American Airlines Pushes AAdvantage Change for Travel Agencies

American Airlines is pushing the deadline for its AAdvantage move.

The carrier had previously said that only those booking through preferred agencies would be able to earn loyalty points starting on May 1, but extended that deadline to July 11 this week. American is also giving agencies more time to meet the initial 30% NDC threshold in order to be considered preferred, going from April 21 to a new deadline of June 5.

“While we’re happy with the response we’ve seen so far, we anticipate even more agencies are close to meeting the threshold very soon. As a result, we’re extending the first qualification window, including the publication of our preferred agency list, to June 5, 2024. This new timeline gives additional agencies more time and the opportunity to meet NDC thresholds,” American said this week.

While the deadline extension is good news for agencies who are struggling to meet that 30% NDC number, that threshold is only going to increase over the next 16 months. According to terms seen by TMR, American is going to push that threshold from 30% to 50% by the end of October, and 70% by the end of April 2025, as American continues its NDC rollout strategy.

The change is important because booking through a preferred agency will be the only way that an advisor’s client will be able to earn loyalty points with American Airlines. Travelers will either have to book through a preferred agency or go direct in order to participate in American’s AAdvantage program.

It’s a huge change for travel agencies and one that associations in both the U.S. and Canada have fully mobilized against.