Some Observations of AA vs UA by a UA flyer(s)
#61
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: WAS, LAX
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,330
That said, I find Star to be equally well-managed.
#62
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Though it must be noted that UA only has a better long-haul J in terms of being guaranteed a flat seat fleetwide, i.e., hard product, because the soft product cannot compete with AA's.
#63
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Premier Gold, AA Platinum (but I also just pay for upgrades if I want them)
Posts: 636
UA
100% PQM on deep discount fares
AA
50% PQM on deep discount fares
that's my biggest holdup. I tend to do a few Intl J trips and get well into Gold territory but would fall short had I flown AA and not UA
100% PQM on deep discount fares
AA
50% PQM on deep discount fares
that's my biggest holdup. I tend to do a few Intl J trips and get well into Gold territory but would fall short had I flown AA and not UA
#64
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Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
AA doesn't really have premier qualifying miles (PQM), if that's what you're referring to, and no spending minimum for their elite levels. It's points, miles or segments.
When I first looked at AA back in 2001, I thought I'd have to fly 200K to make EXP there, not knowing the difference between points and miles. Found out you get 50% points on discount economy fares, but 100% miles. I made EXP by flying 100K, just like I made 1K at UA by flying 100K. You can reach the other elite levels there by flying 25K (Gold) or 50K (Platinum). The 50K level comes with 100% bonus miles as does EXP.
Now, if you're going to do a challenge to fast track your AA elite staus, you do need to pay attention to points, as challenges are based on points and not miles. All the AA flyers I know qualify/requalify each year with miles. Anything with an AA flight number accrues 100% miles plus your elite bonuses.
When I first looked at AA back in 2001, I thought I'd have to fly 200K to make EXP there, not knowing the difference between points and miles. Found out you get 50% points on discount economy fares, but 100% miles. I made EXP by flying 100K, just like I made 1K at UA by flying 100K. You can reach the other elite levels there by flying 25K (Gold) or 50K (Platinum). The 50K level comes with 100% bonus miles as does EXP.
Now, if you're going to do a challenge to fast track your AA elite staus, you do need to pay attention to points, as challenges are based on points and not miles. All the AA flyers I know qualify/requalify each year with miles. Anything with an AA flight number accrues 100% miles plus your elite bonuses.
#65
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Premier Gold, AA Platinum (but I also just pay for upgrades if I want them)
Posts: 636
I guess the example I'm referring to would look like this
LAX-HKG - lets just say its 7000 miles one way and I buy a J fare
LAX-JFK - lets just say its 2500 miles one way and I buy a deep discount fare
on UA I would earn (7000*2*1.5)+(2500*2*1.0)= 26,000 PQM
on AA I would earn either
(7000*2*1.0)+(2500*2*1.0)= 19,000 EQM (elite miles)
(7000*2*1.5)+(2500*2*.5)= 23,500 EQP (elite points)
for UA - I make UA Silver
For AA - same flights and same classes and same fares, I don't.
This is what would trouble me because I tend to fly a couple J fares and the rest deep discount personal/business fares
Just wondering if any other AA switchers from UA have come across this - it's tricky. If they made their earning like UA, I would fly right on over to AA in a heartbeat.
LAX-HKG - lets just say its 7000 miles one way and I buy a J fare
LAX-JFK - lets just say its 2500 miles one way and I buy a deep discount fare
on UA I would earn (7000*2*1.5)+(2500*2*1.0)= 26,000 PQM
on AA I would earn either
(7000*2*1.0)+(2500*2*1.0)= 19,000 EQM (elite miles)
(7000*2*1.5)+(2500*2*.5)= 23,500 EQP (elite points)
for UA - I make UA Silver
For AA - same flights and same classes and same fares, I don't.
This is what would trouble me because I tend to fly a couple J fares and the rest deep discount personal/business fares
Just wondering if any other AA switchers from UA have come across this - it's tricky. If they made their earning like UA, I would fly right on over to AA in a heartbeat.
AA doesn't really have premier qualifying miles (PQM), if that's what you're referring to, and no spending minimum for their elite levels. It's points, miles or segments.
When I first looked at AA back in 2001, I thought I'd have to fly 200K to make EXP there, not knowing the difference between points and miles. Found out you get 50% points on discount economy fares, but 100% miles. I made EXP by flying 100K, just like I made 1K at UA by flying 100K. You can reach the other elite levels there by flying 25K (Gold) or 50K (Platinum). The 50K level comes with 100% bonus miles as does EXP.
Now, if you're going to do a challenge to fast track your AA elite staus, you do need to pay attention to points, as challenges are based on points and not miles. All the AA flyers I know qualify/requalify each year with miles. Anything with an AA flight number accrues 100% miles plus your elite bonuses.
When I first looked at AA back in 2001, I thought I'd have to fly 200K to make EXP there, not knowing the difference between points and miles. Found out you get 50% points on discount economy fares, but 100% miles. I made EXP by flying 100K, just like I made 1K at UA by flying 100K. You can reach the other elite levels there by flying 25K (Gold) or 50K (Platinum). The 50K level comes with 100% bonus miles as does EXP.
Now, if you're going to do a challenge to fast track your AA elite staus, you do need to pay attention to points, as challenges are based on points and not miles. All the AA flyers I know qualify/requalify each year with miles. Anything with an AA flight number accrues 100% miles plus your elite bonuses.
#66
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: TPE/KHH/LAX
Programs: JL Diamond, CX MPC Silver, OW Emerald, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,144
UA is making it more and more difficult to book Asia to NA award via Europe. In fact, it is near impossible if it originates from North Asia. South Asia can still get some slacks.
#67
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
Your AA mileage numbers look good---19,000 miles of flying in any cabin will give you 19,000 EQM. The fact that you're in business or first doesn't factor into the qualification side. I have an SFO-DFW-HKG RT coming up and it's 19,000 miles. (see flyerdude88's post below correcting this section)
AA and UA just don't have identical qualification requirements. Hopefully you'll take a look at some of the other AA benefits, such as first class lounge access on international itineraries and 8 systemwides good on any fare, to see if things balance out for you. If not, stay put. You might also consider an EXP challenge once you reach 1K (I know a Platinum challenge is 10,000 points in 90 days but not sure about the EXP challenge--might be 25,000 points in 90 days---AA will put it all in writing should you reach that point).
Last edited by tom911; Jul 17, 2014 at 12:25 am
#68
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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Posts: 10,130
You would have no problem reaching Gold on AA - if you're flying J you get 1.5 *EQPs* on all J fare buckets (excluding upgraded Y fares) and you also get 125% *EQMs* on all J fare buckets (again excluding upgraded Y fares) and 150% *EQMs* on all F fare buckets.
Further you can earn your status on EQMs, EQPs, or Segments, so the fact that you only only 0.5 *EQPs* on some fare buckets is irrelevant if you're due to qualify on miles or segments. EQPs are just an alternate way to reward HVFs that fly 4-5 times a year but are buying J/F fares so they provide 1.5 EQPs so you can achieve elite status from 4- 5 flights a year if you're buying paid F / J every flight.
Your math in the above example is also flawed. If you bought paid J on AA you're getting 125% EQMs (not the 100% you show) and your UA calcuations are also flawed. Your calculations suggest you make 250% on a UA J flight (you show 150% + 100%) but it's really only 150% EQMs and then 100% RDMs which do not count towards elite status and are irrelevant in this comparison.
So a one-way J flight to HKG is actually this (on a hypothetical JFK - HKG flight for both):
UA: 150% * 8072 (EQMs) + 8072 * 175% (RDMs)
AA: 100% * 8072 (EQMs) + 8072 * 125% (RDMs) or 1.5 * 8072 (EQPs) + 8072 * 125% (RDMs)
Last edited by Duke787; Jul 17, 2014 at 12:19 am
#69
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Rules Open Jaw and Stopover Award Flights
Successful Changes to Awards without Incurring Additional Miles
Is My UA Award Itinerary Valid 2014
It is becoming increasingly difficult to book anything beyond a simple a RT itinerary, and the days of US-FRA-BKK-NRT-US are basically done.
#70
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Join Date: Jun 2000
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Well, you can tell I've never flown in paid business. I didn't know that accelerated EQMs-- thought everything was treated equally and you only got the extra bonus miles dropped in your account for class of service. Clearly I'm wrong. Thanks for the correction.
#71
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: AA(EXP)UA(1K/1MM) Marriott(PP,LifeTime Plat) Hertz(5*)
Posts: 449
Further you can earn your status on EQMs, EQPs, or Segments, so the fact that you only only 0.5 *EQPs* on some fare buckets is irrelevant if you're due to qualify on miles or segments. EQPs are just an alternate way to reward HVFs that fly 4-5 times a year but are buying J/F fares so they provide 1.5 EQPs so you can achieve elite status from 4- 5 flights a year if you're buying paid F / J every flight.
#72
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Most of that rumor a few weeks back about UA changing routing rules didn't come true
#73
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Premier Gold, AA Platinum (but I also just pay for upgrades if I want them)
Posts: 636
not sure why i missed that when i was reading the AA program online. just a little confusing with the different options
SO.....
on UA I would earn (7000*2*1.5)+(2500*2*1.0)= 26,000 PQM
on AA I would earn either
(7000*2*1.25)+(2500*2*1.0)= 22,500 EQM (elite miles)
(7000*2*1.5)+(2500*2*.5)= 23,500 EQP (elite points)
for UA - I make UA Silver
For AA - same flights and same classes and same fares, I don't.
I STILL don't quite get there even with the added 25% for a business class tix...this is gonna be interesting. I might take a look at my travel last year to see what I would have been on AA
SO.....
on UA I would earn (7000*2*1.5)+(2500*2*1.0)= 26,000 PQM
on AA I would earn either
(7000*2*1.25)+(2500*2*1.0)= 22,500 EQM (elite miles)
(7000*2*1.5)+(2500*2*.5)= 23,500 EQP (elite points)
for UA - I make UA Silver
For AA - same flights and same classes and same fares, I don't.
I STILL don't quite get there even with the added 25% for a business class tix...this is gonna be interesting. I might take a look at my travel last year to see what I would have been on AA
#74
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Thanks, OP and others
I agree that coming from UA, AA's lack of free SDC for elites is lame. Nearly ubiquitous domestic WiFi OTOH is great.
I'm curious to learn more about this:
Is this just for connecting, international and/or mixed itins with OW partners? Or for domestic/nonstops too?
Thanks in advance
I agree that coming from UA, AA's lack of free SDC for elites is lame. Nearly ubiquitous domestic WiFi OTOH is great.
I'm curious to learn more about this:
Is this just for connecting, international and/or mixed itins with OW partners? Or for domestic/nonstops too?
Thanks in advance
For example, I booked SMF->LHR for $700 all on AA metal. The same flights on AA.com cost $1100. Why? It is an all metal AA flight, but the inbound legs on my booking are ticketed as BA.
#75
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: United 1K, Marriott Platinum, SPG Platinum
Posts: 1,990
One thing I've noticed is that as much as I'm not a fan of UA... their planes seem cleaner...