Will I Still Earn American Airlines Elite-Qualifying Miles and Dollars for Partner Flights?
"Reader Questions" are answered twice a week by TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Ethan Steinberg.
Qualifying for airline elite status is a time-consuming and expensive proposition, as it requires you to carefully keep track of your elite-qualifying miles (EQMs) and/or elite-qualifying segments (EQSes) as well as your elite-qualifying dollars (EQDs). All three US legacy carriers use a similar elite qualification system, though if you're flying with United or Delta as opposed to American you'll be earning PQMs and MQMs, respectively. TPG reader Daniel wants to know if he'll still earn EQDs for flights on partner airlines...
[pullquote source="TPG READER DANIEL"]I'm an AAdvantage Platinum elite. If I buy tickets from a partner airline will I still earn EQDs, or do I have to book through AA to earn EQDs for partner travel?[/pullquote]
There are two factors that determine how many EQM, EQD, EQSes and redeemable miles you'll earn on each flight. The first is which airline operates the flight, and the second is which airline markets the flight.
Take this flight from Chicago (ORD) to London (LHR), in the Y economy fare bucket. It costs the exact same amount whether you book through British Airways, Iberia or American Airlines.
If you were to book through AA, even though the flight is operated by a partner airline, you'd earn miles just the same as if you were flying on AA. This works out to 1 EQM per mile flown and 1 EQD per dollar spent on base fare (excluding taxes). Since I'm a Gold elite with AA, I'd also earn 7 redeemable AA miles per dollar spent on base fare.
If you booked the exact same ticket through the BA website instead and credited the flight to your AAdvantage account, you'd earn EQDs based on the following BA partner chart:
As you can see from the chart below, you'll come out ahead booking directly with American Airlines.
| Booking
Airline | Cost | EQMs | EQDs | EQSes | Redeemable Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AA | $2,683 | 3,953 | $2,654 | 1 | 13,270 |
BA | $2,683 | 3,953 | $790 | 1 | 3,953 |
The main difference is that for AA-marketed flights (or United or Delta marketed flights) all your earnings other than EQMs are based on revenue, not distance flown. With partner award charts, your earnings are almost entirely distance-based. This means that if you're booking a cheap long-haul flight, you might end up earning more EQDs and even redeemable miles by booking through a partner.
It's also worth noting that not all partners are treated equally. AA, United and Delta all publish separate earning charts for each of their partner airlines, and the variation can be pretty significant. Take a look at AA's partner earning chart for flights marketed and operated by Cathay Pacific.
Even if you're shelling out for a paid first-class ticket, which can easily cost $20,000, the maximum number of EQMs you can earn is 1.5x. Even in business class, you'll earn a minimum of 2x with British Airways. We've also seen a number of partner earning devaluations over the years. Airlines are looking to capture a larger share of the booking revenue by incentivizing you to book directly with them dis-incentivizing you to book with their partners.
Bottom Line
Daniel can rest assured knowing that he will earn EQDs if he books flights through a Oneworld partner and credits them to his AAdvantage account. Depending on the specific partner and the length of the flight he's taking, he might even come out ahead that way. Before booking, though, you should always compare your options. If different airlines are charging the same amount for the same ticket, you can pick the one that best facilitates your personal goals, whether that's earning the most redeemable award miles or knocking out your last elite qualifying requirement.
Thanks for the question, Daniel, and if you’re a TPG reader who’d like us to answer a question of your own, tweet us at @thepointsguy, message us on Facebook or email us at info@thepointsguy.com.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.