American Airlines makes it harder to earn frequent flyer status next year

Members of American Airlines' loyalty programme volition person to walk much to gain elite presumption adjacent year, portion of a slew of changes that the bearer announced Thursday.

Starting successful March, AAdvantage members volition request to gain 40,000 alleged Loyalty Points to gain Gold status, up from 30,000 successful the existent earning year. Gold is the lowest elite tier of American's program, and it comes with perks similar escaped upgrades — erstwhile those seats are available.

The hose volition besides get escaped of MileSAAver and AAnytime awards, 2 categories to redeem predominant flyer miles for tickets, astatine acceptable minimum rates. Instead American volition diagnostic its "Web Specials," with miles requirements that volition alteration based connected demand.

"Since we introduced Web Specials a mates years ago, our members person gravitated toward those fares," a spokeswoman for the hose said. "We'll proceed to support the grant illustration due to the fact that our members worth the guidance of a illustration to assistance marque grant opportunities easier to understand."

Airlines allowed loyalty programme members to clasp connected to their elite statuses during the pandemic erstwhile question request dried up. The programs were a lifeline for airlines during the Covid-19 situation since carriers marque wealth erstwhile travelers gain miles done rewards recognition cards. Airlines were besides capable to rise billions successful debt backed by these lucrative programs.

Now with travelers returning successful droves and the popularity of question rewards recognition cards soaring, carriers are rejiggering those programs and rethinking perks similar lounge entree and requirements to gain elite status.

Delta Air Lines past period said SkyMiles members indispensable person earned elite presumption to acquisition memberships to its airdrome lounges — it antecedently allowed anyone to bargain lounge entree — among the changes the hose made aft customers complained astir agelong lines and crowding astatine immoderate locations.

American Airlines, for its part, said connected Thursday that travelers flying connected no-frills basic system tickets would gain 2 Loyalty Points per dollar spent, down from five, for tickets issued from Jan. 1.

The hose is besides offering perks to travelers who haven't yet earned presumption oregon are betwixt presumption levels, a mode to entice them to support flying and spending.

For example, aft AAdvantage members gain 15,000 Loyalty Points, they volition beryllium allowed to committee successful Group 5 for 1 earning year. They tin besides prime betwixt 2 different perks: entree to precedence check-in and information lines on with an earlier boarding radical connected 1 trip, oregon 5 coupons for a preferred determination seat, which are mostly toward the beforehand of the system compartment but don't connection other legroom.