AAdvantage Program Changes as of Jan 2019 and EXP EQD Requirement
 

The title says it all.

Thanks a lot United.

On second thought the title is misleading. It should probably read 2020.

Party! :(

There's more to that...

https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...am-updates.jsp

1) 15000 EQD, main change;
2) EQM EQD earnings for JV partners change - EQM seems to be aligned with AA (i.e. 3x for F instead of 1.5x cap).
3) Selections for 150k, 200k and 250k EQM milestones.
4) Special fares EQD "nerf" for some cheap Y codes.

And full Y is going down to 1 EQM from 1.5 EQMs

Indeed there are some bright spots on partner EQM earnings with respect to premium cabins effective January 1, 2019.

See example earning tables pre-2019 and 2019 onwards: https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...sh-airways.jsp

Indeed.

I'm just refreshing the AA forum every few minutes for the upcoming slew of "I'm going free agency, DeltAA is better, etc..." posts.

Helen Keller saw this one coming. I just thought they'd wait a year or so before jumping on the bandwagon. I was wrong.

I would guess that it's supporting the possible eventual move to treat W/P as its own cabin in every respect (particularly when it comes to upgrades).

AA seems to be following the losers again..... so very sad

Between increasing the EQD requirement to 15K and eliminating the EQD bonuses on the Barclays cards, AA definitely appears to be trying to weed out a lot of low spending EXPs. I wonder what impact this will have on the overall # of EXPs in 2020. Could be good news for those EXPs that remain in terms of upgrade competition, service levels, etc. ... or not.

So those crappy BA J/F flights will give more EQMs now, but so what, it'll be hard to get the EQDs.

There are already a lot on OMAAT etc :D

Come on, there isn't an original idea floating around AA HQ anymore. I'm actually surprised they waited this long.

I'm actually ok with this, I'll hit just barely over 100k with 15k spend, I fly a ton on AY so earning 2.00 eqm per mile on business tickets is fantastic, would have put me at an extra 40,000 eqm this year.

Delta has had a requirement of $15K spend for Diamond going back at least three years. For 2018 (for 2019 elite status), the Delta Amex spend requirement to waive that rose to $250,000. (No, I didn't slip in an extra zero.)

https://onemileatatime.com/delta-dia...pend-increase/

Thank you American!
I qualified this year again as ExPlat, and I was wondering if next year it would make sense to try qualifying again.
Before this news my gripes were:
- terrible award flight availability (when between A to B exists a direct connection --> A to C to B, super long layovers in C, red-eye)
- terrible award chart (BA fees)
- only 4 SWU, difficult to use

Now they made the decision super easy. If the race to the bottom is to weed out loyal customers, then that is what they get.

Ouch. I just literally hit the EP yesterday and woke up to this news today.

Brutal.

Pretty much the only difference between the Big 3 FF programs is award availability. Who'd a-thunk that would happen after consolidation?

Just got the email from AA... FT is so much faster

I know I'm not in the big leagues like some of you guys, so AA doesn't care what I think, but this sucks. I made every effort to hit EXP this year, and relied on the 3000 EQD from my Aviator Red card spend to get over the 12K requirement. Now they've taken that card perk away AND increased the EQD requirement. So I guess this will be my first and last year at EXP. Oh well.

Mixed emotions about this... I should hit the spend with no problem.... I just don't like the fact that this is happening.... I have been eyeing Delta for a while. (I used to fly them before I switched to AA about 5 years ago). I would like to fly one of Delta's partner airlines direct to Taipei vs flying through NRT or HKG on AA via LAX.... It adds quite a bit of time on to my journey but it's only 3 times a year....

All in all I think I'll stick with AA though.. I don't have any real complaints about them...

As one who is spending about $20-$25K per year right now, I'm not put off by this. From seeing the loads in premium cabins this past year on INTL flights, I can tell that AA is courting EXP customers who spend more, and weeding out those who do not. Seems like a simple business decision here, and Delta and UA helped give them the courage to do it. :D

But the improved EQM earning in J/F on Oneworld partners is a VERY nice improvement. Now I can go back to buying itineraries on BA.com in J, which often tend to be cheaper than the same itinerary on AA.com for me, and can still earn full EQM. No more paying AA a premium just to get my full EQMs. ^

I am just reading this email. Am I reading correctly that Cathay flights will no longer be eligible to qualify for EQD and EQM. I hoe this is not true.

There are no changes to the earnings on CX. https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...ay-pacific.jsp

These changes are with BA, IB, JL, and AY.

So.. 2020 membership year.... Does that mean this takes effect Jan 1 2020? or Jan 1 2019?

AAdvantage program changes (announced Nov 5, 2018)
 

American just announced some changes to the AAdvantage program, and I'm trying to read between the lines to figure out what they actually mean.

From the announcement, it will now take $15K EQDs to hit Exec Platinum, but I'm confused by this section (especially around the "gift of AAdvantage status" - does it mean we can give someone else Gold / Platinum if we reach 150K / 200K / 250K miles?

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...04e70f9f8c.jpg

"This is good for consumers!"
:rolleyes:

I can't say that surprises me in the least. AA, despite their LCC approach in the "back of the bus" has made a push for the premium traveler. I do prefer their J hard product and Flagship lounges (and the PE @ 2-3-2 looks better than 2-4-2 PE from competitors not that I've flown it), to the Skyteam alternatives. It's just weird to have such a different experience on either side of that little curtain.

Not that I'm anywhere near an EXP, but it would be nice if the competition was a little fiercer between carriers, instead of monkey-see, monkey-do.

This change doesn't really affect me as I usually end up with about $25K spend, miles are also a non issue, EQM are over 150K for me. So thinning out EXPs is a good thing.
However, I find EXP pretty useless. Usually purchase J or F tickets as I don't want to play the upgrade game. SWUs are useless, scarce availability to use for someone else or me at booking. Elimination of F on most international routes means I can't really use them unless I go to LHR for a J to F upgrade. New Flagship lounges are nice, but I'd get access with my international J or as a lifetime Platinum member so no perk there. First class check in has disappeared, now its all one big priority line with everyone who has an AA credit card or Gold. Flagship check in is ok when available and I'm traveling to a qualified destination.

Takes effect 2019 for the membership year 2020.

How original! I wonder how things will change in the next recession. They probably won't because "American will never lose money again". Time will tell...

I am enjoying my OWE status on another airline. If I want F or J, I will buy it or redeem when it makes sense.

As someone aptly put it; it is the race to the bottom. I've flown 2 million miles with UA but could not stand how poor their hard product was. Eight across on a 777 in business class and NO F seating? If I were single and looking to meet people, then that's a great configuration. Came over to AA, have 688,000 BIS miles and was hoping to make it to lifetime gold. Yet I'm the dope that keeps thinking that has value???? I flew 135K this year and spent 18K, some of that was thru the great Barclay card bonuses, but that's going to be harder to make. In sum, there is NO more low hanging fruit with any airline. I believe it's going to be in my best interests to just pony up for F or B whenever I fly and if that's not possible fly UA because I'll be guaranteed a bulkhead or exit row seat in crunch class. OR I could lose 50 pounds and shrink 8 inches so I can fit in any piece of s__t seat the airlines graciously offer to ferry me to my destinations.

It means that you will need to spend $15K in 2019 to qualify for the 2020 year

I was on the fence about booking a C ticket on another airline for next year. This makes that decision easier now. Instead of actively booking OW tickets to get EXP (Ill be at 14k eqd this year), I'll settle for PP and more competitive pricing on flights. With my travel patterns, what am I really out? Some SWU's that rarely clear in advance anymore? Lower down on the upgrade list for the 3 times a year I fly this ragged airline? What hurts the most is going to be loosing the free redeposit on award tickets. I have a tendency to change them. I guess with some of the money I save, I'll still come out ahead!