In a move that would surely rattle air travelers, American Airlines has made acquiring miles and loyalty points harder with its new policy.
Effective immediately, the carrier announced its plan to limit how customers earn frequent flyer points. The new policy will affect tickets issued from May 1 onwards. So, if you have the chance, travel before that to enjoy the current miles policy. Afterward, only tickets booked directly from the websites of American Airlines or eligible partner airlines and yet-to-be-announced preferred travel agencies will be eligible for AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points. The good news is that AAdvantage Business members can still earn miles and points by shopping, booking hotels, and registering for events through partner platforms.
What about economy passengers? There will be even more restrictions as miles points are only eligible for purchases made directly with American Airlines or partner operators.
The policy update comes a few months after the carrier announced it was raising the threshold for Gold status membership. In addition, the airline also plans to hike the fees for checked baggage. For domestic flights, online prices went from $30 to $35, whereas airport purchases would cost passengers $40. A second checked bag will cost $45, up from $40 previously. The new prices will apply to tickets booked on or after Feb. 20.
These policy updates are partly driven by rising costs, fuel in particular. To combat inflation and increase revenue, airlines make a concerted effort to concentrate most bookings directly on their websites. Bookings from third parties like travel agents often come with a cost-heavy commission scheme. The airlines now look to streamline that problem. The move also comes as domestic airfares steadily sank lower than pre-pandemic levels due to heavy competition with low-cost carriers.
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