Summary
- Booking directly with American Airlines is set to be one of the few ways to get Loyalty Points.
- This comes with policies that will apply to tickets issued from May 1st, 2024, with benefits for booking directly.
- Airlines like Delta have also recently modified their frequent flier programs.
Dallas-based American Airlines recently announced significant changes to its loyalty program AAdvantage. According to The Points Guy, the new policies were initially supposed to come into force on May 1st, but the airline decided to push the date to July 11th, giving customers a few more months to adapt. We covered the announcement earlier this month, but reviewing some of the most significant changes is essential to come to the oneworld carrier’s frequent flier program as the dates have changed.
Customers need to book directly with the airline to earn miles.
As reported by Fortune.com, third-party bookings may no longer be eligible to accumulate Loyalty Points. This will affect users who bought tickets on websites like Kiwi.com, Expedia, or Skyscanner.
Photo: Angel DiBilio | Shutterstock
Instead, prospective customers with a frequent flier program with American Airlines must book directly with them on AA.com, through select partner airlines, or using what AA calls “Preferred travel agencies.”
The new rules will apply to any ticket issued from May 1st, 2024, so any flights booked until then will still follow the old policies; this may be the last opportunity for those wishing to use third-party websites.
To convince their loyal customers about the change, American laid out some benefits that already apply when booking directly with them, which include same-day standby and Trip Credit.
Related
Why Does American Airlines Have Two Sets Of Cobranded Credit Cards In The US?
The airline offers cobranded cards through both Citibank and Barclays.
The airline has raised the fees for checked bags.
Although this doesn’t technically come with the new announcement, this policy took effect in February, and as it is still reasonably new, we thought it would be essential to go back over the latest fees.
For domestic flights within the United States:
- $35 for the first checked bag purchased online
- $40 for the first checked bag purchased at the airport
- $45 for the second checked bag purchased online or at the airport
Short-haul international flights:
- $35 for the first checked bag purchased online or at the airport
- $45 for the second checked bag purchased online or at the airport
Related
Norse Atlantic Airways’ Baggage Fees & Other Ancillaries: 5 Things To Know Before Flying
Norse Atlantic offers a range of baggage policies and other fees.
Other airlines have also recently changed their frequent flier program policies.
Delta also made some changes to the SkyMiles program. It planned for new ways to improve the quality of Medallion status, higher tier thresholds, and Sky Club access. The carrier wanted to simplify the process of earning status; with MQMs and MQSs gone, qualifying for elite status was set to double until 2025. The changes were eventually rolled back due to public outrage.
Related
Delta Air Lines Rolls Back Previously Proposed Changes To Its SkyMiles Program
The changes were made after customers fed back their opinions.
Bottom line
Signing up for loyalty programs is always a good idea, especially when passengers travel a lot with the exact airline or alliance. But carriers reserve the right to amend program rules within moments’ notice. Therefore, staying updated with loyalty news is always important, so read our dedicated articles or sign up for your airline of choice’s monthly newsletter. Hence, you are ready in case key policies change.
Did you know about these changes? What do you think of them? Are you surprised by the announcement? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
