BWI - LAX on AA & LAX-SYD SYD-PER on Qantas

[QF WP]

QF fares in the "Q" bucket won't earn you any AA miles unless you satisfy all of the following requirements:

1. You are able to delete your QFF number and successfully enter your AA number into booking
2. When you check in, AA number showns on BP
3. AA miles post successfully to AA account

Watch out, just because your BP may show your AA number, doesn't mean that it will automatically post to your AA number. If your QF number hasn't totally disappeared from the booking, it will probably post to your QF account irrespective of what is shown on the BP - and it's nigh on impossible to reverse the sector once it's posted and transfer to another OW program - I know, I've tried)

If all of those 3 points work flawlessly, then you'll earn 1 mile plus 0.5 EQM (towards 10K EQM's needed for successful AA "Lack of Challenge")

You won't earn AA Platinum unless you are pre-registered for the Challenge.

My calculations:

AA BWI/LAX: 2,390 FF points (100%); 2,390 EQM (100%)
QF LAX/SYD: 5,617 FF points (50%?+50% bonus); 3,745 EQM (50%) (you'd hit Gold here if you took AA Gold Challenge)
QF SYD/PER: 1,530 FF points (50%+50% Gold bonus); 2,041 EQM
QF PER/SYD: 1,530 FF points (50%+50% Gold bonus); 1,530 EQM

(At this stage, you are 9,706 EQM - pity you can't take another QF Domestic flight to push you over to Plat for your return in a months time :idea: ). The negative is that the flight that you reach the 10K EQM's is given a bonus 100% miles... a miserly 500 mile flight not very worthy)

Let's keep going, assuming you don't take any more flights:

QF SYD/LAX: 7,490 FF points (50%?+100% bonus); 3,745 EQM (50%) (as you reach Plat here)
AA LAX/BWI: 4,780 FF points (100%+100% bonus); 2,390 EQM (100%)

Totals: 23,337 FF points (given no extra flights assumption), 15,841 EQM's

You'll have Plat until end 2005 (IIRC) and points valid until 2008.

 

[NM]

Lindsay, the points you quote regarding Q fares, are specifically relating to Q fares on AA flight, not QF flights.

Download and read the PDF version of the AA members Guide. On Page 4/5 there is a table showing the earning for all AA partner airlines, and under QF it reads:

All eligible fares for al flights in First or Business Class and Economy Class fares booked in B, H, K or Y. Mileage accrual on discount Economy Class fares booked in G, M, N, S or V accrue at 50% of actual mileage flow.

Again, no mention of Q fares on QF. I am no longer confident of my initial assumption.

In fact, I just picked up the phone and called AA Service Desk in the USA (the benefits of having a US phone extention on my desk) and they confirmed that Q, like L, is ineligble for AA miles and Q-Point earning.

 

[QF WP]

Well, I will bow to the weight of popular opinion against me....NM and AA Desk can't be wrong.

The next wave of clouds are upon you, iskyfly.

 

[iskyfly]

Just wanted to say thank you very much Lindsay and NM for all your time, effort and help! Even though it doesnt seem like I will be able to do the challenge I still learned a lot about the process.

Now time for me to start looking at car rentals. :shock:

Thanks again!

-Giles

 

[QF WP]

iskyfly, I think everybody who has read this thread (not just the contributors) will have leant something about AA's "Lack of Challenge" as it is called in other circles. I've certainly learnt about Q-fares ineligibility...

But it's what we do with what we have learnt that will ultimately give you success or failure...

 

[iskyfly]

Hello again!
"Recently" returned from a fantastic 6 weeks in Perth. Here is the summary of the frequent flyer miles that was posted to my AAdvantage account;

12/24/04 AMERICAN AIRLINES 1823 Y BWI DFW 1,217 0 1,217
12/24/04 AMERICAN AIRLINES 2465 Y DFW LAX 1,235 0 1,235
12/25/04 AMERICAN AIRLINES 7364 Y LAX SYD 7,487 0 7,487
12/26/04 QANTAS AIRWAYS 577 Y SYD PER 1,021 0 1,021
02/03/05 AMERICAN AIRLINES 2294 Y LAX STL 1,592 0 1,592
02/03/05 AMERICAN AIRLINES 2282 Y STL BWI 737 0 737
02/03/05 QANTAS AIRWAYS 574 Y PER SYD 1,021 0 1,021

I did notice that the return SYD-LAX leg was not credited. I have emailed QANTAS to inquire about this.

All in all I am wondering how you think I did? (in need of some validation here folks )

Also, after the trip I have noticed the following three entries in the mileage summary now have values to them. I am wondering, how were these values derived and what do they mean to me?


YTD Elite Qualifying Points: 1,807

YTD Elite Qualifying Miles: 3,350

YTD Gold / Platinum Qualifying Segments: 3


Thanks!