American Airlines to Let Customers Mix Cash and Miles for Tickets
American Airlines will let AAdvantage members combine miles and cash for tickets, following United and Delta.
American said customers will see a slider bar at checkout that allows them to combine AAdvantage program miles with cash. The option could be useful when customers do not have enough miles for the entire ticket and are looking to shave some cash off the ticket price. The slider bar, which American plans to roll out in the coming days, gives customers the option of using more miles for a bigger discount.
Other airlines, including American's chief rivals United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, currently allow customers to combine their frequent flyer miles with cash. United, for example, listed a one-way ticket from its Newark Liberty International Airport hub in New Jersey to Paris in the first week of November at 40,000 United MileagePlus miles plus $5.60 in tax, $428.50 in cash, or $369 plus 6,000 miles, according to CNBC.
American's updated tool comes as airlines' battles for high-spending customers extend to new airport lounges, bigger premium cabins and in-flight Wi-Fi. The change is the latest at American as it tries to grow its lucrative loyalty program.