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Loyalty Revenue American currently operates the loyalty program, AAdvantage. This program awards mileage credits to passengers who fly on American, any oneworld airline or other partner airlines, or by using the services of other program participants, such as the Citi and Barclaycard US co-branded credit cards, hotels and car rental companies. Mileage credits can be redeemed for travel on American and other participating partner airlines, as well as other non-air travel awards such as hotels and rental cars. For mileage credits earned by AAdvantage loyalty program members, American applies the deferred revenue method in accordance with the New Revenue Standard. Mileage credits earned through travel For mileage credits earned through travel, American applies a relative selling price approach whereby the total amount collected from each passenger ticket sale is allocated between the air transportation and the mileage credits earned. The portion of each passenger ticket sale attributable to mileage credits earned is initially deferred and then recognized in passenger revenue when mileage credits are redeemed and transportation is provided. The estimated selling price of mileage credits is determined using an equivalent ticket value approach, which uses historical data, including award redemption patterns by geographic region and class of service, as well as similar fares as those used to settle award redemptions. The estimated selling price of miles is adjusted for an estimate of miles that will not be redeemed based on historical redemption patterns. Mileage credits sold to co-branded credit cards and other partners American sells mileage credits to participating airline partners and non-airline business partners including American’s co-branded credit card partners, under contracts with terms extending generally for one to nine years. Consideration received from the sale of mileage credits is variable and payment terms typically are within 30 days subsequent to the month of mileage sale. Sales of mileage credits to non-airline business partners are comprised of two components, transportation and marketing. American allocates the consideration received from these sales of mileage credits based on the relative selling price of each product or service delivered. American’s most significant partner agreements are its co-branded credit card agreements with Citi and Barclaycard US that American entered into in 2016. American identified the following revenue elements in these co-branded credit card agreements: the transportation component; and the use of intellectual property, including the American brand and access to loyalty program member lists, which is the predominant element in the agreements, as well as advertising (collectively, the marketing component). Accordingly, American recognizes the marketing component in other revenue in the period of the mileage sale following the sales-based royalty method.
The transportation component represents the estimated selling price of future travel awards and is determined using the same equivalent ticket value approach described above. The portion of each mileage credit sold attributable to transportation is initially deferred and then recognized in passenger revenue when mileage credits are redeemed and transportation is provided. For the portion of American’s outstanding mileage credits that it estimates will not be redeemed, American recognizes the associated value proportionally as the remaining mileage credits are redeemed. American’s estimates are based on analysis of historical redemptions. Cargo Revenue Cargo revenue is recognized when American provides the transportation. Other Revenue Other revenue includes revenue associated with American’s loyalty program, which is comprised principally of the marketing component of mileage sales to co-branded credit card and other partners and other marketing related payments. For the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, loyalty revenue included in other revenue was $2.4 billion, $2.1 billion and $1.9 billion, respectively. The accounting and recognition for the loyalty program marketing services are discussed above in “Loyalty Revenue.” The remaining amounts included within other revenue relate to airport clubs, advertising and vacation-related services. Contract Balances American’s significant contract liabilities are comprised of (1) outstanding loyalty program mileage credits that may be redeemed for future travel and other non-air travel awards, reported as loyalty program liability on American’s consolidated balance sheet and (2) ticket sales for transportation that has not yet been provided, reported as air traffic liability on American’s consolidated balance sheet.
Loyalty program liability December 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 (in millions) $ Air traffic liability 8,539 4,339 $ 8,822 4,042 Total $ 12,878 $ 12,864
The balance of the loyalty program liability fluctuates based on seasonal patterns, which impact the volume of mileage credits issued through travel or sold to co-branded credit card and other partners (deferral of revenue) and mileage credits redeemed (recognition of revenue). Changes in loyalty program liability are as follows (in millions): Balance at December 31, 2017 $ Deferral of revenue Recognition of revenue (1) 8,822 3,083 (3,366) Balance at December 31, 2018 (2) (1) $ 8,539 Principally relates to revenue recognized from the redemption of mileage credits for both air and non-air travel awards. Mileage credits are combined in one homogenous pool and are not separately identifiable. As such, the revenue is comprised of miles that were part of the loyalty program deferred revenue balance at the beginning of the period, as well as miles that were issued during the period. (2) Mileage credits can be redeemed at any time and do not expire as long as that AAdvantage member has any type of qualifying activity at least every 18 months. As of December 31, 2018, American’s current loyalty program liability was $3.3 billion and represents American’s current estimate of revenue expected to be recognized in the next twelve months based on historical trends, with the balance reflected in long-term loyalty program liability expected to be recognized as revenue in periods thereafter. The air traffic liability principally represents tickets sold for future travel on American and partner airlines, as well as estimated future refunds and exchanges of tickets sold for past travel. The balance in American’s air traffic liability also fluctuates with seasonal travel patterns. The contract duration of passenger tickets is one year. Accordingly, any revenue associated with tickets sold for future travel will be recognized within twelve months. For 2018, $3.1 billion of revenue was recognized in passenger revenue that was included in American’s air traffic liability at December 31, 2017. With respect to contract receivables, reflected as accounts receivable, net on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet, these primarily include receivables for tickets sold to individual passengers through the use of major credit cards. These receivables are short-term, mostly settled within seven days after sale. Bad debt losses, which have been minimal in the past, have been considered in establishing allowances for doubtful accounts.
