And then there were three … major U.S. airlines keeping their status thresholds in place for this year, that is.
For a third straight year, American confirmed in a Wednesday news release it will leave the requirements to earn AAdvantage status untouched. That follows both Delta and United, which both left status thresholds untouched for 2026.
But that may not be enough to breathe a sigh of relief just yet: The airline didn't mention AAdvantage redemption rates, period. That may be enough to stoke fears that the days of its dedicated award chart for Oneworld partner airlines – with great deals like flying Japan Airlines business class to Tokyo for 60,000 AAdvantage miles or Qatar Qsuites all the way to South Africa for just 75,000 miles, among a bevy of other sweet spots – could disappear sometime this year.
Here's what's changing (and what's not) for American and its flyers in the months ahead.
No Changes for Earning AAdvantage Status
Yet again, American is standing pat, keeping the current requirements to earn AAdvantage in place for 2026.
Earning status with American resets in March each year. Unlock AA status in 2026? You'll have those benefits all the way through March of 2027.
And earning AA status is all about earning Loyalty Points. Here's a look at what it takes:
- AAdvantage Gold: 40,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Platinum: 75,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 125,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 200,000 Loyalty Points
Plus, American arguably makes it easier to rack up points toward status than any other carrier.
On top of booking and flying with American or its partner airlines, you can earn Loyalty Points by shopping through American's portal, using the airline's dining program, and even earn 1 point for every buck you spend on select credit cards like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®.
That's amazing news for the ultra-loyal American customers who rack up status. But for travelers laser-focused on earning and redeeming AAdvantage miles, the future is murkier.
What About AAdvantage Miles?
Even travelers who swear they'll never fly American want (or should want) to earn AAdvantage miles, as they're among the most valuable in the world.
But unlike years past – when American executives have confirmed they wouldn't touch redemptions rates or granted interviews to say as much – the Texas-based carrier didn't say a word about its mileage program in Wednesday's release. There's a lot on the line.
Sure, the airline has already fully embraced dynamic award pricing, so redemptions will continue to go up and down with cash prices when you're booking an American Airlines flight with miles. With those redemptions, changing rates is a constant.
But it's also got a dedicated award chart – a cheat sheet that lays out how many miles you need – for booking Oneworld partner airlines like Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Qantas, and others using AAdvantage miles. In fact, it's the last of the major U.S. carriers that still publishes an award chart at all.
And that's where the real value is. While other airlines have repeatedly raised partner award rates or nuked any value booking partner airlines altogether, American hasn't changed those award rates for a full decade. Is 2026 the year that changes?
This award chart alone is the reason why American miles can be so valuable – even if you never fly American itself. It contains gems like 22,500-mile redemptions to fly to Europe each way in economy; the best way to book Qatar Qsuites, whether you fly to the Middle East, Maldives, or South Africa; flying Japan Airlines First Class to Tokyo for 80,000 miles; and plenty of other sweet spots all around the globe.
We've been dreading the day American does away with these amazing partner award redemptions. Really, it's only a matter of time – compared to the competition, these deals are simply too good to last.
The airline's exclusive relationship with Citi to market and sell its co-branded credit cards opened the door to American finally becoming a Citi transfer partner – opening the floodgates with a brand-new way to easily earn American miles. That alone was reason to fear AA could swing the hammer this year.
Other Positive Changes
While the biggest news here is the lack of big news, there are some other, smaller changes in the works for American flyers. And nearly all of them are positive … or at least neutral.
Let's go over them quickly, shall we?
- Hungry on the plane? American will allow travelers to redeem miles on food and beverage purchases inflight
- American is giving AAdvantage members more ways to use their miles beyond flights for “access to unique experiences and everyday moments through American’s growing list of partners” such as the PGA Championship and U.S. Soccer matches
- Free in flight Wi-Fi is now rolling out and will soon be available on more than 2 million flights annually – which American says exceeds any other airline – simply by logging in to your AAdvantage account
- American offers what it calls “Loyalty Point Rewards” as travelers climb their way up the ranks, including beforeeven making it to Gold status. The airline will introduce several more rewards, many of which start March 1, including:
- A personalized centennial luggage tag upon hitting 15,000 Loyalty Points, among other options including food and beverage rewards or a select subscription with the New York Times
- At 60,000 Loyalty Points, members gain access to points bonuses with select partners up to 25% for up to six months after redeeming their reward
- At 175,000 Loyalty Points, you earn American Airlines Vacation package credits of $250, among other options
- Passing 250,000 Loyalty Points gives access to a $500 American Airlines Vacations package, AAdvantage Exchange gifts, and more
- On the flip side, American will discontinue the 30% Loyalty Points bonus at the 100,000-point mark as well as the Bang & Olufsen reward choices at several higher tiers
Bottom Line
Change is rarely a good thing in the airline world. But sometimes, the best news is no change.
For a third straight year, the requirements to earn AAdvantage status will remain unchanged. But there's an elephant in the room: What will the airline do with AAdvantage redemption rates later this year?
American isn't saying yet.
