American and US Airways Outline Customer Benefits From Merger
Passengers at American’s Flagship Lounge at JFK
Following the merger between American Airlines and US Airways early Monday morning, the two airlines announced a number of benefits customers can expect from the merger.
Operations will continue as normal for the time being, but in the next several months, the airlines will continue to merge and provide a uniform product.
“January 7 will be a big day for us,” Scott Kirby, who will serve as the combined airline’s president, told Frequent Business Traveler in an interview last month.
On that day, each airline will recognize the other’s elite frequent flyers with reciprocal benefits. A passenger flying on American will be able to earn miles and status points on US Airways and vice versa as of that day as well. In addition, each airline’s lounge members will be granted reciprocal access at the other’s lounges.
Codeshared flights between the two airlines will begin some time in early 2014 as well, which will allow American to sell a US flight as its own as well as the other way around.
On March 31, a day after the airline leaves Star Alliance – the largest airline alliance in the world – US Airways will join American at oneworld. However, US Airways plans on retaining a relationship with 12 Star Alliance members, including Air China, TAM, and Turkish Airways, even after it leaves the alliance at the end of March.
US Airways Dividend Miles members will receive new membership cards with the oneworld logo prior to March 31. Dividend Miles members will receive oneworld equivalent status: Chairman-level members will be given Emerald status, the top level, while Platinum- and Gold-level members will receive Sapphire status within oneworld, and Silver-level members will receive Ruby status. Beginning the 31st, all Dividend Miles members will receive miles and earn status points when flying on any oneworld-member airline. The ability to redeem awards will be phased in. Other oneworld airline members will have the ability to receive miles and earn status points when flying on US Airways starting that day as well.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)
