American Airlines Is Making It Tougher to Achieve Status

American Airlines has announced significant changes to its AAdvantage frequent flyer program, altering the process for earning elite status, the associated perks, and how customers can earn and use their miles. This update comes just nine months after the last major revision of the program.

Beginning March 1, 2023, the updated loyalty program will simplify access to certain benefits (such as priority check-in and vouchers for preferred seating) while making it more difficult to attain the initial status tier. Additionally, travelers will continue to unlock benefits even after achieving the highest status.

Here’s what these changes mean for loyal American Airlines customers.

New rewards tiers

In March 2022, American Airlines replaced the criteria it used for determining elite status (which included a combination of qualifying miles, segments, and dollars spent with American and its partners) with the new Loyalty Points system. Since this shift, members have been able to accumulate points not just through flights but also by using cobranded credit cards, shopping through American’s online eShopping portal, dining via the AAdvantage dining program, and booking hotels, car rentals, and cruises through various partner companies like Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, Avis, Budget, and Hertz, among others. Each dollar spent equates to one Loyalty Point, allowing travelers to potentially earn status and rewards through their spending habits rather than solely through flying.

Historically, American Airlines has offered four status tiers, each providing additional benefits:

• Gold: Achieved after earning 30,000 Loyalty Points, offering perks like complimentary upgrades on American flights, a 40% bonus on miles, and one free checked bag.
• Platinum: Achieved after earning 75,000 Loyalty Points, providing complimentary upgrades, a 60% bonus on miles, and two free checked bags.
• Platinum Pro: Achieved after earning 125,000 Loyalty Points, which includes complimentary upgrades on American and Alaska Airlines, an 80% bonus on miles, three free checked bags, and one Loyalty Choice Reward of the member's choice (these can range from carbon offset options to donations for charities, day passes to the Admiral Club, or gifting AAdvantage Gold status).
• Executive Platinum: Achieved after earning 200,000 Loyalty Points, which comes with complimentary upgrades on American and Alaska, a 120% bonus on miles, three free checked bags, and two Loyalty Choice Rewards of the member's choosing.

The new structure introduces 11 additional tiers of rewards, bringing the total to 15 levels of benefits:

• 15,000 Loyalty Points: Grants Group 5 boarding for the year and a choice between priority check-in, security, and Group 4 boarding on one trip, or five preferred seat vouchers.
• 40,000 Loyalty Points: Achieves AAdvantage Gold status (up from 30,000 in 2022).
• 60,000 Loyalty Points: Unlocks AAdvantage Preferred Plus status along with a 20% bonus on Loyalty Points when spending through American Airlines Vacations, American Airlines Hotels, AAdvantage eShopping, AAdvantage Dining, and SimplyMiles.
• 75,000 Loyalty Points: Maintains AAdvantage Platinum status (same as in 2022).
• 100,000 Loyalty Points: Unlocks AAdvantage Presidents Club status and a 30% bonus on Loyalty Points when spending through the aforementioned programs.
• 125,000 Loyalty Points: Maintains Platinum Pro status (same as in 2022).
• 175,000 Loyalty Points: Provides the option of two systemwide upgrades, 20,000 bonus miles, six Admiral Club day passes, $200 in trip credits, a carbon offset, a $250 donation to one of American’s partner charities, a one-time 15% award rebate, the ability to gift Gold status to two individuals, or 35,000 miles off a Mastercard Priceless experience.
• 200,000 Loyalty Points: Grants Executive Platinum status.
• 250,000 Loyalty Points: Allows selection of two of the following: two systemwide upgrades, 20,000 bonus miles, six Admiral Club day passes, $200 in trip credits, a carbon offset, a $250 donation to one of American’s partner charities, a one-time 15% award rebate, the ability to gift Gold status to two individuals (per pick), or 35,000 miles off a Mastercard Priceless experience. Members can also choose both selections for an Admirals Club individual membership for the year or Bang & Olufsen products.
• 400,000 Loyalty Points: The choice of two from: two systemwide upgrades, 25,000 bonus miles, $200 in trip credits, a 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 use both selections to gain 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: Grants 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 a 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 a carbon offset.
• 5 million Loyalty Points: The choice of ten systemwide upgrades, the ability to gift Executive Platinum status, a rebate of 500,000 miles, 550,000 miles off a Mastercard Priceless experience, or a carbon offset.

Although there are numerous new benefits that travelers can accumulate within a year (which, for American Airlines, spans from March 1 to the end of February the following year), this new framework requires travelers to earn an extra 10,000 Loyalty Points to reach the first status milestone.

It's important to highlight that since American is a member of the oneworld Alliance (which includes Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, and others), achieving status with one airline grants equivalent status across all partners. Therefore, obtaining Gold status with American also translates to oneworld Ruby status, while Platinum status corresponds to oneworld Sapphire, and Platinum Pro status equates to oneworld Emerald. The privileges associated with oneworld status include access to first- and business-class lounges, along with priority boarding and baggage handling.

Changes to basic economy

In December, Delta Airlines revealed that its basic economy tickets would stop earning SkyMiles (their equivalent of qualifying miles). American isn't implementing such drastic measures; however, starting January 1, 2023, it will reduce the miles earned for basic economy fares. Presently, all American fare types earn a minimum of 5x miles per dollar spent, but beginning on New Year’s Day, basic economy tickets will only earn two miles per dollar spent.

This change represents a significant shift that will complicate the path to achieving elite status. For instance, if you were to buy a $500 basic economy ticket today, you would earn 2,500 AAdvantage miles. However, next year, that same ticket would yield only 1,000 Loyalty Points.

New award charts

Another upcoming change in 2023 involves the ways AAdvantage members can use their miles for redemption.

Currently, American Airlines provides several categories for award travel. The number of miles required for a ticket depends on the desired benefits (such as free cancellations) and the timing of your travel (peak versus off-peak). The two most economical (and limited) categories, MileSAAver and AAnytime, are set to be phased out in 2023, although the airline has not specified when this will occur.

The removal of MileSAAver and AAnytime will enable the airline to concentrate on its Web Special fares, which employ dynamic pricing for awards. The specifics of these new offerings are yet to be determined.