Million Miler on AA - easier to earn EXP?
Dec 18, 2021, 10:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Programs: American Executive Platinum
Posts: 368
Million Miler on AA - easier to earn EXP?
Question for folks after having a conversation with a Delta million miler friend. She’s under the impression that each year you essentially start with your million miler status “banked” already. For example, if you need 50,000 “points” to achieve “Level 1” (all hypothetical), and your million miler status gives you “Level 1” each year, then you’d start at the beginning of each earning year with 50,000 points in your account (not to spend, but for qualifying purposes). If Level 2 required 75,000 miles, then you’d only need to earn 25,000 miles each year to get to Level 2.
Can anyone confirm if this is the case with AA?
Can anyone confirm if this is the case with AA?
Dec 18, 2021, 10:52 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: BOS
Programs: AA PP, DL PM
Posts: 2,086
No US airline does it like this currently. Basically you get Gold status each year, but then you would have to meet the published requirements for a higher status (e.g. 75,000 points in your example).
The new Loyalty Point elite qualifying program has not launched yet, but their marketing material does not say they are changing how lifetime status works with the million miler program from how it has in the past.
The new Loyalty Point elite qualifying program has not launched yet, but their marketing material does not say they are changing how lifetime status works with the million miler program from how it has in the past.
Dec 18, 2021, 10:56 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DCA
Programs: UA LT 1K, AA EXP, Bonvoy LT Titan, Avis PC, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,658
Question for folks after having a conversation with a Delta million miler friend. She’s under the impression that each year you essentially start with your million miler status “banked” already. For example, if you need 50,000 “points” to achieve “Level 1” (all hypothetical), and your million miler status gives you “Level 1” each year, then you’d start at the beginning of each earning year with 50,000 points in your account (not to spend, but for qualifying purposes). If Level 2 required 75,000 miles, then you’d only need to earn 25,000 miles each year to get to Level 2.
Can anyone confirm if this is the case with AA?
Can anyone confirm if this is the case with AA?
If you have over 1MM - then you have AA Gold to start - BUT start at 0 to start qualifying to any higher level.
If you have over 2MM - start at AA Plat - but again start at 0 for earning higher.
Dec 18, 2021, 12:04 pm
#4
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
It helps a little, in that if you start from zero, your first earnings from flights will be at 7 points per EQD rather than 5. But that's a rather modest leg up.
Dec 18, 2021, 2:05 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2003
Programs: BA GGL; AA LT Gold; AS 100K; DL MM GM; Hyatt G*list, Hilton Diamond; SQ silver
Posts: 3,806
And in passing, I'm so close to 2MM but won't get there except by accident
Dec 18, 2021, 3:23 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,421
Delta also has rollover MQM, and I'm not sure how that works with lifetime status, but it's possible she is starting with silver and what she thinks is the starting bump are from previous years
Dec 18, 2021, 3:29 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,198
I wish 1MM and 2MM started with the Gold or Platinum LPs, respectively, each year. That would be a nice addition to the MM benefits that would really cost nothing in the grand scheme of things. However, I'm not holding my breath.
Dec 18, 2021, 3:58 pm
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
On DL, in a normal (nonCOVID-19) year, if you have status due only to MM and haven't earned even the lowest status tier, you get no rollover: all of your MQMs vanish around NYE.
Dec 22, 2021, 11:27 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Programs: American Executive Platinum
Posts: 368
Thanks folks - she just earned MM, so she isn't experiencing any rollover related to MM. She's just under the assumption that things will be different than they are. Thanks all for the clarification.
Dec 22, 2021, 3:14 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
But then again - I'm not at all sure the bean counters have ever really understood how to make a frequent flyer program into a real loyalty program.
Dec 23, 2021, 8:41 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Question for folks after having a conversation with a Delta million miler friend. She’s under the impression that each year you essentially start with your million miler status “banked” already. For example, if you need 50,000 “points” to achieve “Level 1” (all hypothetical), and your million miler status gives you “Level 1” each year, then you’d start at the beginning of each earning year with 50,000 points in your account (not to spend, but for qualifying purposes). If Level 2 required 75,000 miles, then you’d only need to earn 25,000 miles each year to get to Level 2.
Can anyone confirm if this is the case with AA?
Can anyone confirm if this is the case with AA?
Dec 27, 2021, 3:44 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Seat 2A
Programs: AA EXP LT GLD 1MM, BA GLD, NH/UA*G, Hyatt Dia, Marr Tit LT PLT, IHG Spire,HH Dia, MGM NOIR,Hertz PC
Posts: 10,571
As other said AA MM means nothing and won't get you any EQM or EQD deposit/advance. It's completely useless for anyone who still actively flies AA during the year.
Same with Marriott Bonvoy LT Platinum. In order to be Titanium I have to stay the full 75 nights or do nothing and just stay Platinum. Considering the marginal benefits I'm doing the latter.
Most programs that have a LT program work this way. It would certainly be nice if there was a nights/points deposit in the amount of the acquired LT status annual qualification requirement and then you just add +X for the next higher status.
Same with Marriott Bonvoy LT Platinum. In order to be Titanium I have to stay the full 75 nights or do nothing and just stay Platinum. Considering the marginal benefits I'm doing the latter.
Most programs that have a LT program work this way. It would certainly be nice if there was a nights/points deposit in the amount of the acquired LT status annual qualification requirement and then you just add +X for the next higher status.
Dec 27, 2021, 3:53 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,312
as a lifetime plat, i usually dont fly enough miles to even get GOLD in year anymore, let alone PLAT. having PLAT benefits and decent amount of cleared upgrades as a true nobody is worth a LOT in my case.
Dec 27, 2021, 4:00 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,198
As other said AA MM means nothing and won't get you any EQM or EQD deposit/advance. It's completely useless for anyone who still actively flies AA during the year.
Same with Marriott Bonvoy LT Platinum. In order to be Titanium I have to stay the full 75 nights or do nothing and just stay Platinum. Considering the marginal benefits I'm doing the latter.
Same with Marriott Bonvoy LT Platinum. In order to be Titanium I have to stay the full 75 nights or do nothing and just stay Platinum. Considering the marginal benefits I'm doing the latter.
Also, I wouldn't say AA MM is useless now with LP. You'll at least be earning LP based on the Gold or Platinum earnings levels, which will get you to PP or EP faster.