EXP on EQD Alone
 

A little background first. I'm an AA plat and have been for 4 years. I fly solely domestic for work, but roughly every other week (SUN-THU). This year, I will easily clear Platinum Pro and will have an EQD somewhere around $14-16k. I'm based in AUS, and I know that's going to hurt in this discussion. I will clear Pro with about 78-85K EQM depending on what I do at the end of the year. Is there any chance that AA would look at my EQD and comp me up to EXP? For the record, my 2nd half flying has featured me upfaring up to I class to guarantee a seat in first on some long domestic flights. I know it's a long shot, but I was just wondering if anyone had any similar experiences. For the record, I'd love to do a MR to get to EXP, since all I would need is BIS, but I just don't see that happening...as much as I would love to go to HKG. Thanks!

I'm not sure why being based in AUS is hurting the discussion, can you please elaborate? I'm also based in AUS, and I don't see any issues with flying or crediting to AA.

Last year was the first year that I made EXP on AA. I had been PLT on AA since the merger and was various levels on US/HP for the ~10 years prior to that, including CP (US's version of EXP). When I was somewhere between 80 and 85,0000 miles I received a buy-up offer from AA to EXP (I think the cost was around $2000), but I was in the middle of a trip and the remainder of my miles posted which brought me to over 100,000 on my own.

As a regular reader of the forum, I see users post about having EQD exceeding $15,000 and still being PRO; I think there may be some who have EQD over the EXP threshold who are only PLT. If EXP means that much to you, there are plenty of mileage run opportunities out there (but as time ticks away so do those opportunities). Otherwise, enjoy the PRO status.

And just to clarify, there is zero chance of AA just comping EXP status based on EQD passing the $12k threshold.

I sure as heck hope not! As someone who is currently sitting at over $20k EQD, 73k EQM, and 109 EQS and going out of my way to get extra segments to requalify by EQS, I'd be disappointed if my effort to requalify by the rules was unnecessary.

Cheers,
LBBZman

As JJeffrey said, almost no chance.

$18k 70,000 EQM 30 EQS - and here I am hoping they'll make me CK! :cool: ha!

I ended 2017 as PlatPro with 79.5k EQM and $19.3k EQD. AA offered to boost me to EXP for $3,575. Ha.

and you didn't take the offer!? lol

I am based in Austin and I agree, there is no issue with flying or crediting. The only issue I find is the flight fares are much higher from Austin :)
I have been on several statuses over the last 20 years starting with America West and have never taken any buy-up offer
I am currently $750 short on EQD and 4800 on EQM and I am sure AA will soon send me some ridiculous upgrade offer :) I have decided to hit EXP doing a MR but at the moment struggling find a good option to keep the costs low, but even at full $750 it will be lot cheaper than AA's upgrade offer

Also unclear as to why AUS matters at all.

if anything, it helps you with the extra connecting segment EQM

This is the master thread for the buy back program at the end of 2017 for the 2018 program year. There many data points in here where the FF had plenty of EQD for EXP, but not the miles. Most posts have the buy up offer they received from AA as well. There is no guarantee it will work the same way this year.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...aster-thd.html

It did seem to me that they penalized you more for not making the miles more than they did for not making EQD. That is, people who were a bit short on EQD got more attractive offers than those who had plenty of EQD but were short miles. I would have thought it would go the other way.

OP's situation is almost exactly my wife's. She'll have about 80K EQM and about $13K EQD. Tough luck for her. If one were way above the EXP EQD threshold and very close to the EQM threshold they might do something but even then I would think it would be a long shot. If she were me I'd see if there were some MR opportunities but she has no interest in that. I too am out of AUS but I haven't found that a handicap fare-wise. The main disadvantage is its non-coastal location and the resulting unavailability of transcons for MRs.

In past years the buyup offers I saw for EXP were very unattractive. I don't think it mattered much how close you were.

AA has no reason to comp anyone because that undercuts its buy up offers. While there is no guarantee of such an offer in this or any year, presuming that there is one, it not only makes no sense from a direct revenue perspective, but leaves others who are struggling to cross the finish line wondering why they did.