American Airlines is one of many U.S. carriers seeking to entice travelers to fly during the coronavirus pandemic. Now, the airline is eliminating fees for several typical award charges. Here are all the details:
American Airlines/AAdvantage Award and Change Fees Waived
American Airlines is eliminating fees on award tickets, reinstatement fees, and more. The carrier issued a press release stating that, as of November 11, 2020, AAdvantage members can expect:
- Booking award tickets through all American Airlines channels without an award service charge
- No longer having to pay a reinstatement fee when re-depositing AAdvantage miles when they cancel eligible award tickets
- No phone ticketing fees when booking flights
American is also extending the validity of AAdvantage miles through June 30, 2021. AAdvantage miles never expire for members under the age of 21.
“Flexibility Has Never Mattered More”
In the press release, the President of AAdvantage, Rick Elieson, noted that the AAdvantage frequent flyer program’s goal was to provide the utmost flexibility and versatility for members. “Flexibility in travel has never mattered more to our AAdvantage members,” said Elieson. “Our goal is to make it as easy to travel as possible and give them a loyalty program that suits their needs in our ever-changing world.”
American Cutting 100,000 Flights in December
News of the changes to the fees structure comes on the heels of an announcement that the airline is slashing over 100,000 flights in December. The cause of the December schedule reduction is a lull in demand from travelers.
American Airlines spokeswoman, Nichelle Tait, says COVID-19 is to blame for the drop in demand for flights. “To match low demand resulting from coronavirus (COVID-19), we continue to operate a reduced schedule,” she told the Dallas Morning News.
About American Airlines
American Airlines is one of the world’s largest airlines and a founding member of the Oneworld alliance of carriers. The airline also operates the AAdvantage frequent flyer program, which offers exceptional value for the American Airlines frequent traveler, as well as those who often fly with Oneworld partners like British Airways, Japan Airlines, Qantas, etc.
American also has several co-branded credit cards with Barclays and Citibank. These cards offer impressive initial bonuses and earn additional miles per dollar spent on select purchases. Current AAdvantage credit cards include:
- Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
- Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
- American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card
- AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard
- AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard
- CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard
Related Article: The Ultimate Guide to the AAdvantage Program
