • Finnair
  • Gulf Air (non-oneworld; RDM only)
  • Iberia
  • LAN*
  • Qantas
  • Royal Jordanian
  • SriLankan Airlines
  • TAM 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
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:
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:
  • 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.
This will not earn EQM, only RDM:
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:
  • 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.

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 elites members 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®
There is some redundancy above, because it's very important to understand these changes and how they affect earning AAdvantage status going forward.

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

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Old Dec 9, 2017, 6:42 am
  #76  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: New York
Programs: AA, CX, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,484
Originally Posted by MrJBoy
Thank you for the info.
That makes sense since our outbound flights were on 11/29 (Thursday) and they were posted on 12/2 (Saturday).
Hope our inbound flights will be posted tomorrow morning!
No problem. In my experience, it could be posted as early as 3am CT, but also as late as 11am CT(around lunchtime), to be precise. However, there was a major problem on one week (see the CX posts for the week before Labor Day weekend), resulting in everyone's delay. It is best to retain your boarding pass, together with e-ticket, just in case that happens again.
MrJBoy likes this.
andersonCooper is offline  
Old Dec 9, 2017, 6:49 am
  #77  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: New York
Programs: AA, CX, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,484
Originally Posted by gogomustangs
Hello, can B fare earn any EQM? I know in the wiki, it says B fare can earn 0.5 EQM. But when I go to the payment page on AA.com, the aadvantage miles section which tells me how many EQD, EQM, RDM I would earn does not show up. When I book Q or N fare, the aadvantage miles section always shows up below the itinerary in the payment page. Can anyone share their experience? BTW, I do not have any status and am hoping I can achieve something in 2018.
Yes, B earns 0.5 EQM and 0.5 EQS.
andersonCooper is offline  
Old Dec 9, 2017, 2:59 pm
  #78  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SBA
Programs: UA & AA 1 million miler
Posts: 1,134
Originally Posted by andersonCooper
No problem. In my experience, it could be posted as early as 3am CT, but also as late as 11am CT(around lunchtime), to be precise. However, there was a major problem on one week (see the CX posts for the week before Labor Day weekend), resulting in everyone's delay. It is best to retain your boarding pass, together with e-ticket, just in case that happens again.
I confirmed my CX flights were posted this morning
MrJBoy is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2018, 8:36 pm
  #79  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP/OW Emerald
Posts: 209
Hi all, quick earnings question re: Sri Lankan (UL). I'm contemplating an itin CMB-DOH-CPT, all UL marketed, but flown by UL (CMB-DOH) and QR (DOH-CPT). Since both are oneworld partners, I would think I would earn EQM/RDM/EQD on the entire itin, but wording on AA's site has me wondering if that's the case. AA says: "Earn and redeem AAdvantage® miles for travel on SriLankan Airlines within Asia and between Asia and
  • Europe
  • Middle East
Earn miles

To earn AAdvantage® miles when you fly on SriLankan Airlines marketed and operated flights as well as SriLankan Airlines codeshare flights operated by oneworld® carriers and affiliates:
  • Buy an eligible published fare ticket in an eligible booking 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.

Based on the above, should I read that Middle East to Africa would not earn because it's not mentioned in the Regions portion of the text? In other worlds, should I assume earnings only on the CMB-DOH legs, but not DOH-CPT even though the flight would be marketed by one OW partner (UL) and flown on QR metal, another OW partner?
Thanks.
DCtrAAveler is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2018, 8:42 pm
  #80  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: New York
Programs: AA, CX, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,484
Originally Posted by DCtrAAveler
Hi all, quick earnings question re: Sri Lankan (UL). I'm contemplating an itin CMB-DOH-CPT, all UL marketed, but flown by UL (CMB-DOH) and QR (DOH-CPT). Since both are oneworld partners, I would think I would earn EQM/RDM/EQD on the entire itin, but wording on AA's site has me wondering if that's the case. AA says: "Earn and redeem AAdvantage® miles for travel on SriLankan Airlines within Asia and between Asia and
  • Europe
  • Middle East
Earn miles

To earn AAdvantage® miles when you fly on SriLankan Airlines marketed and operated flights as well as SriLankan Airlines codeshare flights operated by oneworld® carriers and affiliates:
  • Buy an eligible published fare ticket in an eligible booking 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.

Based on the above, should I read that Middle East to Africa would not earn because it's not mentioned in the Regions portion of the text? In other worlds, should I assume earnings only on the CMB-DOH legs, but not DOH-CPT even though the flight would be marketed by one OW partner (UL) and flown on QR metal, another OW partner?
Thanks.
The wording on AA is not 100% correct or comprehensive here (So in general you earn partner credits as long as the fare codes are eligible). However, there are certain routes that are excluded by AA to earn cabin bonuses (or etc). I would call EXP desk to confirm if your routes are one of them.
andersonCooper is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2018, 9:51 pm
  #81  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Rarely in one place long. Vancouver, WA when that happens.
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 100K, AA LifePlat, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Dmd, gave up on Hilton
Posts: 68
ExPlat for many years. Flew a Qantas flights on Dec 21 and 24 and still no credit. Need those to requalify. Submitted online several times with not a single non-automated acknowledgment, and then finally called and was told it might take 30 days from the call. Anyone know if this is suggestive of an issue? Of course I am getting emails offering me to pay to keep my status, but I made it easily by EQM and then on EQD right at the year's end. Which makes me suspicious they want me to pay tho I made it, or suspicious they have had a system breakdown of sorts. Thanks.
kiowavt is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2018, 10:14 pm
  #82  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,602
You seriously think that AA is deliberately witholding mileage credit for a flight to try and get you to pay for renewal?

That it can take 30 days to process is suggestive only that the airline is allowing time for the processing to take place
Dave Noble is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2018, 6:57 am
  #83  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Rarely in one place long. Vancouver, WA when that happens.
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 100K, AA LifePlat, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Dmd, gave up on Hilton
Posts: 68
Originally Posted by Dave Noble
You seriously think that AA is deliberately witholding mileage credit for a flight to try and get you to pay for renewal?

That it can take 30 days to process is suggestive only that the airline is allowing time for the processing to take place
Mind you this is ANOTHER 30 days after being told it might take 30 days from the flights (we are at 32 from the first one--nothing showing). And I booked the ticket with AA. And started and finished with AA flights. And it's a major partner. Oh, and AA seems more money hungry than ever this year in the first year of EQD. I don't know they are slowing the process, I don't think they are doing that, I did not say that, but connecting the dots, am I suspicious? Yes. And you did not respond with your experience with posting of miles on Qantas flights as I hoped responses might; I was hoping some people might say yes, can take that stupidly long and calm my suspicions.
kiowavt is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2018, 7:20 am
  #84  
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
Originally Posted by kiowavt
ExPlat for many years. Flew a Qantas flights on Dec 21 and 24 and still no credit. Need those to requalify. Submitted online several times with not a single non-automated acknowledgment, and then finally called and was told it might take 30 days from the call. Anyone know if this is suggestive of an issue? Of course I am getting emails offering me to pay to keep my status, but I made it easily by EQM and then on EQD right at the year's end. Which makes me suspicious they want me to pay tho I made it, or suspicious they have had a system breakdown of sorts. Thanks.
Yes, AA can be that inefficient. No, there’s no plot to prevent you from maintaining status.
JDiver is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2018, 12:48 pm
  #85  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,602
Originally Posted by kiowavt
Mind you this is ANOTHER 30 days after being told it might take 30 days from the flights (we are at 32 from the first one--nothing showing). And I booked the ticket with AA. And started and finished with AA flights. And it's a major partner. Oh, and AA seems more money hungry than ever this year in the first year of EQD. I don't know they are slowing the process, I don't think they are doing that, I did not say that, but connecting the dots, am I suspicious? Yes. And you did not respond with your experience with posting of miles on Qantas flights as I hoped responses might; I was hoping some people might say yes, can take that stupidly long and calm my suspicions.
Your whole post was suggesting that there was some deliberate action to not award the points

It takes time for the airline to pass the mileage request to other airline and then wait for a response. There is no conspiracy to deny status
Dave Noble is offline  
Old Jan 23, 2018, 4:57 pm
  #86  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,913
Hello, I have an upcoming Itinerary on a partner premium class ticket where I am a Platinum member on the outbound and by the time its time for my return I won't be Platinum anymore. How does that work with eqm's?
ASUDan130 is offline  
Old Jan 23, 2018, 5:11 pm
  #87  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
Originally Posted by ASUDan130
Hello, I have an upcoming Itinerary on a partner premium class ticket where I am a Platinum member on the outbound and by the time its time for my return I won't be Platinum anymore. How does that work with eqm's?
Huh? EQM earnings are not dependent on status. You'll earn the same EQM whether you are a Plat, General Member, or EXP.

Fare class matters. Elite status doesn't.
bse118 is online now  
Old Feb 11, 2018, 7:37 am
  #88  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SAT
Programs: SWA- A pref
Posts: 30
Earning redeemable miles

I’m currently AA Plat with 73,769 EQM & $15K+ EQD. My flight on 2/19 is all marketed by BA.

I think all legs will earn 1.5 EQM so I think I’ll still be just slightly short of Exec Plat on return, but I’ll hit Plat Pro on my first flight to LHR. I have no idea how to calculated earned miles based on the chart...very confusing.

My flight is:
SAT-DFW, J fare, 247 miles
DFW-LHR, D fare, 4,736 miles
LHR-DXB, D fare, 3,414 miles
DXB-LHR, D fare, 3,414 miles
LHR-DFW, D fare, 4,736 Miles

can anyone help me with the calculation?
jlgab345 is offline  
Old Feb 11, 2018, 7:46 am
  #89  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: New York
Programs: AA, CX, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,484
Originally Posted by jlgab345
I’m currently AA Plat with 73,769 EQM & $15K+ EQD. My flight on 2/19 is all marketed by BA.

I think all legs will earn 1.5 EQM so I think I’ll still be just slightly short of Exec Plat on return, but I’ll hit Plat Pro on my first flight to LHR. I have no idea how to calculated earned miles based on the chart...very confusing.

My flight is:
SAT-DFW, J fare, 247 miles
DFW-LHR, D fare, 4,736 miles
LHR-DXB, D fare, 3,414 miles
DXB-LHR, D fare, 3,414 miles
LHR-DFW, D fare, 4,736 Miles

can anyone help me with the calculation?
You sure you are looking at the right chart? I don't find it confusing at all:

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...sh-airways.jsp

You got your fare and distances already. For EQM, Column 2 gives you fare code, and column 5 gives you multiplier. For EQD, Column 2 gives you fare code again, Column 6 gives you multiplier. This chart works as long as your flight number is BA XXXX.
andersonCooper is offline  
Old Feb 11, 2018, 11:07 am
  #90  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SAT
Programs: SWA- A pref
Posts: 30
The EQD don’t matter as I’ve already surpassed$15K for the year. I’m pretty sure EQM will be 1.5. My question is how to calculate redeemable miles I’ll earn for this trip, especially since I’ll change status mid trip..
jlgab345 is offline  


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