JonNYC

In what way in particular? (I'm probably missing something obvious!)

Austin787

Can be as early as July 1, 2016.

JonNYC

Like everyone else, I'm sure, got the email just now from AAdv asking to vote for them in the Freddies, asking:

NO YOU CANNOT.

nk15

Yes, I know, but I don't know what to do for the time between July 1 until the end of the year. If it takes effect July 1, I will not book anything on AA after that (until after Jan 1 for the new requalification year). If it takes effect later in the year, I will continue booking to take advantage of the high RDMs. If they have any business sense they will delay starting the new RDM scheme so it won't affect their summer/fall bookings.

nk15

That will be nice.

nk15

In the meantime, this uncertainty about the new date of the new RDM scheme could hurt AA bookings for the second half. I think it may have actually helped their bookings in the first half (as some people may have tilted their discretionary bookings towards the first half, to get the full rdms), but at this point or pretty soon it could start affecting second half of the year bookings. I have personally skipped a couple of Summer/Fall discretionary bookings because of the uncertainty. I know that there are not that many of us that book way in advance or use RDM criteria for their bookings, but this issue will soon become more and more relevant, as the year progresses.

My guess is that they purposefully delay announcing the exact date, until they have a better picture of their bookings for summer/fall.

We don't even know yet how RDMs will be calculated on partner flights either, correct?

Global321

You had commented on another thread that you expect it to be winter. I had said - while not doubting your info - January made more sense for AA.

Just a light hearted reference to the comments on the other thread.

JDiver

You like good news, do you? We're good if we don't follow Delta's lead. Gary Leff's current article:

E.g. "Delta has indeed started selling premium alcohol in their lounges, and you can pay with points instead of cash. Your miles are worth a penny apiece." (But can you tip in Delta SkyZimDollars, and not be poisoned? )

Off topic? Not so much, if Parker-Kirby like Delta's new direction.

JonNYC

Well, but you have to admit, by -that- standard, nothing is off-topic.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

I believe that the major FF programs will undergo significant transformation over the next few years effectively putting a nail in the coffin of the programs as they were originally designed and modified over the subsequent couple of decades. Upper end elite benefits will only be bestowed on the truly high spend while the ability to earn RDMs (at least from flying activity) will be again rewarded most lucratively on the high end. Parker and other major CEOs know that changes will need to be incremental and spread out over time but eventually get to where they (and more so Wall Street) want them to be.

LDVFlyer

I doubt the customers AA wants to reward and incentivize with the new scheme care about the implementation date.

Until then AA continues to give generous bonuses for J/F fares. For those customers, that is incentive enough to keep booking, at least until some of them qualify for EXP. (Everyone else in the new airline world order is interchangeable.)

...When EXP can still be had for $700 in spend, the changes cannot come soon enough.

BThumme

That boat already set sail my friend.

JDiver

Sailed and navigating the Bungo Straits. A lot of torpedoes in those waters!

conklaven

Wow.. i just read about the RDM changes and I am so shocked... Please let me know if I am reading this right.

I have Platinum so I get 8 miles/Dollar spent.

That means my ticket that I bought for the end of the year TLV-LHR-CLT-MEM-PHL-MAD-TLV which only costs $607 ($760-$155 in taxes) will net only 4856 RDMs?

This same flight previously got me 27000 (13500+100% platinum bonus) miles. That's crazy.

Is this a correct assumption?


Also what happens to tickets bought through one world partners but AA freq flier number put in? Like BA?

BThumme

That's correct, but, the new earnings might not go into effect until Jan 1 (or later) - no one knows yet. For partner earnings, AA hasn't said anything yet on new earnings.