ASTA Releases Statement on New AAdvantage Policy

The American Society of Travel Advisors released a statement following American Airlines' plans to stop awarding loyalty points and the ability to earn miles on flights not booked through its "preferred" partners. The new policy is set to take effect May 1, 2024. 

ASTA shared its frustration with the policy in a letter sent to members: "This latest development doubles down on American Airlines’ clear disregard for the travel agencies that distribute its service," wrote ASTA president and CEO Zane Kerby. 

In addition to the new policy, ASTA reminded members that problems with American Airlines began with its "slapdash implementation" of the New Distribution Capability (NDC) last year. 

"Nearly a year after its self-imposed NDC launch date, problems associated with basic servicing functions such as comparative shopping, split tickets, limitations on cancellations, booking multiple people on the same itinerary, and rebooking remain, creating extraordinary challenges for agencies and their travelers as they attempt to distribute American Airlines’ services to the traveling public," wrote Kerby. 

ASTA filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and filed a rebuttal when AA replied. With this new development, ASTA has engaged its  Corporate Advisory Council. 

"We plan to host another emergency meeting with these stakeholders in the coming weeks to discuss further action. We will continue to explore all available responsive options," said Kerby.

Most importantly, ASTA wants to engage with its members. 

"Are you considered a preferred agency under AA’s current policies but fear losing that status? Are you concerned about meeting the deadline to satisfy the new eligibility criteria and your customers’ ability to continue to earn loyalty points? Are AA’s new eligibility criteria clear for you and your agency? Has NDC adversely impacted your business? If you answered yes to any of these questions, we want to hear from you," said the statement. 

Send your feedback to [email protected].   

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