Last edit by: JDiver
Help! I need ....... by a certain date / the end of the year / to (re)qualify.
See here for the 2019-2020 thread.
See here for the 2019-2020 thread.
Earning status:
Link to AAdvantage status requirements page on AA.com
Link to AAdvantage status benefits page on AA.com
If you have not received a buy back offer or would like to see your offer (if any), you can see it by visiting https://elite.aa.com
You must earn the requisite Elite Qualifying Miles or flown Elite Qualifying Segments in one calendar year as well as earning the requisite Elite Qualifying Dollar spend. That earns status for the remainder of the current and the following status years: earn during 2017, status persists through 31 Jan 2019. You must fly to earn; There’s no way to earn EQ instruments for yourself flying someone else or no-showing for a purchased flight.
See FAQ: Earning EQD / Elite Qualifying Dollars on AA and partner airlines (2017 on)
Renewing status:
AA once used to offer "grace" if one was just short of achieving status, particularly if one was reachieving, by earning Elite Qualifying Miles or Segments; that hasn't been the case in recent years. Choices are:
1) Requalifying, but just missing the goal? AA has the buyback / renew / boost program, enabling you to purchase back status if you fall short of requalifying by stipulated levels.
2018 Buyback / Renew / Boost Program for Status year 2019[/URL][/B][/U].
NOTES:
- Flights flown as marketed by AA (AA codeshare) earn as if one is flying AA. (It doesn't matter where one purchased the ticketed - the word "marketed" doesn't mean where you purchased the ticket.) But watch those Basic Economy fares!
- Through flights with a single flight number such as MIA-PHX-SFO will count as a single segment and only earn miles as if flown MIA-SFO.
- One no longer must fly at least 4 segments on American Airlines or American Eagle to qualify for AAdvantage status within the qualifying year. (AA marketed / AA codeshares do count for this. This requirement no longer is in effect, but there is a minimum dollar spend requirement -MQD - as well as EQM or EQS.)
- EQMs do not include class-of-service bonus miles, elite bonuses, other participant miles, any other AAdvantage bonus mileage, or miles obtained from BuyMiles, GiftMiles or the offer you get when buying a ticket or checking in.
- If you were involuntarily rerouted losing EQM / EQS, you might want to read FAQ: Involuntary Reroute and Original Routing Credit (ORC) (consolidated)
- Two AAdvantage credit cards award EQM for high annual spenders: Citi Executive card and the Barclaycard Aviator Silver offer EQM at certain spend points, and the latter offers EQD offset. See your current card benefits for the amounts. (These are merely for status purposes, not Million Miler, etc.) The Barclaycard Aviator cards also award EQD credit.
- AA has introduced new "Basic Fares"; be aware of many restrictions.
Guide to AAdvantage elite status (requirements and benefits) on aa.com
Some links to resources and tools:
Use tools available (Google Flights, ITA Matrix by Google, etc.) to find flights for "mileage runs" or "segment runs" to complete status requirements. There are threads (and aa.com pages) that explain how many EQM you earn on AA and partners' flights
Link to Google Flights (put in the origin only, add your restrictions such as airline or alliances)
Link to FT-AA Thread "Using Google Flights for American Airlines flight searches"
Link to Google ITA Matrix (flights and rules finder)
Link to Innosked oneworld interactive network map and timetable
Link to Great Circle Mapper (miles and distance calculations)
Link to FT Mileage Run Deals forum
Link to FT Premium Fare Deals forum
Link to FT Mileage Run Discussion forum[/B]
For the 2016 thread, please see:
ARCHIVE: 2016 "HELP! I need xx EQM / EQP / EQS by end of year" master thread
For the 2015 thread, please see:
ARCHIVE: 2015 "HELP! I need XXX EQM / EQP / EQS by end of year" thread
The transaction date is what AA counts for account activity purposes, not the posting date.
Be aware of the difference between the kinds of miles we are discussing.
Those concerned about earning of retaining status are seeking Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) to earn in the current calendar year. For that or EQ Segments, see 2016 "I'll be short EQM / EQS for status this year?" & related status earning qq
Others are looking for Award or Redeemable Miles (RDM) which can be spent on various awards and earned in various ways - flying, buying, gifting and even using. Your account redeemable (previously occasionally called "prize-eligible" by AA) miles will remain usable for a period of eighteen months after your last account activity - this can be earning miles in any way, flying or even via using your AA-linked credit card, purchasing miles or renting a car with an AA partner, or using miles by gifting them, donating to charity. To prevent your account from lapsing, you must have account activity in the period of 18 months.
AAdvantage members must have mileage earning or redeeming activity once every 18 months in order to retain their miles. If your account has no qualifying activity in any 18-month period, all miles in the account will expire. Qualifying activity extends the expiration date of all unexpired mileage credit in your account for 18 months from the date of the qualifying activity. Qualifying activity is defined as redeeming any AAdvantage award or accruing mileage credit on any eligible American, American Eagle® or AAdvantage airline participant as well as accruing mileage credit with participating hotels, car rental companies, credit cards, telecommunication providers and other service providers offering AAdvantage mileage credit.
A very few of the more popular ways of earning miles, other than actually flying, include:
● using Barclays, CitiBank and American Express cards linked to AAdvantage; see the AA credit cards page here. There are several threads that can be found on this Forum using the Search function.
● in the USA, signing up for AAdvantage Dining here
● shopping via the AA shopping portal - read about and link to portal here (iTunes for a few miles)
● buying, gifting or sharing AA miles - read more here
● in the USA, signing up for AAdvantage Dining here
● shopping via the AA shopping portal - read about and link to portal here (iTunes for a few miles)
● buying, gifting or sharing AA miles - read more here
ARCHIVE: HELP! I need xx EQM / EQD / EQS by xx/yy/20zz / end of year - master thread
#272
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,816
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#273
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP - Marriott LT Platinum - National Exec Elite
Posts: 1,112
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#274
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,976
Or is that far away from the 12,500 threshold to earn a slug of four 500-mile upgrades. A mileage run for that makes no economic sense however, unless you can get the EQMs for under $160.
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#275
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: American
Posts: 8
Thank you, this is the OP. I could easily be confused. I thought I had until 1/31 to get EQMs, it seems by your comments I may not.
i will look into this soon. Thank you. I also need to understand the term “challenge”, I’m new to all of this. Thank you so much!
i will look into this soon. Thank you. I also need to understand the term “challenge”, I’m new to all of this. Thank you so much!
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#276
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
Good News: You don't need to stress getting those EQMs this month
Bad News: The qualification period is 1/1 to 12/31 and anything you do this month counts towards this years status and thus whatever level you had met by 12/31 is what you will have this year and as of yesterday all EQM, EQS and EQD counters reset to 0.
The term "challenge" is for people that are looking to switch to AA from anther program, rather than starting from general member they will give you status for 90 days and you have to meet a EQM and EQD target in those 90 days after which you get that status for the remainder of the year (and following if after July I think) but they only do this up to Plat I think. There was an EXP challenge for UA 1Ks, incidentally how I moved over, but I think that was a one-time thing.
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#277
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Executive Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,663
The earning year for EQM ended 31Dec, as you may have now figured out
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#278
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,816
Well....now you have 363 days to get those EQMs.....
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#279
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
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#280
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: American
Posts: 8
See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...ge-2017-a.html for information on a Status Challenge AA makes available. Be sure to read the Wikipost at the top of the page.
Thank you. I tried to no avail to go to the link you posted about challenges. Is it possible to post the full link?
thank you
thank you
For the current thread, please go to https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html
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Last edited by JDiver; Dec 2, 2019 at 9:42 am Reason: Add moderator note
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