sambagrrl07

She could get more EQDs if she flew PE on BA. That's at least 20% of miles flown rather than actual dollars spent.

nk15

She can do a NYC-GOT/OSL in BA economy for $600 and a GOT/OSL-NYC/SFO for $700 in BA PE. Two separate weekends, with the PE trip nested. You have to play with it and run the EQD calculations, but this should do it for less than $1500.

https://www.google.co.uk/flights/?hl...12-10;a=-S4,BA

https://www.google.co.uk/flights/?hl...;sc=p;a=-S4,BA

DavidBRKLYN

I know there is a whole thread for AA MR requests, but for the most part they only address EQM. I'm not necessarily asking for specifics here so much as a theoretical solution from which I (and others) can find my (our) own flights.

I already hit 100k this year, but I am still a few thousand dollars short of the EQD requirement of $12k.

Is there a shortcut here anyone can suggest?

As near as I can tell the only viable solution is to fly a OneWorld partner on a cheap long haul flight that books into a favorable fare bucket to earn a decent amount of EQD based on base mileage.

Am I missing anything? Is there another way I am unaware of?

If not, it's not such an easy thing to find

I'm based in NYC, so for me it is easy enough to find a cheap flight (HKG, PVG, sometimes NRT, etc.) that would help a bit if I needed EQM but most of those flights on AY or CX or JL or even QR are lucky to book into a fare that earns 5% or 10% EQD and many straight up earn zero.

There must be a way to crack this nut but I have yet to come across it...

javabytes

That's the essence of it. Flights that are relatively long for relatively cheap, where the distance-based EQD multiplier results in a figure that is amplified compared to fare-based EQD. Not terribly complicated, but there's no shortcutting the math.

pluu1285

You can also try to book certain flights using citi thank you, chase ultimate rewards, or amex points that qualify for AA's special fare earning chart or booking certain flights through aavacations. Try googling that for a better explanation. For example, a $600 flight to hkg and back can yield 1800 EQDS

DavidBRKLYN

Yes, good point.

I thought of using MR with my Plat 50% rebate. So that's one option, but would still take multiple flights unless I can find a better fare bucket.

MSP_Monopoly

Check Alaska in J, you might be able to do a MR and get some hefty EQDs.

I am in the same boat, I should be fine on EQMs but short on EQDs so I am probably doing a J MR on Alaska.

nk15

Other options include to look for your "buy up" offer (see relevant thread), in which typically you pay the difference in EQD to AA, more or less.

Your window for MRs is shrinking fast...Try AA vacations, especially PEK/PVG (need visa) and other cold places (will be cheaper), but also check SGN, HKG, etc. Try either Y or J. Y will also do it (you can get 2500-3000 EQDs for an $800 fare), but make sure your fare codes are marked with an asterisk* to get the special fare. Read the AA vacations thread.

DavidBRKLYN

Great tip!

Was able to find sub-$1k itin that earns $3k eqd, 13.7k eqm, 24.7k rdm

rdm works out to about 4cpm, which isn't great but under the circumstances I'm going to call it a win.

aktchi

To reiterate what others have said: You have got the basics right. You need fares that provide relatively high % distance-based EQDs. Usually that means premium cabin tickets on partners or AA Vacations. There is no magic formula that will produce the optimum MR, but at least you know what you are looking for.

As a tip for future, may I suggest starting this process much earlier than November, but I realize that this does not help you this year.

Good luck.

DavidBRKLYN

Ugh. I know. But it wasn't an issue last year: cleared EXP by Sept. This year a lot of work travel ended up having to be non-OneWorld due to location.

Still, I actually have a job coming up early Dec with far flung travel that is actually for a OW airline that would easily put me over...but as they are handling the travel I am worried they might put me in some weird non-revenue based fare bucket and the whole flight could be worthless from a miles/status standpoint.

marketmaker

I'm in the same boat as you - have 93,000 miles and 7500 EQD. I'm based in Hong Kong, so I've decided to do a Finnair Business class flight to Europe which yields 40% on distance traveled. It's also off-peak so the fares are not bad. Most partners yield 20-25%.

Elchupanebre4

Curious as to advice on a topic. I'm about 12,000 miles and $650 short of EXP this year. Found some decent Y class DEN-China flights for $550-$650 (so really only $400 EQD). Are the Chase and Citi travel portals still booking as special fares? The preferred flight I'm looking at is DEN-LAX-HKG and then into inner China on Cathay, but assuming the CX flight is a non earning one (and only 1500 miles at that, so even if a B bucket only $150 EQD eachway).

Already have a Visa so can do cheap options like $549 DEN-PEK, but thinking of trying to explore a new city as I've already been to PEK 8 times this year...

Don't really wan to take one more work trip, or pay up to an extra flight, so trying to figure out what would book as a special fare.

swingaling

If you just need 650 EQDs, you don't need to go all the way to China. Why not just do this:

DEN-LHR-AMS (rt) on BA in Y for $527 | 5,100 EQM | 1,000 EQD

pigx5

cheap fare only get 5% EQD, right?