In the United States, travelers have plenty of options when it comes to choosing which airline will fly them to your destination. One of those options is American Airlines, which is already a household name when it comes to the aviation business. Recently, the airline company sent out an email blast to the members of its frequent-fliers program, named AAdvantage.
This is with regards to the upcoming modifications that will happen to the said airline's frequent-flyer program by the time 2017 chimes in. American Airlines also disclosed a brand new bonus for its branded credit cards which can aid its fliers to achieve a new elite-status spending requirement which will launched in the coming year. Ben Mutzabaugh of USA Today reported that: "Most of the changes outlined in the e-mail had already been announced this past summer. Perhaps the most notable change is that American is adding a spending requirement to earn elite status. Previously, customers could earn status simply by flying a set number of miles or flight "segments" within a calendar year."
Although the spending requirement is planned for the duration of 2017, the customers must now splurge on airfares an amount of at least $3,000 in "elite qualifying dollars" or EQDs in order to qualify for American Airlines' "Gold" status which is on the lowest-tier. The EQDs are usually also similar to the price of the airfare, with taxes and government imposed fees deducted.
This particular status can be gained when a traveler accumulates 25,000 qualifying miles, or about 30 flight segments in a span of one year. On the other hand, the "Platinum" status requires 50,000 miles or about 60 flight segments and $6,000 in EQDs; while the "Executive Platinum" status needs a whopping 100,000 miles or 120 flight segments and a total amount of $12,000 in EQDs.
American Airlines is also instituting "Platinum Pro", a new type of elite status which makes the number of status levels offered by the airline similar with that of Delta and United. The start of the year 2017 also marks the start of earning for Platinum Pro; members of AAdvantage can qualify for this rank by garnering 75,000 miles or about 90 flight segments within a year and will have a spending threshold of $9,000 in EQDs.
According to Mutzabaugh's report, "Members of American's branded frequent-flier credits will have receive a credit of $3,000 in EQDs for spending at least $25,000 on their cards in a calendar year. Customers with American's higher-end frequent-flier credits will get credited with an additional $3,000 in EQDs ($6,000 in total) if they spend an additional $25,000 in a calendar year ($50,000 total)."
from American Airlines: American Airlines AAdvantage Mileage Multiplier
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