Bad news for budget travelers.
The U.S. legacy carriers like to claim they moved to à la carte pricing and stripped-down cabin categories to give travelers more options for customizing trips.
But is that really true? It’s hard to believe in light of what American Airlines has just done.
As of December 17, people who purchase a Basic Economy ticket on American will no longer be eligible to earn miles for their journey.
Have customers been clamoring for that? Seems more like a longstanding traveler’s right has actually been stripped away.
The exclusion of Basic Economy began without warning.
In explaining its move in a statement, the airline implied that the exile of Basic Economy from miles accrual is something the market wants. “We routinely evaluate our fare products to remain competitive in the marketplace,” the airline statement said.
Customers who buy a Basic Economy ticket will not earn AAdvantage miles or Loyalty Points toward AAdvantage status.
Basic Economy passengers on American will still be allowed to carry one free personal item and one free carry-on bag. Those flyers also get the same free snacks and soft drinks as before.
But no matter how many hours you spend flying or how much you pay for that Basic Economy seat, American will no longer consider your journey eligible for points or other benefits.
How much more will miles accrual cost on American?
For a sample one-way flight in January between Kansas City and Nashville, a Basic Economy ticket would cost $154, while the Main category ticket that grants points costs $189, a difference of $35.
For a one-way flight from Miami to Seattle in January, Basic Economy would be $344 and Main would be $50 more.
The extra amount to upgrade to Main also buys the right to reserve a seat, to change the ticket (with possible fare changes), and to board in groups 6 through 8. Basic Economy assigns a seat last, forbids changes, and boards last.
At American, Basic Economy is no longer truly basic. It’s more like Economy Minus.
But that’s what the marketplace is begging for, right?
