FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- American
Airlines AAdvantage® and US Airways Dividend
Miles® members will become part of the same frequent
flyer program in the second quarter of 2015. The AAdvantage loyalty
program will combine mileage balances and align elite levels and
qualification criteria. It will also introduce the new upgrade
policy for elite status members flying on American and US
Airways.
In early 2015, members who have an account in both programs will
have the opportunity to match their accounts. This is the next step
before the program integration, which will offer customers a more
seamless experience whether their flight is on American or US
Airways. American began offering reciprocal benefits to AAdvantage
and Dividend Miles members in January
2014, just one month after the close of the merger.
"We couldn't be more excited to welcome Dividend Miles members
into the AAdvantage program next year," said Suzanne Rubin, president – AAdvantage loyalty
program. "AAdvantage is the original frequent flyer program and is
consistently recognized as best in class because it rewards our
most loyal customers with opportunities to upgrade and redeem miles
for travel on the world's largest airline."
A comprehensive explanation of the changes for AAdvantage and
Dividend Miles members can be found at aa.com/aadvantage2015.
AAdvantage Elite Status Membership Levels
AAdvantage
offers three levels of elite status membership – AAdvantage
Executive Platinum, Platinum and Gold. Customers will continue to
qualify for elite status based on elite-qualifying miles, points or
segments. The current 100-segment threshold for Executive Platinum
will continue until Dec. 31, 2014. On
Jan. 1, 2015, the segment
qualification requirement for Executive Platinum will be 120
segments for the 2016 membership year.
When the programs are combined, the four elite status levels in
the Dividend Miles program will be mapped to the three elite status
levels of the AAdvantage program:
Dividend Miles
Elite Level
|
AAdvantage Elite
Level
|
Elite-Qualifying
Miles
|
Elite-Qualifying
Points
|
Elite-Qualifying
Segments
|
Silver
|
Gold
|
25,000
|
25,000
|
30
|
|
Gold
|
Platinum
|
50,000
|
50,000
|
60
|
Platinum
|
|
Chairman's
Preferred
|
Executive
Platinum
|
100,000
|
100,000
|
120
|
Combining Accounts in the Second Quarter
For customers
who have an account in both programs and have matched their
accounts early in the year, American will move their current
Dividend Miles elite-qualifying activity, award mileage balances
and Million Miler balances into their existing AAdvantage account
in the second quarter of 2015. AAdvantage elite status will be
based on the member's combined elite-qualifying activity from 2014
to determine status valid through February
2016. At the same time, their year-to-date 2015 qualifying
balances will be combined to determine status through February 2017. If combining a member's elite
qualifying balances results in their reaching a new elite status
level, American will honor that status level when the programs
combine.
For Dividend Miles members who do not have an AAdvantage
account, American will create one for them. Each of these members'
balances will then be transferred automatically to the new account
in the second quarter of 2015.
For AAdvantage members who do not have a Dividend Miles account,
no action is needed; they will retain their existing AAdvantage
number and account.
500-Mile and Complimentary Upgrades
Once the programs
combine in the second quarter of 2015, all elite members will
receive complimentary, auto-requested upgrades on eligible
American-marketed and operated flights less than or equal to 500
miles. Executive Platinum members will continue to receive
complimentary upgrades on all 500-mile upgrade eligible flights,
regardless of the length of the flight. Additionally, all
complimentary upgrades will be automatically requested for each
member at the time of booking. Elite member upgrade benefits will
continue to work differently for American and US Airways flights
initially until the airlines are on a common reservation system
later in 2015.
The upgrade policy for elite members traveling on
American-marketed and operated flights in eligible markets will be
as follows:
|
Gold
|
Platinum
|
Executive
Platinum
|
For flights 500
miles or less
|
Unlimited,
auto-requested complimentary upgrades
|
Unlimited,
auto-requested complimentary upgrades
|
Unlimited,
auto-requested complimentary upgrades
|
For flights over
500 miles
|
Use earned or
purchased 500-mile upgrades
|
Use earned or
purchased 500-mile upgrades
|
Unlimited,
auto-requested complimentary upgrades
|
Upgrade
window
|
Confirmed as early
as 24 hours before departure
|
Confirmed as early as
72 hours before departure
|
Confirmed as early as
100 hours before departure
|
Until American and US Airways share a common reservation system
in late 2015, the upgrade policy for elite members traveling on US
Airways-marketed and operated flights in eligible markets will be
as follows:
|
Gold
|
Platinum
|
Executive
Platinum
|
For all
flights
|
Unlimited,
auto-requested complimentary upgrades
|
Unlimited,
auto-requested complimentary upgrades
|
Unlimited,
auto-requested complimentary upgrades
|
Upgrade
window
|
Confirmed as early as
2 days before departure
|
Confirmed as early as
3 days before departure
|
Confirmed as early as
4 days before departure
|
Once American and US Airways utilize a single reservation
system, all elite upgrades will follow the policy for travel on
American outlined above.
Additional Benefits
AAdvantage Executive Platinum and
Dividend Miles Chairman's Preferred members now receive a
complimentary alcoholic beverage and snack item when those members
travel on US Airways flights in the Main Cabin, as they receive on
American.
Starting Jan. 1, 2015, before the
programs are combined, bonus miles for AAdvantage members on
Business Class tickets on American and US Airways will increase
from 25 to 50 percent to align with what Dividend Miles members
receive today. Executive Platinum and Chairman's Preferred members
will also enjoy complimentary same-day flight changes on American
Airlines.
Once the programs are combined in the second quarter of 2015,
AAdvantage members will be able to redeem miles for upgrades and
AAnytime® Awards for travel on American and US Airways
flights. Executive Platinum members in the combined program will
receive eight systemwide upgrades as they do in the current program
today, and those upgrades will be valid on both American and US
Airways marketed and operated flights.
Since January 2014, American has
rolled out enhanced benefits to members flying on either airline,
including:
- The opportunity to earn and redeem miles on American or US
Airways, with all eligible travel on either airline counting toward
elite status qualification in the program of that member's
choice
- Reciprocal benefits for elite status members when flying either
airline, including First and Business Class check-in, complimentary
checked bags and priority security and boarding
- More lounge access, with reciprocal club access for Admirals
Club® and US Airways Club members
- Easy access to the combined company's expanded network through
the codeshare between American and US Airways, which allows the
ability to sell seats on both airlines' flights
- Bringing US Airways into the award-winning
oneworld® alliance, offering more options across
the Atlantic and an easier and more rewarding global travel
experience to Europe and
beyond
- The ability to easily stay connected while customers fly with
Monthly Traveler and Daily Wi-Fi passes, valid on both American and
US Airways
Additional details about the 2015 AAdvantage program are
available at aa.com/aadvantage2015.
About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group
(NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US
Airways. Together with wholly owned and third-party regional
carriers operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the
airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to 339
destinations in 54 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort
Worth, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The American Airlines
AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to
earn miles for travel, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays
and everyday purchases. Members of both programs can redeem miles
for tickets as well as upgrades to First Class and Business Class.
In addition, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for vacation
packages, car rentals, hotel stays and retail products. American is
a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and
members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily
flights to 150 countries. Connect with American on Twitter
@AmericanAir and Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines and follow US
Airways on Twitter @USAirways.
Logo -
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130208/DA56847LOGO
SOURCE American Airlines