Avoiding the 75K Mileage Cap
Dec 28, 2018, 1:00 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
It seems that the OP was interested in getting maximum AA RDM, and just proposed a solution with a modicum of comfort, especially for a relatively short flight.
Dec 28, 2018, 1:08 pm
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,584
before going to premium economy on AA, I would be looking at prices of other airlines. With $6000 saving , could use that to buy a business class or 1st class r/t ticket on quite a few long routes rather than use miles to try and get a business class award ticket
If it isn't a case where price matters and any saving would be going to someone else, thne just taking the 75,000 miles would be better than downgrading
Dec 28, 2018, 1:19 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
It seemed that the person was planning to spend $9000 on flight to London and wanted to know if it was possible to avoid the cap
before going to premium economy on AA, I would be looking at prices of other airlines. With $6000 saving , could use that to buy a business class or 1st class r/t ticket on quite a few long routes rather than use miles to try and get a business class award ticket
If it isn't a case where price matters and any saving would be going to someone else, thne just taking the 75,000 miles would be better than downgrading
before going to premium economy on AA, I would be looking at prices of other airlines. With $6000 saving , could use that to buy a business class or 1st class r/t ticket on quite a few long routes rather than use miles to try and get a business class award ticket
If it isn't a case where price matters and any saving would be going to someone else, thne just taking the 75,000 miles would be better than downgrading
Dec 28, 2018, 1:49 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Boston, MA,
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, Delta PM, *wood Ambassador Plat, Marriott Self-Imposed Exile
Posts: 679
Thanks Everyone... I guess I should have posted more detail... it's a corporate ticket and AA is the most convenient airline for me given my top domestic routes, BOS: DCA, BOS:ORD, BOS
FW, so I'm pretty loyal to them... the 3-4 international trips I do a year are usually multi city and so I stay pretty loyal to AA/OneWorld.
I was mostly irritated by the cap. I only recently learned about the cap bc I did BOS:SIN (with stops in either HKG or NRT) and they capped me at 75K, even though the ticket was $11K.
FW, so I'm pretty loyal to them... the 3-4 international trips I do a year are usually multi city and so I stay pretty loyal to AA/OneWorld. I was mostly irritated by the cap. I only recently learned about the cap bc I did BOS:SIN (with stops in either HKG or NRT) and they capped me at 75K, even though the ticket was $11K.
Jan 1, 2019, 7:16 pm
#20
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: UA 1K and PP, AA PPro (3MM, former CK), Marriott Ambassador and LTT, Uber One
Posts: 1,347
I truly don't understand the rationale behind this. I would love to understand because there must be something I'm missing. And as implied by another poster, it penalizes frequent fliers the most. It seems that if they are going to have a cap of some kind, then they should say that only a certain number of dollars will be used in the RDM calculation.
Jan 1, 2019, 7:33 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,231
The vast, vast majority of tickets subject to the 75k cap are not being funded by the passenger earning the miles. I don’t think it’s wholly unreasonable to put some limit on earnings, though it does seem unfair that the most frequent fliers are most likely to bump up against the cap. To me it might make more sense to tie the limit to the $ spend, and perhaps scale down the multiplier over certain thresholds. Eg, full RDMs up to $6k, 50% btwn $6-10K, 25% on spend over $10k.
Jan 2, 2019, 2:10 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,133
The vast, vast majority of tickets subject to the 75k cap are not being funded by the passenger earning the miles. I don’t think it’s wholly unreasonable to put some limit on earnings, though it does seem unfair that the most frequent fliers are most likely to bump up against the cap. To me it might make more sense to tie the limit to the $ spend, and perhaps scale down the multiplier over certain thresholds. Eg, full RDMs up to $6k, 50% btwn $6-10K, 25% on spend over $10k.
The 75k cap is there to save the airline money plain and simple. It limits their liability in outstanding award miles to be redeemed. The calculus involved likely takes into account that very few actually hit the cap so it’s not a large sample of flyers who are affected.
Jan 2, 2019, 2:20 am
#23
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,584
Corporates which are booking these fares may well be getting rebates back from airline based on amount spent, so for these there is a difference with who is paying.
Outside of corporate puchases, are there that many EP members buying tickets costing > USD6800 r/t - for a regular member, it would take $15,000 spend to reach the cap, and these I suspect are few n far between - especially since it is only travel on AA marketed flights which credits based on a dollar spend
There is a cap, i suspect, due to other carriers having a cap and so no reason for it not to
Outside of corporate puchases, are there that many EP members buying tickets costing > USD6800 r/t - for a regular member, it would take $15,000 spend to reach the cap, and these I suspect are few n far between - especially since it is only travel on AA marketed flights which credits based on a dollar spend
There is a cap, i suspect, due to other carriers having a cap and so no reason for it not to