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American Airlines ditches physical elite status cards, luggage tags
Zach Griff
Senior reporter
Zach Griff is a senior reporter at TPG. He writes travel and product reviews, deep dives into loyalty programs, news about the airline industry and more.
Sept. 25, 2020
•
3 min read
American Airlines ditches physical elite status cards, luggage tags
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There are many perks of airline elite status.
Some of the most lucrative ones include space-available complimentary upgrades, free checked bags, lounge access when traveling internationally and more. Top-tier elites even get upgrade certificates that can be applied to bump up to long-haul business class.
When achieving elite status, many flyers are naturally excited about their accomplishment. And what better way to celebrate than by adding a bag tag prominently displaying your status to your carry-on?
Well, from now on, you won't be receiving a bag tag or physical membership card when achieving elite status with American Airlines.
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Instead, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the airline (and first reported by Gary Leff), AAdvantage elites who qualify for status will now receive a digital membership welcome kit. This online pamphlet will outline the benefits of your status, provide you with the elite-only reservations phone number and congratulate you on your achievement.
American will continue sending physical mailers for its top-tier, invite-only status, ConciergeKey, as confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.
Some elites will surely be upset that they can't wear their status on their bags. But with reduced demand for travel, there's less flying going on nowadays.
The pandemic is likely also the reason why AA decided to forgo sending out these mailers. As the airline looks to cut costs and reduce cash burn, sending physical mailers is a substantial line item.
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Related: The complete guide to American AAdvantage elite status
Aside from the missing bag tags, American's move doesn't have too many other implications. You don't need a physical AAdvantage membership card to earn miles or access AA lounges. However, gaining entry to some international partner lounges might have been easier with your physical card. Either way, pulling up your status on the latest version of the AA app should be enough to get you entry.
The other part of the travel journey that might be disrupted is the check-in experience. The airport kiosks can use the physical membership card to look up your reservation. Without the cards, you'll need to either enter your AAdvantage number or reservation record locator to pull up your flight. But now that the future is touchless, most elites will likely end up checking in with their phones, bypassing the kiosks all together.
If you're a newly-minted AA elite or recently requalified (at the reduced thresholds), don't wait by the mailbox. Your membership kit is waiting for you online.
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | 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. |
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Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
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
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- 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.