Following this week’s long-expected announcement confirming the merger between American Airlines and US Airways, frequent flyers on both carriers are understandably concerned about how their status and benefits will be affected. For the time being, both loyalty programs will continue to operate separately and customers should see no immediate changes.
In a statement issued Thursday, American Airlines clarified short-term expectations for members of AAdvantage and Dividend Miles:
Customers can keep booking travel, tracking flights, and managing their frequent-flyer accounts through AA.com or USAirways.com. Both AAdvantage and Dividend Miles members will retain their existing benefits and rewards, and miles already earned in either program will continue to be honored. There are currently no changes to either frequent-flyer program resulting from the merger agreement. If and when the merger receives approval, the airlines will provide additional details about any future updates to the programs, including potential account consolidation or alignment of benefits.
The merger is still subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. If approved, the transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2013. The combined carrier would operate an expanded network of more than 6,700 daily flights to 336 destinations across 56 countries and is anticipated to maintain all existing hubs served by both American Airlines and US Airways.
For frequent flyers this means minimal disruption in the short term: continue to use the existing websites and customer portals, retain current elite status and perks, and expect the airlines to communicate any planned changes well in advance. As the approval process progresses, members should watch for official communications from either airline outlining timelines and any steps needed to merge accounts or adapt to a unified program. Until such notifications arrive, travelers can rely on their current benefits and travel arrangements remaining in effect.