Pizza in Motion breaks the news on changes to American Airlines airfare benefits.

American Airlines introduced a set of fare options in December 2012, a modestly higher fixed fare price for a set of value-added benefits, that you could purchase at time of ticketing — through American’s own channels, and also they hoped through third parties as well.

However the details of American’s fare bundles were updated on February 25.

What the lower tier bundle offers has been cut back, and pricing has changed. These options no longer represent the value they once did.

Choice Essential fares used to include at a fixed $68 price point:

• No change fees (avoid the $200 charge when making a ticket change)
  
• Free checked bag
  
• Priority boarding (“Group 1”)

Choice essential prices have changed and no longer waives change fees.

It’s no longer a good value overall. It’s hard to imagine this being a good deal for anyone, better to buy the free checked bag separately if you’re going to be charged for that, Group 1 boarding doesn’t matter — you don’t need to board first, you just need to make sure you do not board close to last in order to not be shut out of overhead space.

And certainly no elite frequent flyer should ever buy a ‘Choice Essential’ fare under these terms.

Choice Plus fares were rolled out with the following benefits at a fixed $88 price point:

• No change fees (avoid the $200 charge when making a ticket change)
  
• Free checked bag
  
• Priority boarding (“Group 1”)
  
• 50% bonus miles
  
• No fee same-day changes and no fee same-day standby
  
• Premium beverage onboard

All of the benefits of ‘Choice Plus’ fares appear to remain intact, however pricing is now higher.

The waived change fees as part of the fare was the biggest benefit. Even as an elite frequent flyer with American who already got free checked bags and priority boarding, I thought it was a more than reasonable hedge against changes when plans had the potential to get mucked up. (Which happens to me more than I’d like to admit.) And once it made sense to pay for waived change fees, the modest increment to earn 50% bonus miles and other benefits could have made sense at all.

The higher price points we’re now seeing are much harder to justify.

I never entirely understood the argument for offering these things are part of the airfare, rather than ancillary offerings for an extra charge, since domestic airfares are subject to a 7.5% excise tax while fees are not. American said they wanted to change the way airfares are sold. I’ve been skeptical of that approach.

Regardless of whether that happens, and I’d guess it’s less likely at a higher price point, I don’t see the fare options offering nearly the value they did when first rolled out a little over a year ago.

What sorts of prices are you being offered to ‘buy up’ to these fare bundles?

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