Washington, D.C. – Based on extensive customer research, and in an effort to better meet customer needs, Amtrak has introduced a new, simplified fare structure with more flexible and affordable options. The simpler fare structure launched this week and builds on other recent improvements Amtrak has made to the booking experience.
The new fare structure reduces fare types from three categories to two and serves to provide a more consistent booking experience with fare types that are clearly differentiated and easy-to-understand:
Flex: For customers who want a more flexible travel option, these tickets are fully refundable if canceled, and can be changed without fees before departure[1].
Value: For customers who know their travel plans and want a more affordable option, these tickets are at a lower price than Flex tickets, non-changeable and receive a 75% refund if canceled.
In addition to simplifying the fare structure, benefits of the new approach also include:
Flex fares will often be available starting at lower prices than previously offered.
Occasional sale fares at an even deeper discount (these will be non-changeable and receive a 50% refund if canceled).
Any refunds of credit card purchases will be made to the original form of payment, rather than as an eVoucher.[2]
These changes to Coach and Acela Business tickets make it easier for Amtrak customers to choose the ticket type that best fits their travel needs. Non-Acela Business and First Class tickets were already fully refundable and changeable with no additional fees. Tickets purchased prior to the launch of the new simplified fare structure remain subject to the fare rules and conditions that were in effect when the ticket was purchased.
Dallas, Texas – Southwest Airlines Company (NYSE: LUV) today announced five enhancements to the award-winning Rapid Rewards®1 program. The enhancements reward the airline’s loyal Members by making it easier for Customers to earn tier status; awarding A-List Preferred Members with up to two complimentary premium drinks; and allowing Customers to pay for Southwest® flights using a combination of cash and Rapid Rewards® points.
Earn A-List Status Faster: Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Southwest Rapid Rewards™ Members only need to fly 20 one-way qualifying flights2 (previously 25) or earn 35,000 tier qualifying points3 to reach A-List status.
Earn A-List Preferred Status Faster: Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Rapid Rewards Members only need to fly 40 one-way qualifying flights2 (previously 50) or earn 70,000 tier qualifying points3 to earn A-List Preferred status.
Earn Tier Qualifying Points Faster with Southwest Rapid Rewards™ Credit Cards from Chase: Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers will receive 1,500 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 spent4 (previously $10,000) on purchases using their Rapid Rewards Premier, Premier Business, Priority, or Performance Business Credit Cards from Chase.
New Perk Alert—Complimentary Premium Drinks for A-List Preferred Status: Starting Nov. 6, 2023, A-List Preferred Members can receive up to two complimentary premium drinks per flight, added directly to their mobile boarding passes.5
Redeem with Cash + Points: Starting in spring of 2024, Rapid Rewards Members will have the option to pay for their flight with a combination of cash and points, starting with as few as 1,000 points.6
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FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines (Nasdaq: AAL) is redesigning its award-winning AAdvantage® loyalty program, ridding it of complicated elite qualifying metrics for an easy-to-understand point system that provides multiple ways to earn status. In 2022, AAdvantage members can earn status by flying, using an AAdvantage credit card for purchases or spending with an AAdvantage partner.
Achieving AAdvantage status
For every qualifying AAdvantage mile earned, members will earn one Loyalty Point. Here’s how to earn points:
Members can earn Loyalty Points by flying on American or one of its eligible partner airlines.
Don’t fly often, no problem. Join fellow AAdvantage members who will earn Loyalty Points every year just by shopping online or dining out.
AAdvantage 2022 status requirements
Status
Loyalty Points
Gold
30,000
Platinum
75,000
Platinum Pro
125,000
Executive Platinum
200,000
Extending status and a chance to double dip
To thank our members for their continued loyalty, American is extending all current members AAdvantage status through March 31, 2022.
And members can also double dip as any qualifying activity earned in January and February will count towards both 2022 and 2023 AAdvantage status. This gives members an extra two months to earn elite status for both years.
In the future, members will qualify for status from March through February, with status valid through March 31 of the following year.
Unlock Loyalty Choice Rewards
Next year, AAdvantage members can unlock Loyalty Choice Rewards, formerly called elite choice rewards. Loyalty Choice Rewards is a menu of rewards awarded to members that earn Platinum Pro status or higher and fly at least 30 flights on American or qualifying partner airlines.
Members can select the Loyalty Choice Reward they value the most, including an Admirals Club day pass, systemwide upgrades or bonus AAdvantage miles. Additional Loyalty Choice Rewards are available to unlock as members accrue more Loyalty Points.
American Airlines is recognizing the loyalty of AAdvantage® members by extending their elite status amid reduced travel related to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Changes include:
Extending elite status for AAdvantage members until Jan. 31, 2022.
Reducing elite status qualifications for 2020.
Extending Admirals Club® memberships purchased from American for 6 months.*
Introducing up to $400 special credits for future travel on American Airlines Vacations packages for elite members.**
Every dollar spent on an eligible AAdvantage co-branded credit card through the end of 2020 will count for one mile toward Million Miler℠ status.
Award reinstatement fees waived for travel through September 2020.
“We are grateful to our AAdvantage members and want to show them that loyalty is a two-way street,” said Bridget Blaise-Shamai, Vice President of Customer Loyalty & Insights and President of the AAdvantage program. “When people are ready to fly again, we will be there to help them reconnect with loved ones, friends and colleagues.”
Extended AAdvantage elite status
AAdvantage members will automatically receive an extension of their current elite status through Jan. 31, 2022. These updates will be reflected in member accounts in a few weeks.
Admirals Club membership extension
Admirals Club memberships and One-Day Passes purchased from the airline will be automatically extended for 6 months beyond their expiration date as part of American’s effort to care for customers.*
American Airlines Vacations credit
Elite members will also receive a special credit up to $400 to use toward an American Airlines Vacations package, giving customers something to look forward to when travel resumes. Customers can receive the credit when they call American Airlines Vacations to book a trip. Members can learn more by visiting aa.com.**
Making it easier to earn elite status
Lowered elite qualification requirements
The airline has lowered AAdvantage elite qualification requirements for all of 2020. AAdvantage members will achieve status more easily during the current elite qualifying year through lower Elite Qualifying Dollar (EQD), Elite Qualifying Mile (EQM) and Elite Qualifying Segment (EQS) requirements.
Reduced qualifications for Executive Platinum rewards
Members who qualify for Executive Platinum status previously received a choice of one reward upon reaching 150,000, 200,000 and 250,000 EQMs. Lowered EQM requirements in 2020 will now make these rewards more attainable.
The above changes will take effect by May 15, 2020.
$1 spent on eligible AAdvantage credit cards equals 1 mile toward Million Miler status
For all Citi®/AAdvantage and AAdvantage Aviator® products, as well as select AAdvantage credit cards outside of the United States, every dollar spent on net purchases that post to your AAdvantage account between May and December 2020 will count as one mile toward Million Miler status.
Making travel more flexible
Waived award reinstatement fees for travel
The airline is also giving members more flexibility with waived reinstatement and change charges for awards booked by May 31, 2020 for travel through September 30, 2020.
Award travel ticketed on or after June 1, 2020 will include free changes if made at least 60 days in advance. A new variable fee structure based on elite status and days before departure will apply to any changes made fewer than 60 days in advance:
More information about these updates is available on aa.com. Customers and AAdvantage members with questions about other actions regarding COVID-19 should visit www.aa.com/coronavirus.
*The membership extension applies to all active members as of March 1, 2020. New annual Admirals Club memberships purchased between March 1 and May 31, 2020 will also be extended for 6 months beyond the normal 12 months. For Admirals Club One-Day Passes, the extension applies to any unused passes with an expiration date between March 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021.
**Terms and conditions apply. Note only U.S. point of origin bookings.
Medallion Members will be able to enjoy their current Status through 2021
Other program and card benefits will be extended between six months and one year
Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members will enjoy the same loyalty benefits throughout 2021 as they have in 2020. The 12-month Status extension is part of Delta’s work to offer greater flexibility as coronavirus impacts travel plans, so customers can rest assured their Status will be there when they’re ready to fly.
“On behalf of all of us at Delta, I want to thank our customers for your continued loyalty during these unprecedented times. While our focus is on keeping customers and employees safe and healthy today and always, you are a part of the Delta family and we know how important these benefits are to you,” said Sandeep Dube, Delta’s Senior Vice President – Customer Engagement and Loyalty, and CEO of Delta Vacations. “That’s why as coronavirus continues to dramatically impact travel across the globe, you don’t have to worry about your benefits – they’ll be extended so you can enjoy them when you are ready to travel again.”
The following updates will happen automatically over the coming weeks, with no action needed from customers.
Medallion Members:
All Medallion Status for 2020 will be automatically extended for the 2021 Medallion Year.
All Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) from 2020 are being rolled over to 2021 to qualify for 2022 Medallion Status.
Delta Sky Club Individual and Executive memberships with an expiration of March 1, 2020, or later will receive six additional months of Delta Sky Club access beyond their expiration date.
Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members:
If you have one of the following in your SkyMiles profile “My Wallet” that is valid now or has expired since March 1, 2020, we are extending the expiration dates to give you additional time to enjoy your benefits:
Delta SkyMiles Gold Card Members with a $100 Delta flight credit will get a six-month extension beyond their current expiration date.
Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card Members with Companion Certificates with an original expiration date between March 1 and June 30, 2020, can use them when they book and fly by Dec. 31, 2020, and those that expire between July 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021, will receive an additional six months beyond the current expiration date.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members with Companion Certificates with an original expiration date between March 1 and June 30, 2020, can use them when they book and fly by Dec. 31, 2020, and those that expire between July 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021, will receive an additional six months beyond the current expiration date.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members will also get a six-month extension to use their Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes beyond their current expiration date.
SkyMiles Members:
If you have one of the following in your SkyMiles profile “My Wallet” that is valid now or has expired since March 1, 2020, we are extending the expiration dates to give you additional time to enjoy your benefits:
Upgrade Certificates or $200 Travel Vouchers with an original expiration date between March 1 and June 30, 2020, are extended – now, they can be booked and flown by Dec. 31, 2020. And, SkyMiles Members with Upgrade Certificates or $200 Travel Vouchers that expire after June 30, 2020, will receive an additional six months beyond the current expiration date.
SkyMiles Select members will receive a six-month extension to the Priority Boarding benefit and any unused drink vouchers.
“We are continuously monitoring how coronavirus impacts travel and will make additional adjustments to support our customers’ needs as the pandemic evolves,” said Dube.
SkyMiles Members enrolled in a challenge or promotion to earn Medallion Status, such as the Status Match Challenge, Reclaim My Status or a promotion offered through their employer, can restart that promotion when they are ready to travel again. Those Members will receive next steps from Delta in the coming weeks.
United Airlines, Chase Card Services and Visa today announced a multi-year extension of the United MileagePlus credit card program. The extension continues the more than 30-year relationship between the number one card issuer in the U.S., the U.S. airline with service to the most U.S. cities and most countries around the world and the world’s leader in digital payments.
The agreement, which extends into 2029, builds on one of the industry’s strongest co-brand card portfolios with seven consecutive quarters of double-digit year-over-year growth and a long history of providing cardmembers with extra benefits that reward people traveling United’s expansive global route network.
“United Airlines, Chase and Visa have a longstanding partnership that delivers top benefits to customers to help them get the most out of their travel, while returning robust value to our respective businesses,” said Luc Bondar, United’s vice president of Loyalty. “This extension strengthens ties with our partners at Chase and Visa and is expected to drive growth across our industry-leading credit card portfolio, enhance our cardholders travel experience and provide more opportunities to easily earn and redeem miles to travel United’s industry leading route network.”
“We’re pleased to extend our decades-long relationship with United and Visa in order to deliver even more value to our joint cardmembers,” said Ed Olebe, president of Chase Co-Brand Cards. “The program has deep cardmember loyalty and fantastic momentum, with exciting new offerings and experiences for our customers to look forward to in 2020 and beyond.”
The extended agreement will build on one of the world’s strongest co-brand card portfolios, with premium customers in premium markets. The portfolio of cards includes the new United Business Card, United Explorer Card, United Club Card, United Club Business Card and United TravelBank Card. Customers traveling with eligible MileagePlus credit cards have access to benefits that make traveling United’s leading route network better than ever including perks such as free checked bags, priority boarding and increased mileage earn on every day spending.
“Visa is proud to extend our partnership with United and Chase to bring best-in-class card benefits and travel experiences to cardholders,” said Kirk Stuart, senior vice president, head of North America Merchant at Visa. “We look forward to building on the program’s success to deliver more value, enhance cardholder engagement and create rewarding payment experiences.”
Earlier this year, United and Chase launched a new Business card and celebrated with the highest ever bonuses for all United co-brand cards for the first time ever. In 2018, United and Chase launched the award-winning United Explorer card, with even more best-in-class benefits including an up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check statement credit and 2X earn on hotel stays and restaurant purchases.
United also continues to invest in making MileagePlus the top loyalty program for its members. Last year the airline announced that MileagePlus miles never expire and announced a partnership with CLEAR to offer free and discounted memberships to MileagePlus members. United also introduced PlusPoints, a new industry-leading upgrade benefit for Premier members.
United Airlines Her Art Here California Livery – Side View
