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American Airlines Introduces a Whole New Approach to Frequent Flyer Award Travel With Launch of One-Way Flex Awards

Posted on: Monday, 11 May 2009, 12:43 CDT

Customers Can Combine Various One-Way Awards to Best Meet Travel Needs

Latest Enhancements Add More Options and Flexibility to Award Travel and Expand Award Booking Opportunities on AA.com

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Airlines, which invented the frequent flyer program when it launched the AAdvantage(R) program nearly three decades ago, has further revolutionized award travel by introducing an exciting new feature called "One-Way Flex Awards." One-Way Flex Awards offer a whole new approach to frequent flyer award travel, creating even greater value for AAdvantage members. Customers can get further details on One-Way Flex Awards and view an online demo, at www.aa.com/flexawards.

The One-Way Flex feature gives AAdvantage members more options when redeeming award travel, offering - for the first time - the ability to use miles on a one-way basis at half the round-trip mileage requirement. At the same time, American is offering AAdvantage members who travel round trip the ability to combine different types of one-way awards on a single ticket. Therefore, customers may now combine MileSAAver(R) awards with AAnytime(R) awards, or economy class awards with First or Business Class awards, to customize award travel to best meet their needs.

American is the first major domestic airline to offer a one-way award ticket at a true one-way price at just one-half the amount of the required round-trip miles.

With One-Way Flex Awards, there are no changes to AAnytime or MileSAAver mileage requirements - just more options, value and greater flexibility. Customers can now redeem awards on a one-way basis or combine multiple award types on a single round-trip ticket - a true "win-win" for customers.

"Since the AAdvantage program was launched in 1981, American has continuously made improvements that make the program more valuable for our members and ensure our industry leadership position," said Rob Friedman, President - AAdvantage Marketing Programs. "Our One-Way Flex feature takes frequent flyer award travel to a whole new level by offering customers unprecedented options and flexibility."

One-Way Flex Awards

The primary features of American's One-Way Flex Awards, which are available now for award travel on American Airlines, American Eagle or AmericanConnection(R) carriers are:

• One-Way Flex Awards give AAdvantage members the flexibility to combine different one-way awards on a single itinerary. For instance, a member may travel outbound on an Economy Class MileSAAver award and return on an economy class AAnytime award. Or, a member may choose to travel in different classes of service on a trip, such as traveling outbound in Business or First Class and returning in Economy Class.

• AAdvantage members can now redeem one-way awards at a one-way price. If a member is only traveling one-way, or doesn't have a return date in mind, the member can simply book one-way travel for half the round-trip miles. For example, a customer may fly one-way using a domestic MileSAAver economy class ticket for 12,500 miles - half the amount required for a round-trip domestic award, which currently requires 25,000 miles.

• AAdvantage members may book One-Way Flex Awards by using the newly enhanced, easy-to-read, color-coded availability calendar on AA.com, allowing members to determine the dates, flights and award types that work best for them.

Even More Enhancements for Award Travel on AA.com

In addition to introducing One-Way Flex awards, American has enhanced AA.com to make booking AAdvantage award travel online even more convenient. Now, members can:

• Book multi-city award trips on AA.com, which is especially helpful for members who need to travel to more than one city in a single trip. Customers now can book up to four one-way awards at one time, an expansion from previous capabilities that allowed booking only round-trip travel. Multi-city award booking also allows customers to book travel into one city and return from another. For example, travel to London but return from Paris

• Customers who prefer doing business in Spanish now can book AAdvantage award travel online in Spanish. The new Spanish-language tool is accessed by clicking "Espanol" on the AA.com home page or by accessing one of the country-specific, Spanish-language portals American offers at www.aa.com/espanol.

American's innovative changes to the AAdvantage program - made after extensive research and study - coupled with the technology enhancements to AA.com, make redeeming one-way and combinable awards quick, easy and convenient.

"American is blazing the trail with technology solutions that make innovative and customer-friendly enhancements a reality for our customers," said Andrew Watson, American's Vice President - Customer Technology. "Our customers asked for more options, flexibility and speed when shopping and booking award travel on AA.com, and that's just what we've delivered. Our commitment is to leverage the most up-to-date technology to meet and exceed our customers' expectations."

About the AAdvantage Program

The AAdvantage Program was the first and is the world's largest frequent flyer program. Established in 1981, the program now has more than 60 million members. Members can earn miles at more than 1,000 participating companies, which include more than 30 hotel chains representing more than 60 brands, more than 20 airlines, eight car-rental companies, 12 financial companies, and over 250 brand name retailers. In addition, members can earn miles when making purchases with one of more than 100 affinity card products in over 40 countries. In 2008, AAdvantage members redeemed more than 155 billion miles to claim more than 4.8 million awards for flights, upgrades and car rentals. For more information and a listing of AAdvantage program participating companies, visit www.aa.com/aadvantage.

About AA.com

With more than 1.6 million site visits per day, AA.com is American's largest distribution channel and the best place to do business online with the airline, 24-7. At AA.com you can conveniently search for and book low fares and award travel; select seats; make hotel, rental car and cruise reservations; get flight arrival and departure information; sign up for flight status notification and even check in and print boarding passes. You can also manage your AAdvantage account at AA.com, as well as sign up to receive emails from American and get customized DealFinder(SM) alerts and other special offers. Additionally, customers who purchase tickets at AA.com get a lowest-fare guarantee. AA.com has twice received the World Travel Award for World's Leading Airline Internet Site and has received multiple site awards from various organizations.

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection(R) airlines serve 250 cities in 40 countries with, on average, more than 3,400 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American's award-winning Web site, AA.com(R), provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld(R) Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members serve nearly 700 destinations in over 140 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, We know why you fly, AAdvantage, MileSAAver, AAnytime and DealFinder are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: AMR)

AmericanAirlines(R) We know why you fly(R)

Current AMR Corp. releases can be accessed on the Internet.

The address is http://www.aa.com

SOURCE American Airlines

Source: PR Newswire

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