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American Airlines is running one of its most generous earning promotions of the year, and it has nothing to do with flying. Through September 30, 2026, you can earn 50X AAdvantage miles per dollar donated to Stand Up To Cancer when you pay with an eligible AAdvantage Mastercard. A $100 donation therefore returns 5,000 miles.
In this article, we explain how the offer works, which cards qualify, and how the math compares with buying miles outright. We also list the limits you should check before you donate. If you want a card that qualifies, start with our guide to the best credit cards.
American runs this promotion with Stand Up To Cancer every year, but the 2026 edition pays far more than usual. You donate through the dedicated AAdvantage promotion page, enter your AAdvantage number, and pay with a qualifying card. The earning rate then depends on how you pay.
The promotion started on August 13, 2026 and runs through September 30, 2026. However, the 50X tier can end early: American caps it once qualifying Mastercard donations reach $5 million in total. Consequently, the sooner you donate, the safer your rate.
At 50 miles per dollar, each mile costs 2 cents. For comparison, American’s current buy miles promotion prices miles at 2.26 cents each, so the donation route comes out slightly ahead. You can see every current offer in our guide to buying points and miles.
Still, be honest about the math. We value AAdvantage miles at roughly 1.55 cents each, which sits below the 2 cents you pay here. In other words, this is not a clever way to stock up on miles at a discount. Instead, treat the donation as the point and the miles as a rebate on money you were already prepared to give.
Six U.S.-issued AAdvantage Mastercard products qualify for the top tier, provided the account stays open and in good standing. Both Citi and Barclays issue eligible cards, so most AAdvantage cardholders can take part.
Business and no-annual-fee AAdvantage Mastercards also appear on American’s eligible list. Therefore, check the promotion terms against your specific card before you assume the 50X rate applies. Visa and American Express cards earn the 25X rate instead.
The terms are short, but a few of them matter. Review these points before you enter an amount.
Earning 50X AAdvantage miles on a donation is the strongest version of this annual promotion we have seen. At 2 cents per mile, it undercuts American’s own buy miles pricing, and it turns a charitable gift into a meaningful pile of miles. A $500 donation, for example, returns 25,000 miles.
That said, the rate still sits above what we think an AAdvantage mile is worth, so give because you want to support the cause rather than to speculate on miles. If you plan to donate, use an eligible Mastercard and do it early, before the $5 million cap closes the 50X tier. To catch offers like this as they launch, subscribe to our newsletter.
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