Yesterday American announced double elite qualifying miles through the end of January for all AAdvantage members (registration required).
Residents of California, Illinois, and Texas already had a double elite qualifying miles promotion through the end of March (registration required) that doubles status miles earned on their flights between Chicago/Dallas and Los Angeles/San Francisco.
American Airlines confirmed on MIlepoint that the two promotions are stackable.
For eligible members, a simple Chicago Los Angeles roundtrip taken by the end of January will earn 10,467 qualifying miles, a simple Dallas – San Francisco roundtrip would earn 8787 qualifying miles. That’s triple elite qualifying miles through January 31. That’s enough to make me think long and hard about crashing on someone’s couch in Chicago until the 31st of January in order to establish residency, though neither American nor my wife would likely appreciate it (and the State of Illinois might want to start taxing me!).
(HT: tommy777)
Given their previous inclanation, if the State of Illinois knows you’re there, they’ll find some way to tax you.
I’d go for the SFO-ORD route. Damn. I wish my sister still lived in the bay. What are the rules about residency / how tough is it to claim? My employer is HQ’d there, I could “move” for a month. 11K for a 7 hour round trip. That’s drool-worthy.
What exactly qualifies for residency???
Illinois loves taxing the shit out people, but no one more than their own (actual) residents and businesses!
@ArizonaGuy After a month of residency, California will want to tax any income you have while living there, even temporarily. Upper bracket is 11%…..
I think just an address in your profile qualifies as resident, right?
It can’t be as simple as an address. Or can it? I mean that’s how many of us have Velocity Rewards accounts (and Gold or Platinum status, at that). Is AA that simple too?
I just realized that my AA account is still registered at my parents’ home in CA. I never changed the address after moving to WA because I almost never fly them. I may have to see about adding another top-tier to my list. 🙂
So this is triple EQM miles – but not triple regular miles, correct?
Gary, since AA doesn’t use EQM, but a points based qualification, is your statement still hold true?
“For eligible members, a simple Chicago Los Angeles roundtrip taken by the end of January will earn 10,467 qualifying miles, a simple Dallas – San Francisco roundtrip would earn 8787 qualifying miles.”
@Pegasus they use BOTH EQMs and ALSO points, you can qualify via either.
I’m based in Chicago….seriously considering flying 9 round-trips to SFO in Jan. With a side trip to CLT that I need to take for work…that would give me ExPlat for 25ish months for $1,900.00. The 8 eVIPs alone might be worth it given some planned Europe and Asia travel. Plus the spend would help me with my 75,000pt $10K spend AmEx.
Am I crazy or is this reasonable?
Thanks to Virgin America and Spirit LAX-ORD is way oversupplied.
“I’m based in Chicago….seriously considering flying 9 round-trips to SFO in Jan. With a side trip to CLT that I need to take for work…that would give me ExPlat for 25ish months for $1,900.00. The 8 eVIPs alone might be worth it given some planned Europe and Asia travel. Plus the spend would help me with my 75,000pt $10K spend AmEx.”
Well, assuming you bill out at $200/hr, then you are actually losing $25,000 just in your time.
@UVA unless you can work on the plane and bill that time!!
Well played, Gary, well played…
(although my calculation included an hour drive time to and from the airport – maybe you could bill out time while driving to the airport by claiming that you were “thinking” alot)
I gave up the consulting game years ago in favor of a steady 40-hr a week job that leaves me plenty of free time do fun things and pays me enough to live very comfortably. Sadly, it doesn’t pay enough to fly paid first class….hence the travel hacking/credit card churning/mileage running!
I generally value my time at $20/hour when looking at frugality measures…so I should factor in time lost.
Just booked 9 round trips, Gary if you need an address in California, let me know 😛
Is anyone getting the status and double miles for DEQ11 outside of the three (3) states required? Not fair. 🙁
ED
If I register for the chalenge does this mean I only need to fly half the amount?
I have over 22000 EQMs in AA to go to maintain Gold for next year and I live in Miami. What do you suggest I do?
Are these promotions automatic or do I need to sign up for it? I live in ca and need to go to chicago for business. Does it help to fly to chicago via Dallas?
@Jimbob you have to register. And Chicago-Dallas doesn’t count, just DFW-LAX/SFO and ORD-LAX/SFO (and vice versa)
Thanks, where do you go to register?