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American Airlines Just Rolled Out Basic Economy Nationwide

Sept. 05, 2017
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3 min read
American Airlines Just Rolled Out Basic Economy Nationwide
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American Airlines had said in July that it wanted to roll out basic economy to all domestic routes "by the end of September," but things turned out a little different: AA just introduced the fare class to its entire network on Tuesday morning.

No matter where you're originating from or traveling to in the US, you're likely going to have to pay more to get the same American Airlines "Main Cabin" ticket from before AA introduced basic economy in February. For AAdvantage elites, this means you'll have to pay more to get a chance at an upgrade. For those looking to qualify for elite status, you'll have to pay more to get full elite-qualifying miles/segments.

The silver lining is that basic economy isn't appearing yet on all North American routes. I'm still finding overpriced non-basic economy fares on American Airlines' Los Angeles (LAX) to Vancouver (YVR) route:


Also good news: it looks like domestic awards are still booking as standard Main Cabin fares and aren't subject to basic economy restrictions. Since the cost for a cash Main Cabin fare just increased on many routes, Monday morning's basic economy rollout actually just made AAdvantage miles a bit more valuable on domestic routes — at least where you can find MileSAAver AAvailability.

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Now that AA flyers nationwide are affected by basic economy, it's as important as ever to remember that getting an American Airlines co-branded card can defeat many of the negative aspects of basic economy. Just by having a co-branded card, you can carry-on a bag, check a bag for free and avoid being stuck in boarding group 9.

If you fly AA often and haven't gotten a co-branded card, here are some to consider:

  • Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
  • AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard — with newly increased 60,000-mile sign-up bonus
  • Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
  • CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard

The information for the Citi AAdvantage Platinum card and CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom Line

We knew that American Airlines' basic economy fares were going to roll out nationwide soon, but it's a bummer that the airline rushed to complete this project so soon. With United promising to always offer a basic economy option, interestingly it's Delta — which originated basic economy back in 2012 — that suddenly has the least ubiquitous basic economy fares of the big three US airlines. If you're an AA flyer who's doesn't mind getting stuck in an airline-assigned seat, make sure to grab a co-branded card to defeat the other aspects of basic economy.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.