Questions and Answers

I’ve been offered a 3 month challenge to get ExPlat in 3 months by earning 35k MQMs and 5k MQDs. I’m assuming that I won’t get the benefit of the ExPlat status I’m getting during this trial and my existing Plat status in terms of earning the 35k MQMs, but please correct me if I am wrong (also, I assume that any offers conferring extra MQMs on certain won’t apply).

My first trip this year is in January and that should net me about 5000 MQMs and 750 MQDs. What would be your advice on the best way to hit the target after that?

My presumption here is that you are based in the US. The same strategy applies elsewhere.

If what you are looking for is EXP in 3 months, what I would do is look at the earnings charts for each of the OW airlines, figure out what availability you had, and plan an international flight or two accordingly. My presumption is that you have the ability to get to any gateway city.

Example: out and back, paid business class, Finnair, JFK to Singapore via Helsinki. This is 19756 miles return, per Great Circle Mapper. Consulting the award charts on AA.com, a return flight booked in I for that route would earn 39512 EQM and 4939 EQD, which completes your challenge in one flight. Out Friday, return Sunday, in February – Finnair.com is showing a price of $3089.73.

That would be my approach.