Dec 17, 2021, 11:25 am
Last edit by: jbeckett
American Airlines announced that starting in 2022, the way to earn Elite status has changed. No more Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM), Elite Qualifying Segments (EQS), or Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQD)!
Now, you can get AA Elite status by earning Loyalty Points (LPs): https://aadvantagestatus.com/?anchor...=newaadvantage
How many LPs do I need for elite status?
How do I earn LPs?
Flying
What you get for redeemable miles (RDM) is what you'll get for LPs.
AA and B6 flights:
No status: 5 LPs per $ spent in base fare plus fees (excludes taxes)
Gold: 7 LPs per $
Platinum: 8 LPs per $
Plat Pro: 9 LPs per $
EXP: 11 LPs per $
Partner flights (other than B6):
Distance flown x accrual rate* x (1 + cabin bonus + elite bonus**)
* Certain discount fares earn less than 100% of miles flown. In those cases, the discounted accrual rate (0% to 75% depending on the partner and the fare class) should be applied to the flown miles. Otherwise, the accrual rate is 100%. If there is a cabin bonus, it should not be added to the accrual rate; it is applied separately within the parentheses. The accrual rate can never be more than 100%.
** 40% for GLD, 60% for PLT, 80% for PRO, 120% for EXP.
So for example, an EXP on a 5000-mile flight on QR booked in J would earn 5000 x 100% x (1 + 25% + 120%) = 5000 x 1 x 2.45 = 12250 LPs.
A PLT on the same flight booked in P would earn 5000 x 75% x (1 + 0% + 60%) = 5000 x .75 x 1.6 = 6000 LPs.
Earning chart for QR
Here's a great online LP calculator:
https://lpcalculator.com/#/calculator/
AAdvantage non-flying partners:
Generally, 1 LP per base mile earned. But in many cases you can earn large bonuses that post as base miles; see link here: https://exploreamerican.com/newaadva...nloyaltypoints
There are differences among how these programs work, ranging from minor to significant, in terms of awarding LPs. You will need to skim through the thread as there are too many different promo offers to address here. But here are the popular ones:
BookAAHotels and RocketMiles: You can earn large mileage bonuses here, separated into "base" miles and "promo" miles by the portals. For now they are all posting as base miles on aa.com, but there is a suspicion that the "promo" miles may start posting as bonus miles (and so would not count as LP). You don't even have to actually check in or stay at the hotel as long as you pay for the stay.
SimplyMiles: You must link a MasterCard to the account. Then you can add their promos to your card by activating the offers. When you accept one of their offers and then pay for it using your linked card, you will get the associated miles which currently post as base miles on aa.com.
AAdvantage eShopping: Once you click through the AAdvantage eShopping portal to a vendor offer and make a purchase, you will eventually get the associated miles posted to your AAdvantage account as both redeemable miles and Loyalty Points. If the merchant advertises an increase in the miles per dollar spent, you'll earn the higher amount in both redeemable miles and an equal number of Loyalty Points. The same applies if a merchant advertises a higher fixed amount per purchase, rather than a per dollar amount. Examples of this would appear on the portal as, "Extra miles. Was 1 mile/$. Now earn 3 miles/$" or "Extra miles. Was up to 3700 miles. Now up to 6200 miles." However, if the website advertises a "Limited-time bonus offer" for "bonus miles" after meeting a spending threshold, that bonus will only post as redeemable miles and not Loyalty Points. If a bonus is offered for some site-wide activity such as 1000 miles for installing an extension, or 500 miles for enrolling in the portal, or 2000 miles for meeting a spending threshold across multiple merchants, the bonus will only post as redeemable miles and not Loyalty Points.
(If a vendor has offers with both SimplyMiles and eShopping, activate the offer on SimplyMiles first and then make the purchase through eShopping with the MasterCard linked to your SimplyMiles account. Apparently that you can get a double-dip. You can also get a double-dip by stacking the promos with discount offers from your credit card issuers, basically reducing the cost to you.
Booking directly with hotels, car rental companies, etc.: The picture here is a bit unclear but it appears that if you book with a hotel that offers 5x miles, only 1 mile will post as base and the rest as bonus.
Credit card spend:
1 LP per $ spent on an AA branded card (except for one card which earns 0.50 LP per $ and several non-US cards which earn 2 LP per $). See the list of cards, and a lot more small print here: https://creditcards.aa.com/aadvantag...hange_ExecCard
What about spending bonuses?
E.g., your card gives 2x miles for hotels, or 3x for AA purchases, etc etc. These do NOT count.
These bonuses count:
Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard (the $450 annual fee card that gives Admirals Club access): 10K LP bonus when hitting $40K spend for the year.
AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard: 5K LP bonus when hitting $20K spend, another 5K LP bonus when hitting $40K spend, and another 5K LP bonus when hitting $50K spend for the year.
Do miles earned at Bask Bank count?
No.
Will Loyalty Points count toward Million Miler℠ status?
No, Million Miler℠ status will still be earned the same way as today, based on miles earned from flying with American and its partners.
Now, you can get AA Elite status by earning Loyalty Points (LPs): https://aadvantagestatus.com/?anchor...=newaadvantage
How many LPs do I need for elite status?
Code:
Gold: 40K Platinum: 75K Plat Pro: 125K EXP: 200K
Flying
What you get for redeemable miles (RDM) is what you'll get for LPs.
AA and B6 flights:
No status: 5 LPs per $ spent in base fare plus fees (excludes taxes)
Gold: 7 LPs per $
Platinum: 8 LPs per $
Plat Pro: 9 LPs per $
EXP: 11 LPs per $
Partner flights (other than B6):
Distance flown x accrual rate* x (1 + cabin bonus + elite bonus**)
* Certain discount fares earn less than 100% of miles flown. In those cases, the discounted accrual rate (0% to 75% depending on the partner and the fare class) should be applied to the flown miles. Otherwise, the accrual rate is 100%. If there is a cabin bonus, it should not be added to the accrual rate; it is applied separately within the parentheses. The accrual rate can never be more than 100%.
** 40% for GLD, 60% for PLT, 80% for PRO, 120% for EXP.
So for example, an EXP on a 5000-mile flight on QR booked in J would earn 5000 x 100% x (1 + 25% + 120%) = 5000 x 1 x 2.45 = 12250 LPs.
A PLT on the same flight booked in P would earn 5000 x 75% x (1 + 0% + 60%) = 5000 x .75 x 1.6 = 6000 LPs.
Earning chart for QR
Here's a great online LP calculator:
https://lpcalculator.com/#/calculator/
AAdvantage non-flying partners:
Generally, 1 LP per base mile earned. But in many cases you can earn large bonuses that post as base miles; see link here: https://exploreamerican.com/newaadva...nloyaltypoints
There are differences among how these programs work, ranging from minor to significant, in terms of awarding LPs. You will need to skim through the thread as there are too many different promo offers to address here. But here are the popular ones:
BookAAHotels and RocketMiles: You can earn large mileage bonuses here, separated into "base" miles and "promo" miles by the portals. For now they are all posting as base miles on aa.com, but there is a suspicion that the "promo" miles may start posting as bonus miles (and so would not count as LP). You don't even have to actually check in or stay at the hotel as long as you pay for the stay.
SimplyMiles: You must link a MasterCard to the account. Then you can add their promos to your card by activating the offers. When you accept one of their offers and then pay for it using your linked card, you will get the associated miles which currently post as base miles on aa.com.
AAdvantage eShopping: Once you click through the AAdvantage eShopping portal to a vendor offer and make a purchase, you will eventually get the associated miles posted to your AAdvantage account as both redeemable miles and Loyalty Points. If the merchant advertises an increase in the miles per dollar spent, you'll earn the higher amount in both redeemable miles and an equal number of Loyalty Points. The same applies if a merchant advertises a higher fixed amount per purchase, rather than a per dollar amount. Examples of this would appear on the portal as, "Extra miles. Was 1 mile/$. Now earn 3 miles/$" or "Extra miles. Was up to 3700 miles. Now up to 6200 miles." However, if the website advertises a "Limited-time bonus offer" for "bonus miles" after meeting a spending threshold, that bonus will only post as redeemable miles and not Loyalty Points. If a bonus is offered for some site-wide activity such as 1000 miles for installing an extension, or 500 miles for enrolling in the portal, or 2000 miles for meeting a spending threshold across multiple merchants, the bonus will only post as redeemable miles and not Loyalty Points.
- A separate thread exists to discuss the AAdvantage eShopping portal
- Another thread exists to discuss using the portal for a particular merchant, giftcards.com
- For additional questions about buying and using gift cards, refer to the separate Manufactured Spending forum.
(If a vendor has offers with both SimplyMiles and eShopping, activate the offer on SimplyMiles first and then make the purchase through eShopping with the MasterCard linked to your SimplyMiles account. Apparently that you can get a double-dip. You can also get a double-dip by stacking the promos with discount offers from your credit card issuers, basically reducing the cost to you.
Booking directly with hotels, car rental companies, etc.: The picture here is a bit unclear but it appears that if you book with a hotel that offers 5x miles, only 1 mile will post as base and the rest as bonus.
Credit card spend:
1 LP per $ spent on an AA branded card (except for one card which earns 0.50 LP per $ and several non-US cards which earn 2 LP per $). See the list of cards, and a lot more small print here: https://creditcards.aa.com/aadvantag...hange_ExecCard
What about spending bonuses?
E.g., your card gives 2x miles for hotels, or 3x for AA purchases, etc etc. These do NOT count.
These bonuses count:
Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard (the $450 annual fee card that gives Admirals Club access): 10K LP bonus when hitting $40K spend for the year.
AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard: 5K LP bonus when hitting $20K spend, another 5K LP bonus when hitting $40K spend, and another 5K LP bonus when hitting $50K spend for the year.
Do miles earned at Bask Bank count?
No.
Will Loyalty Points count toward Million Miler℠ status?
No, Million Miler℠ status will still be earned the same way as today, based on miles earned from flying with American and its partners.
Loyalty Points discussion/questions - From 2022 now used for determining elite status
Jan 31, 2022, 9:59 am
#1861
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, AA Plat, UA Silver, Delta Silver
Posts: 453
Is it really? For our bonsai ninjas here, AA's "documentation" specifically mentions FTD purchases as qualifying for Loyalty Points yet reports here are that zero FTD spend is counting as base miles. So, they'll have to either convert promo miles into Loyalty Points in March or retract what they've published already. Until we see in March, I'm not placing much confidence in what AA has provided thus far. YMMV.
-FlyerBeek
-FlyerBeek
FTD does also ask you for your AA # at checkout also.
Jan 31, 2022, 12:30 pm
#1862
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 192
If you look at the fine print on FTD website it says that miles earned do not count toward elite status (this is my first post so I'm not allowed to attach the screenshot.), i.e. are bonus miles. Super frustrating but a good lesson that there will be "gotchas" and fine print that needs to be read before making purchases for the goal of earning loyalty points. AVOID FTD, they also do not allow you to combine free shipping privileges (FTD gold members get free shipping) with the AA miles promotion and the shipping fees are exorbitant.
Jan 31, 2022, 12:50 pm
#1863
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
I've noticed that on the shopping portal there's fine print that the FTD purchases are not awarded through the shopping portal but through FTD directly. Perhaps this is part of the issue in why they're showing up as "bonuses". AA/FTD IT hasn't gotten around to coding them properly.
FTD does also ask you for your AA # at checkout also.
FTD does also ask you for your AA # at checkout also.
If you look at the fine print on FTD website it says that miles earned do not count toward elite status (this is my first post so I'm not allowed to attach the screenshot.), i.e. are bonus miles. Super frustrating but a good lesson that there will be "gotchas" and fine print that needs to be read before making purchases for the goal of earning loyalty points. AVOID FTD, they also do not allow you to combine free shipping privileges (FTD gold members get free shipping) with the AA miles promotion and the shipping fees are exorbitant.
Jan 31, 2022, 5:55 pm
#1864
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
However, beware of promotions earning bonus miles. Those probably won't count.
Jan 31, 2022, 8:10 pm
#1865
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,913
If you look at the fine print on FTD website it says that miles earned do not count toward elite status (this is my first post so I'm not allowed to attach the screenshot.), i.e. are bonus miles. Super frustrating but a good lesson that there will be "gotchas" and fine print that needs to be read before making purchases for the goal of earning loyalty points...
On the ground: All base miles earned from spending with Loyalty Point-qualifying partners. Base offers vary by partner. Eligible partner base offers include:...
- Retail: Shell, WeWork, Vinesse, FTD, Vivid Seats, NRG Energy, Reliant Energy, Xoom, Miles for Opinion
-FlyerBeek
Jan 31, 2022, 11:13 pm
#1866
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: District of Columbia
Programs: AA ExecPl, AT Gold, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Diamond, Hilton Diamond, National
Posts: 2,440
It was nice to get an email from an actual human in my response to AA Customer Service asking for clarity on the LPs earning, even though it shows that the AAdvantage reps are as in the dark as we are on qualifying Loyalty Points:
We're so glad you contacted us. It's always our pleasure to assist our
valued AAdvantage Platinum Pro members.
I don't have a complete list that I can send you of which partners earn
loyalty points. I went to AA.com and searched by loyalty points. I
opened the link and clicked on read about changes under more ways to
earn status with loyalty points. Any bonus points will not count towards
your elite status just the base miles. If the base miles on the Dining
program are 5 than that will count. If on the cruise you earn 1 per $
and get a 10,000 mile bonus for booking balcony then only the base miles
count not the 10,000 bonus. I am sure we will have the web site updated
soon to indicate which partners earn loyalty points.
Hope you had a wonderful weekend.
valued AAdvantage Platinum Pro members.
I don't have a complete list that I can send you of which partners earn
loyalty points. I went to AA.com and searched by loyalty points. I
opened the link and clicked on read about changes under more ways to
earn status with loyalty points. Any bonus points will not count towards
your elite status just the base miles. If the base miles on the Dining
program are 5 than that will count. If on the cruise you earn 1 per $
and get a 10,000 mile bonus for booking balcony then only the base miles
count not the 10,000 bonus. I am sure we will have the web site updated
soon to indicate which partners earn loyalty points.
Hope you had a wonderful weekend.
Feb 1, 2022, 10:21 am
#1867
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
Wanted to stop in for another "new program reality check."
As of the most recent flight I booked for us, we're 69% of the way (137761 LP) to EXP. I also kept a sheet for the "old" way and put the same flights in there.
With the same flights we'd have 105K EQM and 14,656 EQD, so 98% done.
Sigh...
Cheers.
As of the most recent flight I booked for us, we're 69% of the way (137761 LP) to EXP. I also kept a sheet for the "old" way and put the same flights in there.
With the same flights we'd have 105K EQM and 14,656 EQD, so 98% done.
Sigh...
Cheers.
Feb 1, 2022, 10:23 am
#1868
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP / LT PLT / 3MM, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 35,388
Wanted to stop in for another "new program reality check."
As of the most recent flight I booked for us, we're 69% of the way (137761 LP) to EXP. I also kept a sheet for the "old" way and put the same flights in there.
With the same flights we'd have 105K EQM and 14,656 EQD, so 98% done.
Sigh...
Cheers.
As of the most recent flight I booked for us, we're 69% of the way (137761 LP) to EXP. I also kept a sheet for the "old" way and put the same flights in there.
With the same flights we'd have 105K EQM and 14,656 EQD, so 98% done.
Sigh...
Cheers.
Feb 1, 2022, 10:38 am
#1869
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
I realize that this is now the landscape but, for us, spending to do this comes with a noticeable loss.
Now, if they ever let AA RDM -> Hyatt (unlikely) this won't suck so much.
Cheers.
Feb 1, 2022, 10:48 am
#1870
Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: CMI
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 106
Feb 1, 2022, 10:53 am
#1871
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 265
Wanted to stop in for another "new program reality check."
As of the most recent flight I booked for us, we're 69% of the way (137761 LP) to EXP. I also kept a sheet for the "old" way and put the same flights in there.
With the same flights we'd have 105K EQM and 14,656 EQD, so 98% done.
Sigh...
Cheers.
As of the most recent flight I booked for us, we're 69% of the way (137761 LP) to EXP. I also kept a sheet for the "old" way and put the same flights in there.
With the same flights we'd have 105K EQM and 14,656 EQD, so 98% done.
Sigh...
Cheers.
Now, to be honest, if you're interested in the shopping portals and such it's really not hard to get ~20k LP with little spend (either money or time, lol), plus I'm sure there will be spending promos and the like which will help make up most of the difference. Also, if you're already booking your AA flights on an AA CC (which I don't, for the record, and don't plan to start doing), you're effectively adding a +1 to each multiplier, which I imagine AA is hoping people do (i.e., $3k spend for Gold would get you 24k LP once you add in the 3k LP from the CC spend). But for everyone else (which is going to be the vast majority of frequent flyers, I would imagine)? Unless you tended to be really far ahead of the EQD requirements, you better start putting $$$ on your AA credit cards.
And perhaps I'm reading way too much into this, but it's interesting to me that the gap from Plat to PPro is 50k and then there's a 75k gap from PPro to ExP. Makes me wonder if they wanted there to be a 25k gap from Gold to Plat (so the gap would increase 25k LP per level, and which would make the Gold requirement 50k LP) but they set Gold lower because they weren't really sure how things would play out in practice. Either way, if they end up with too many Golds, it wouldn't surprise me at all if they raise the Gold requirement to 50k LP (which would give it the equivalent of a ~$7k EQD requirement; brutal, tbh).
Feb 1, 2022, 11:11 am
#1872
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,313
It hasn't been discussed much recently, but the LP program really is a lot harder to qualify for just by flying, particularly at the lower levels. For example, Gold used to require $3k EQD. At that level of spend under the new system, you'd earn $3k x 7 = 21k LP. (I realize that due to partner flights and some other things, that calculation may not transfer perfectly, but I think you all get the idea and I'm not trying to or able to calculate every possible situation.) But now Gold requires 30k LP, a 43% increase. For Platinum, $6k EQD, which would get you $6k x 8 = 48k LP, while Platinum now requires 75k LP, a 56% increase. PPro, $9k x 9 = 81k LP, while now requiring 125k LP (54% increase). ExP is the only one without a massive increase - "only" 21%.
Now, to be honest, if you're interested in the shopping portals and such it's really not hard to get ~20k LP with little spend (either money or time, lol), plus I'm sure there will be spending promos and the like which will help make up most of the difference. Also, if you're already booking your AA flights on an AA CC (which I don't, for the record, and don't plan to start doing), you're effectively adding a +1 to each multiplier, which I imagine AA is hoping people do (i.e., $3k spend for Gold would get you 24k LP once you add in the 3k LP from the CC spend). But for everyone else (which is going to be the vast majority of frequent flyers, I would imagine)? Unless you tended to be really far ahead of the EQD requirements, you better start putting $$$ on your AA credit cards.
And perhaps I'm reading way too much into this, but it's interesting to me that the gap from Plat to PPro is 50k and then there's a 75k gap from PPro to ExP. Makes me wonder if they wanted there to be a 25k gap from Gold to Plat (so the gap would increase 25k LP per level, and which would make the Gold requirement 50k LP) but they set Gold lower because they weren't really sure how things would play out in practice. Either way, if they end up with too many Golds, it wouldn't surprise me at all if they raise the Gold requirement to 50k LP (which would give it the equivalent of a ~$7k EQD requirement; brutal, tbh).
Now, to be honest, if you're interested in the shopping portals and such it's really not hard to get ~20k LP with little spend (either money or time, lol), plus I'm sure there will be spending promos and the like which will help make up most of the difference. Also, if you're already booking your AA flights on an AA CC (which I don't, for the record, and don't plan to start doing), you're effectively adding a +1 to each multiplier, which I imagine AA is hoping people do (i.e., $3k spend for Gold would get you 24k LP once you add in the 3k LP from the CC spend). But for everyone else (which is going to be the vast majority of frequent flyers, I would imagine)? Unless you tended to be really far ahead of the EQD requirements, you better start putting $$$ on your AA credit cards.
And perhaps I'm reading way too much into this, but it's interesting to me that the gap from Plat to PPro is 50k and then there's a 75k gap from PPro to ExP. Makes me wonder if they wanted there to be a 25k gap from Gold to Plat (so the gap would increase 25k LP per level, and which would make the Gold requirement 50k LP) but they set Gold lower because they weren't really sure how things would play out in practice. Either way, if they end up with too many Golds, it wouldn't surprise me at all if they raise the Gold requirement to 50k LP (which would give it the equivalent of a ~$7k EQD requirement; brutal, tbh).
2021 was EQM requirement of 20/40/60/80k miles and various spending amounts...20k difference for each level
and now with LPs its 30/75/125/200k LPs 20k,,,30/45/50/75 difference for each level
so it's a bigger stretch to each subsequent level than the one before. Makes Exec Plat all the more "elite" I guess in some ways? Not EP so I don't care!
Feb 1, 2022, 11:45 am
#1874
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Wanted to stop in for another "new program reality check."
As of the most recent flight I booked for us, we're 69% of the way (137761 LP) to EXP. I also kept a sheet for the "old" way and put the same flights in there.
With the same flights we'd have 105K EQM and 14,656 EQD, so 98% done.
Sigh...
Cheers.
As of the most recent flight I booked for us, we're 69% of the way (137761 LP) to EXP. I also kept a sheet for the "old" way and put the same flights in there.
With the same flights we'd have 105K EQM and 14,656 EQD, so 98% done.
Sigh...
Cheers.
If you combine it with other ways to get miles it can be better.
Feb 1, 2022, 12:08 pm
#1875
Join Date: Sep 2020
Programs: AA EXP, BA Gold, VS Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,947
True. But that means that we don't get to use our Hyatt Visa card for this and earn Hyatt points (way, way, way more useful to us that AA RDM) and Hyatt status. Or Chase Sapphire that transfers to Hyatt. So, sure, we can do it. But it comes at a tradeoff loss and returns no appreciable value other than "making up the difference."
I realize that this is now the landscape but, for us, spending to do this comes with a noticeable loss.
Now, if they ever let AA RDM -> Hyatt (unlikely) this won't suck so much.
Cheers.
I realize that this is now the landscape but, for us, spending to do this comes with a noticeable loss.
Now, if they ever let AA RDM -> Hyatt (unlikely) this won't suck so much.
Cheers.