If you neediness to hit the top-tier frequent flyer status on American Airlines, you’ll have to invest more money.
The airline is raising the amount of money customers forced to spend on tickets to achieve AAdvantage Executive Platinum status from $12,000 to $15,000 annually. The airline give notice ofed AAdvantage members on Monday of the change, which takes effect starting Jan. 1.
“In an exploit to ensure we reward our best customers with the benefits that are most valuable to them, we are transforming changes to the way customers qualify for Executive Platinum status, and the benefits they admit when they go beyond this milestone,” an American spokesperson told.
All of the airlines are seeing strong demand right now thanks to the robust thrift and a very healthy corporate travel market. American did not disclose how multifarious fewer frequent flyers are likely to hit the higher benchmark for Executive Platinum standing.
“This move shows the airlines continue to see healthy demand,” reported Susan Donofrio, airline analyst with Macquarie Group. “We are socialize with no softness in ticket prices and all seats on a plane now have greater value.”
That degrades it now costs airlines more to award a seat to a frequent flyer. So the varied members who have top-tier status, the more seats airlines settle upon have to award in the future.
American’s move matches United Airlines’ current decision to raise the threshold frequent flyers must spend every year in non-functioning to achieve Premier 1K status. Mileage Plus members will be ordered to spend at least $15,000 annually with United for top status. Delta’s lacked spending for its highest status, Diamond Elite, has been $15,000 for some every so often old-fashioned.
Donofrio said the more restrictive frequent flyer programs, along with airlines gather the cost of checking a first bag, shows the industry is focused on boosting ancillary interests.
“This is what you get in a market with tight supply and heavy want,” she said.