AA Challenges - Questions and General Discussion

[legroom]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

Could I confirm my understanding with someone here ?

Could the 3-month challenge periods cross the calendar year ?

I think it could, because AA does not say anything to the contrary, just "a 3-month period".

What's your take on this issue ?

One of my flights intended for the AA challenge is after Jan 1st, 2014 whereas the other flight (ex AUS) is before 30th Dec 2013: Both still within 3 mo of each other.

Thanks

 

[serfty]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

Yes - it's three month from the start date, so 16th Dec to 16th Mar.

 

[Nizar]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

I've got a few questions just to clarify my understanding.

I am considering going to Brazil next year for the world cup in June/July 2014 flying in Y on a paid fare.
This fare will be booked through AA and will go MEL-LAX-MIA-GIG return, which is 28851 miles.

My questions are:

1/ All the flights will be on AA flight-numbers however the first flight MEL-LAX is on QF metal on a codeshare. AA has all flights listed as M class. Do I follow AA earning rates for the whole itinerary as all flights have AA flight numbers, or does the QF earning table apply for the QF metal flight ?

I suspect the former, and lets assume that the former is correct for the second question, which is:

2/ If I wanted to use this as part of a AA Plat Challenge, as M class on AA is 1.00 earning in terms of EQM and EQP, I would earn 28,851 EQPs for the whole journey. Does this mean that I now have until the end of next year (31 Dec 2014) to earn an additional 71,149 EQP's ?

3/ Also, as only 10,000 EQP's are required for the Challenge, does this mean that I will immediately get AA Plat and the 100% RDM bonus will apply for the rest of the miles on the trip ? Or is it done on a flight-by-flight basis e.g., if I am already on 9900 EQP's, and then I take a 5000 mile flight (which would earn me 5000 EQP's looking at booking class, etc) would I get the RDM bonus on 4900 miles OR would I not get any RDM bonus at all as I had no status at the time I boarded the 5000 mile flight ?

Sorry a bit convoluted guys but just wanted a complete understanding.

Cheers, any help or pointers much appreciated.

 

[serfty]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

1. AA flight number and booking class is basically all that matters with AAdvantage earning.

2. When in June would you fly there. If prior to June 16th your status would last until next year unless you re-earn. To regain Plat you need 50K EQM's by December 31 so another 21,149. For EXP you would indeed require the 71K+.

3. You get the bonus on the flight that crosses the 10k threshold (i.e. achieves the challenge), so if earned on a 4000 RDM earning flight you get a 4000 bonus.

If you start the challenge on 16th June and earning over the 10K and are successful, your Plat status would last until 2015.

 

[Nizar]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

1. AA flight number and booking class is basically all that matters with AAdvantage earning.

2. When in June would you fly there. If prior to June 16th your status would last until next year unless you re-earn. To regain Plat you need 50K EQM's by December 31 so another 21,149. For EXP you would indeed require the 71K+.

3. You get the bonus on the flight that crosses the 10k threshold (i.e. achieves the challenge), so if earned on a 4000 RDM earning flight you get a 4000 bonus.

If you start the challenge on 16th June and earning over the 10K and are successful, your Plat status would last until 2015.

Had a few more questions in response to the above, but your edits have answered them, thanks for that.
And yes I would be aiming for EXP.
If I hit my 71K+ by end of the 2014 calendar year my EXP status would be valid until 28 February, 2016 ?

Travel to Brazil would be leaving ~27 June returning ~15 July so I would register for the Challenge before I leave.

 

[Nizar]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

3. You get the bonus on the flight that crosses the 10k threshold (i.e. achieves the challenge), so if earned on a 4000 RDM earning flight you get a 4000 bonus.

Serfty how about if the whole challenge was achieved in the one flight, say MEL-DXB in J ?
Do any bonuses apply ?

 

[knasty]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

Yes you get the bonus for that flight. i did it in one flight MEL-LAX QF J and got platinum and double points on that flight and all after.

 

[legroom]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Could I get some help to clarify some points here ?

Being WP (OWE), there is apparently no added benefit(s) from becoming AA Plat or is there?

OWE certainly trumps AA Plat in the standby / upgrade hierarchy AFAIK.

I could only think of the added bonus of additional miles once you start crediting to AA, even from QF flights, from being an AA Plat.

Have I missed something else ?

How many miles would it take to get a 'return' on the USD240 for the Plat challenge to be yield-positive ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[knasty]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

For me it was net positive from the maiden flight. Bonus ~10,000 odd miles on the Mel-Lax qualifying flight is worth ~$250 bought miles on Aa without bonus. It also encouraged me to fly BA Y as it credits 100% (+ bonus) across Y fare classes - Was a better idea when I booked it then when I was sitting at the back of the bus...

 

[kt_kez]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

If I fly before the 16th of June on a RTW ticket but sign up for the challenge after the 16th, with the remainder of my RTW ticket be valid for the challenge?

 

[serfty]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Yes - any eligible segments flown during the period of the chellenge will count. This is irrespective of when it was booked, how it was booked or what part of a booking the travel was.

 

[kempvet]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

For $1375 US you can fly LHR-SYD-LHR via HEL with AY, in the economy AY booking class R which earns over 32,000 points with AA. For all those readers who know that they will be visiting Europe back and forth try to reverse book from Europe to Australia and back using AY and likely it will be the 1.5 point economy discount class R, it is a great way to retain status with AA, however AY at the moment can not be used for any challenge as far as I know.

 

[Nizar]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

For $1375 US you can fly LHR-SYD-LHR via HEL with AY, in the economy AY booking class R which earns over 32,000 points with AA. For all those readers who know that they will be visiting Europe back and forth try to reverse book from Europe to Australia and back using AY and likely it will be the 1.5 point economy discount class R, it is a great way to retain status with AA, however AY at the moment can not be used for any challenge as far as I know.

How come ? I thought any OW airline can be used for challenges ?

 

[serfty]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

How come ? I thought any OW airline can be used for challenges ?

read the main challenge thread - it lists the airlines that are currently eligible.

 

[knasty]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

For $1375 US you can fly LHR-SYD-LHR via HEL with AY, in the economy AY booking class R which earns over 32,000 points with AA. For all those readers who know that they will be visiting Europe back and forth try to reverse book from Europe to Australia and back using AY and likely it will be the 1.5 point economy discount class R, it is a great way to retain status with AA, however AY at the moment can not be used for any challenge as far as I know.

It's so annoying that AY doesn't offer R class in the other direction. I pestered my agent but she confirmed with AY they don't offer R class from Oz, but do from Asia (This was over a year ago though).

 

[almelb]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

Those numbers look correct.


Incorrect. AAdvantage uses the calendar year for elite status qualification. So you have from 1st Jan 2014 until 31 Dec 2014 to earn the 50K points/miles to re-qualify. However, the status earned during 2013 (in your example earned using Platinum Challenge) will remain valid until the end of Feb 2015.

thanks for clearing all that up. much appreciated. cheers

 

[Mwenenzi]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

For gerneral inforamtion: Challenge (AA) - FlyerGuide Wiki
Not an AA site, but does seem to be kept up to date. (Is a Randy Peterson web site)

 

[amaroo]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

Members on another thread have got me interested in the Plat challenge. Have a family trip coming up and can see some sense in taking advantage in building a stash of AA points. I don't need SC from this trip to maintain QFWP however, my wife needs the great majority to maintain QFSG....I need to keep her in the QF game due to high CC QF point earning.

The kids don't need to worry about status - so if I can get their earn into AA and transferred over to me - WIN.

The booking is QF BNE-SYD-LAX-JFK........DFW-BNE class D and I - for total milage of 18,732mi. We also have 4 internal flights on AA discount earning class G and N.....for total milage of 2,997mi. Achieving the challenge doesn't appear to be a problem as we leave 15th Dec 13 returning 12th Jan 14.

Q's

1. Is there a minimum age limit for someone attempting the Plat challenge. Have a 12 & 10 year on the family booking?
2. On the one booking reference can I split some of the party earning AA and others earning QF?
3. Can I split some flights earning between AA/QF on the same booking reference? I.E BNE-SYD-LAX earning QF the rest AA?
[-]4. Do we earn at the rate on the AA tables - Mi X 1.5 (D&I) + status bonus at time of flying. Would the earn for the total trip = 29,596 + status bonus when it kicks in.[/-]

4.1 Getting confused with the point earn. Assuming non-status when flying 18,732mi in QF J the earn = 18,732*1.25% = 23,415 points? Once you hit Plat you get 100& bonus?........no wonder I've never strayed from QF

 

[legroom]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

I will try as others would correct me if I'm wrong:

1) There is no age limit to open an AA account, so I fail to see why they would decline a Plat challenge on the basis of age. Further, you have to call up to enrol/pay before your flights anyway (could do within two weeks after !).

2) When you enrol in a challenge, each of you nominate to AA your flights to be considered for that challenge (AA FF instead of QFF on BP). That opens the option of each travelling party to do separate things e.g. Wife keeps QFF while hubby nominates AA FF on BP.

3) My understanding is that you nominate each flight as you see fit, not the whole itinerary.

4) You may have confused between EQM and EQP: for the purpose of the Plat challenge, it's EQP that matters (10,000 EQP req).

QF D class gives you 1.50 EQP per mile (http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/earnMiles/travel/airlines/qantas.jsp), not 1.25 which is EQM.

Hope that helps

Members on another thread have got me interested in the Plat challenge. Have a family trip coming up and can see some sense in taking advantage in building a stash of AA points. I don't need SC from this trip to maintain QFWP however, my wife needs the great majority to maintain QFSG....I need to keep her in the QF game due to high CC QF point earning.

The kids don't need to worry about status - so if I can get their earn into AA and transferred over to me - WIN.

The booking is QF BNE-SYD-LAX-JFK........DFW-BNE class D and I - for total milage of 18,732mi. We also have 4 internal flights on AA discount earning class G and N.....for total milage of 2,997mi. Achieving the challenge doesn't appear to be a problem as we leave 15th Dec 13 returning 12th Jan 14.

Q's

1. Is there a minimum age limit for someone attempting the Plat challenge. Have a 12 & 10 year on the family booking?
2. On the one booking reference can I split some of the party earning AA and others earning QF?
3. Can I split some flights earning between AA/QF on the same booking reference? I.E BNE-SYD-LAX earning QF the rest AA?
[-]4. Do we earn at the rate on the AA tables - Mi X 1.5 (D&I) + status bonus at time of flying. Would the earn for the total trip = 29,596 + status bonus when it kicks in.[/-]

4.1 Getting confused with the point earn. Assuming non-status when flying 18,732mi in QF J the earn = 18,732*1.25% = 23,415 points? Once you hit Plat you get 100& bonus?........no wonder I've never strayed from QF

 

[Mwenenzi]

Re: How strictly does QF enforce the 4~ requirement for retention of status?

< snip >
The kids don't need to worry about status - so if I can get their earn into AA and transferred over to me - WIN.

The booking is QF BNE-SYD-LAX-JFK........DFW-BNE class D and I - for total milage of 18,732mi. We also have 4 internal flights on AA discount earning class G and N.....for total milage of 2,997mi. Achieving the challenge doesn't appear to be a problem as we leave 15th Dec 13 returning 12th Jan 14.

Q's
2. On the one booking reference can I split some of the party earning AA and others earning QF?
3. Can I split some flights earning between AA/QF on the same booking reference? I.E BNE-SYD-LAX earning QF the rest AA?
< snip >

Transfer of miles between family in the AA ffp is not the same as done with QF. Has a fee if I recall corectly. The free transfer of points between eligible family membere is one of the few advantages in the QF ffp. Beware of miles expiry rules

Having different freq flyer program number on different flights in one PNR is possible. But many people have has problems with the ff number not sticking to where they wanted it to. Or the FFP on the boarding pass not being the same program as what was enventually posted. Keep screen shots of any changes. Check & re check. Keep all boarding passes. Having no ffp in the reservation and then manually claiming after the flight is less risk.

Once I had my AA number in QF flight boarding pass, but upon giving my QF club card to the lounge attendant she swiped the card through the machine. After the flight I got QF points & not AA miles.

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