So, I guess for all the "oh noes, AS will have to add an EQD component to earning status" handwringing... no, not so much for 2021.
Originally Posted by
Jimgotkp
It seems like AA and AS are working closely with each other based on AA's changes that were announced today as well. The fact that they're working together is somewhat worrying with the AS program from the bonus earning rates on partner flights, redemption rates, and routing rules (specifically stopovers). I doubt AA will be happy if AS kept most of those things as-is as it would entice many AA elites over to AS, depending on how the complimentary upgrade reciprocity goes.
I guess we need something new to handwring about?
Seriously, 99.9% of everyone would look at you like you had sprouted three heads if you told them they should switch frequent flyer programs because of award stopovers. Most of the world doesn't have thousands of posts on FlyerTalk and wouldn't need to hyperoptimize their award trip to Hawaii or Disneywold (really, people need to stop thinking that the average award redemption for an AS customer is a trip to JNB on CX with stopovers each way).
Any number of AA's
joint venture partners (BA, JL, EI, AY, IB, QF) have rules, earning and redemption rates that differ from AA's. Nobody gives breech birth to kittens over this, even though a JV is a closer relationship than what AA/AS have (in that JV partners actually share revenue and can coordinate schedules, which won't be the case for AA/AS). AS can mind their knitting for their loyalty program just fine and so can AA.