American reminds elite frequent-fliers of changes coming in 2017

American Airlines emailed its frequent-fliers Monday with a reminder about changes coming in 2017 to the company's AAdvantage frequent-flier program. The carrier also revealed a new perk for its American-branded credit cards that will help fliers clear a new elite-status spending requirement that's being introduced in 2017. Most of the changes outlined in the e-mail had already been announced this past summer. Perhaps the most notable change is that American is adding a spending requirement to earn elite status. Previously, customers could earn status simply by flying a set number of miles or flight “segments” within a calendar year. That requirement remains in place for 2017, but customers must now also spend at least $3,000 in “elite qualifying dollars” on airfares to earn American’s lowest-tier “Gold” status. EQDs are generally the same amount as airfare, minus taxes and government opposed fees. For example, a $400 ticket that included $50 in government-imposed taxes and fees would earn $350 in EQDs. Gold status is earned when a customer flies 25,000 qualifying miles (or 30 flight segments) in a calendar year. The EQD spending threshold rises to $6,000 for “Platinum” status (50,000 miles or 60 segments) and to $12,000 for “Executive Platinum” status (100,000 miles or 120 segments). American also is introducing a new tier of elite status -- “Platinum Pro” – that brings its number of status levels in line with the offerings at Delta and United. <br/>