American Airlines Announces Changes To AAdvantage Loyalty Program For 2023

American Airlines has announced changes to the AAdvantage loyalty program for 2023. A summary of the changes is as follows:

• Loyalty Choice Rewards replaced with Loyalty Point Rewards.
• Increase from 5 Loyalty Point Rewards levels to 11.
• No longer need to complete 30 qualifying segments to unlock Loyalty Point Rewards
• Rewards will be offered at the following levels:
  • 15,000 points. Select one of the following:
    • Priority check-in, security and Group 4 boarding for one trip.
    • Five preferred seat coupons.
  • 60,000 points
    • Avis Preferred status
    • A 20% Loyalty Points bonus on spending with AAVacations, AAHotels, AAdvantage eShopping, AAdvantage Dining, and SimplyMiles
  • 100,000 points
    • Avis Presidents Club status
    • A 30% Loyalty Points bonus on spending with AAVacations, AAHotels, AAdvantage eShopping, AAdvantage Dining, and SimplyMiles
  • 175,000 points. Pick one of the following:
    • Two systemwide upgrades
    • 20,000 bonus miles, or 25,000 bonus miles for AAdvantage credit card members
    • Six Admirals Club day passes
    • A $200 trip credit, or $250 for AAdvantage credit card members
    • A $250 donation to a partner charity
    • A 15% AAdvantage award rebate
    • The ability to gift AAdvantage Gold status to two people
  • 250,000 points. Pick two of the following:
    • Two systemwide upgrades
    • 20,000 bonus miles, or 30,000 bonus miles for AAdvantage credit card members
    • Six Admirals Club day passes
    • An Admirals Club membership (this requires both choices)
    • A $200 trip credit, or $250 for AAdvantage credit card members
    • A $250 donation to a partner charity
    • The ability to gift AAdvantage Gold status to two people
    • A selection of Bang & Olufsen products (this requires both choices)
    • A Flagship Lounge single visit pass, or two passes for AAdvantage credit card members
  • 400,000 points, 550,000 points, 750,000 points (pick two at each level):
    • One systemwide upgrades
    • 25,000 bonus miles
    • An Admirals Club membership (this requires both choices)
    • A $200 trip credit, or $250 for AAdvantage credit card members
    • The ability to gift AAdvantage Platinum status
    • A selection of Bang & Olufsen products (this requires both choices)
    • Two Flagship Lounge single visit passes
    • One Flagship First Dining visit pass
  • 1,000,000 points. Pick one:
    • Four systemwide upgrades
    • The ability to gift AAdvantage Platinum Pro status
    • A mileage rebate of 100,000 AAdvantage miles
  • 3,000,000 points. Pick one:
    • Six systemwide upgrades
    • The ability to gift AAdvantage Executive Platinum status
    • A mileage rebate of 300,000 AAdvantage miles
  • 5,000,000 points. Pick one:
    • 10 systemwide upgrades
    • The ability to gift AAdvantage Executive Platinum status
    • A mileage rebate of 500,000 AAdvantage miles
• The 125,000 & 200,000 loyalty point levels have increased to 175,000 and 250,000 respectively
• Basic economy earning rates reduced by 60% (2x miles per dollar instead of 5x)
• Gold status requirements increasing by 33% (from 30,000 points to 40,000 points)

Our Verdict

Overall the changes aren’t too bad. The requirements are getting worse for the higher tiers, but introduction of a lower tier is an improvement. How you find these changes will depend on where on the spectrum you fall.