Sky-High Changes: AAdvantage® Program Takes Flight with Updates in 2024

January 9, 2024 NavigatorNick

AAdvantage Award Updates

In the coming months, you’ll enjoy more flexibility when flying on American as an AAdvantage® member.

Let’s just get this out of the way. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the AAdvantage program. The program has recently changed so much that most awards are not worth your tax dollars. Literally.

Take this rewards flight for example:

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Chicago to Cancun for 36k miles, not bad, right?

Take a closer look at the taxes and fees. $111.84

$111.84?! WHAT?! That is insane… I’m better off buying the flight with my Capital One Venture X card and gaining 2x the miles on my purchase. But I digress…

Upcoming Changes to AAdvantage in 2024

Later in January 2024, you’ll be able to cancel non-refundable Basic Economy fare tickets on aa.com and receive a partial Trip Credit for a fee if:

Your trip is domestic
Travel hasn’t started yet
You booked directly through American (aa.com, the app or American Airlines Reservations)

Basic Economy tickets booked through a third party cannot be canceled for Trip Credit.

Same-day standby

For travel on or after March 1, 2024, only AAdvantage^® members* can stand by for an earlier flight. To request same-day standby, find your trip on aa.com or in the app starting 24 hours before your flight departure.

Keep in mind your new flight must:

Depart on the same day, from and to the same airports, as your original flight
Have the same number of stops, in the same airports, as your original flight
Be operated by American Airlines or American Eagle^® carriers

*Same-day standby will continue to be available to oneworld^® status members, active U.S. military and Main Cabin Select customers.

Other benefits

Later in 2024, more travel benefits become exclusive to AAdvantage^® members, including:

Extended Trip Credit: You’ll have 6 more months to use Trip Credit than non-members when canceling travel online.
Admirals Club^® One-Day Passes: Only AAdvantage^® members can buy One-Day Passes.
Flagship^® Lounge Single Visit Passes: Buy a pass to enjoy our premium lounge.
24-hour trip hold: Only members will be able to put flights on hold free of charge for up to 24 hours.

As an AAdvantage^® member, you’ll also continue to enjoy benefits like boarding earlier with Group 6, exclusive access to American Airlines Vacations^™ packages and more.

New upgrade benefits

Coming soon, you can:

Earn miles on upgrades: Earn miles when you pay with cash to upgrade to a premium cabin.
Upgrade with our partners: You’ll be able to redeem miles for upgrades with select airline partners in 2024.
Manage systemwide upgrades: Request systemwide upgrades online.

New Loyalty Point Reward choices

Starting with the new qualification year on March 1, 2024, you can choose Loyalty Points toward AAdvantage® status as your reward choice. Loyalty Points become available at select Loyalty Point Reward levels:

15,000 level: Choose 1,000 Loyalty Points
175,000 level: Choose 5,000 Loyalty Points
250,000 level: Choose 15,000 Loyalty Points per reward choice (2 available)

New Enhance with Miles opportunity

Coming soon: Dine in luxury at the airport when you redeem miles for Flagship^® First Dining passes, available once you reach AAdvantage Platinum Pro^® status.

In conclusion

If you are looking into travel reward credit cards and come across one of the offerings from AmericanAirlines AAdvantage and live near an AA hub, the card may be right for you in some instances.

You will see a much higher rewards and point systems with Chase Sapphire or even Capital One.

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