Last edit by: Microwave
Please help the community by adding information to this Wiki about the current Loyalty Point Reward program
Loyalty Point Rewards program, formerly Loyalty Choice - 2021 on (consolidated)
#166
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: ORD-JFK-EZE-MAD
Programs: AA LT PLT 4mm / Free Agent / GE / Secret Handshake
Posts: 854
You are 100% right. It's sad to see how many people fall prey to marketing schemes and all the time they put into trying to game a system designed against them. Although there may be a few wins here and there, in the end, the house always wins.
#167
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Amb Elite & LT Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,230
Ironic, for me, since this year I had cleared the reward threshold on LP in July with 24 segments and I was one SWU short for a two person round trip in Sept. Of course couldn't get them to 'loan' me the 1 SWU, now I have 5 SWU in my account. They were pretty adamant about making those 30 segments no matter how many LP you had or how much you had flown 1/2 way through the year.
#168
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Amb Elite & LT Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,230
Stating the obvious, no prioritizing status at the time of booking when available.
#169
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 405
Not so sure. Pretty soon competition for domestic upgrade seats will be the same for EXPs as it was for Golds circa 1998. Just like the lounges, when lots of folks can get it, it's no longer special or exclusive. That's likely going to be a problem until they can fine tune the recipe here.
#170
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,580
Not so sure. Pretty soon competition for domestic upgrade seats will be the same for EXPs as it was for Golds circa 1998. Just like the lounges, when lots of folks can get it, it's no longer special or exclusive. That's likely going to be a problem until they can fine tune the recipe here.
#172
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,628
What I'm most curious about, the ad AA put out highlighting the 75k cap being lifted saying people dreaming of that around the world journey are good to go now, that 75k cap only ever applied to AA revenue based earning tickets anyway, right? I don't think distance based tickets had that restriction (and certainly hope so because I'm on one now that should generate 160,000 miles... Yes, a well planned DONE which will naturally break into multiple tickets due to segment count but not sure where the breaks are).
#173
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,158
For most AA-marketed flights, BE currently earns 5 miles (and LPs) per dollar (same as other fares). This is going down to 2 per dollar. Separately, the distance-based "special fare" earning for BE is currently 25% of distance flown (same as deep-discount non-basic economy, Q and O) and is going down to 10%. So proportionally, both types of BE earning are going down by 60%. The elite bonus applies to all of the above (e.g., 2.2x for EXP).
#174
Join Date: Feb 2022
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 15
#175
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: DL PM MM, AA Platinum Pro, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,097
I'm going to miss the saver awards for First Class/Business Class. Was a great value for the miles for sure, and one of the benefits of earning AA miles over DL miles. Meh - all good things come to an end I suppose.
#176
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA, WN
Posts: 153
I think the LP programs work for me, at the expense of business flyers.
I fly around 30-40 segments each year but I never purchased premium cabins on cash. Both AA and WN are based in Dallas. I'm not particularly loyal to AA and would never hit 30 segments as long as I'm still flying WN. However AA does have it's advantage, serving direct flight to cities where WN does not.
The old Loyalty Programs allow me to shift my spending via gift cards and I have achieved Plat Pro by GC spending and hotels. I can now accrue RDMs faster to be used for award flights, get MCE for free, and get luggage for free. Lounge is a plus but not a must. I don't think upgrade will work for me, particularly in DFW where elites are plenty.
The new LP program works even better for me. 30 flight segments requirement now gone. I can get 2 SWU at 175K (With the LP bonus 151K should be enough), or even 6 SWU at 250K (209K accounting for bonus). I can also dream about upgrades on award flight as EXP. These are doable for me with hotels and GC spendings.
For me personally I see no downside of these programs. Probably I'm the travelers AA is targeting. The number of seats and premium seats are fixed. The numbers of elites are increasing. My happiness is at the expense of frequent travelers who purchased premium fares. My downside is lost bonus (if any) by shifting spending.
From AA side, what AA loses are fares that may be purchased by cash, such as premium cabins or MCE. AA probably also loses disgruntled elites. What they gain is from selling RDMs to banks and affiliated programs.
I fly around 30-40 segments each year but I never purchased premium cabins on cash. Both AA and WN are based in Dallas. I'm not particularly loyal to AA and would never hit 30 segments as long as I'm still flying WN. However AA does have it's advantage, serving direct flight to cities where WN does not.
The old Loyalty Programs allow me to shift my spending via gift cards and I have achieved Plat Pro by GC spending and hotels. I can now accrue RDMs faster to be used for award flights, get MCE for free, and get luggage for free. Lounge is a plus but not a must. I don't think upgrade will work for me, particularly in DFW where elites are plenty.
The new LP program works even better for me. 30 flight segments requirement now gone. I can get 2 SWU at 175K (With the LP bonus 151K should be enough), or even 6 SWU at 250K (209K accounting for bonus). I can also dream about upgrades on award flight as EXP. These are doable for me with hotels and GC spendings.
For me personally I see no downside of these programs. Probably I'm the travelers AA is targeting. The number of seats and premium seats are fixed. The numbers of elites are increasing. My happiness is at the expense of frequent travelers who purchased premium fares. My downside is lost bonus (if any) by shifting spending.
From AA side, what AA loses are fares that may be purchased by cash, such as premium cabins or MCE. AA probably also loses disgruntled elites. What they gain is from selling RDMs to banks and affiliated programs.
#177
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Now MFE... formerly SEA and DCA
Programs: Now UA free!, AA Ex Plat, AS MVP, Marriott Titanium for life
Posts: 664
I honestly don't understand why so many people are happy with these changes. I will hit 350K LP this year (maybe a little more), but I only see devaluation. The new program has:
Please tell me what I'm missing. Overall I thought last year's changes were fine, but this is heavily weighted to spenders and not airline customers.
- 0 Elite Choices at 125K
- 1 Elite Choice now at 175K
- 0 Choices at ExPl 200k
- 2 choices at 250K (The new EXP imo)
- 350K level eliminated
- 2 Choices now at 400K
- Avis Presidents Club? LOL
- 30% bonus on dining? LOL
Please tell me what I'm missing. Overall I thought last year's changes were fine, but this is heavily weighted to spenders and not airline customers.
#178
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA, WN
Posts: 153
I'm an example of people who are happy, see above post. And the 30% bonus is not only on AA dining, but also on AA hotels and AA shopping portal, which both are the more important sources of LP/RDM for me. With this I can reach 250 K with 209K.
#179
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Now MFE... formerly SEA and DCA
Programs: Now UA free!, AA Ex Plat, AS MVP, Marriott Titanium for life
Posts: 664
Exactly
United went down this road and it took them 10-12 years to back out. Maybe it's time I revisit them as more of an option.
#180
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Now MFE... formerly SEA and DCA
Programs: Now UA free!, AA Ex Plat, AS MVP, Marriott Titanium for life
Posts: 664
I understand your point, and this will certainly be beneficially to many people. I use the Shopping when I can, but other than dog food there are not a lot of choices (of stores I use), not even Target! I guess I will need to explore more of these options... I don't know what the AA hotels are, but my company restricts us a lot through corp. travel (Mostly Marriott , Hilton or base Hyatt). It's fine I guess, I can just look at more UA travel (again).
Last edited by Luvs2snowbordbut1kSEA; Dec 16, 2022 at 9:16 am Reason: Added quote