American Airlines announced today that they will stop awarding miles on tickets booked through most third party travel agencies starting in May. Basic economy fares will only earn miles if booked directly through American. However AAdvantage Business members and corporate contract travelers will be exempt from this policy.

What stood out is that American isn’t even telling us which agencies will be able to issue tickets that earn miles (at least as long as the tickets aren’t for basic economy fares). Instead they say they’ll release the list in late April.

Which Agencies Will Still Issue Tickets That Earn AAdvantage Miles?

Several readers have expressed concern, for instance wondering whether their company’s booking tool will qualify, since their company no longer has a contract with American? (American fired a lot of their corporate accounts, believing they’ll generate as much or more revenue at lower costs without corporate discounting.)

The mystery is that the system which decides which agencies can issue tickets that earn miles won’t spit out the data until after April 21. And the list will change every six months.

• Agencies have to have a current American Airlines incentive agreement, adopt New Distribution Capability (that allows selling ancillary services like paid seats), and hit certain thresholds for these ‘NDC’ bookings.
• Those agencies that have at least 30% of their American Airlines flown bookings sold through NDC by April 21 will qualify. Targets will rise semi-annually to 50% at October 31, 2024 and 70% at April 30, 2025.

“The qualification window for NDC adoption is every six months: if an agency is unable to meet the April 21, 2024 qualification window, then October 31, 2024, will be the next opportunity to become a preferred agency,” according to AA. “If progressive NDC thresholds are not met, agencies will be removed from the preferred agency program at the beginning of the next qualification window, and travelers will not earn miles and loyalty points. Agencies must meet the next NDC milestone to requalify. All fares booked through preferred agencies, except Basic Economy fares, are eligible to earn miles and loyalty points – both on NDC and EDIFACT bookings.”

American Airlines believes that any agency that “embrace[s] NDC” will go “way past that number” required for its tickets to earn miles. I would expect, for instance, that Expedia will be able to meet American’s thresholds though someone who knows more about their use of NDC versus traditional booking might correct me.

On the other hand, I’d expect that most foreign travel agent bookings will not. A customer booking through an American Airlines partner like Qantas or Japan Airlines will be eligible to earn miles in the AAdvantage program. A customer booking through a brick and mortar agency abroad may not.

What You Can Do If Your Ticket Doesn’t Earn AAdvantage Miles

If you’re stuck booking through a corporate tool that isn’t using NDC or doesn’t meet American’s thresholds, you’ll want to credit the miles to another program like Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan – which this year eliminated the requirement to fly a minimum number of segments on Alaska’s own planes to earn its status, and where status is recognized even when flying American – including for upgrades.

(HT: Golden Rule Travel)

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