US Airways and American
Airlines, which are combining their frequent-flier programs, will
continue to reward miles for free travel based on the distance flown,
and not on fares paid.
That benefits leisure travelers, who hunt
for bargain fares, in contrast to business travelers, who often book
expensive last-minute tickets.
The merged airlines are now called American.
US
Airways Dividend Miles members, who fly occasionally, won't notice much
difference - they will get a new American frequent-flier number next
year.
US Airways' most frequent jet-setters, who log 25,000 miles or more a year, will see changes.
The
biggest change will be the end of automatic, complimentary upgrades for
US Airways Silver, Gold, and Platinum customers, the Dallas-Fort Worth
based American recently announced.
Only the top-tier fliers - US
Airways Chairman's Preferred and American Executive Platinum, who fly at
least 100,000 miles a year - will continue to get unlimited upgrades
from Coach to First-Class seats on domestic flights.
When
American and US Airways combine reservation systems late next year,
lower-level elite fliers in US Airways Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels
will have to earn, or pay for, upgrades on flights longer than 500
miles.
On trips shorter than 500 miles, all elite levels will still get free upgrades on North American flights.
"It's
a more complicated program for US Airways fliers than it was before,"
said Brian Karimzad, director of MileCards.com, a site that compares
travel credit cards and reward programs.
US Airways elite-level fliers are used to free upgrades on domestic flights of all distances.
"It's
a very big change, going from not having to request an upgrade, and not
having to use any coupon for an upgrade, to having to earn these
coupons or buy the coupons if you don't have enough in your account,"
Karimzad said.
The new American is generally adapting the
American AAdvantage program, which has three levels of elite-status
membership: Executive Platinum (100,000 miles flown annually), Platinum
(50,000 miles), and Gold (25,000 miles).
US Airways has a fourth
level, Platinum Preferred, for customers who fly 75,000 to 100,000 miles
annually. That tier will disappear, and those fliers will be mixed in
with American's existing Platinum level and US Airways current Gold
members, who fly just 50,000 miles a year.
In merging the
programs, "We came forward with a hybrid," said Bridget Blaise-Shamai,
managing director of American's frequent-flier program.
"Today,
US Airways Dividend Miles allows all its elite customers to upgrade
complimentary on most of their domestic markets, based on space
available, and there is a hierarchy," she said.
"American
Airlines has more of a hybrid. Our top tier, Executive Platinum, has
unlimited complimentary upgrades [on domestic flights]. Our Gold and
Platinum members use their stickers, or coupons, that are part of a
virtual bank," she said. "Gold and Platinum customers have two ways to
pay for their upgrades: buy them for $30 for every 500 miles or earn
them. For every 10,000 miles you fly, you earn four 500-mile trip
segment upgrades."
American has 70 million frequent fliers; US Airways has 30 million.
American and US Airways mileage balances will be combined in the second quarter in 2015, but no date has been set.
For
current U.S. Airways Dividend Miles members who don't have an
AAdvantage account, one will be automatically created and their earned
US Airways miles will roll over.
Travelers with an account at
both airlines will be able to combine their accounts early next year.
Their AAdvantage number will survive.
In the short term, American
has said its not following the lead of Delta, United, Southwest, and
JetBlue airlines in adopting revenue-based travel rewards programs that
favor passengers who spend the most.
"For me personally, as an
American Airlines flier, that was the biggest thing," said Brian Kelly,
founder of ThePointsGuy.com, blog and website for maximizing
frequent-flier and credit-card points. "I'm very relieved that American
has decided to keep their program, which I think is one of the best out
there."
US Airways and American transport nearly 80 percent of fliers in Philadelphia.
Read more at http://www.philly.com
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