Related post: Earn up to 65K miles on Citi AA cards!
After years of devaluations and cuts, American has gone above and beyond in enhancing their elite program this year.
In April they shocked the world by bringing back the ability to spend your way to lifetime million miles elite status for the remainder of 2020. Alas it appears that the million miler spending promotion will not be extended for 2021 spending. The million miler announcement overshadowed their extension of elite status from 1/31/21 to 1/31/22.
In August they matched United’s free tickets changes, but did it much better. They included Canada in free changes and they allowed voucher refunds when changes are made to a less expensive ticket.
Plus they also removed basic economy restrictions. Passengers with basic economy fares can now purchase upgrades, priority boarding, preferred or main cabin extra seating, or same day confirmed flight changes.
Elite members on basic economy fares can now get free upgrades, use upgrade certificates, select free preferred or main cabin extra seating, and make same day confirmed flight changes!
Last month they announced that they will lower elite status requirements and allow spending on their cards to replace spending on flights to help earn elite status.
And today they announced that:
- Starting tomorrow, award redeposit fees will be eliminated on all routes! If you cancel on AA.com you’ll get a full refund of the miles spent with no fees.
- Mileage expiration is now paused through 6/30/21. American previously announced that miles won’t expire until a member hits 22.5 years old.
- Phone booking fees are being eliminated.
This is some truly amazing news for AA miles! Award redeposit fees were supposed to go up to $150 per person. That never happened due to COVID-19 and now comes the news that they will be eliminated altogether!
Your move Delta and United!
does this apply to partner awards as well?
Yes
I doubt this will last once covid isn’t an issue. I feel its more an acknowledgement that even with vaccines Covid will affect air travel for at least another 2 years. Once things are back to normal watch the fees magically reappear. They just want to reduce any resistance to buying and planning air travel. Bag fees aren’t going away and first chance they get the “gotcha” fees will be back.
Will they refund a award ticket made on AA.com for a Cathay pacific flight ?
Yes
When will they service ewr to tlv ?
JFK to TLV starts in 2021. Date TBD.
Does this mean they are going to refund the $20,000,000 they stole in 2002 by proxy from 80 Israel based TWA employees? ():-)
Can you forgive AA now?
AA isn’t a person. I judge them based on how they treat their customers every day.
Devaluation somewhat of having EXP status now that anyone can redeposit
True.
Amazing. what is the timeline as to when award flights can be cancelled. How much time before the flight, and does it depend when the flight was booked?
Should be anytime before flight time.
No difference.
Does aa have a low fare calendar like southwest?
Paid flights, use Google flights.
Award flights, yes. There’s also a great award map.
Is their old map still active? I havent been able to find it
Old map or calendar?
My mistake, award calendar
Yes award, Link?
On app i dont see it
Use their regular site.
How can we tell if we are eligible for a Citi AA bonus. I do not recall when I last earned a bonus and when I closed the account. I don’t want to waste an application if I can’t get the bonus.
Will this also apply to web specials awards?
Yes.
Thanks for this post
Is award redeposit fee a separate fee from a cancellation fee? Or same thing?
So now I can start redeeming all my aa miles again question is what to do with all the JB miles Ive accumulated.
Do they refund the $5.60 fee as well? So basically they’ll be as refundable as Southwest?
They do.
As far as I know Delta doesn’t charge redopsit fees either. At least they didn’t when I canceled
They don’t currently due to COVID.
This is a permanent policy change.
permanent until they change it again 🙂
Awesome. I do think there should be some system so that people don’t “hold awards” and stop other from redeeming which would simply make AA awards less useable to members
AA has the worst books among all the airlines. I would not give them a penny of my money.
And when you give your “penny” to another airline, let us know if you can get that penny redeposited for free if your plans change
AA is the most likely of airlines to not be able to pay you back your money. Also AA is not the only airline that does redeposits and refunds.
Ok…. enjoy those blue chips then
Great News! American has altered course in 2020, like I have never seen them before. Very pleased with the pro customer updates!
Amazing! That they eliminated fees? No, that you even gave aa a good word since you hate them.
Really, I thought the four years of love are supposed to of started
Clearly you haven’t been reading all year, but feel free to click on the links in this post.
I give an airline good coverage when they make consumer friendly moves and bad when they do not. Pretty straightforward!
Well, I have been following all year. Still dont get your opinion, but its your blog. You can and should offer your opinion, but I have my own too.