It is easier for frequent fliers of US Airway now to redeem their miles on American Airlines. However, it might take additional miles to receive a free trip, depending upon when the dates of travel are.
Both of the airlines are cutting back on checked bags that are free that are allowed under the loyalty programs of each, amongst other changes as the two continue to combine their systems following last year’s merger.
American Airlines Group on Tuesday announced a number of changes in options for award travel, in-flight services and other passenger policies.
Effective now and including travel starting June 1, members of the Dividend Miles at US Airways will be able to book reservations using their Dividend Miles the entire year without any blackout dates.
Members of the AAdvantage at American will be able to see miles that are required for change to a free ticket. American has said it will lower the level for redemption to 20,000 for half the year from 25,000 for a typical ticket one-way domestically. It will raise it to 30,000 for the other half of the year. The dates of this six-month change were not released on Wednesday.
American said that its new levels for redemption would be moved to as high as 50,000 for tickets one-way during the busiest travel days during the year.
Members of both airlines’ frequent flier tiers will have one less checked bag free than the policy previously allowed. The majority of passengers on the American legacy flights whether on purchased tickets or ones on miles that were redeemed will not received free checked bags any longer.
Passengers with credit cards that are airline branded will be the exception, as they will still get one checked bag free.
In addition, services offered in flight such as entertainment and meals were updated for flight on US Airways.
