Q regarding maximizing AAdvantage EQM
 

I am flying on a DONEx.

To re-qual AA EXP by the end of this year, it may boil down to one flight. This flight is ORD-DOH on QR metal. I can fly it as QR726, or as codeshare AA7957. The BIS is 7,133 miles. I need EQM.

Conventional wisdom by AA’s earning chart, for AA flight (include AA codeshare?) EQM = 2x Base Miles. Partner’s flight # earns EQM = 1.5x Base Miles. It should be a no brainer.

But for RTW tickets, my experience has been that AA used $ based calculation. On a RTW ticket, AA’s calculation of $-base seems weird to me. Several calls to AA to no avail, they couldn’t tell me how they derived at the $ for that AA flight segment.

My question is: Should I go with AA7957 codeshare? OR go with QR726? Please let me know what your experience with AA codeshare on RTW ticket in terms of earning EQM and EQD (distance based or $ based?)

Thanks in advance.

You may want to check out this thread in the AA forum for others' experiences on RTW tickets: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-miles-aa.html

I have several posts in the thread linked above. The answer is you won't know until it posts. AA won't even be able to tell you if its correct after the fact. My DONE5 posted as both fare based and mileage based for AA coded flights.

Good luck!

Same here on a DONE4... Had an LAX-JFK post as $ and LAX-SYD post as distance. I needed the EQM's more than the EQD's/Miles in this case which is why I selected the AA flight for LAX-SYD. Got lucky that it posted as distance but one never knows.

Thank you for the link. ^^

So far all my AA (flight # and metal) flights were fare based. Since I have not yet flown any AA codeshare, I want to know which method (fare or distance) AA uses for codeshares.
In your DONE5, did you have AA codeshares and how were they credited?
I will go through the above link again for a more detailed look.
Thanks

Indeed you got lucked out! I am trying to decide my ORD-DOH flight. So based on your 1x experience, maybe I should go with AA codeshare???
"One never knows", as you pointed out!

The fare method was used for AA coded/metal flight. The distance method was used for JFK-HKG AA coded/CX metal flight. That was a very pleasant surprise when it posted as special fare (no fare available).

As I note in that other thread, I had a massive change to my DONE5 after the AA metal flight (changed routing and changed continent), so it's hard to say if its a codeshare quirk or the big change to the ticket.

Thanks again!
When did your JFK-HKG AA coded/CX metal flight take place (trying to figure which set of rules applied).

I've read through the above link on AA. There seems to be no clear answer. AA does not want to publish how they calculate credits! Sad!

I took the flight on 8/21. It posted on 8/22.

Since you are chasing EQM, go with the AA codeshare at 2x base mileage. Unless I am mistaken EQM is always calculated as a percentage/multiple of distance flown. $based calculations are used only for RDM and EQD. This distinction has some logic, as the distance flown is always knowable, whereas the $ are sometimes not. The special fare charts support this observation.

I'm closing this thread because the discussion is more complete in the referenced thread on the AA board.

Gardyloo
Oneworld moderator