[2018 NEWBIE LOUNGE] Ask Your "Newbie" AA Questions Here (flame free)
 

My 3000 EQDs, 3500 EQMs, and Segments reseted to 0.

This is confusing to me because I'm new to AA. I was a CX member before, and miles doesn't reset on Jan 1st of the year. I joined AA on Oct 2017 (after getting tired of CXs revamped MPC earning system), earned my Gold status on Dec 20, 2017-- And I still have excess EQMs and EQDs as of yesterday (Dec 31). So did they all just go to waste after midnight of Dec 31 2017?

Short answer is 'Yes'. Status earning resets on Jan 1st of each year (though status is good through Jan 31st of the following year).

So for 2018, you now start the year as Gold (that's what you ended 2017 as) and have the entire year to qualify for whatever status you will attain.

Ahhh Thanks. But so sad, I could earn Plat with all my ticketed flights in January. So close...

Still find it hard to chew that they restart everything on the first day of the year rather than on the date that you enrolled on. Didn't know I only had less than 3 months to earn my status when I enrolled :

Afaik, you can earn Platinum with all your ticketed flights in January. Even if you mean you could have earned Platinum in four months, you still might be able to... if you’ve not challenged for status in the previous five years. See HELP DESK & FAQ: Gold and Platinum status Challenge as of 2017.

I’m sure there are other quirks that distinguish American’s FFP from others’. Now that you’re here and have found the forum, we’ve probably got those covered here.

Fell short last year due to my job. Had next to no days for travel so I just saved up cash. Seriously going to focus on hitting EXP this year. Currently have Platinum which gets me decent upgrades flying out of OMA.

I have about 50k worth of miles of trips already on the schedule so I need another 50k in mileage runs. Is Google Flight Multi-city and ITA the best tools for this? Most websties that do have great AA deals tend to be out of CLT, DFW, or some other major hub so I always have to factor in cost to get my butt there first.

AA182 connecting AA2281 at LAX
I will have a 5 hour stay at LAX and I am unfamiliar with USA airports and LAX. AA182 Arrives at TB but no terminal has been set for AA2281 to leave from.
I am Flying in business (D) and OneWorld Emerald with QF) so should have access to a good lounge. From what I understand the flagship lounge is in T4. What lounge options are in what terminals and does it really take an hour to get between terminals.'
Thanks in advance for any assistance.

AA has the same membership qualification year (calendar year) for everyone, unlike CX. Another key difference is once you reach gold (MPC Silver, OWS), your current progress won't be reset like CX's.

However, unlike CX's system where you could play the "remove MPC number" trick, the rollover system does not work for AA. As such, your 2018 activities will bee reset to 0 on Jan 1, 2019. (so 2017's was reset on Jan 1, 2018)

Please also be aware that certain Y tickets on CX flights earn no AA credits. And if you completely give up MPC SL, earning AA gold won't allow you to enter CX's J lounges (which is permitted for MPC SL.)

You will process immigration and customs at TBIT, drop checked bags at the counter and emerge in the TBIT arrivals lobby. At that point you’ll probably want to process security at the entry to the TBIT airside connector, as described here: LAX AA T-4 - TBIT secure airside connector (open Feb 2016)

From there it’s an easy Walk to the TBIT Qantas First Lounge or oneworld Business Lounge, or to the AA Flagship Lounge in Terminal 4 using the airside connector (5-10 minutes airside).(I’d head to the QF First Lounge straightaway as Emerald.)

There is another lounge in Terminal 5 if your flight should leave from there, and yet another, smaller lounge in the remote American Eagle / regional terminal (connected to 4 and 5 by Shuttle busses airside).

LAX / Los Angeles Int'l. Terminal 4 Flagship Lounge (master thread)

LAX / Los Angeles TBIT / Bradley Int’l. oneworld Lounges (master thread)

Question I haven't seen posted here yet. When an EVIP (SWU, miles/copay, BXP1) is processed, does the underlying ticket fare class become available again? My girlfriend and I are traveling JFK/LAX — me on business ticket (I class), her on coach with a BXP1 — and I'm trying to get us into first class, for which I'd need to upfare her to business. J7 D7 I0 for our date of travel, so wondering if I processed a BXP1 on my I class ticket if it'd return the inventory. Gut says no, but an EXP agent said something to a similar degree. Or I can just wait and hope the price drops :).

Terminals and Lounges at LAX
 

To help me understand - the airside domestic and international departures is the same space so the same lounge can be for domestic and international flights ? So that is how I could access QF lounge on a domestic leg.
Thanks the response has been very helpful.

Correct. There's an airside walkway between TBIT and Terminal 4, allowing you to go between the domestic (T4, T5) and the international terminals. See the "terminal connector" areas on the LAX map. There are signs in the terminals directing you where to walk to get to each terminal.

I think I misread your question :). AA uses T4 and T5 for their domestic flights and an increasing amount of international flights (if not all their flagship routes). Though because of the airside connection to TBIT, you can walk there to the QF lounge without needing to clear security each time.

Just like with award/upgrade inventory, not necessarily. When an award or revenue ticket is cancelled, it doesn't necessarily mean that the original fare/award/upgrade bucket will return automatically. AA's revenue management system will crunch the numbers to determine what happens with the extra space.

^ ty! What I assumed — much appreciated.

I have a question on the award booking - I remember previously we are not allowed to get upgraded on the award booking even if we are EXP, but does this mean the new AAdvantage program now allows the upgrade on the award booking? Is the allowance applicable only for domestic routes? How we can get upgraded on long routes such as, e.g. CDG - PHL? Thank you!

Sadly, I'm currently doing a Platinum challenge that ends in Feb 2018, however the bulk of my EQMs and EQDs are from CX J KULSFO roundtrip, which do not count towards the challenge because CX is not AA's joint venture partner. I'm 1.1k Short of EQDs for Plat Challenge, but good for EQM.