Why it matters
Affects 3 airline programs (Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue). Spans 2 hotel programs (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy).
What happened
American Airlines has announced a change to its AAdvantage program rules, specifically eliminating mileage earnings on Basic Economy tickets. This negative change to elite benefits means that AAdvantage members flying in the Basic Economy cabin will no longer accrue miles for their travel. The change is effective January 6, 2026
Sources add · 2
- One Mile at a Time: American Makes Basic Economy Much Worse, Especially For AAdvantage Elites In the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen most US airlines hike checked bag fees, in an effort to increase revenue during a very challenging time…
- Live and Let's Fly: American Airlines Strips Basic Economy Perks From Elites, Raises Bag Fees
Sources cited · 3
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