June 2021 EQM/EQD Boosts
Jun 3, 2021, 12:36 pm
#46
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,226
So I think that we know the answer to the question "Will there be fewer EPs next year" ... answer, "no." With a butt-in-seat spend of $6,000 after this incentive and the $3,000 Barclaycard EQD incentive, seems like for every one 2019 EP who falls short because of the absence of international business travel, there will be at least one 2019 person who got to Plat or PP on high domestic flying who is back to normal or who has been buying a lot of J and F for leisure.
Jun 3, 2021, 1:22 pm
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Wanting First. Buying First.
Programs: Lifetime Executive Diamond Platinum VIP with Braniff, Eastern, Midway, National & Pan Am
Posts: 17,490
**unless of course you are talking about a direct flight but there are very few of those left in the system. Are there any one-stop same flight number through flights left on AA these days?
And then there's the minority of FlyerTalkers that has figured out that status is a joke and loyalty is for chumps!
Jun 3, 2021, 1:33 pm
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Wanting First. Buying First.
Programs: Lifetime Executive Diamond Platinum VIP with Braniff, Eastern, Midway, National & Pan Am
Posts: 17,490
Taking the free EQDs and EQMs is one thing. I did. But please tell me no one here was dumb enough to shell out the $495 to buy more EQMs.
Jun 3, 2021, 1:46 pm
#50
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
I have no idea why someone would think "status" is a "joke." It's not what it used to be but anyone thinks we'd stay in the 2008/2009 days of DQEMs and a 98% upgrade rate for EXPs really is smoking something.
I know one thing if I couldn't afford F/J for every flight no how no way I'd ever want to be some person boarding in Group 8 and shoved into 32E. When I look at my "relationship" with AA, such that it is, I know I'm getting the better end of the bargain. Last night I flew home to MIA from LGA, paid $90 for the fare, upgraded into F and given a couple of drinks and the high school cafeteria sandwich. I certainly made out better than the non status flyer that also paid $90 and for his/her $90 got them sandwiched in between a couple of POS (increasingly common in society) in seat 28E and got a soft drink.
Not everyone, me included, can always pay for a premium cabin. I do when the "price is right" but sometimes the "price ain't right."
I know one thing if I couldn't afford F/J for every flight no how no way I'd ever want to be some person boarding in Group 8 and shoved into 32E. When I look at my "relationship" with AA, such that it is, I know I'm getting the better end of the bargain. Last night I flew home to MIA from LGA, paid $90 for the fare, upgraded into F and given a couple of drinks and the high school cafeteria sandwich. I certainly made out better than the non status flyer that also paid $90 and for his/her $90 got them sandwiched in between a couple of POS (increasingly common in society) in seat 28E and got a soft drink.
Not everyone, me included, can always pay for a premium cabin. I do when the "price is right" but sometimes the "price ain't right."
Jun 3, 2021, 2:06 pm
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Wanting First. Buying First.
Programs: Lifetime Executive Diamond Platinum VIP with Braniff, Eastern, Midway, National & Pan Am
Posts: 17,490
I know one thing if I couldn't afford F/J for every flight no how no way I'd ever want to be some person boarding in Group 8 and shoved into 32E. When I look at my "relationship" with AA, such that it is, I know I'm getting the better end of the bargain. Last night I flew home to MIA from LGA, paid $90 for the fare, upgraded into F and given a couple of drinks and the high school cafeteria sandwich. I certainly made out better than the non status flyer that also paid $90 and for his/her $90 got them sandwiched in between a couple of POS (increasingly common in society) in seat 28E and got a soft drink.
If you're naturally enjoying EXP status without shelling out any incremental cash to chase it, good for you. Good for you as long as you're not flying sub-optimal flights, routings, airlines, etc. or spending more than you would on a comparable OA flight just to be loyal, that is. With these bonuses I may be an EXP by the end of the year. Or I may barely requalify for PLT. Either way, IDGAF. Whatever status I earn will be that. I'm not going to spend extra money to chase higher status when that incremental spend is better channeled to just buying first when I want it.
Not everyone, me included, can always pay for a premium cabin. I do when the "price is right" but sometimes the "price ain't right."
Jun 3, 2021, 2:23 pm
#53
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 5,510
The $495 goes directly towards EQDs, too.....$295 is not a bad price for 10k EQMs & $495 EQDs if one is close to the next level....
Jun 3, 2021, 2:25 pm
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Wanting First. Buying First.
Programs: Lifetime Executive Diamond Platinum VIP with Braniff, Eastern, Midway, National & Pan Am
Posts: 17,490
Only if you have no other way to spend the AMEX airline ancillary fee credit does your math work.
Jun 3, 2021, 2:35 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,011
Jun 3, 2021, 2:39 pm
#56
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 5,510
Jun 3, 2021, 2:47 pm
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Wanting First. Buying First.
Programs: Lifetime Executive Diamond Platinum VIP with Braniff, Eastern, Midway, National & Pan Am
Posts: 17,490
Well then if the $200 credit is truly otherwise completely unusable then I'd say your math is valid and it's correct to treat the cost of buying EQMs as $295.
If that $200 AMEX credit has any other use to you though, then your math is invalid in my opinion as it ignores opportunity cost.
If that $200 AMEX credit has any other use to you though, then your math is invalid in my opinion as it ignores opportunity cost.
Jun 3, 2021, 3:02 pm
#58
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
has anyone verified if it does? I never get any value from that since they cutoff the gift card loophole…
Jun 3, 2021, 3:04 pm
#59
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
This is very helpful to me. I have about $7400EQD booked so far for the year, covering all my travel through early October. It was going to be way harder to book another $4600 than $1600.
I doubt I'll need the EQM's, but it's worth calculating. It's trivial (at least for me) to get 80K EQMs while spending $12K, but $9K is a different matter.
I doubt I'll need the EQM's, but it's worth calculating. It's trivial (at least for me) to get 80K EQMs while spending $12K, but $9K is a different matter.
Jun 3, 2021, 3:21 pm
#60
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Gold
Posts: 181