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American Airlines has quietly implemented a change to its AAdvantage® program for its most price-conscious travelers. Today, American eliminated all mileage and Loyalty Point earnings on Basic Economy tickets purchased from December 17th onward. The update appeared without a formal announcement on the airline’s Basic Economy page and signals a significant shift in how the carrier treats its lowest fare class.
Under the new policy, Basic Economy tickets bought at or after 12:00 AM CT on December 17th will earn neither AAdvantage® miles nor Loyalty Points. Tickets purchased before 11:59 PM CT on December 16th will continue to earn rewards under the previous rules.
@JonNYC first pointed out on X that until now, Basic Economy customers earned 2x AAdvantage® miles and Loyalty Points per $1 spent (this was already a steep reduction from the 5x earning rate for standard Economy). With the new change, earning on Basic Economy fares has dropped from 40% of normal earnings to zero.
This move aligns American more closely with Delta, which already excludes Basic Economy tickets from mileage and status accrual. United still allows mileage and qualifying point earnings on its Basic Economy fares, though not Premier Qualifying Flight (PQF) credits. American’s policy shift signals a tightening across the competitive landscape with major carriers increasingly using loyalty benefits to steer travelers toward higher-priced fare classes.
For AAdvantage® members accustomed to earning some progress toward status even on discounted fares, the change marks a notable devaluation. Going forward, travelers seeking Loyalty Points will need to avoid Basic Economy fares entirely or rely more heavily on spending through AAdvantage® partners.
Anthony’s Take: While American has not commented publicly on the update, the quiet rollout suggests a strategic recalibration of the loyalty program as the airline looks to push customers into higher-yield fare types.
(Image Credits: American Airlines.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
