American Airlines Launches Redesigned AAdvantage FFP

(01 Mar 2022)  American Airlines has launched the reimagined AAdvantage program, designed to reward members with enhanced benefits and more ways to earn status.

Loyalty Points is at the heart of the redesign and the only metric that, starting today, AAdvantage members need to track to earn status.

This single-point system, in which one qualifying AAdvantage mile earned equals one Loyalty Point, means that members do not need to track miles, dollars and/or flight segments to earn status.

American Airlines B777 reg: N779AN. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

“The past few years have taught us that loyalty is not one-size-fits all — it comes in different forms,” said Alison Taylor, American’s Chief Customer Officer. “We recognize the path to earning status is different for each individual, which is why we’re giving members more ways to earn Loyalty Points — whether by flying, shopping or using an AAdvantage credit card. We want to make it easier for our customers to achieve status wherever they may be in their travel journey.”

This month, AAdvantage members will have access to an updated online AAdvantage Status Estimator to help project their status qualification from flying and shopping.

For every qualifying AAdvantage mile earned, members receive one Loyalty Point. Members have been accruing Loyalty Points since 1 January. Also, during the month of March, members will see their progress toward status with Loyalty Points within their AAdvantage account on aa.com and the American Airlines app.

AAdvantage 2022 Status Requirements

Once a member achieves a status level, their enhanced travel experience and status will be valid through 31 March of the following year.

American is also expanding complimentary upgrade access for AAdvantage Gold and AAdvantage Platinum members to include all flights on American within North America regardless of the flight distance.

For travel starting 2 March 2022, an upgrade will automatically be requested if everyone in the reservation is eligible for a complimentary upgrade.

Members will only need to use 500-mile upgrades if they want to upgrade travel companions who do not hold AAdvantage status.

Later this year, American will extend complimentary upgrades to one companion traveling on the same flight as the status member. At that time, all existing 500-mile upgrades in members’ accounts will each convert to 250 Loyalty Points toward the 2022 status qualification period.