Airline operator American Airlines made an announcement this Tuesday regarding its new rewards system. According to USA Today, from now on, it will start doling frequent customers with miles, but not based on the distance they fly, like they were used to, but based on how expensive their tickets are.
The operator is following the latest trends
This is not a new move on the market, as previously, operators like Delta Airlines and United Airlines, two of the biggest from the United States, also made this change.
“American Airlines has spent the last two years being singularly focused on integration. Now we’re at a point where we can begin to look ahead and lay the foundation for the future of theAAdvantage program to ensure we’re rewarding our most loyal customers with the benefits they value the most,” said Suzanne Rubin, president of American Airlines’ AAdvantage frequent-flier program.
The idea will be implemented after the second quarter of 2016, giving fliers 5 miles for each USD spent on the base fare and carrier-imposed fees. Of course, clients from upper categories will have even greater advantages. Gold members, for example, will receive 7 miles for each dollar, while Platinum ones will get 8 milers per dollar. Finally, Executive Platinum clients will get 11 miles per dollar.
Looking forward to reaching the Elite status faster?
The new system is not the only change implemented by American Airlines. Currently, the miles that count for earning the Elite client status are tied to distance flown, but the airline operator will make it easier for customers to book expensive fares, in order to gather miles faster. If you manage to stack up at least 25000 miles in a whole year, you’re Elite.
Besides these, American Airlines also announced a new low-mileage award for short flights and changes in earning the Elite status.
