American Airlines Cancels Perks for Basic Economy Fliers, to Add 15 New Routes

A Boeing 737 American Airlines passenger aircraft (foreground) and an Airbus A320 American Airlines passenger aircraft (center) at a terminal at LaGuardia airport in New York on April 30, 2025. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty ImagesWhile American Airlines prepares to add 15 new routes by next summer, this week it quietly ended perks for travelers purchasing Basic Economy tickets.According to a Dec. 18 post on social media platform X, the airline announced that starting Dec. 17, Basic Economy ticket holders are no longer eligible for AAdvantage miles or Loyalty Points.