AA dumps minimum mileage guarantee, Elites less affected

[serfty]

It's just came out this will change from January 1st 2009.

• Minimum Mileage Guarantee For Elite Status Members

What it means is that a non statused AAdvantage member will no longer have a minimum earn of 500 EQM's.

Let's look at O class bookings on Qantas credited to an AAdvantage account. The first lot is for those without status. The second is for those with status - it get a bit complicated (I've omitted any GOLD/PLAT/EXP bonus RDM):

• MEL to SYD 439 Miles:
  • OLD:
    • RDM: 500
    • EQP: 500
    • EQM: 500
  • NEW:
    • RDM: 220
    • EQP: 110
    • EQM: 220
• MEL to BNE 857 Miles:
  • OLD:
    • RDM: 500
    • EQP: 500
    • EQM: 500
  • NEW:
    • RDM: 429
    • EQP: 215
    • EQM: 429
• MEL to PER 1,681 miles:
  • OLD:
    • RDM: 841
    • EQP: 500
    • EQM: 841
  • NEW:
    • RDM: 841
    • EQP: 421
    • EQM: 841

For those with status:

• MEL to SYD 439 Miles:
  • OLD:
    • RDM: 500
    • EQP: 500
    • EQM: 500
  • NEW:
    • RDM: 500
    • EQP: 250
    • EQM: 250
• MEL to BNE 857 Miles:
  • OLD:
    • RDM: 500
    • EQP: 500
    • EQM: 500
  • NEW:
    • RDM: 500
    • EQP: 250
    • EQM: 429
• MEL to PER 1,681 miles:
  • OLD:
    • RDM: 841
    • EQP: 500
    • EQM: 841
  • NEW:
    • RDM: 841
    • EQP: 421
    • EQM: 841

The web page is a bit vague, I'm happy to be corrected.

Note that GOLD will earn an additional 25% RDM, PLAT/EXP an additional 100%

[Dave Noble]

For those with status I would say that the impact is pretty minor.

on a SYD-MEL , currently a platinum member earns 1000 miles whilst gold earns 625; no change to mileage earning


Dave

[NM]

And for those who travel on B and Y fares for domestic AU flights, the affect is even less .

[beardoc]

This will further entrench non-Elite members - it will be even harder now to make status if you're not already an Elite member. The Platinum Challenge will be all the more important now as a way of getting to elite.

This will stop me sending all except my SYD-PER trips to AAdvantage now - dammit, I'll have to start reaccruing to QANTAS again for my O class SYD-BNE and SYD-MEL. Not until I start flying more in earnest in another year or so will it become worth it to continue to accrue to AA.