American Airlines' elite status requirements for its AAdvantage loyalty program will remain lower next year than pre-pandemic levels and include a head start on earning status, the carrier announced.
For 2021, elite status requirements will start at 20,000 qualifying miles, 20 qualifying segments and 2,000 qualifying dollars to achieve Gold status, which would remain valid through Jan. 31, 2023. That's an increase compared with this year, for which American lowered requirements by 40 percent in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it is 20 percent lower than the pre-Covid requirements, AAdvantage president Rick Elieson said. American similarly has adjusted requirements for higher tiers next year.
In addition, American is counting travel in the fourth quarter of this year toward elite status next year, the carrier announced. Travelers earning status this year will continue to see fourth-quarter travel count toward this year's requirements as well, Elieson said. American already extended elite status earned last year for this year for an additional year, through Jan. 31, 2022.
The carrier next year also is removing the dollar requirement for all tiers besides Executive Platinum for travelers who have AAdvantage credit cards and spend at least $30,000 on purchases with the card.