Efrem

(Did a search, couldn't find an answer or a relevant recent thread to tack this onto.)

Back in the day, in addition to meeting either an EQM or EQS requirement (no minimum EQD at the time), one had to fly at least four segments on AA metal for any elite level. Didn't matter how many partner miles you earned - if you didn't do that, no status. Anecdotally, the requirement wasn't always enforced, but it was in the rules.

A check of this page (AAdvantage Elite Status) on aa.com didn't find any mention of this requirement. Does anyone know if it still exists? If it does, does anyone have any recent data points on enforcement?

(Reason for asking: My wife and I have paid J/PE travel to Australia/New Zealand and Japan booked for the first half of 2019, plenty of EQMs and EQDs for her to get Platinum and perhaps to put us both within shouting distance of Platinum Pro before year's end, but - thanks to an AS code-share and JL's BOS-NRT njo-stop, only two segments are on AA metal.)

dantheflyingman

There is no minimum segment requirement on AA (unlike UA, for example).

MADPhil

It was removed when they introduced the EQD requirement.

carlosdca

Have you considered accruing to the partner FF program?

I have a trip early next year on BA F to the middle east and I will immediately qualify for BA Silver (Plat equivalent), while on AA I would just get to GLD (which I already have as life time). I will accrue to BA this time.
The disadvantage is no domestic upgrades for me but on the other hand I will get club access on domestic flights; and being LAX based, PLT upgrades are rare, so will not be missing much.

Just something to think about.

Efrem

I suspected that might be the case, but having been away from AA for a while wasn't sure. Thanks!

Good thinking ... but, actually, we did. Next year's travel pattern is a bit of an aberration for us. In general, AA miles, a bunch of AA 500-mile upgrades, and AA status is far more useful to us than miles and status on any one partner. The only downside is no AC access for domestic travel, but that's not huge. Plus, in my case, these flights (if credited to AA) will cover a lot of what I need to reach 3MM. In my wife's case, crediting them elsewhere would result in orphan miles in two places rather than enough AA miles to be genuinely useful.

That said, I'll take another look to be sure.