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Help! I need ....... by a certain date / the end of the year / to (re)qualify.
Earning status:
Link to AAdvantage status requirements page on AA.com
Link to AAdvantage status benefits page on AA.com

If you have not received a buy back offer or would like to see your offer (if any), you can see it by visiting https://elite.aa.com

You must earn the requisite Elite Qualifying Miles or flown Elite Qualifying Segments in one calendar year as well as earning the requisite Elite Qualifying Dollar spend. That earns status for the remainder of the current and the following status years: earn during 2017, status persists through 31 Jan 2019. You must fly to earn; There’s no way to earn EQ instruments for yourself flying someone else or no-showing for a purchased flight.

You must earn the requisite number of Elite Qualifying Dollars. For the thread on EQD, see here.

See FAQ: Earning EQD / Elite Qualifying Dollars on AA and partner airlines (2017 on)

Renewing status:
AA once used to offer "grace" if one was just short of achieving status, particularly if one was reachieving, by earning Elite Qualifying Miles or Segments; that hasn't been the case in recent years. Choices are:

1) Requalifying, but just missing the goal? AA has the buyback / renew / boost program, enabling you to purchase back status if you fall short of requalifying by stipulated levels.
2018 Buyback / Renew / Boost Program for Status year 2019.

NOTES:

• Flights flown as marketed by AA (AA codeshare) earn as if one is flying AA. (It doesn't matter where one purchased the ticketed - the word "marketed" doesn't mean where you purchased the ticket.) But watch those Basic Economy fares!
• Through flights with a single flight number such as MIA-PHX-SFO will count as a single segment and only earn miles as if flown MIA-SFO.
• One no longer must fly at least 4 segments on American Airlines or American Eagle to qualify for AAdvantage status within the qualifying year. (AA marketed / AA codeshares do count for this. This requirement no longer is in effect, but there is a minimum dollar spend requirement -MQD - as well as EQM or EQS.)
• EQMs do not include class-of-service bonus miles, elite bonuses, other participant miles, any other AAdvantage bonus mileage, or miles obtained from BuyMiles, GiftMiles or the offer you get when buying a ticket or checking in.
• If you were involuntarily rerouted losing EQM / EQS, you might want to read FAQ: Involuntary Reroute and Original Routing Credit (ORC) (consolidated)
• Two AAdvantage credit cards award EQM for high annual spenders: Citi Executive card and the Barclaycard Aviator Silver offer EQM at certain spend points, and the latter offers EQD offset. See your current card benefits for the amounts. (These are merely for status purposes, not Million Miler, etc.) Some Barclaycard Aviator cards also award EQD credit.
• AA has introduced new "Basic Fares"; be aware of many restrictions.

Guide to AAdvantage elite status (requirements and benefits) on aa.com

Some links to resources and tools:
Use tools available (Google Flights, ITA Matrix by Google, etc.) to find flights for "mileage runs" or "segment runs" to complete status requirements. There are threads (and aa.com pages) that explain how many EQM you earn on AA and partners' flights

Link to Google Flights (put in the origin only, add your restrictions such as airline or alliances)
Link to FT-AA Thread "Using Google Flights for American Airlines flight searches"
Link to Google ITA Matrix (flights and rules finder)
Link to Innosked oneworld interactive network map and timetable
Link to Great Circle Mapper (miles and distance calculations)
Link to FT Mileage Run Deals forum
Link to FT Premium Fare Deals forum
Link to FT Mileage Run Discussion forum
Link to the 2017-18 thread.
For the 2016 thread, please see: ARCHIVE: 2016 "HELP! I need xx EQM / EQP / EQS by end of year" master thread
For 2015, please see: ARCHIVE: 2015 "HELP! I need XXX EQM / EQP / EQS by end of year" thread

The transaction date is what AA counts for account activity purposes, not the posting date.

Be aware of the difference between the kinds of miles we are discussing.

Those concerned about earning of retaining status are seeking Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) and / or Dollars (EQD), Segments (EQS) to earn in the current calendar year. For that or EQ Segments, see 2016 "I'll be short EQM / EQS for status this year?" & related status earning qq

Others are looking for Award or Redeemable Miles (RDM) which can be spent on various awards and earned in various ways - flying, buying, gifting and even using. Your account redeemable (previously occasionally called "prize-eligible" by AA) miles will remain usable for a period of eighteen months after your last account activity - this can be earning miles in any way, flying or even via using your AA-linked credit card, purchasing miles or renting a car with an AA partner, or using miles by gifting them, donating to charity. To prevent your account from lapsing, you must have account activity in the period of 18 months.

The full AAdvantage Terms and Conditions may be read here, including information on earning, spending and reinstatement possibilities for lapsed miles.

A very few of the more popular ways of earning miles, other than actually flying, include:

• using Barclays, CitiBank and American Express cards linked to AAdvantage; see the AA credit cards page here. There are several threads that can be found on this Forum using the Search function.
• in the USA, signing up for AAdvantage Dining here
• shopping via the AA shopping portal - read about and link to portal here (iTunes for a few miles)
• buying, gifting or sharing AA miles - read more here