American Airlines new Mileage Policy

[mcmarya]

Beginning in June, American Airlines will only be awarding miles for flights booked directly through them or through "preferred" travel agencies that have met certain qualifications.  I wonder if flights booked through Seabourn will qualify or whether anyone booking through them will forego mileage award.  Don't know how one finds out.

[FlyerTalker]

A couple of items.

 

First, the date has now been shifted to July 11th from its original May 1.  It was never to be in June.

 

The reason for this policy is to get agencies to move to NDC - New Distribution Channel.  This is an AA system that lowers American’s costs and moves agencies towards selling ancillary products such as luggage fees and seats assignments.

 

This will happen, but is still getting many bugs worked out.  AA has not released any listing of these agencies.  In addition, no mention has been made of whether this policy will apply to bulk contract tickets, which are the majority of what cruiselines provide to their clients.  And in many cases, cruiseline tickets were already not earning FF miles, or were earning at a reduced rate.

 

Caveat emptor.

 

 

 

[stan01]

We have flights booked on American through FlightEase coming up in November.  In late April we got an email from Seabourn stating we should get the flights ticketed by 1 May if we wanted frequent flier mileage.  So I'd expect FlightEase reservations will not qualify for frequent flier mileage on AA going forward unless something changes.

 

 

 

[sfvoyage]

10 hours ago, stan01 said:

We have flights booked on American through FlightEase coming up in November.  In late April we got an email from Seabourn stating we should get the flights ticketed by 1 May if we wanted frequent flier mileage.  So I'd expect FlightEase reservations will not qualify for frequent flier mileage on AA going forward unless something changes.

 

 

 

I got the same email notification in April.

[whogo]

Thanks for the details, FlyerTalker.

 

The AA New Distribution Channel is annoying. Try to book the cheapest fare and you the system offers you numerous opportunities to spend more for seat selection and included luggage and insurance and who knows what else.

[labonnevie]

AA also recently announced that beginning 10/1 use of the restroom in flight will be $15 to $35, depending on length of flight. 
However, an unlimited yearly fee of $500 is being made available. 

[jjs217]

13 hours ago, labonnevie said:

AA also recently announced that beginning 10/1 use of the restroom in flight will be $15 to $35, depending on length of flight. 
However, an unlimited yearly fee of $500 is being made available. 

I would hate to be charged by the minute - talk about pressure!

[CruisingAlong4Now]

19 hours ago, labonnevie said:

AA also recently announced that beginning 10/1 use of the restroom in flight will be $15 to $35, depending on length of flight. 
However, an unlimited yearly fee of $500 is being made available. 

Is that single or double occupancy? 

[2SailingNomads]

How much for the mile high club?? 

[JPH814]

I always book direct with American.  I am too much of a control freak.  I don’t want layovers or connecting flights.  I want to pick the seat myself.  I want to determine when I am going and when I am returning.  Booking on the AA website is easily done. 

[travel4b]

On 5/23/2024 at 3:09 PM, JPH814 said:

I always book direct with American.  I am too much of a control freak.  I don’t want layovers or connecting flights.  I want to pick the seat myself.  I want to determine when I am going and when I am returning.  Booking on the AA website is easily done. 

From one control freak to another, you can (could?) do all that when booking AA flights on Flightease. I’ve found the difference in price for the same flights can sometimes be substantial. 

[BOB999]

For anyone deeply concerned about this move, the AA executive behind this is now pursuing opportunities outside of American.  If I were a betting man I'd say some of this gets rescinded as early as tomorrow.

 

https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2024/Vasu-Raja-to-leave-American-Airlines-in-June-CORP-EXEC-05/default.aspx

[Redtravel]

On 5/23/2024 at 10:09 PM, JPH814 said:

I always book direct with American.  I am too much of a control freak.  I don’t want layovers or connecting flights.  I want to pick the seat myself.  I want to determine when I am going and when I am returning.  Booking on the AA website is easily done. 

You can’t always be in control. Booking on AA or most airline websites is easy. Two weeks ago, I was to fly to Europe to take a cruise 2 days later. The morning of the flight, I got a text from airline that my plane was canceled due to mechanical problems. It also said that more information would come later.  I freaked out. About an hour later, got a text that  that we had been rebooked on another flight leaving that night. Equipment was different. Our new seat assignments were attached.  I had previously booked myself in an aisle seat. My new seat was the middle of 4 seats.  The new equipment was much smaller than the original plane.  I was happy to be on that plane. Many people who had seats on the canceled plane didn’t get on the plane that night.  Some of them actually missed embarkation.  With fewer planes flying and most flying full, if you get canceled, you may have a big delay getting to your destination.

[markandjie]

On 5/28/2024 at 5:58 PM, BOB999 said:

For anyone deeply concerned about this move, the AA executive behind this is now pursuing opportunities outside of American.  If I were a betting man I'd say some of this gets rescinded as early as tomorrow.

 

https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2024/Vasu-Raja-to-leave-American-Airlines-in-June-CORP-EXEC-05/default.aspx

 

You are very wise.

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/american-airlines-backtracks-earn-miles-loyalty-points-third-party/

[JodiandFrank]

Thank goodness AA has come to realize it was a terrible idea.  We are Executive Platinum with AA and love to use FlightEase because the fares are HUGELY discounted….and I still have control.  I just pay FlightEase the lower price.  I pick my flights, my seats, and continuously watch the flight on my AA app incase of any changes.  If there is a change I go to AA and they fix it for me.  It’s a win-win in my book.

[medroots]

I’m thrilled that AA rescinded the policy, but I think there’s still an issue for us: Our TA told us that SB advised that FlightEase cancelled their contract with AA effective May 1, even though the policy implementation date had been postponed (and subsequently has been rescinded). If that’s true, we won’t be able to use FlightEase unless they execute another contract with AA. My DH is a 5 million mile person with AA, so we don’t usually consider another airline unless the price differential is significant.

Edited June 2 by medroots
additional information

[stan01]

1 hour ago, medroots said:

I’m thrilled that AA rescinded the policy, but I think there’s still an issue for us: Our TA told us that SB advised that FlightEase cancelled their contract with AA effective May 1, even though the policy implementation date had been postponed (and subsequently has been rescinded). If that’s true, we won’t be able to use FlightEase unless they execute another contract with AA. My DH is a 5 million mile person with AA, so we don’t usually consider another airline unless the price differential is significant.

 

Guessing HAL and Seabourn if not Carnival corporate are already in discussions with their AA counterparts on restoring a peaceful mutually profitable relationship.

 

[medroots]

26 minutes ago, stan01 said:

 

Guessing HAL and Seabourn if not Carnival corporate are already in discussions with their AA counterparts on restoring a peaceful mutually profitable relationship.

 

I hope so. FWIW, I was told that Carnival maintained their contract while HAL/SB did not.I’m guessing SB did not have the economies of scale to implement the newly required system. Hopefully the recision resolves the barrier. 

[BOB999]

1 hour ago, medroots said:

I’m thrilled that AA rescinded the policy, but I think there’s still an issue for us: Our TA told us that SB advised that FlightEase cancelled their contract with AA effective May 1, even though the policy implementation date had been postponed (and subsequently has been rescinded). If that’s true, we won’t be able to use FlightEase unless they execute another contract with AA. My DH is a 5 million mile person with AA, so we don’t usually consider another airline unless the price differential is significant.

 

I will say I had been searching Flight Ease a lot recently for my cruise next week.  I noted that AA was missing from the airline filter options.  My first thought it was perhaps due to my destination, but checking alternative destinations/routings also didn't show any AA (at least AA marketed) options.  

 

Hopefully as part of the AApology tour they will try to get a new contract with HAL/Seabourn.

[2SailingNomads]

When for 31 years SLC was my airport I only flew on AA twice, once a total disaster to Manaus - luckily we as usual planned to arrive 2 days before the cruise started as the cluster that occurred in DFW resulted in a disaster in MIA.  I have flown over 2 million miles (have the DL status for 1+ of them) and that experience was in the top 2 of absolute worst.  

Now living where LAS is my airport AA has unless going to Europe when I am on KLM biz class and loving it, the best options.  (Caveat if going to Hawaii as we do often than HA, nonstop). Recently AA biz class has delivered a decent product IMO.

Edited June 3 by 2SailingNomads
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[jjs217]

There are so many people chasing so very few international business class seats.  I don't know how or why the airlines would even consider making discount contracts with the cruise industry, unless it is for economy.  The airlines know people are willing to pay a higher price for the comfort of sitting upfront.

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, jjs217 said:

There are so many people chasing so very few international business class seats.

 

One thing to remember is that AA has the fleet with the least ratio of premium seats among the USA international three (DL, UA, AA).  Some of their 787s have only 20 business class seats.

 

 

[medroots]

Our TA has now advised us that FlightEase for SB is back in contract negotiations with AA. Hopefully this all gets resolved soon. 

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, medroots said:

Our TA has now advised us that FlightEase for SB is back in contract negotiations with AA. Hopefully this all gets resolved soon. 

 

AA has been under investor pressure to improve their yields, as they significantly lag UA and DL.  In addition, a new flight attendant contract is on the horizon, further increasing costs.

 

I have no inside information, other than what has been publicly released.  Given that disclaimer, my bet is that any discounts that may be offered in a future contract will be quite small, as AA needs revenue.  And especially in premium cabins, where they are at a big disadvantage.  Then let's add in their scarcity of international flying (vis a vis competitors, and especially TPAC).  Plus, who's to say that SB won't add in markup to the prices from AA, bringing them into close parity with AA's direct pricing. I'm not holding my breath for any new contract to be worth much to SB cruisers.

 

Again, just an informed opinion.

 

 

[cruisr]

I love that AA backed off of what they originally said and fired the VP who came up with the idea.