US-based carrier American Airlines has announced a change to its Basic Economy fare bracket, wherein, as of earlier this week, passengers booking these tickets will soon be unable to accrue frequent flyer miles or points towards a higher loyalty status.
However, the carrier has stated that no other changes have been made to the current offerings and amenities available for passengers flying in the basic fare bracket, and that the airline’s Elite status customers will still be eligible for perks when flying in this fare bracket.
No More Miles Or Points In Basic Economy
While the Basic Economy price is marketed as the cheapest fare bracket for a particular flight and is also the most restrictive when it comes to flexibility and amenities, it is not uncommon for airlines to reward or offer additional perks to their most loyal customers flying in this fare bracket. American makes no exception here, as the carrier’s Elite Status Members will reportedly still be eligible for upgrades to first-class on the domestic flights even if they purchase a basic economy ticket.
Simple Flying has reached out to American Airlines. Any response received will be updated in this article.
CNBC reports the following statement from American Airlines:
“We routinely evaluate our fare products to remain competitive in the marketplace. Customers who purchase a Basic Economy ticket on December 17, 2025 and beyond will not earn AAdvantage miles or Loyalty Points towards AAdvantage status.”
Different Fare Brackets In American Airlines Economy
When looking at a random domestic flight, American Airlines offers four different fare brackets within its economy class / main cabin. In this case, it is flight AA118 onboard the airline’s Airbus A321XLR, on the 
At the time of writing, here is how the fares vary:
|
Brackets |
Economy / Main Cabin |
Premium Economy |
Flagship Suite |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Basic Economy |
Main |
Main Plus |
Main Select |
|||
|
Fares |
$319 |
$369 |
$453 |
$474 |
$1,295 |
$1,770 |
As stated above, basic economy being the most restrictive, passengers booking it cannot check bags in, select a seat, change their booking, and will have to be the last ones to board the aircraft. However, with the more expensive tickets, the booking becomes more flexible. Main allows passengers to select certain seats, board with an earlier group, and can make some changes to their bookings, but they will have to pay to check in bags or select extra legroom seats or make changes on the same day as the flight.
On the more expensive side, Main Plus and Main Select tickets allow passengers to select extra legroom seats and board even earlier. Main Plus tickets allow for one checked-in bag for free while charging passengers to make same-day changes, while Main Select will charge passengers for the checked bag but enable same-day flight changes and earlier boarding. However, both these tickets are eligible for a full refund.
The Truth About Basic Economy In The US In 2025
No sugar coating, just the facts on the cheapest cabin class.
American Following Delta Air Lines
While this announcement from American Airlines is sudden, the strategy is not new to the industry, as this was done first by 
It becomes rather interesting as airlines around the world are shifting these days, where it is observable that quite a few traditional low-cost carriers are now shifting towards a hybrid business model, catering to long-haul and premium-heavy routes by changing their network and fleet strategy. On the other end of the spectrum, there are legacy carriers such as Delta and American making changes to their offerings in certain markets, making more options available, and attempting to capture the low-cost market.
Only time will tell if the strategy used by Delta and American will be incorporated by other carriers in the US, such as 