Well, we’ve got some rough flying news for you — there’s really no other way to put it.

American Airlines Planes

Lots has changed with flying this year — not only with going through security with TSA, but also at certain airports, and some airlines themselves have changed certain aspects of flying for their passengers. However, now there’s another change taking place, this time from American Airlines, and we can already tell it’s not going to be popular. Now, American Airlines passengers will not earn ANY miles or other rewards when they book a Basic Economy flight.

According to CBS News, starting on December 17th, 2025, members of American Airlines’ loyalty program will no longer earn miles or travel rewards when booking a Basic Economy ticket. Prior to this change, AAdvantage program members earned two miles and loyalty points for each dollar they spent on a regular fare, but that will no longer be the case. You’ll only earn miles and points now if you purchase a more expensive ticket.

American Airlines

When explaining this change, American Airlines said the following in a statement: “We routinely evaluate our fare products to remain competitive in the marketplace…Basic Economy customers will continue to receive one free personal item and one free carry-on bag, free snacks, soft drinks, and in-flight entertainment.” This change also comes after the airline lost $114 million on revenue of $13.7 billion this past quarter.

American Airlines

Scott Keyes, founder of travel deals website Going.com, also chatted with CBS more about the change, explaining that the airline has really been trying to find a sweet spot with these basic fares, “where it wants them to be available, but doesn’t want people who might otherwise book more expensive fares to be booking them.” With this new change, the most basic fare seems less appealing to many, who may then choose to pay $40 more to not only be in Main Economy over basic, but also get miles and rewards.

American Airlines

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We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for all the latest travel news so you can plan accordingly for your upcoming trips — we don’t want anyone being surprised!

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