ESpen36

https://thepointsguy.com/news/americ...-changes-2024/

Just announced! Generally mostly positive, in my view.

Here's the summary:
- same elite qualifying thresholds for 2024-2025
- can use some LP rewards to obtain additional LPs toward (re)qualification
- can earn additional LPs and miles when you accept buy-up offers in the app or online
- CK/EP/PPro can redeem miles to use Flagship First Dining
- AA miles can be used to upgrade on select partners...TBA
- trip credits extended to 18 months validity
- Basic Econ tickets can be voluntarily canceled for a $99 fee against the ticket value
- members of any status can buy AC day passes and FL single-use passes
- free same-day standby for members of all levels

JetAway

Yes, very good. Still my favorite program. For both AA & UA it was "message received" after the Delta fiasco.

TulsaTraveller

Agreed, the two thing I see as positive for me are you can get something of useful value for the 15,000 point level, which before was worthless for anyone who had status from the previous year where the priority check in/seat coupons were worthless. And the ability to get a credit on a basic economy ticket for $99 will make it a lot more likely I'd buy these, where in the past I always opted out for the lack of flexibility even though with status they were essentially the same as any other economy ticket otherwise. They say later this month on that, I'm curious as to how soon that will happen, I have a trip later this year I'd like to buy and would buy it as basic economy if this were available, so I may wait a little and see if they switch this on. And the 18-month extension for trip credits are nice, but I'm not sure I've ever held one that long since I can usually find a way to use them pretty quickly, even as an excuse to squeak in a trip to somewhere that I hadn't planned earlier.

IADCAflyer

Thanks ESpen36 and TPG for posting and publishing this. Im actually kinda content with the program as it stands now. Have earned a significant number of miles this past year, burned a significant amount for some good value trips, and will retain my EP status for 2024 and looking good already for 2025.

Certainly better than the Delta self-inflicted shotgun blast to the foot.

lowfareair

1) Awesome to see - seemed very dumb that you couldn't earn additional LPs for that - although some here may hate that it could drive additional people to purchase upgrades, tightening the free upgrade pool even more

2) This goes along with seeing AA increase the Main Cabin fare difference from Basic Econ - it used to be $30 one way almost all the time domestically, now I've seen the difference as high as $74 recently. They are making Basic Econ what Main Cabin used to be pre-COVID for flexibility with change cancellation fees but restricting the benefits like seat assignments, and Main Cabin will likely become more and more pricier vs Basic over time and more like the Flexible fares of yesteryear

3) This is actually a reduction in benefits for those who are part of other programs but not elite (including AA elites making a booking with Avios bc they have them through Chase/Amex). Also a (small) reduction in benefits for elites - elites were already prioritized, this just increases the chances of not making standby on a full flight because a non-member on that flight couldn't standby for an earlier flight, which would have opened up the seat for the elite member.

Redhead

None of the changes really impact me except for potential overcrowding at ACs with more day pass users. Alas, with my upcoming move, my new home airport won't have an AC. I may need to look at switching airlines, that will be painful since I have LT Plat on AA and nothing elsewhere and I don't fly enough anymore to earn status

kodalip

For avios bookings you can use Finnair to swap the FF number from BA to AA and get benefits that way. I use it a lot to get my free checked bag through an AA CC

EXP100

I take advantage of a lot of the buy up offers so that's good news they will now count towards LP. ACs are already crowded, some worse than others. PHX, CLT, TPA, MIA D30 come to mind.

lowfareair

I believe the day pass users are now being limited to just AA members - non-members* and oneworld non-elite/ruby members will not be able to access the admirals club with a day pass when previously they could. So that change should be a small net positive for those in an AC.

JJeffrey

I think you misread what is changing about AC day passes.

Previously anyone could buy a day pass, even folks who were not AAdvantage members. With this change now you must be an AAdvantage member to buy a day pass.

So in theory this should reduce the number of day pass users, although in reality there probably won't be any noticeable change as I'm guessing a large % of folks buying passes were already members.

And of course nothing is changing regarding club crowding, so if a club is crowded they will just restrict day pass use like they always have.

lowfareair

Didn't realize that was still a thing - I could have sworn that got shut down a little while back.

JJeffrey

Some more details now at aa.com and one thing that wasn't mentioned yet in the "coming soon" section



AA.com - 2024 AAdvantage Changes

FlyFreakquently

The first "enhancements" AA has made to its program that are actually enhancements.

Color me impressed.

JC_Charlotte

I found this by googling. Not sure if it's final but no cash for upgrades would be great. Looks like BA and IB and only full-fare...

yitianjian

Pretty standard for partner upgrades in *A, which makes sense.

Makes a potential partner award devaluation hurt even more :'(