Loyalty thresholds stay unchanged as competition intensifies
American Airlines announced it will keep the spending requirements to earn elite frequent flyer status unchanged for the 2027 qualification year. This marks the third consecutive year the carrier has held those thresholds steady, as it focuses on attracting higher-spending travelers and narrowing the profitability gap with its largest rivals.
The decision aligns American with other major U.S. airlines, which have also chosen not to raise elite status requirements for upcoming earning years. The move provides predictability for frequent flyers at a time when loyalty programs have increasingly shifted toward rewarding spending rather than miles flown.
Spending-based loyalty remains the core model
Airline loyalty programs now primarily reward how much customers spend on flights, partner airlines and co-branded credit cards. Elite members receive benefits such as priority boarding, free checked bags, complimentary upgrades, and access to airport lounges in return for higher annual spending.
At American Airlines, the first elite tier, Gold status, is earned at 40,000 loyalty points. Points can be accumulated through flying, credit card use and other partner activity.
New perks added between elite tiers
To boost engagement, American is expanding benefits for customers who reach intermediate milestones before achieving elite status. These include food and beverage coupons at lower point levels, as well as digital subscriptions such as news, sports and cooking platforms.
The airline has also been investing heavily in passenger experience upgrades, including new aircraft cabins, expanded airport lounges and the rollout of free in-flight Wi-Fi, which began this week.
Credit card strategy still evolving
American did not detail any immediate changes to its co-branded credit card offerings following its decision to end its partnership with one of its card issuers. The airline said updates to its credit card strategy are expected later this year.