How American, Delta & United Airlines Quietly Adopted Identical Loyalty Math For 2026

2026 marks a quiet consolidation among the Big Three as loyalty rules shift toward revenue-based earning rather than distance. Delta Air Lines and American Airlines now share a 5-to-11 miles-per-dollar earning ladder, while United Airlines has pushed its MileagePlus rewards further by tying more value to co-branded card ownership. This is more than a tweak; it signals a gradual end to distinct loyalty differentiation for coach travelers, potentially making mileage-based choices less meaningful. Earning now hinges on the eligible ticket price, excluding government taxes and fees, not the miles flown, a change illustrated by an Atlanta-to-Dubai example.