American AAdvantage Changes Coming August 1
Joe Cortez June 06, 2016
Flyers will begin earning miles based on ticket price, with fourth loyalty category announced.
American Airlines AAdvantage flyers now know the date they will begin earning miles based on the price of their ticket, instead of the number of miles in the air. In a press release, the carrier announced the transition would take place on Monday, August 1, 2016.
Previously, the airline announced the change would take place towards the end of summer 2016, without a concrete date planned. After August 1, AAdvantage flyers will begin earning miles based on the base airfare and carrier-imposed fees, multiplied by their loyalty status. Those who hold no status with American will earn five points per dollar spent on airfare, while those with Executive Platinum will earn 11 miles per dollar. Taxes will not count towards point-earnings multipliers.
In addition to the mileage changes, the program will add a fourth elite level to the AAdvantage program starting in 2017. Named “Platinum Pro,” the new category will fill share mid-tier status with Platinum. Flyers who fly 75,000 elite qualifying miles or 90 elite qualifying segments, along with spending $9,000 in elite qualifying dollars, will qualify for the new elite tier. Flyers who reach Platinum Pro status will earn nine award miles per dollar spent on airfare, in addition to two free checked bags and automatic upgrades within North and Central America. The new status will align with the Sapphire tier within the oneworld alliance.
The changes put American’s loyalty program alongside fellow legacy competitors Delta Air Lines and United Airlines in tiers and mileage earnings. In 2014, Delta was the first program to transition into an award program based on ticket price, followed by United one year later. Each program has four loyalty tiers, with gradually-increasing awards at each level. Although American has previously acknowledged the change meets the current industry trend, executives for the carrier continue to stand behind their value proposition.
“American Airlines is evolving AAdvantage to continue our tradition of having the best loyalty program in the world by rewarding our most loyal customers with the benefits they value the most,” Andrew Nocella, chief marketing officer for the Dallas-based carrier, said in the press release.
[Photo: American Airlines]
All businesses have costs -- that's your business. Your income is your profit -- your living money. Expenses are a subtraction from revenue and reduce taxes as a result. Yes, some people have their own business, but for the most part, business flyers don't pay the way. If you are flying that much as you say, making the spend requirement shouldn't be a problem. I'm actually getting more miles under the new system than I would have under the old system.
Spartyair, some of us fly the cheap itinerarires because we pay for our travel for our business, I fly to India and Asia around 10 trips a year, trust me I am finding the cheapest ticket I can, because I work for myself, and dont have the budget to buy expensive tickets. It still means my butt in on the plane, why shouldnt I get rewarded for my loyality
Over 95 % of my flying is personal leisure travel and I have had no problem meeting the spend limit since United changed to dollar based mileage. I am already over the 1K spend level and I have only qualified for Platinum so far this year. I am glad the airlines are using the spend limit for mileage awards -- it culls out the people who just fly cheap itineraries in order to get status. I hope it improves my chance of getting the free upgrades and gets more people out of the premier boarding lines. I will agree with you all that it is a system that favors the corporate flyer. That is a conundrum that I haven't been able to figure a way that would be better. I do feel that my loyalty to an airline is much greater than the corporate flyer, because I am spending my own money -- often types on not necessarily the cheapest fare. The corporate flyer has no stake in the game, but i do.
So what happens to the miles you have accumulated so far? It looks like you get fewer miles for the money spent now and not the full miles actually flown. That's terrible. May have to rethink my loyalty to AA now and start flying whoever is cheapest. I did like going through the priority lines at security the few times we didn't get our PRE stamped on out boarding passes.
DrunkCargo, you drop money or does your company drop your money into your fares? There seems to be a huge divide in the thinking on this-- personal travelers paying out of their own pockets and business travelers who do not pay out of their own pockets.