Airlines defend themselves against credit card fees for the draft law!

Airlines defend themselves against credit card fees for the draft law!

Euronext Paris, Frankreich - The discussion about a new draft law that is supposed to reduce the fees of Visa and Mastercard is increasingly gaining driving because large airlines and aircraft manufacturers are vehemently speaking out against the changes. Signed by the leading companies such as American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Boeing, Airbus, RTX and GE Aerospace, a letter is directed to the Senators Dick Durbin and Roger Marshall, which have brought the design. These companies argue that the draft law could have potentially devastating effects on air traffic and the tourism sector by endangering the most estimated premium credit cards that offer flight miles and other benefits for consumers.

A central concern of the airlines is the concern for the possible financial consequences. Every year, these companies generate billions of dollars of fees through branded credit cards. In his argumentation, Senator Durbin referred to the economic dependence of the airline industries on these fees and described the airlines as "credit card companies that belong to some aircraft".

consequences of the draft law

The fears of the airlines are based on the idea that the draft law could seriously endanger the availability of premium credit cards. According to the airlines, $ 15 billion in fees would be saved by adopting the draft, which sounds advantageous at first glance. Nevertheless, this could lead to fewer consumers participating in the loyalty programs that are crucial for the airlines. More than 31 million Americans currently have premium cards for air travel, and about 57% of the frequent flyer miles and points issued in 2023 come from the credit card programs of the airlines.

The effects of such a regulation could also be drastic: almost 16 million domestic flight trips were made possible by airlines collected in 2023. Airlines' concern is that this could lead to a significant decline in flight travel. In a context in which the travel industry recovered from the aftermath of the pandemic, this would be another setback for the tourism sector.

background information and political dynamics

The draft law is not new; A similar design has already been rejected in 2023, but is currently in the room to possibly be linked to a law on cryptocurrencies. The pressure on the airlines is increasing, in particular since the Ministry of Transport of the Biden government in 2022 has initiated an investigation into unfair practices among airlines. The American airlines seem to have little trust in positive regulation, especially since the loyalty programs of Delta, United and American were classified in 2023 with an assessment of over $ 20 billion.

The clock ticks for the airlines while trying to protect their point of view. Euronext Paris reported that the market was closed on June 2nd, 2025 at 5:35 p.m., with Boeing completing a subsequent course of EUR 162.58, which represents an increase of 0.31%. It remains to be seen whether these economic movements are influenced by the political decisions.

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