American Airlines Makes Positive Changes to AAdvantage Program for 2021
American Airlines has announced some changes to its AAdvantage loyalty program. American is making elite status easier to achieve in 2021 and is introducing new rewards for its most loyal members.
Elite Status
AAdvantage members can start earning elite status in 2021 right now. American will count all elite qualifying flight activity flown in the fourth quarter of 2020 toward a member’s 2021 qualifications. AAdvantage 2021 tier requirements are as follows:
| Gold | Platinum | Platinum Pro | Executive Platinum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elite qualifying dollars (EQD) | 2,000 | 4,500 | 7,000 | 12,000 |
| Elite qualifying segments (EQS) | 20 | 45 | 70 | 95 |
| Elite qualifying miles (EQM) | 20,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 | 80,000 |
Elite status achieved in 2021 is valid through Jan. 31, 2023.
For 2021, American will also waive the elite qualifying dollar requirement for Gold, Platinum and Platinum Pro if members spend $30,000 on purchases with their eligible AAdvantage credit cards. This gives members another way to achieve their elite status goal.
Rewards for Loyal Members
American Airlines is making status even more rewarding in 2021. Awaiting Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum members is a curated menu of rewards, including items such as systemwide upgrades, Admirals Club day passes, bonus AAdvantage miles and more. This choice of rewards gives members achieving status in 2021 the flexibility to select the reward they value the most. More details on these perks will be coming soon.
As a reminder, in April, AAdvantage Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum elite members at that time had their status automatically extended to Jan. 31, 2022, given the reduced travel this year due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Elite Benefits in Basic Economy
Since Oct. 1, AAdvantage elite members can enjoy benefits such as priority access, upgrades privileges, access to Preferred and Main Cabin Extra Seats and same-day confirmed flight changes during their journey on Basic Economy fares.
To upgrade, elite members can use their 500-mile upgrade certificates, systemwide upgrade certificates or mileage award upgrades just as they do today with a Main Cabin fare.
Lower Spend - Chase Ink Business Preferred® 100K!
Chase Ink Business Preferred® is a powerful card that earns 3X Ultimate Rewards points in a broad range of business categories on the first $150K in spend per year. Right now earn 100K Chase Ultimate Rewards points after Learn more about this card and its features!
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
[…] help it is hard to see all the airlines are just continuing to bleed billions, tick tock. American Airlines Makes Positive Changes to AAdvantage Program for 2021. Son managed to achieve Platinum Pro elite status and will keep until 1/31/22. But since business […]
Whoever made the changes to this program must have fallen asleep halfway through out of boredom.