American Airlines AAdvantage loyalty members have a new way to travel within South America.
Travelers can now use points to book flights on Chilean discounter JetSmart via American’s website. This closes one of the last remaining gaps in the carriers’ partnership, where AAdvantage members could book JetSmart flights but only on the budget carrier’s website.
The move comes four years after American and JetSmart first unveiled their tie-up. Under the deal, American took a 35.4% equity stake in the South American airline, and JetSmart adopted AAdvantage as its loyalty program.
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Out of U.S. airlines, American operates the most flights to South America — a market position it has held since buying the former Eastern Air Lines’ assets in the region in 1990. That has translated to a significant “local” presence for the carrier.
“In most of the countries across South America, American is a native brand,” Vasu Raja, the airline’s former chief commercial officer, said in 2021.
However, American does not offer flights within the continent for its many loyalty members there.
Enter JetSmart. By agreeing to the adopt AAdvantage as its own loyalty program, the discounter gave American’s many customers in the region a way to redeem their points on flights within South America — not just for flights to or from the U.S.
The new JetSmart redemptions on American’s website come with some caveats. First, travelers only have one fare option compared to the three fare options they’d get when booking directly through JetSmart. All points bookings through American include a free checked bag, seat selection, and flight change and cancellation flexibility.
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Also, redemptions are only available on JetSmart-only itineraries. Trips that include a connection between an American and JetSmart flight are not available.
A quick search of American’s website found redemptions for JetSmart flights available in October. On Oct. 24, you can book a domestic flight from Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL) to Andres Sabella Galvez International Airport (ANF) near Antofagasta in northern Chile for 7,000 points.
A flight the same day from SCL to Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) near Buenos Aires is 14,000 points.
AAdvantage members can already earn points, including Loyalty Points toward elite status, on JetSmart flights.
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