ARCHIVE: "Sticker" / 500-mile E-Upgrades & EXP "UDU" Upgrades (2015)
Apr 1, 2015, 11:35 am
#46
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
The Team Parker took away (the "51 mile Grace" and gave (no sticker necessary on flights under 500 miles).
Apr 1, 2015, 11:36 am
#47
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
What JDiver said, a little more concisely: Miles towards elite upgrades earned are base miles (as defined in the earning chart on AA.com for the marketing carrier, subject to 500 mile minimums if so stated on the relevant chart) flown on any EQM-earning airline. No more no less.
Thanks! That was rather well said.
Apr 1, 2015, 1:28 pm
#48
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 145
Huh? I was sure AA was retaining the 50% EQM bonus for paid FC fares.
And actually what ashill said was different but (I guess) makes more sense. There were some other errors in JDiver's post but it seems like he misunderstood a few of my questions.
So basically, a 2000 mile flight in paid first on AA would earn 3000 PQMs but only 2000 miles towards upgrade stickers?
Also, JDiver seemed to indicate that flights where you use stickers to upgrade (or get a free upgrade) accrue zero miles towards stickers? Is that correct?
And actually what ashill said was different but (I guess) makes more sense. There were some other errors in JDiver's post but it seems like he misunderstood a few of my questions.
So basically, a 2000 mile flight in paid first on AA would earn 3000 PQMs but only 2000 miles towards upgrade stickers?
Also, JDiver seemed to indicate that flights where you use stickers to upgrade (or get a free upgrade) accrue zero miles towards stickers? Is that correct?
Apr 1, 2015, 1:47 pm
#50
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,933
Huh? I was sure AA was retaining the 50% EQM bonus for paid FC fares.
And actually what ashill said was different but (I guess) makes more sense. There were some other errors in JDiver's post but it seems like he misunderstood a few of my questions.
So basically, a 2000 mile flight in paid first on AA would earn 3000 PQMs but only 2000 miles towards upgrade stickers?
Also, JDiver seemed to indicate that flights where you use stickers to upgrade (or get a free upgrade) accrue zero miles towards stickers? Is that correct?
And actually what ashill said was different but (I guess) makes more sense. There were some other errors in JDiver's post but it seems like he misunderstood a few of my questions.
So basically, a 2000 mile flight in paid first on AA would earn 3000 PQMs but only 2000 miles towards upgrade stickers?
Also, JDiver seemed to indicate that flights where you use stickers to upgrade (or get a free upgrade) accrue zero miles towards stickers? Is that correct?
You will earn miles towards stickers whether you are upgraded or not.
Apr 1, 2015, 2:26 pm
#51
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
Only because I didn't do anything cumbersome like answer the poster's questions explicitly. 
Everything JDiver said except the below point (on which he was mostly correct) was completely correct and the same as what I said. The most-confusing-to-newcomers-to-AAdvantage thing is the distinction between base miles (miles flown subject to 500 mile minimums for elites on AA, US, AS, BA, and probably a few others; miles flown times a multiplier that is less than one on some fares on some other airline partners), EQMs (which are equal to base miles on all fares on EQM-earning airlines), and EQPs (which are base miles multiplied by 0.5 for cheap coach fares, 1.0 for mid-priced coach fares, and 1.5 for Y, B, and premium cabin fares).
Ah, JDiver did misunderstand what you said there. His point was that you don't earn any bonus miles for flying in a premium cabin when you upgrade. But, as he said, you do earn the base miles (and thus the miles towards elite upgrades) based on your purchased fare.
ETA: And I note that this is explicitly covered in the Wiki at the top of this thread (written by JDiver), which is always worth reading:
Huh? I was sure AA was retaining the 50% EQM bonus for paid FC fares.
And actually what ashill said was different but (I guess) makes more sense. There were some other errors in JDiver's post but it seems like he misunderstood a few of my questions.
So basically, a 2000 mile flight in paid first on AA would earn 3000 PQMs but only 2000 miles towards upgrade stickers?
And actually what ashill said was different but (I guess) makes more sense. There were some other errors in JDiver's post but it seems like he misunderstood a few of my questions.
So basically, a 2000 mile flight in paid first on AA would earn 3000 PQMs but only 2000 miles towards upgrade stickers?
Also, JDiver seemed to indicate that flights where you use stickers to upgrade (or get a free upgrade) accrue zero miles towards stickers? Is that correct?
ETA: And I note that this is explicitly covered in the Wiki at the top of this thread (written by JDiver), which is always worth reading:
for each 10,000 base miles flown on AA, US and partners where one earns EQ Miles; the status holder will earn 4 500 mile electronic upgrades
Last edited by ashill; Apr 1, 2015 at 2:41 pm Reason: correct minor unclear bits
Apr 1, 2015, 2:58 pm
#52
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,933
The more that we try to explain the system the more complex it seems for those who aren't used to it! And we haven't even got to segments. I was reflecting that we need someone who is bilingual to construct an AA<>US dictionary and a list of differences.
Apr 1, 2015, 6:45 pm
#53
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
Apr 1, 2015, 10:56 pm
#54
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA CK, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Radisson Platinum
Posts: 82
The removal of the 51-mile grace window has left me pretty bummed. I do DFW-STL (550 miles) a lot. I hate going there, but at least it was a good use of a sticker, and as a PLT, I normally cleared. Now it costs 2 stickers per leg, which just isn't worth it. 10 trips to STL will earn me 4 stickers. If I upgraded all segments, it used to cost 20, but now will cost 40?! I know all flights 500 miles or less will be complementary now, but I'm on those pretty rarely, and it's usually some little RJ that isn't worth upgrading anyway. It's a pretty hard jump to go from "complementary" to "2 stickers"...
I guess I need to push for EXP this year to make STL not suck so much.
I guess I need to push for EXP this year to make STL not suck so much.
Apr 2, 2015, 12:04 am
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Seat 2A
Programs: AA EXP LT GLD 1MM, BA GLD, NH/UA*G, Hyatt Dia, Marr Tit LT PLT, IHG Spire,HH Dia, MGM NOIR,Hertz PC
Posts: 10,571
Apr 2, 2015, 4:42 am
#56
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
The removal of the 51-mile grace window has left me pretty bummed. I do DFW-STL (550 miles) a lot. I hate going there, but at least it was a good use of a sticker, and as a PLT, I normally cleared. Now it costs 2 stickers per leg, which just isn't worth it. 10 trips to STL will earn me 4 stickers. If I upgraded all segments, it used to cost 20, but now will cost 40?! I know all flights 500 miles or less will be complementary now, but I'm on those pretty rarely, and it's usually some little RJ that isn't worth upgrading anyway. It's a pretty hard jump to go from "complementary" to "2 stickers"...
I guess I need to push for EXP this year to make STL not suck so much.
I guess I need to push for EXP this year to make STL not suck so much.
Apr 2, 2015, 8:34 am
#57
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 145
Ah now I get EQMs and EQPs. Thanks. So basically I need any of EQP, EQM, or segments at any threshold to qualify? And FC gets me 1.5 base miles for EQPs, got it. Damn confusing and it will annoy me if I end getting 0.5 on any flight. That would really lower my incentive to ever fly paid first, if I was going to lose the bump in EQMs we normally got -- that was often my motivating for doing it. (I would lose it because it was canceled out by a trip with 0.5 EQPs).
Apr 2, 2015, 9:29 am
#58
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
Ah now I get EQMs and EQPs. Thanks. So basically I need any of EQP, EQM, or segments at any threshold to qualify? And FC gets me 1.5 base miles for EQPs, got it. Damn confusing and it will annoy me if I end getting 0.5 on any flight. That would really lower my incentive to ever fly paid first, if I was going to lose the bump in EQMs we normally got -- that was often my motivating for doing it. (I would lose it because it was canceled out by a trip with 0.5 EQPs).
Code:
First A, F, P 100% 50% 1.50 Business D, I, J, R 100% 50% 1.50 Full-Fare Econom Y, B, W* 100% 1.50
Unless you're on an award or unpublished fare bucket not listed above.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/e...s/american.jsp
Last edited by JDiver; Apr 2, 2015 at 9:35 am Reason: Blankety blank coding...
Apr 2, 2015, 10:20 am
#59
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA Plat/2MM, DL Silver, UA Silver (via Marr), Marr LTT, HH Gold (via cc), Hyatt Disc
Posts: 1,039
I do think the elimination of the grace window may make "sticker starved" Plats less likely to use them on impacted routes, allowing "sticker heavy" Glds better chance at upgrades.
Apr 2, 2015, 10:55 am
#60
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 226
Folks, here's a real life example of how lower level elites can do better under the sticker system. In this situation, a Plat has decided not to upgrade, meaning Glds have a better chance at upgrading if they elect to use stickers.
I do think the elimination of the grace window may make "sticker starved" Plats less likely to use them on impacted routes, allowing "sticker heavy" Glds better chance at upgrades.
I do think the elimination of the grace window may make "sticker starved" Plats less likely to use them on impacted routes, allowing "sticker heavy" Glds better chance at upgrades.