American Airlines Ends Basic Economy Miles Earning

The era of earning status on the cheapest ticket is officially over. On December 17, 2025, American Airlines quietly updated its fare rules to eliminate mileage and Loyalty Point accrual on Basic Economy tickets. For years, the “travel hacker” strategy involved booking cheap Basic Economy fares and relying on elite status to smooth over the rough edges. That strategy has just hit a brick wall.

This isn’t just a minor devaluation; it’s a fundamental shift in how American Airlines values its budget-conscious customers. By removing the ability to earn Loyalty Points, AA has effectively told frequent flyers that if you want elite status, you have to pay a premium. Below, I break down the math, the hidden “gotchas,” and whether paying for Main Cabin is now mathematically required.

The New Rules: What Changed on Dec 17, 2025?

For tickets purchased on or after December 17, 2025, the earning rate for Basic Economy has dropped to exactly zero. Previously, travelers earned 2 miles per dollar spent and, more importantly, 2 Loyalty Points per dollar. While that earn rate was already reduced from the standard 5x, it allowed budget travelers to chip away at status qualification requirements.

Here is the specific breakdown of the change:

• Old Policy (Pre-Dec 17): Earn 2 AAdvantage Miles per $1 USD + 2 Loyalty Points per $1 USD.
• New Policy (Post-Dec 17): Earn 0 AAdvantage Miles + 0 Loyalty Points.
• Main Cabin: Continues to earn 5 miles/points per $1 USD (more for elites).

It is critical to note that this applies to the purchase date, not the flight date. If you booked a Basic Economy ticket in November 2025 for travel in 2026, you are “grandfathered” in and will still earn your miles.

The Math: How Much Value Are You Losing?

Many travelers dismiss “miles” as having low value, but in the AAdvantage ecosystem, Loyalty Points are the currency of status. Let’s run the math to see the actual cost of this change for a typical domestic traveler.

Imagine a round-trip Basic Economy ticket from New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX) costs $300. Under the old rules, you earned:

• Miles Earned: 600 AAdvantage Miles (Value: ~$9.00 at 1.5 cents/point)
• Loyalty Points: 600 LPs toward status

While $9.00 in rebate value doesn’t sound groundbreaking, the Loyalty Points were the real loss. For a travel hacker chasing the 40,000 LPs needed for Gold status, every single point counts.

The “Buy-Up” Calculation:
Usually, Main Cabin costs about $30 to $40 more per segment ($60–$80 round trip). If the price difference is $70, and you earn 1,500 miles (5x on $300) for Main Cabin vs. 0 for Basic, you are effectively “buying” 1,500 miles for $70.

The Math: $70 / 1,500 miles = 4.6 cents per mile.

That is a terrible price to pay for miles. Unless you absolutely need the Loyalty Points to hit a status tier (e.g., you are at 39,000 LPs and need 1,000 more), paying for Main Cabin solely for the miles is a bad deal. You are better off saving the cash and using a credit card strategy to earn the points elsewhere.

Strategic Analysis: Why Did AA Do This?

This move is a classic “revenue management” squeeze. By 2025, American Airlines found itself as the outlier. Delta stopped mileage earning on Basic Economy years ago. United allows earning, but their strict “no carry-on” policy makes their Basic Economy product functionally useless for most travelers.

AA had the “sweet spot”: a Basic Economy fare that allowed a carry-on and earned points. This made them too attractive to budget travelers who weren’t loyal to the brand, just the price.

By cutting earning, AA is trying to:

1. Segment the Market: Force business travelers (who need status) to buy up to Main Cabin.
2. Reduce Liability: Outstanding miles are a financial liability on a balance sheet. Issuing fewer miles on low-margin tickets improves their bottom line.

Interestingly, this makes earning status through credit card spend even more critical. If you can’t earn LPs from flying cheap fares, your beginner credit card setup becomes your primary vehicle for status. A single Citi / AAdvantage card purchase of $300 earns 300 LPs—now infinitely more than a $300 Basic Economy flight.

The Hidden Loophole: Elite Upgrades Survive

There is one massive silver lining that keeps AA ahead of Delta in this race. Even though you earn zero miles, AAdvantage Elites are still eligible for upgrades on Basic Economy tickets.

This is a crucial distinction. On Delta, if you buy Basic Economy, you cease to exist to the upgrade processor. On American, an Executive Platinum member on a $79 fare can still be cleared into First Class at the 100-hour window.

Pro Tip: If you already have status and don’t care about earning more LPs (perhaps you’ve already re-qualified via credit card spend), booking Basic Economy is still a viable strategy. You save money, keep your carry-on, and still have a shot at the front of the plane.

Comparison: AA vs. Delta vs. United (2025)

As you can see, despite the devaluation, American’s Basic Economy is arguably still the most “humane” option for elite travelers because of the upgrade eligibility. For non-elites, however, United technically wins on earning, but the lack of a carry-on often forces a $35+ bag fee that negates the value of the miles earned.

How to Beat the System: Earning Without Flying

If you are grounded from earning miles on flights, you must pivot. The “Loyalty Points” system AA introduced years ago was designed for this exact moment—shifting focus from “butts in seats” to “swipes at registers.”

1. The Shopping Portal Hack

The AAdvantage eShopping portal remains the single most efficient way to generate Loyalty Points. I recently earned 4,000 LPs by subscribing to a meal kit service for $60. That is the equivalent of spending $2,000 on Basic Economy tickets under the old rules. Always check the portal before buying anything online.

2. SimplyMiles

Link your Mastercard to SimplyMiles. You can often stack these offers with portal bonuses. This is “set it and forget it” earning that doesn’t require you to overpay for a Main Cabin fare.

3. Credit Card Spend

This is obvious, but vital. Since Basic Economy earns 0, your credit card is now your primary status engine. If you are aiming for 100k points, read our guide on how to earn 100k points fast without churning to understand the velocity limits and best categories.

Conclusion: Is Basic Economy Ever Worth It?

Yes, but the use case has narrowed. If you are an infrequent traveler who just wants the cheapest seat from A to B, AA Basic Economy is still superior to United (free bag) and comparable to Delta.

However, if you are a “status chaser,” you must now do a new calculation. You are no longer paying the Main Cabin premium just for seat selection; you are paying it to keep your status progress alive.

My advice? Don’t pay $80 extra for Main Cabin just to earn 300 miles. Save the $80, invest it in a credit card annual fee or a shopping portal purchase, and you’ll likely earn 10x the points you would have gotten from the flight.

For more on how expiration policies might affect your existing balance now that earning is harder, check our 2026 Guide to Mile Expiration.