American AAdvantage is the loyalty program of American Airlines, the largest airline in the world. American operates an extensive route network covering domestic and international destinations primarily from its 10 key hubs: Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Miami International Airport (MIA), New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and Washington National Airport (DCA).
For francophone travelers, American offers flights to Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Montreal, Nice, Paris and Saint Martin as well as connections to other French-speaking destinations through its Oneworld alliance partners.
While American has made changes to its program over the years, AAdvantage miles remain among the most valuable airline miles in the United States with the program routinely offering coast-to-coast flights for under 10,000 miles.
The program offers a range of rewards and perks designed to benefit both casual and frequent travelers. Today, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about American AAdvantage.
What started in 1981 as one of the first modern airline loyalty programs, American AAdvantage has grown to become one of the largest airline loyalty programs with over 120 million members worldwide. It’s free to join and allows members to earn miles on American, its Oneworld alliance partners and various non-flight partners like rental cars and hotel stays.
You can also earn American miles with its Citi and Barclays cobranded credit cards. You can redeem your miles for a range of rewards, including flights, upgrades, hotel stays and merchandise.
The program offers tiered elite status (Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum), which enhances the travel experience for frequent flyers with benefits like complimentary upgrades, priority boarding and extra baggage allowances.
I first joined AAdvantage in 2011 and have learned the ins and outs of the loyalty program. Now, American is my primary carrier, and I’ve earned Executive Platinum status with the airline. I also have the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard which has helped me earn miles while maintaining my elite status through qualifying dollar spend.
As a founding member of the Oneworld alliance, American Airlines lets AAdvantage members earn and redeem miles across a broad network of international airlines. To earn miles on a Oneworld partner, you must travel in an eligible fare class, and to redeem miles on a Oneworld partner, partner award space must be available. Select elite members also enjoy benefits such as lounge access and extra baggage allowance when flying with Oneworld partners.
Here’s a list of American’s current Oneworld partners:
American also has some other non-alliance partner airlines:
This partner network provides AAdvantage members with opportunities to earn and redeem miles across various airlines. Just note that you’ll need to call American Airlines to redeem miles on select non-alliance partner airlines.
In 2022, American Airlines completely overhauled the way you earn status. Now, you can earn elite status with American Airlines without setting foot on a plane. In fact, it’s possible to earn top-tier Executive Platinum status without ever flying with American.
Unlike other airline loyalty programs that require significant travel, the AAdvantage program allows members to earn Loyalty Points through various non-travel activities, such as online shopping, dining and using cobranded American Airlines credit cards.
AAdvantage program offers four published tiers of elite status. Each status tier provides increasingly valuable benefits for frequent flyers. You can earn elite status by accumulating Loyalty Points during a qualification period that runs from March 1 to February 28 of the following year.
Here’s a look at the elite status tiers and requirements:
There’s also an unpublished, invitation-only tier called ConciergeKey for top-tier spenders and influential travelers.
As mentioned, benefits increase with each tier but generally include:
Although there are some notable exceptions, you often earn 1 Loyalty Point toward status for each mile you earn. As mentioned, you can earn Loyalty Points through various activities, including:
In addition to status tiers, American offers Loyalty Point Rewards starting when you earn 15,000 Loyalty Points.
15,000 Loyalty Points (Group 5 boarding for the rest of the membership year, and select one of the following):
60,000 Loyalty Points (both of the following):
100,000 Loyalty Points (both of the following):
175,000 Loyalty Points (select one of the following):
250,000 Loyalty Points (select two of the following):
There are also Loyalty Point Rewards when you earn 400,000; 550,000; 750,000; 1,000,000; 3,000,000 and 5,000,000 Loyalty Points.
Each AAdvantage elite tier corresponds to a Oneworld status level:
Oneworld status benefits apply when you fly on partner airlines. Benefits increase with each status tier but often include perks like priority check-in, extra baggage allowance and lounge access.
The program’s shift to Loyalty Points has made it easier for members to earn status through activities beyond just flying.
American Airlines offers many ways to earn AAdvantage miles both through flying and non-flying activities. Here are the primary methods to earn AAdvantage miles:
The main way to earn American miles is by flying on tickets issued by American Airlines. As an AAdvantage member, you’ll earn miles on most American-issued tickets as follows:
Note: Basic Economy tickets earn miles at a reduced rate of 2 miles per dollar. However, status member bonus percentages are still applied to this base rate of 2 miles per dollar on American and select partner airlines.
You can earn on the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, excluding taxes and fees. You can also earn miles when flying with American’s Oneworld and other partner airlines; however, earning rates differ, particularly if the ticket is purchased from a partner airline and credited to American.
American Airlines offers several cobranded credit cards that allow you to earn miles on everyday purchases:
American Airlines also offers business credit cards:
These cards typically offer sign-up bonuses and earn bonus miles on American Airlines purchases and other categories. You’ll typically earn 1 Loyalty Point for each dollar you spend on your AAdvantage cobranded credit card.
Other cobranded credit card benefits may include free checked bags, priority boarding and discounts on in-flight purchases. The Executive card offers additional perks such as Admirals Club membership.
SimplyMiles lets you earn AAdvantage miles by shopping online or in-store with select retailers. To get started, sign up for SimplyMiles, link your Mastercard to your profile and activate available offers. When you make a qualifying purchase with your linked Mastercard at a participating retailer, you’ll automatically earn AAdvantage miles.
By opening a savings account with Bask Bank, you can earn AAdvantage miles instead of traditional cash interest. However, keep in mind that these miles do not contribute toward Loyalty Points.
You can convert points from Marriott Bonvoy to AAdvantage miles at a 3:1 ratio.
Joining the AAdvantage Dining program allows you to earn up to 5 miles per dollar spent at participating restaurants. You can earn miles with AAdvantage Dining even if you’re not using an American Airlines cobranded credit card.
For online shopping, the AAdvantage eShopping portal offers bonus miles on purchases made through its site. Additionally, booking car rentals and hotel stays through American Airlines’ travel partners will help you earn even more miles. You have the option to buy or gift AAdvantage miles, though this often provides less value compared to other methods.
AAdvantage miles offer several redemption options, but flight awards typically provide the best value. Here are some key ways to use your miles and get the most value.
American uses dynamic pricing for its own flights, so award costs can vary. However, domestic economy awards can start as low as 5,000 miles one-way. For the best value:
For example, this one-way flight from Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) near Los Angeles to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) is $168.
You can book this same flight for 6,000 miles plus $5.60.
You’d be getting 2.7 cents per mile by using miles on this flight.
And on this flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport (FDF), a standard economy class seat costs $443, while a business class seat costs $663.
Alternatively, you can book economy class for 8,000 miles plus $5.60 or business class for 20,000 miles plus $5.60
By using miles on this flight, you’d be getting roughly 5.5 cents per mile in economy or 3.3 cents per mile in business class.
American has also offered discounted award rates on its long-haul premium cabin flights like John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) for 55,000 miles in business class and 65,000 miles in first class.
There are also partner airline sweet spots like the USA to the Middle East, Maldives or India for 70,000 miles in Qatar Airways business class.
You can also sometimes find flights from India and the Middle East to Europe for 42,500 miles in business class and 62,500 miles in first class. This remains one of the best ways to book premium cabins on Qatar Airways or Etihad, two Gulf carriers that are known for their service.
You can use AAdvantage miles to upgrade on eligible paid flights with American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia and Qantas. Upgrade costs and eligibility depend on the route and fare class, and additional copays may apply. Because of these added costs, it’s often better to use your miles to book a premium cabin directly rather than upgrading from an economy fare.
American Airlines allows you to book award tickets without close-in booking fees. This can make miles a good option for last-minute travel when cash fares are high.
While there are several ways to redeem AAdvantage miles, flight awards typically provide the best value.
Other options include hotel stays via the travel portal, car rentals with Avis and Budget, Admirals Club memberships and merchandise or gift cards, but these tend to offer lower value per mile.
Occasionally, you can use miles for unique experiences or donate them to charity, though these rarely offer a strong return. To maximize value, aim for redemptions over 1.6 cents per mile, but ultimately, the best redemption is the one that aligns with your personal goals and preferences.
American Airlines AAdvantage miles expire after 24 months of inactivity, meaning if no miles are earned or redeemed within that time, they will be forfeited. To keep your miles active, make sure you regularly earn or redeem miles by activities like flying with American or partner airlines, using an AAdvantage credit card or earning miles with participating hotels and car rentals.
Exceptions include members under 21, who are exempt from expiration, and AAdvantage credit card holders, whose miles won’t expire as long as the account is open.
If your miles expire, they can be reactivated for a fee, up to 500,000 miles within 24 months.
American Airlines’ AAdvantage program offers numerous opportunities for earning and redeeming miles through flights, credit cards and partner activities. With four elite status tiers, members can enjoy perks like complimentary upgrades, priority boarding and access to Oneworld partner benefits. The shift to Loyalty Points makes it easier to earn status through non-flying activities. Redeeming miles for flights, especially with American and partners, provides excellent value, particularly for off-peak and long-haul routes. Whether you’re a casual traveler or a frequent flyer, AAdvantage delivers valuable rewards and flexibility.
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