You can now merge your American and US Airways accounts

If you've been stuck on an Etihad Airways flight for the last two years, here's some big news: American Airlines and US Airways are merging. If you haven't been sitting on a tarmac for what feels like eternity, you probably already know.

But the timeline of the merger has been confusing, and you might still be wondering when your separate American AAdvantage and Dividend Miles winnings will become one. Well, as of last night, you can now merge your American and US Airways online accounts. Not your miles yet—that will come in "second quarter 2015" according to the pop-up on aa.com—but rather the accounts themselves.

But what does it all mean?

If you have only an American AAdvantage account or a Dividend Miles account—not both—you can keep hanging out leisurely, as you're doing now, without another thought about it. If you're a frequent-flying juggernaut racking up miles in both programs... actually, you still don't have to do anything, as the fully consolidated award program at the end of the tunnel will eventually do everything for you. By American's own admission, "matching accounts is simply a way to self-identify, so the process to merge the accounts in second quarter of 2015 is easier on the business."

In any case, you'll have your options laid out for you the next time you log in to your American AAdvantage account, putting at least one stage of the largest airline merger in history in your hands. And if you do choose to self-identify, remember this: The information on both accounts must match exactly!