American Makes Sweeping Changes to Partner Earning Charts
Joe Cortez July 18, 2016
The changes run from increased miles on some international airlines to slashed earnings at many more.
International flyers hoping to earn American Airlines’ AAdvantage miles on partner airlines may be disappointed by the changes soon coming their way. The airline released their new partner earnings award charts unannounced on Friday, July 15, detailing how flyers will earn AAdvantage miles when flying with their oneworld partner airlines.
The changes coincide with American’s move from a distance-based points program to a revenue-based points program. Starting August 1, American flyers will earn AAdvantage miles on the base fare of their tickets, multiplied by their loyalty tier status. The move mirrors fellow legacy airlines Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, who transitioned to similar programs in previous years.
Flyers who are traveling in business class or first class seats may soon see their mileage earnings increase as the airline adds several new fare classes to their award chart. Those traveling in certain fare buckets on Etihad Airways can earn up to a 300 percent miles bonus based on actual miles flown in addition to full base miles. Similar gains are seen in premium cabins aboard other partner carriers Finnair and LAN Airlines.
However, this is where the gains end for most travelers; across the table, nearly all discounted fares in economy will earn fewer miles starting in two weeks. Aboard Alaska Airlines, AAdvantage flyers in economy will earn between 25 and 75 percent of their miles flown in addition to credit for .5 elite qualifying miles per mile flown and up to 15 percent credit toward the elite qualifying dollar requirement. When traveling with longtime partner British Airways, flyers in most economy fares will only earn between 25 and 50 percent of their miles flown.
All of these changes have been published on the American Airlines’ website and will go into effect on August 1. The airline has not commented publicly on their new mileage earning tables.
[Photo: Breaking Belize News]
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The programs are not designed for the big wigs. Fortunately, I fly international F on AA award flights. I will only fly First on domestic, as well. It makes it easier, especially with many daughters and a wife alongside, not to forget to mention the odds of being cramped by a slob or someone who has not showered in who knows how long. I couldn't imagine what its like with a seat-back is like in my face. Its been quite a while and god willing, I wont have to fly eco any time in the near future. Other than in suite, I haven't had to sit behind row 1 since 2000. However, the programs benefit all of those who fly once a year or more. And there is no future for airlines without economy. Zilch. Those who benefit most often are economy. Most frequent flyers fly economy and with distance based points, can rack them up extreeeemely fast. The airline is cutting their costs significantly by making the move they are making. A round-trip economy ticket DFW-LHR and back on a distance-based is enough for a 7,500 one-way Economy ticket or more than half way to a 12,500 ticket. This move is cramping the majority of their passengers style. Those who pay $12,000USD for a one-way F ticket, wouldn't care that very much about awards. I am not sure if the purpose of the message was to just actually gloat, but the economy passenger will always be the back-bone.
@sydneyberlin - When you're flying at the pointy end on a paid ticket, SERVICE is what predominantly determines your airline choice. eg. I regularly fly GRU-JFK in business. I will always choose Tam(now Latam) over AA because AA's business class is significantly inferior to Tam's(AA has only angle flat beds to start!). So AA offering more miles won't change my choice of who to fly with, which is the REAL reason behind ALL FF programs. So it seems to me that AA have changed only because their competition has already done so & so they don have to worry about losing market share because of it. Whilst business class passengers make up most of the profit of mainstream airlines, economy passengers cover the costs. A full business cabin with an empty economy cabin is a loss making flight. A full economy cabin with an empty business cabin will break even.
really Sydeneyberling,I assume you dont pay for your won tickets. otherwise you would not have suchn a sided opinion, for those out use, who actually pay out of pcket for these flights, yes its effects us alot
Sounds like this is rather a change for the better if you fly in the premium cabins. Which is exactly the kind of customers who are supposed to benefit from these programs so I can't see much to criticize here. The kind of people who fly back in the bus on the cheapest possible economy fair are not who those programs are made for in the first place.