I received my American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum status renewal package and noticed several things about it.

• A membership card is no longer included. The membership card was previously marked with the Million Miler status (X million miles), so this is no longer recognizable. They eliminated you last year.
• Just one luggage tag, not two. Another downgrade last year.
• The welcome letter is now unsigned (new)

In addition to the luggage tag, there were also six employee certificates to be presented for outstanding achievements.

Each coupon is a ticket for a drawing. They used to be called “Round of Applause” coupons, often called “AAplause” coupons by frequent flyers. Each month, American would draw winners of AAdvantage frequent flyer miles (and before that, the You’re SomeOne Special or “SOS” program offered free space trips). They moved to the US Airways system of quarterly cash drawings, and giving out raffles was still a nice way to thank employees who provide “above and beyond” service.

In 2020, American Airlines stopped sending physical elite membership cards and baggage tags to members to promote its “all-digital experience.” It was a cost-cutting measure that took away some of the emotional value of its top customers.

A year later, physical membership packages were restored for Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum Elite members.

• Platinum Pro The members received a membership card and six employee recognition certificates.
• Executive Platinum The members also received two luggage tags.

The membership card was eliminated again and the luggage tags were reduced by half. The kits always bore the signature of the manager in charge of the program – be it Rob Friedman, Maya Leibman, Suzanne Rubin, Bridget Blaise-Shamai, Julie Rath or Vasu Raja. After Vasu Raja was fired, they removed his signature from the kits but did not replace it with anyone else’s.

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