AA Q-points across the Atlantic

[Ev1dent]

I am having trouble understanding the AA scheme, with miles, elite miles, q-points etc. According to the AA web site:

British Airways' transatlantic flights to/from the U.S. are not valid for AAdvantage mileage accrual or redemption.
...
AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum, and AAdvantage Gold members earn elite status bonus miles on eligible British Airways flights.

Effective March 1, 2008, British Airways flights no longer earn elite status bonus miles. American Airlines codeshare flights (with an "AA" flight number) operated by British Airways will continue to earn elite-status bonus miles.

I will be flying US-LHR-JNB after 1 March. Does the above mean that I won't get points towards status, or merely that I won't get as many miles that I can subsequently use towards flights?

Also, I will be travelling in D. Do elite bonus miles accrue on top of class miles or is it simpler whichever gives the greater no. of miles?

 

[serfty]

Are you flying BA or AA?

The following is only relevant if you are flying across the Atlantic on AA. (You will not earn ANY AAdvantage Miles/QPoints at all for Transatlantic flights to/from the USA.)

If you are an AAdvantage elite (Gold, Plat or EXP) you currently can earn bonus miles on eligible BA flights. This is 25%, 50% or 100% (respectively) of mile travelled depending upon your status level.

From March 1st, an AAdvantage elite crediting eligible BA flights to AAdvantage will no longer earn these bonus miles.

None of this relates to status, merely "miles that [you] can subsequently use towards flights".

Travelling in D on eligible flights will earn a 25% "miles that [you] can subsequently use towards flights".

 

[Dave Noble]

The US-Uk flight on BA earns zero miles

LHR-JNB will earn 5621 base miles plus 1406 bonus for business class, so a total of 7027

If you have status with AA , then currently you would earn a status bonus of 1406 if a Gold member or 5621 if a Platinum member. As from 1st March, this bonus will no longer be earned on BA

Can you change the booking to use AA transatlantic and then use the AA codeshare to JNB; e.g. from JFK-LHR-JNB on AA100 to connect to AA6445 codeshare on BA55 or the AA6447 codeshare on BA57

This way you would earn full miles for the whole trip plus be able to earn the elite status bonus of 25%/100%. Also, if you currently do not hold AA Platinum or higher status, this will be ample to complete a Platinum Challenge so ensuring that LHR-JNB earns 12648 miles

Dave

 

[Ev1dent]

Sorry, I have obviously left out key information. I will have completed the AA Plat challenge between 16 March and 31 March (between AUs and the US) and will be seeking to accrue q-points or the rest of my DONE4 itinerary so that I can retain AAPlat (OW Saphire) until at least Feb 2010.

I am currently booked on BA for IAD-LHR and LHR-JNB. If I don't get q-points/status with AA for these legs, I may need to consider routing the IAD-LHR leg through MAD with Iberia. As for LHR-JNB, BA is the only OW option, so I might as well use my QFF membership number for that leg.

 

[serfty]

If you can travel ex Canada (YYZ/YTO-LHR) on BA you will be eligible for AAdvantage earning:

• Qpoints (rate of 1½)
• Miles
• J bonus Miles (¼)

 

[serfty]

... As for LHR-JNB, BA is the only OW option, so I might as well use my QFF membership number for that leg.

You would still earn 8432 Qpoints and 7026 AAdvantage Miles LHR -JNB in D.

 

[Dave Noble]

I am currently booked on BA for IAD-LHR and LHR-JNB. If I don't get q-points/status with AA for these legs, I may need to consider routing the IAD-LHR leg through MAD with Iberia. As for LHR-JNB, BA is the only OW option, so I might as well use my QFF membership number for that leg.

You will earn zero qpoints on BA IAD-LHR

What I would suggest is to change to DCA-JFK-LHR-JNB. If you are on AA from JFK-LHR, then you can book on the AA codeshare to JNB; e.g.

AA4754 DCA-JFK, connect to AA132 JFK-LHR and then AA6445 ( codeshare on BA55 ) to JNB. That way you will earn full miles/qpoints for the journey plus earn the elite status bonus on the BA flight

DCA-JFK 500 base , 500 PLT bonus
JFK-LHR 3452 base, 3452 PLT bonus, 863 D class bonus
LHR-JNB 5621 base, 5621 PLT bonus, 1406 D class bonus

Total earning 21415 miles

Qpoints earned 500 + 5178 + 8432 = 14,110

Even if you do book on the BA flight number to JNB, I would still use the AA frequent flyer number since you will still earn 8432 qpoints towards requalification and will still earn 7027 spending miles

Dave