American Airlines Just Killed Miles Earning on Its Cheapest Tickets

Basic Economy Passengers Now Get Zero Rewards

If you fly American Airlines and usually grab the cheapest fare, your loyalty just stopped counting.

Starting December 17, 2025, anyone who books a basic economy ticket on American will earn zero AAdvantage miles and zero loyalty points toward elite status.

The airline made the change quietly, updating its website without a formal announcement. Travelers noticed anyway, and they are not happy about it.

The Previous Rate Was Already Low

This is not the first time American has cut rewards on basic economy.

Back in late 2022, the airline reduced earning from 5 miles per dollar to just 2 miles per dollar on these fares. That was already a 60 percent cut.

Now the earning rate drops to nothing.

Passengers who fly basic economy regularly just watched their path to free flights and upgrades disappear entirely.

What You Still Get on Basic Economy

American says basic economy passengers will still receive a free carry-on bag, a personal item, snacks, soft drinks, and in-flight entertainment.

You can still fly. You just will not earn anything for doing it.

The seats are the same, the service is the same, and the restrictions on seat selection and boarding order remain unchanged.

The only difference is that your flight no longer counts toward rewards.

Elite Members Keep Some Perks

If you already have elite status with AAdvantage, you are not completely shut out.

American confirmed that elite members flying basic economy can still receive complimentary first-class upgrades on domestic flights.

They can also select Main Cabin Extra seats at no charge.

But even elites will earn zero miles on these tickets going forward, which makes maintaining status harder if basic economy is your go-to fare.

Delta Did This Three Years Ago

American is not breaking new ground here. Delta eliminated all mileage earning on basic economy tickets back in January 2022.

At the time, travelers and loyalty experts called it a brutal move. American held out for nearly four years before following suit.

Now the two largest U.S. carriers are aligned: book the cheapest seat, earn nothing.

United Still Offers Miles But No Carry-On

United is now the only major U.S. airline that lets basic economy passengers earn miles. But there is a catch.

On most domestic United flights, basic economy passengers cannot bring a carry-on bag. You get a personal item that fits under the seat, and that is it.

So you can earn miles on United, but you might have to check a bag or pack light to do it.

Corporate Travelers Get Hit Hardest

The people most affected by this change are not leisure travelers who book once or twice a year. They are road warriors whose companies require them to book the cheapest available fare.

These passengers fly every week, sometimes multiple times per week, and now they earn nothing for it. Several posted online that they are asking their employers to approve other airlines or higher fare classes.

Credit Card Holders Earn Less Too

If you have an AAdvantage credit card, you will still earn miles when you buy a basic economy ticket with that card.

But you used to earn miles twice: once from the card and once from the flight itself.

Now you only get the card-based earning. On a $300 ticket, that could mean earning 300 miles instead of 900. The gap adds up fast over multiple trips.

American Wants You to Pay More

American has struggled to keep up with Delta and United in the premium travel market since the pandemic.

The airline reported a $114 million loss in the third quarter of 2025.

By removing rewards from basic economy, American is trying to push passengers toward main cabin fares, where earning rates remain at 5 miles per dollar and the airline makes more money per seat.

How to Keep Earning Miles on American

The only way to keep earning AAdvantage miles on your flights is to book main cabin or higher.

On most routes, the difference between basic economy and main cabin runs between $20 and $50 each way.

You will also get the ability to pick your seat in advance, make changes without steep fees, and board earlier.

Whether that is worth it depends on how much you value the miles.

Passengers Are Not Taking This Quietly

The reaction online has been loud.

Travelers called the change a “kick in the teeth” and “shady” for being rolled out without a real announcement. Some said they would switch to United or Southwest.

Others pointed out that the 2 miles per dollar they were earning before was barely worth anything anyway. But for frequent flyers who had been slowly building toward a free trip, the change stings.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• Delta Just Hit a Milestone No Other U.S. Airline Can Touch
• The $100 “foreigner tax” coming to America’s 11 most visited parks in 2026
• Three Asian countries now have the world’s most powerful passports – and the US isn’t even close