The Loyalty Points concept was introduced by American Airlines as of 2022. Status is no longer earned by how many miles you travel or how much you spend, but by how many Loyalty Points you accumulate. Members have differing feelings about the changes.
The Loyalty Choice rewards are earned by passing certain Loyalty Points thresholds over the course of the membership year.
What are American Loyalty Choice Rewards?
You earn status only based on how many Loyalty Points you accumulate.
AAdvantage Gold status requires 30,000 Loyalty Points
AAdvantage Platinum status requires 75,000 Loyalty Points
AAdvantage Platinum Pro status requires 125,000 Loyalty Points
AAdvantage Executive Platinum status requires 200,000 Loyalty Points
Since you can earn Loyalty Points through credit card spending and other partner activity, you might be able to earn all published AAdvantage elite tiers without stepping foot on a plane. One aspect of elite perks is not based on how many points you earn.
If you fly at least 30 eligible flight segments over the course of a membership year, you'll get Loyalty Choice rewards. You can get access to some of the most valuable elite perks with these loyalty choice rewards.
American AAdvantage status is now based on Loyalty Points
American’s 2022 Loyalty Choice Rewards
Five tiers of loyalty choice rewards will be offered by american aadvantage
Reward Level 1 can be unlocked after earning 125,000 Loyalty Points and a minimum of 30 eligible flight segments, and that gets you one Loyalty Choice Reward
Reward Level 2 can be unlocked after earning 200,000 Loyalty Points, and that gets you two Loyalty Choice Rewards
Reward Level 3 can be unlocked after earning 350,000 Loyalty Points, and that gets you two Loyalty Choice Rewards
Reward Level 4 can be unlocked after earning 550,000 Loyalty Points, and that gets you two Loyalty Choice Rewards
Reward Level 5 can be unlocked after earning 750,000 Loyalty Points, and that gets you two Loyalty Choice Rewards
There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing loyalty choice rewards.
For thresholds with multiple selections, you can choose the same reward twice, or two different rewards (except where it’s specifically noted that a selection required two choices)
The 30 qualifying segments you need to earn include segments on American or a qualifying partner airline; American Airlines marketed award flights even count toward the requirement
For the purposes of 2022 qualification, Loyalty Points earned between January 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023, qualify; going forward, the qualification year will be March 1 through February 28
Once you qualify for Loyalty Choice Rewards, you’ll have until March 31, 2023, to make your selection; it could make sense to wait, since it gives you more flexibility, and potentially more time to redeem your rewards (for example, systemwide upgrades are valid for a year from when they’re issued)
Which loyalty choice rewards should you choose at each threshold? Let's see all the details.
Loyalty Choice Rewards for 125,000 Loyalty Points
Platinum Pro status is earned by those who accumulate 125,000 Loyalty Points and 30 eligible flight segments.
One systemwide upgrade
20,000 AAdvantage bonus miles (AAdvantage credit card members receive an additional 5,000 bonus miles)
Six Admirals Club one-day passes
$200 American Airlines Trip Credit
Carbon emissions offset
$200 donation to your choice of one of 10 partner charities
One-time 15% off award discount (for up to two passengers anywhere American or partners fly)
Gift of AAdvantage Gold status
You can select a 15% award discount, redeemable on partner airlines
Loyalty Choice Rewards for 200,000 Loyalty Points
Executive Platinum status is earned by those who accumulate 200,000 Loyalty Points.
Two systemwide upgrades
20,000 AAdvantage bonus miles (AAdvantage credit card members receive an additional 10,000 bonus miles)
Six Admirals Club one-day passes
Admirals Club membership (requires two Loyalty Choice Rewards)
$200 American Airlines Trip Credit
Carbon emissions offset
$200 donation to your choice of one of 10 partner charities
Gift of AAdvantage Gold status
Choice of one Bang & Olufsen premium product (requires two Loyalty Choice Rewards)
You can select systemwide upgrades for long haul upgrades
Loyalty Choice Rewards for 350,000 Loyalty Points
People who earn 350,000 Loyalty Points can choose two benefits.
One systemwide upgrades
25,000 AAdvantage bonus miles
Six Admirals Club one-day passes
Admirals Club membership (requires two Loyalty Choice Rewards)
$200 American Airlines Trip Credit
Carbon emissions offset
$200 donation to your choice of one of 10 partner charities
Gift of AAdvantage Gold status
You can select an Admirals Club membership
Loyalty Choice Rewards for 550,000 Loyalty Points
Those who earn 550,000 points can choose two benefits.
One systemwide upgrades
25,000 AAdvantage bonus miles
Six Admirals Club one-day passes
Admirals Club membership (requires two Loyalty Choice Rewards)
$200 American Airlines Trip Credit
Carbon emissions offset
$200 donation to your choice of one of 10 partner charities
Gift of AAdvantage Platinum status (requires two Loyalty Choice Rewards)
You can select a $200 American Airlines Travel Credit
Loyalty Choice Rewards for 750,000 Loyalty Points
Two of the benefits are available to those who have earned 750,000 Loyalty Points.
One systemwide upgrades
25,000 AAdvantage bonus miles
Six Admirals Club one-day passes
Admirals Club membership (requires two Loyalty Choice Rewards)
$200 American Airlines Trip Credit
Carbon emissions offset
$200 donation to your choice of one of 10 partner charities
Gift of AAdvantage Platinum status (requires two Loyalty Choice Rewards)
You can select 25,000 bonus AAdvantage miles
My take on American’s Loyalty Choice Rewards
I will share my broad take on which options make sense, since everyone will value Loyalty Choice rewards differently.
Personally I value American AAdvantage miles at 1.5 cents each, so to me the bonus miles are the option to beat; if you qualify for the first and second tier of Loyalty Choice Rewards and have a co-branded American credit card, you could potentially earn a total of 85,000 AAdvantage miles
I find the inconsistency of the valuation of awards at each tier to be odd; for example, at the first tier you can select a $200 American Airlines credit or one systemwide upgrade, while at the second tier you can select a $200 American Airlines credit or two systemwide upgrades
Many people may like the systemwide upgrades, but personally I don’t plan on selecting those; American just doesn’t make enough confirmable upgrade space available, and I’d rather get AAdvantage bonus miles I can redeem however I’d like for travel on superior partner airlines
For me the math just doesn’t add up on the Admirals Club day passes or membership, the $200 American Airlines credit, or the charitable donation, as the opportunity cost in terms of AAdvantage miles is too big
At the first tier, selecting a 15% award discount could be the best value; for example, if you book two roundtrip awards to the Middle East on Qatar Airways in business class you’d pay 280,000 miles, so you’d be looking at a rebate of 42,000 miles
Since I want to earn 200,000 Loyalty Points over the course of this membership year, I'm leaning towards selecting the 15% award discount at the first tier, and then selecting 60,000 AAdvantage bonus miles at the second tier.
I’d rather earn AAdvantage miles I can redeem on other airlines
When members pass certain Loyalty Points thresholds, they can choose to participate in the Loyalty Choice rewards program.
Someone who qualifies for Executive Platinum with 200,000 Loyalty Points and 30 segments could choose perks ranging from up to 85,000 bonus miles to $600 American Airlines credits.
The lack of confirmable upgrade space in advance makes me hesitant to pick bonus miles.
What do you think of the rewards? Which one do you want to pick?
