American Airlines just announced a shake-up in its AAdvantage frequent flier program, changing how travelers can earn elite status, what perks you get along the way, and how customers can earn and redeem miles. The changes come only nine months after previously overhauling the AAdvantage program.
Starting March 1, 2023, the revamped loyalty program will make it easier to earn certain perks (like priority check-in and coupons to redeem for preferred seats) but more challenging to reach the first status level. It will also mean guests will continue to unlock perks even after they have top-tier status.
Here’s what the changes mean for American Airlines loyalists.
New rewards levels
In March 2022, American Airlines scrapped the metrics it used to determine elite status (a mix of qualifying miles, segments, and dollars flown with American and its partners) in favor of the so-called Loyalty Points system. Since then, members have been able to earn points not only through flying but also by spending on cobranded credit cards, using American’s online eShopping portal, dining out through the AAdvantage dining program, and booking hotels, car rentals, and cruises through partner companies (including Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, Avis, Budget, and Hertz, among others). Each dollar spent earns one Loyalty Point, so, in theory, travelers could earn status and rewards by being a big spender, not necessarily by flying a lot.
Traditionally, American Airlines has had four status tiers, each of which earned complimentary extras:
- Gold: Achieved after earning 30,000 Loyalty Points. Rewards include complimentary upgrades on American flights, a 40 percent bonus on miles, and one free checked bag.
- Platinum: Achieved after earning 75,000 Loyalty Points. Rewards include complimentary upgrades, a 60 percent bonus on miles, and two free checked bags.
- Platinum Pro: Achieved after earning 125,000 Loyalty Points. Rewards include complimentary upgrades on American and Alaska Airlines, an 80 percent bonus on miles, three free checked bags, and one Loyalty Choice Reward of the customer’s choosing. (These range from carbon emissions offsets and donations to charities to Admiral Club day passes and the ability to gift AAdvantage Gold status to someone else.)
- Executive Platinum: Achieved after earning 200,000 Loyalty Points. Rewards include complimentary upgrades on American and Alaska, a 120 percent bonus on miles, three free checked bags, and two Loyalty Choice Rewards of the customer’s choosing.
The new system, however, is adding 11 more tiers of rewards. There are now 15 levels of perks:
- 15,000 Loyalty Points: Unlocks Group 5 boarding for the year and the choice of either priority check-in, security, and Group 4 boarding on one trip or five preferred seat coupons.
- 40,000 Loyalty Points: AAdvantage Gold status (up from 30,000 in 2022).
- 60,000 Loyalty Points: Unlocks Avid Preferred Plus status and a 20 percent Loyalty Points bonus when spending with American Airlines Vacations, American Airlines Hotels, AAdvantage eShopping portal, AAdvantage Dining portal, and SimplyMiles.
- 75,000 Loyalty Points: AAdvantage Platinum status (same as in 2022).
- 100,000 Loyalty Points: Unlocks Avid Presidents Club status and a 30 percent Loyalty Points bonus when spending with American Airlines Vacations, American Airlines Hotels, AAdvantage eShopping portal, AAdvantage Dining portal, and SimplyMiles.
- 125,000 Loyalty Points: Platinum Pro status (same as in 2022).
- 175,000 Loyalty Points: The choice of two systemwide upgrades, 20,000 bonus miles, six Admiral Club day passes, $200 in trip credits, carbon offset, a $250 donation to one of American’s partner charities, a one-time 15 percent award rebate, the ability to gift Gold status to two people, or 35,000 miles off a Mastercard Priceless experience.
- 200,000 Loyalty Points: Executive Platinum status.
- 250,000 Loyalty Points: The choice of two of the following: two systemwide upgrades, 20,000 bonus miles, six Admiral Club day passes, $200 in trip credits, carbon offset, a $250 donation to one of American’s partner charities, a one-time 15 percent award rebate, the ability to gift Gold status to two people (per pick), or 35,000 miles off a Mastercard Priceless experience. They can also opt to use both picks to receive an Admirals Club individual membership for the year or Bang & Olufsen products.
- 400,000 Loyalty Points: The choice of two of the following: two systemwide upgrades, 25,000 bonus miles, $200 in trip credits, carbon offset, two Flagship Lounge single-visit passes, one Flagship First Dining visit pass, the ability to gift Platinum status, or 40,000 miles off a Mastercard Priceless experience. They can also opt to use both picks to receive an Admirals Club individual membership for the year or Bang & Olufsen products.
- 550,000 Loyalty Points: Same options as at 400,000 Loyalty Points.
- 750,000 Loyalty Points: Same options as at 400,000 Loyalty Points.
- 1 million Loyalty Points: The choice of four systemwide upgrades, the ability to gift Platinum Pro status, a rebate of 100,000 miles, 150,000 miles off a Mastercard Priceless experience, or carbon offset.
- 3 million Loyalty Points: The choice of six systemwide upgrades, the ability to gift Executive Platinum status, a rebate of 300,000 miles, 350,000 miles off a Mastercard Priceless experience, or carbon offset.
- 5 million Loyalty Points: The choice of 10 systemwide upgrades, the ability to gift Executive Platinum status, a rebate of 500,000 miles, 550,000 miles off a Mastercard Priceless experience, or carbon offset.
While there are myriad new benefits you can earn during a given year (which, for American, runs from March 1 through the end of February the following year), the new structure does mean travelers will need to earn an additional 10,000 Loyalty Points to clear the first status benchmark.
It’s worth noting that because American is part of the oneworld Alliance (with Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, and others), reaching status on one airline earns status across the board. So achieving Gold status on American also earns oneworld Ruby status, Platinum earns oneworld Sapphire, and Platinum Pro earns oneworld Emerald status. The benefits of status on oneworld range from access to first- and business-class lounges to priority boarding and baggage handling.
Cuts to basic economy
Last December, Delta Airlines announced that its basic economy tickets would no longer earn SkyMiles (its version of qualifying miles). American isn’t going quite that far, but starting January 1, 2023, it will downgrade the number of miles earned in the back of the aircraft. Currently, all American fares earn a minimum of 5x miles per dollar spent, but starting on New Year’s Day, any ticket purchased in basic economy will only earn two miles per dollar spent.
It’s a sizable difference and one that will make qualifying for elite status harder. For example, if you purchased a $500 basic economy ticket today, you’d earn 2,500 AAdvantage miles. Next year that same ticket would only garner you 1,000 Loyalty Points.
New awards charts
Another change coming in 2023 is how AAdvantage members can redeem miles.
Currently, American Airlines offers a handful of categories of award travel. The number of miles you would need to redeem for a ticket depends on what perks you want (like free cancellation) and when you’re traveling (peak versus off-peak). The two cheapest (and most limited) categories, MileSAAver and AAnytime, will be on the chopping block in 2023, though the airline hasn’t yet announced when they’ll make their exit.
Eliminating MileSAAver and AAnytime will allow the airline to focus on its Web Special fares, which use dynamic award pricing. What exactly they will look like remains to be seen.
