As part of a slew of changes that the airline announced on Thursday, elite frequent flyer status for members of American Airlines’ loyalty program will require additional spending next year.

To attain Gold status, AAdvantage members will need to earn 40,000 “Loyalty Points” starting in March, up from 30,000 this year. Gold is the program’s lowest elite level, and when seats become available, Gold members get free upgrades.

MileSAAver and AAnytime awards, two categories in which frequent flyer miles can be exchanged for tickets at minimum rates, will also be discontinued by the airline. American, on the other hand, will offer its “Web Specials,” whose mileage requirements will change based on demand.

“Since we introduced Web Specials a couple years ago, our members have gravitated toward those fares,” a spokeswoman for the airline said. “We’ll continue to keep the award chart because our members value the guidance of a chart to help make award opportunities easier to understand.”

During the pandemic, airlines let members of their loyalty programs keep their elite statuses even though there was less demand for travel. Due to the fact that airlines make money when customers use rewards credit cards to earn miles, the programs provided airlines with a lifeline during the Covid-19 crisis. Additionally, these lucrative programs enabled airlines to raise billions of dollars in debt.

Carriers are rethinking perks like lounge access and requirements to earn elite status now that travelers are returning in large numbers and the popularity of travel rewards credit cards is rising.

One of the changes that Delta Air Lines made after customers complained about long lines and crowding at some locations was declaring last month that SkyMiles members must have earned elite status before they can purchase memberships to its airport lounges. Previously, anyone could purchase lounge access.

For its part, American Airlines announced on Thursday that, as of January 1, passengers flying on basic economy tickets with no extras would earn two loyalty points per dollar spent, down from five.

In an effort to entice passengers to continue flying and spending, the airline is also providing perks to those who have not yet achieved status or are in the middle of one.

For instance, AAdvantage members will be permitted to board in Group 5 for one earning year after earning 15,000 Loyalty Points. They can also select between two additional benefits: five coupons for a preferred location seat, which are typically toward the front of the economy cabin but do not offer additional legroom, or access to priority lines for security and check-in on one trip.