AA devalues basic economy fare bucket
It feels like American Airlines is just stalking my blog and updating policies right after I've posted about them...
OMAAT has flagged that American is making changes to the Basic Economy ticket bundle:
- Starting April 9, 2026, checked bag fees will be $5 more for the first and second bag for basic economy tickets compared to standard economy tickets
- Starting May 18, 2026, basic economy tickets will no longer be eligible for complimentary elite upgrades or complimentary seat assignments
Note that the above restrictions are for tickets issued on or after that date. So if someone purchases their ticket on May 17, the bottom restrictions won't apply, even if their travel is later.
Simply put, this sucks
For a couple years I've refined my strategy to book basic economy where possible and save 25-35% over the long run. (I even made a post about this just last month!) But between not having the shot at an upgrade to not being able to select my own seat, I've begun to reconsider my strategy.
Here's what I think my overall strategy will be:
- For airlines that still offer free seat selection, (for elite members, at least), I'll continue booking basic economy
- For airlines that don't offer seat selections, I'll book basic economy for short hops or daytime flights where I wouldn't mind middle seats. I'll also book basic economy for flights with little to no middle seats (think regional jets or even the A220)
- For airlines that issue award tickets in regular economy and not basic economy, I'll book using miles
- For airlines that don't offer a free carryon and I have neither a credit card or elite status, I'll avoid those fares
My strategy with American Airlines
Using the above list, American would fall into the category of booking with award miles if it's a red-eye, long flight, or where I value the added flexibility like free cancellations.
However, this shouldn't move the needle much for me in terms of selecting my airline loyalty. I have no problems with earning AA LPs and miles over United and Delta miles given their overall value potential (like 60k in business to Japan).