2017 AA EQD Run
 

I've searched so if it exists I apologize for asking but is there a thread started for AA EQD runs?

Well, surely someone can do better than something like this?

https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...X838;sc=p;a=CX

By my calculations this would be about 2556 EQD (based on 20% of base miles 12784 for booking class E) for actual spend of $1815 - give or take a mile and / or a dollar. So roughly 1.41 EQD per actual dollar spent.

Any thoughts on what a good EQD per actual dollar spent is a good deal? Great deal?

All end of year runs belong in the consolidated thread. It would be helpful to know the details in order for others to respond.


Pat89339, Moderator
Mileage Run Forum

I wouldn't want to do an EQD run in 2016 since it wouldn't count for anything. I'm looking ahead to 2017 since it's only 13 days away. As such I have no details to offer, I just couldn't find any threads discussing potential EQD runs for 2017...

I've split the relevant posts into this thread for the time being.

UA never had a thread like this, even though they have had PQD for three years now. I don't understand the purpose of this thread when you have to meet a spend. I, for one, buy more P fares internationally than I have ever done before and still haven't reached the required spend for UA (although I will by year end), even though my PQMs are now over 200K.

I'm happy to be enlightened.

Pat89339, Moderator
Mileage Run Forum

UA and AA (which is what the OP posted about) programs are fundamentally different, in the sense that UA offers no PQD at all unless it is ticketed on UA (and perhaps some partners like NH, LH). AA however offers (vcarying) PQD on all alliance partners, regardless of which document is issued.

The OP presumably wanted to initiate a thread where FT members can suggest the max PQD bang for the buck.

PS. Those who are enslaved to UA will no doubt be unable to appreciate this.

Meeting spend
 

Meeting spend is exactly what I'm talking about. Since EQD (Elite Qualifying Dollars) are a function of base miles x a percentage (on partner airlines and percentage depends on booking class) then it's possible to earn more EQD's than one actually spends on the fare. This would seem advantageous to me considering I don't really want to spend $12k to get to executive platinum in 2017. So, my thinking is, if I can spend anything less (hopefully significantly less) than $12k and still get to executive platinum then I've come out ahead. Am I missing something and thinking about this all wrong?

I would be very interested in something like this since I too plan to try and achieve Platinum Pro or EXP through partner EQD earnings.

With the new AA changes, we definitely need to devise new strategies. Some MRs will be heavy on EQD while others on EQM. My initial thought was on some sort of weighted metric that incorporates both EQD and EQM but that really only makes sense if you're in premium cabins (earning >1 EQM) on partnered flights.

An excellent solution, which I would find very useful. It seems clear that new strategies are needed and that EQD strategies are very different from EQM tactics. Aside from suggestions for specific runs, a place to discuss metrics (what constitutes a good earn ratio) and related issues seems necessary.
Previous posters are spot on in noting that the AA situation is a bit more complicated than that of United and hence can benefit more from shared, dynamic information.
The good deals on premium fares thread is useful as a substitute, but lacks much of the relevant detail needed.

My strategy for AA EQD is:

1. Purchase US-Europe Business Class ticket w/Citi Thank you points before the June devaluation.

2. Purchase a USA-South America Business Class ticket with AMEX MR Points (Have Business Platinum CC/50% rebate)

3. Spend $50,000 on Aviator Silver CC

4. Although purchasing Business Class tickets through AA Vacations is an option, it is not part of my strategy.

The example that I posted above earns 1.5 EQM

This is definitely going to be part of my strategy for next year. It's just a matter of shifting the runs from AA to partners in discount J, which is honestly way more fun.

Have booked:

QR J- CMB-DOH-BOS RT, but outbound in Feb, return in June. Positioning one way with AA to KUL, then hopping over to CMB. Positioning the other way (to get home) are some more high EQD flights on the cheap- QR J CMB-DOH-CAI, booked into D and A class, and then CAI-DOH-IAH booked into A and then D class. All this nets around 54,000EQM, 75,000 RDM, and over 7,000 EQD. Total actual spend, sub- 3k. Plus, all in all a super comfortable couple of trips with some 24- 8 hr stopovers and great lounges. Put together with spending 25k on the Aviator, and that should do it easily for my year.

Going forward, I'm looking at:

-More discount QR J fares.
-BA and CX PE fares.
-AA vacations- either medium length in J, or long haul in Y (10% isn't bad still).

Did a bit of a write up a few weeks ago, in case it's helpful for anyone: http://cruisingaltitude42.blogspot.c...age-style.html

(Note, I don't earn from this site/blog. Just posting since it's relevant)

For a concrete example, this (long) flight from DUR-MIA- https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...c=b;a=ONEWORLD

Earns in the neighborhood of (doing quick math here):

EQM- 36,000
RDM- 52,800 (for an EXP)
EQD- $4,800

For just shy of $1900 spend.

You do, yes, have to start in DUR, but there are some cheap fares to get there, and if you're good, you could split this trip into 2 different weeks or months to make it more enjoyable.

Careful,
 

as the airlines have been known to monitor FT for loop holes in their system. So, too much bragging about high multiples of EQD's for certain deals could backfire.

Right now, which partnecr(s) look best to you for earning EQDs in coach? In premium cabin?

It's really just a matter of checking the charts for individual airlines for the rare deals. The prior poster is right, I won't lay it all out here at this point, but feel free to PM me if you have questions & I'll try to help :)

EQD work arounds
 

I agree that we should not "Kill the Goose with the Golden Egg" by posting high EQD MR's with OW carriers. :( PM's would probably be better. ^ Just sayin" ;)

I've got a good one from ORD or EWR if anyone is interested.

I agree. If you have a good fare deal, PM is better. Sadly, the bloggers will ruin it.

I've looked at ex CMB fares with a certain OW airline. The fares are still good but they have added a lot more restrictions to those fares (i.e no stopovers allowed).

I was actually surprised that with a bit of creativity is still seems possible to (re-)qualify for EXP with around $5k in actual spend. And none of it in Y to boot.

It is technically possible, though honestly I don't think it should be a huge concern for the airline generally given that part of it is from the credit card deal they're pushing themselves, and the rest involves some pretty creative flying, many times having to start very remotely, so I don't think it will be widespread.

I am looking forward to my flights quite a bit, but I seriously doubt there will be crowds of people willing to position to SE Asia/India, then try to transit CAI in 2 hrs.... :)

You guys are absolutely right. At 4AM my brain must have slowed down. SO, till such a moment when blogs ruin a particular piece of info, it should be treated as a precious commodity. PMs only. :)

I`m based in Europe and can easily achieve this flying to Asia and Oceania on AA partners in discount PE and discount J without any 'creative flying' involved apart from the occasional detour via AKL to rack up more miles and calling in to upfare itineraries from "I" to "D" for double the EQD with a minimal fare difference.
Also, some clever juggling of partners on DONEx tickets (hint: check which airline earns 40% EQD on D fares...) can provide really high EQD value, making these tickets even more attractive than they have been in the past.

Better to just share. Bloggers or not. Sharing info is better value for the community than being paranoid.

Strongly Agree.
The percentage earn tables are all public knowledge, so all that is being communicated is an attractive (most likely premium) fare on a specific airline.
In contrast to RDM, EQM and EQD are purely nominal and have no cost or accounting liability to the airline, other than marking progress to eventual status. Based on the number of status challenges and like promotions currently, AA seems to be encouraging status, rather than being concerned about too many elites. So there may be little incentive for AA to react strongly.

Moderator - please stop this thread!!!

The stupid stupid stupid community here is trying again to kill a little space that is left from AA.

Every frequent flyer is hopefully intelligent enough to calculate for himself good possibilities for EQD.

I am beginning to hate FT more and more because the forum does not help living a good flyer life but destroying it!!!

US [SFO/JFK/ORD/etc.] to AKL via CX PE will net you $5K+ PQD for about $1900.

Possible to fly the 359 if you don't mind a long layover in HKG. Dates wide open...

SFO: $5032 PQD
ORD: $5380 PQD
JFK: $5492 PQD

What is the June devaluation with respect to this?
I know AC access goes away.

now we are after EQD :-)

if some partner business class fare pops up to the destination I want to go for 5cpm then only I will be thinking of mileage running else it hardly makes sense to go out of the way to throw money on mileage runs with all the positioning costs and effort

I am not convinced that status is worth if you are are required to fly J to keep it anyways...convince me pls

Yes a case can be made that if you fly J/F, you really won't need status. :)

Very nice route. 25k award miles, $5k EQD, 38k EQM from SFO.

Combined 48 hrs butt-in-seat is pretty insane though.

may be I did not state myself correctly

If you are flying AA metal
1. Unless you are paying upwards of 10cpm you wont make the desired EQD with reasonable flying...no way I am paying that for economy.
2. if you fly J, status is worthless in most cases..lets keep IRROPS aside.

If you are flying partners, it's clear that unless you fly PE/J, there are no sweet spots so where will I use the status?

for other posters who mentioned it's loophole whereby partner J earn lot higher EQD, to me it seems by design...overall AA wants you to pay higher for their metal and choose partner premium fares where AA does not fly

I mean those ex-CMB and ex-CAI cheap fares are there for reason ..they dont sell..now we plan to fill them to get the status which does not guarantee anything...not sure if I am missing anything...I am not convinved

yeah..if you find cheap <5 cpm premium fare to the destination you want to go just hop on...status will be added benefit but I don't see a point of going out of way for that

+1

Not necessarily true.

1. UA does not count PQDs when your registered physical address is outside the US. Worry-free. There are lot of happy campers out of the US while people in the US have to stress over 'PQD' issues.

2. Echoed Pat89339. If all you want is bonus RDMs, you could go to AS. If you want four eVIPs, then think about how much additional travel you need to spend in order to get the petty eVIPs. If the ex-EU, occasional ex-US/Canada, and ex-Asia fares keep as long as those, then there is no point of getting the eVIPs. Prime example? PVG-ORD ($1500 J, $500-$800 Y). You cannot use UA GPUs, nor you could use AA eVIPs(Almost all aircraft configurations are in J/MCE/Y, so you are already in J, and you cannot go higher, except GRU, HKG, and LHR routes.

AA is a very unappealing program right now. For UA, at least there is always the next MM level people can hope to aim for. Most of AA 2MM LT PLTs have nothing to lose by not flying AA at all.

AMEN to this part of it! We screw each other over,many times unintentionally, by our exuberance to post deals and let others share our good fortune! BUT, with this shift in PQD and PQM, we are going to have to be more careful..the PM method should continue to be encouraged!

TYP redemption for AA ticket purchases drops from 1.6 to 1.25

Suggestions
 

Any suggestions for high EQD MR's with OW carriers for travel to India from So-Cal. I am currently an EXP and have a few trips to Mumbai coming up and would want some suggestions please.

100% correct. My domestic EXP upgrades even for tickets purchased 4 months out are about 40-50%. I am AA 3MM. There is nothing more I can get from now miserable (dis)AAdvantage. Milesaver AAward for are blocked for decent leisure dates all the way through the calendar. Sure, I should book F or J but why should I give my $$ to AA?

Feels like Feb 1, 2018 will be the threshold after-which top status will feel more exclusive. The complexity/newness of EQD alone will weed out flyers who would otherwise have qualified.

How much does it cost to move classes?
 

what is a minimal fare difference approx?

I agree that EQD should not be discuss in the forum, PM only.