In late 2023, American Airways AAdvantage introduced that bank card spending would earn Loyalty Factors based mostly on buy date.
However after the newest AAdvantage elite standing qualification yr ended Feb. 29, there’s been quite a lot of consternation from American Airways flyers (together with me). Fb teams have been stuffed with confused AAdvantage members who’re questioning why they acquired base miles from their bank card spending this month however not Loyalty Factors.
As you possibly can see from the screenshot beneath, I earned greater than 10,000 base miles on my most up-to-date Citi® / AAdvantage® Government World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and charges) assertion. However discover the large zero beneath Loyalty Factors.
That is what the exercise tracker often appears like when my AAdvantage bank card spending posts.
So, the place are the Loyalty Factors? They’re coming — regardless of what my assertion at the moment reveals.
American Airways has this banner on its web site beneath the account info overview. The provider additionally gave frequent flyers a proper discover by way of electronic mail that had the identical language (although I by no means acquired that electronic mail).
It is unclear why the Loyalty Factors needed to be posted individually this time. To shed some mild on the state of affairs, we reached out to American Airways to be taught extra.
Based on a provider spokesperson, “To make sure all AAdvantage members get their miles and Loyalty Factors deposited appropriately and in a well timed method, this yr the method entailed a number of separate actions. All Loyalty Factors earned in February might be posted in March, and all Loyalty Factors earned in March might be posted in April. The method leads to extra members incomes standing and Loyalty Level Rewards. As the brand new program yr ramps up, we look ahead to our members unlocking Loyalty Level Rewards and standing towards a good higher journey expertise.”
I think about splitting the Loyalty Factors into two totally different standing years was no small IT process.
Every day Publication
Reward your inbox with the TPG Every day e-newsletter
Be part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
For added perception, you will discover the next explainer on how March statements work on the American Airways web site:
For example, in case your month-to-month AAdvantage® bank card assertion closes on March 5 (which incorporates purchases posted to your bank card account between February 6 and March 5), all of the Loyalty Factors earned from purchases made between February 6 by means of 29 will depend towards 2024 standing. All Loyalty Factors earned between March 1 and 5 depend towards the 2025 qualification yr.
It could take as much as 8 – 10 weeks after March 5 to put up to your account on this instance.
In different phrases, all of your Loyalty Factors earned till Feb. 29, 2024, depend towards reaching standing for the earlier qualification yr and all of the Loyalty Factors earned starting March 1, 2024, will depend for the present qualification yr.
I assume that each one my Loyalty Factors for the earlier qualification yr (which ended Feb. 29, 2024) will ultimately present up within the tracker on the prime of my account overview (as you possibly can see beneath), however that raises further questions that we do not have solutions for but.
As you possibly can see, I earned 240,479 Loyalty Factors within the earlier qualification yr, however I am nonetheless confused about how most of the 10,431 Loyalty Factors I earned on my most up-to-date bank card assertion will go towards my earlier qualification yr. I am so near 250,000 Loyalty Factors for the earlier qualification yr that it will unlock two extra rewards if I made it.
Will I get two extra systemwide improve certificates, the identical perk I selected once I reached 175,000 Loyalty Factors and earned AAdvantage Government Platinum standing? Solely time will inform. It could be pretty to get two extra.
One other wrinkle to think about is that frequent flyers should select their Loyalty Level Rewards by April 5, 2024. So what occurs if the Loyalty Factors do not put up by then? Having them seem eight to 10 weeks from now could be properly previous the April 5 deadline, so I would seemingly be out of luck.
There’s some hypothesis that you will have to name customer support for help in selecting your award if the Loyalty Factors do not put up earlier than the April 5 deadline to decide on awards. If we discover out extra about this from American Airways, we’ll make sure you let you recognize.
It doesn’t matter what occurs, bear in mind to make any excellent Loyalty Level Rewards decisions that could be ready in your account.
Associated studying:
