American Airlines finally crossed a line it had been inching toward for years.

The airline quietly changed the terms for its stingiest basic economy fares so they'll no longer earn any AAdvantage miles or Loyalty Points, wiping out one of the last remaining reasons many travelers were willing to tolerate its most restrictive tickets. Starting today, American’s cheapest fares no longer count toward elite status or get you closer to a “free” trip in any way.

You’ll still sit in the main cabin. You’ll still get snacks, soft drinks, and in-flight entertainment. But from a loyalty perspective, it’s as if the trip never happened.

Under American’s new policy, basic economy fares now earn nothing:

  • No AAdvantage miles
  • No Loyalty Points
  • No credit toward AAdvantage elite status

Meanwhile, main cabin fares continue to earn at least 5x miles and Loyalty Points per dollar spent, reinforcing an increasingly sharp divide between American’s main cabin tickets and its cheapest option.

 

This Was Years in the Making

This move didn’t come out of nowhere.

Delta made the first aggressive break in late 2021, stripping its basic economy fares of both SkyMiles and Medallion status credit. That decision was widely criticized at the time but proved effective at steering travelers toward higher-priced tickets.

American followed more cautiously. In late 2022, the airline slashed earning rates on basic economy fares from the standard 5x miles per dollar to just 2x miles and Loyalty Points. Even then, the message was clear: These fares were no longer meant to meaningfully participate in the AAdvantage loyalty program.

Today’s change removes any remaining doubt. Basic economy on American is now a complete dead end for status seekers.

 

What You Still Get … and What You Don’t

Aside from these earning changes, American’s basic economy fares remain packed with familiar restrictions:

  • Changes and refunds are largely unavailable after 24 hours
  • Seat selection costs extra (unless you have elite status)
  • Boarding happens last, when overhead bin space is often gone
  • Checked bags are not included unless you have status or an eligible AA credit card

Notably, American stopped short of copying one of Delta’s most punitive basic economy restrictions. Delta explicitly made its cheapest fares ineligible for upgrades when it stripped SkyMiles earning in 2021. American’s announcement includes no such language, and the airline has not said basic economy tickets will lose upgrade eligibility … at least not yet.

The change is part of a broader shift in airline loyalty programs. Earning miles and status is no longer primarily about flying. It’s about spending – especially through co-branded airline credit cards – and paying up for fares that once came with a standard set of benefits.

These cheaper basic economy fares are intentionally designed to feel incomplete, nudging travelers toward higher-priced options that still earn miles and credit towards elite status. 

Delta proved this strategy works. American resisted going all the way, until now.

 

Bottom Line

American Airlines has removed all loyalty value from its cheapest fares.

Basic economy tickets no longer earn miles or the Loyalty Points needed for elite status. After first cutting earning rates in 2022, this change is designed to further steer travelers away from American’s cheapest tickets.

For travelers who care about loyalty benefits, the message is unmistakable: You'll need to pay up if you want to participate in the AAdvantage loyalty program.