Hello FT Community.

Need your help. About to book first MR on AA. Currently Gold status and in the midst of the Platinum Challenge. Started it on 03.16.12. Looking to do three back to back trips from DFW to SFO over two days. (Debating a third trip...)

So here's my question:

DFW to SFO = 1464 EQM plus DEQM of 1464
SFO to DFW = 1464 EQM plus DEQM of 1464
Total then is 5856 EQM. Is the Gold status bonus of 25% applied to the entire 5856 or just on the actual miles flown?

Also, upon returning to DFW, the start of the second MR will have me qualifying for Platinum. Does the 100% bonus kick in then? If so, stronger reason to make that third trip...

Thank all for the help! Trying to rack up miles and status for family vacation in the fall.

-Mike

Let me work at this point by point.

Welcome to FT!

Status bonus is only applied to miles flown, or 500 mile minimums if you had a flight under 500 miles. For each RT DFW-SFO that you do as a Gold, with DEQ11 and 25% RDM bonus, you will receive 6588 RDMs.

Do you already have flights you've taken with AA during the challenge period? I'm guessing you have, since you started a month ago. AA's status challenge is based upon EQP (points), not EQMs. Your EQP depends on what your fare code is. If you are booked into deep discount (G/N/O/Q/S), you will only earn 1464 EQPs per RT, as they are calculated at 0.5 times your BIS miles. It will take 7 RTs from DFW-SFO to reach the required 10,000 EQPs if booking all deep discount fares and starting from zero. If you are in a higher fare class, or booked directly into First class, your EQP earning may be different. I just want to make sure you are aware, it is a source of some confusion at times. This thread in the AA forum has a lot of good info on the challenges if you haven't seen it. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-platinum.html

Good luck!

The 25% bonus is only applied to the miles flown (BIS-butt in seat :-))

The 100% bonus kicked in on the flight which you finish the challenge (10k EQP for PLT)

Also, I assume that you know the challenge is counting on EQP not EQM. You won't qualify for PLT challenge by fly three SFO-DFW RT, unless you buy F fare (1.5 EQp/miles)

Hope that helps

BOSMan and Peter -- Thank you both for clarifying the calculation of such. The AA associate that helped me made sure I understood that the PC was based on EQP, not EQM. Judging by the DEQM, however, the mere fact that at Platinum Status and w/earning 2928 EQM, 2928 DEQM, 2928 Platinum Bonus, the cost per mile is ~3.63 cpm (even lesser when using AA Credit Card!). Then do the trip twice, and you have enough for a reduced mileage redemption award ticket (17.5K miles).

Looks like three MR from DFW-SFO over two days in May. The jet lag should be interesting but bring on the challenge!

the eqm mean nothing if you are doing the pc, unless you want them to requal for next year [the plt status from your pc goes thru feb 2013]....you will get ~4500 eqp for the 3 sfo trips.....

If you are doing these trips purely as a MR and don't have any need to be in DFW, consider doing SFO-ORD if the price is similar as you will get quite a few more miles out of that trip.