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In my confirmation message selecting an airline I also noted a change in scope of the program allowing annual memberships - I selected American for now. Now that I think about it, I'm thinking the allowance for the two options to change may have more to do with the US Airways and American merger than anything else since the impacts are supposed to be announced this week and the fact that Amex is already letting annual lounge memberships be reimbersed from the $200 airline money .
•Airport lounge day passes & annual memberships