American AAdvantage Cuts Some Alaska Mileage Earning Rates

Alaska Mileage Plan and American AAdvantage have a partnership, providing reciprocal factors incomes and redemption alternatives. Sadly flying on Alaska is about to get much less rewarding for some AAdvantage members.

AAdvantage cuts factors for Alaska Saver fares

American AAdvantage has up to date its accomplice award chart, to replicate lowered mileage and Loyalty Factors incomes charges for some fares. For journey as of Could 1, 2023, AAdvantage members could have earnings charges on Alaska primary financial system fares lowered by 60%, from 25% to 10%.

For context, beneath are the AAdvantage mileage incomes charts for journey on Alaska earlier than and after these adjustments take impact.

AAdvantage awards miles and Loyalty Factors primarily based on how a lot you spend for journey on American flights, whereas it awards miles primarily based on a proportion of distance flown for accomplice flights. In different phrases, should you took a 1,000-mile flight on Alaska with a primary financial system fare you’d at present earn 250 miles, whereas after these adjustments you’d earn 100 miles.

These mileage incomes charges are earlier than any elite bonuses, and all of these miles additionally qualify as Loyalty Factors, towards incomes AAdvantage elite standing.

My tackle these mileage incomes adjustments

On the one hand, I can see the place AAdvantage is coming from with these adjustments. As of 2023, American has lowered mileage incomes on American primary financial system fares by 60% (from 5x miles per greenback to 2x miles per greenback). I assume it’s logical that mileage incomes for primary financial system fares would even be lower by 60% on companions.

However, this creates a ridiculously large disparity between mileage incomes charges with the 2 packages. Alaska Mileage Plan awards miles equal to 100% of the space flown for primary financial system fares, whereas American awards 10% miles.

A overwhelming majority of individuals can be higher off crediting primary financial system Alaska flights to Mileage Plan relatively than AAdvantage. That’s true of most fare sorts, provided that Alaska nonetheless awards miles primarily based on distance flown. Then once more, with the reciprocal perks provided between the 2 airways (together with upgrades), most individuals will most likely get extra worth crediting to this system they’ve standing with.

Backside line

For journey as of Could 1, 2023, American AAdvantage members will see a 60% lower in mileage incomes charges for Alaska primary financial system fares. You’ll go from incomes miles equal to 25% of the space flown, to incomes miles equal to 10% of the space flown.

What do you make of those AAdvantage mileage incomes cuts?