Lawsuit Investigation into Locked, Shut Down AAdvantage Accounts

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org believe American Airlines may have wronged some of its customers by improperly closing their AAdvantage accounts and retracting their accrued miles.

It’s been reported that many consumers’ frequent flyer accounts were locked or shut down beginning around December 2019, when American Airlines began taking action against members it suspected of violating its program’s terms by signing up for AAdvantage/Citi-branded credit cards using application codes that were not intended for them.

The attorneys believe American Airlines may not have had the right to close these accounts and claw back the miles earned by AAdvantage members—some of whom had accrued thousands of miles through trips and purchases—and are now looking into whether a class action lawsuit could be filed.

American Airlines Account Shutdowns: What Happened?

Since 1987, American Airlines has partnered with Citibank to offer Citi/AAdvantage-brand credit cards that allow members of the airline’s popular frequent flyer program to earn miles through qualifying purchases. As part of the companies’ marketing efforts, AAdvantage members received mailers or emails inviting them to apply for a Citi credit card and promising a sign-up bonus of a particular number of miles if certain purchasing conditions were met.

However, many AAdvantage members began reporting around December 2019 that American Airlines had locked or shut down their accounts and stripped them of the miles they had accrued. According to the reports, the shutdowns, in some cases, were the result of AAdvantage members opening Citi credit card accounts using application codes that had been sent to other members.

In response to a complaint filed with the Department of Transportation, American Airlines stated that it had begun taking action to close or freeze accounts after finding that certain of its customers had exploited “a technical issue” in its security protocols to “obtain[] invitations not intended for them” and claim bonus miles for which they were not eligible.

In the wake of the shutdowns, some customers complained that the mailers they received made no mention of the terms the airline claimed they had violated. Others argued that it was unfair for American Airlines to claw back miles that AAdvantage members had earned through qualifying purchases and flights.

How Could a Lawsuit Help?

A class action lawsuit, if filed and successful, could help consumers get back money for any miles and benefits they were improperly deprived of and potentially force American Airlines to reinstate their accounts.

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