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American Airlines AAdvantage® is one of our favorite airline loyalty programs for a multitude of reasons. Now that Citi ThankYou® Rewards lists American Airlines as a transfer partner, it's easier than ever to accrue American miles. When you're ready to redeem your miles, you have several sweet spots to take advantage of, from short-haul flights in the U.S. to a long-haul flight operated by Japan Airlines. Plus, AAdvantage elite status can provide a lot of value, especially if you earn enough Loyalty Points to get perks like Hyatt elite status.
Here's everything you need to know about the American Airlines AAdvantage loyalty program, including how to earn miles, redeem them for maximum value, and earn elite status.
Page Contents
- Why Join American Airlines AAdvantage?
- AAdvantage Partner Airlines and Destinations
- How to Earn American Airlines AAdvantage Miles
- Earn AAdvantage miles with an American credit card
- Transfer flexible rewards to American
- Earn miles on American flights
- Earn miles with AAdvantage partner airlines
- AAdvantage travel partners
- American Airlines shopping portal
- SimplyMiles
- AAdvantage Dining
- AAdvantage Events
- Shell Fuel Rewards partnership
- Savings account with Bask Bank
- Miles for Opinions
- Buy American AAdvantage miles
- Can you transfer AAdvantage miles to other people?
- Redeeming American Airlines AAdvantage Miles
- How to Earn American Elite Status
- Final Thoughts On American Airlines AAdvantage
- American Airlines AAdvantage FAQ
- Is American Airlines AAdvantage free to join?
- How do you find your American AAdvantage number?
- Can I buy American Airlines miles?
- Do American Airlines miles expire?
- What points can I transfer to American?
- How long does it take to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to AAdvantage miles?
- How long does it take American Airlines miles to post after a flight?
- How long does it take for American shopping portal miles to post?
Why Join American Airlines AAdvantage?
When you join American Airlines AAdvantage, you can earn frequent flyer miles by flying on flights operated by American Airlines and a suite of AAdvantage partners. Even if you prefer a different airline, it's worth signing up for the program thanks to its many ways of earning and redeeming miles. Creating an account is free, so there's no downside.
To create an AAdvantage account, follow this link and enter your personal information. You'll then be provided with an AAdvantage number that you'll input when booking a flight. Unfortunately, American Airlines took legal action to prevent AwardWallet from helping travelers automatically track their AAdvantage accounts.
Related: How To Track Your Rewards Using AwardWallet
AAdvantage Partner Airlines and Destinations
American Airlines can take you to more than 350 destinations across five continents. It has nine hubs throughout the U.S., so odds are you live near — or can easily transit through — one:
- Charlotte (CLT)
- Chicago (ORD)
- Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Miami (MIA)
- New York Kennedy (JFK)
- Philadelphia (PHL)
- Phoenix (PHX)
- Washington, D.C. (DCA)
American Airlines is a founding member of the Oneworld Alliance, which means you can earn and redeem miles for flights operated by fellow member airlines. American also has a handful of independent airline partners that you can leverage when booking your next flight.
Oneworld partners
You can book flights on 14 Oneworld partners through American Airlines. Although Oneworld might not be quite as large as the Star Alliance, it includes some fantastic partners, like Alaska Airlines, Iberia, and Japan Airlines.
Oman Air joined Oneworld in June 2025, so it hasn't been fully integrated into American's ecosystem just yet. You can earn miles on Oman-operated flights, but you can't redeem AAdvantage miles for Oman Air bookings just yet.
Related: Beginner's Guide to Airline Alliances & Partnerships
Independent partners
American Airlines also partners with several non-Oneworld airlines, including:
- Aer Lingus
- Air Tahiti Nui
- Cape Air
- China Southern Airlines (must call to book)
- Etihad Airways
- GOL Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- IndiGo (earn-only)
- JetSMART
- LEVEL (earn-only)
- Porter Airlines (earn-only)
There are a few things to call out when looking at this list of non-alliance partners. IndiGO, LEVEL, and Porter Airlines are all earn-only partners. This means that you can earn AAdvantage miles when you fly with these airlines, but you can't book an award redemption using your AAdvantage miles.
Although you can technically use your AAdvantage miles for China Southern Airlines bookings, you have to contact the reservation center to complete the booking. You cannot book online.
Related: Airlines You Can Book Using American Airlines AAdvantage Miles
How to Earn American Airlines AAdvantage Miles
The primary way to earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles is through flying. However, you don't need to be a super frequent flyer to earn enough miles to use on an award redemption. You can also earn miles by shopping with partners, holding an American Airlines credit card, or even by taking surveys.
Plus, for every 1 eligible AAdvantage mile you earn, you'll earn 1 Loyalty Point towards elite status, but more on that later.
Related: The Complete Guide to Earning American Airlines Miles and Loyalty Points
Earn AAdvantage miles with an American credit card
If you regularly fly with American, it could make some sense to apply for an American Airlines co-branded credit card. These cards allow you to earn bonus points on your American flights and on your day-to-day spending.
The American Airlines credit card portfolio is currently undergoing some changes. Starting sometime in 2026, Citi will be the sole issuer of AAdvantage credit cards. You can no longer apply for the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, and if you have an existing Barclays-issued AAdvantage card, it will be transitioned to Citi in 2026.
Overall, this is good news, as Citi offers some excellent co-branded AAdvantage cards and even debuted a new mid-tier card in 2025. Here's a closer look at the AAdvantage credit cards that are currently open to new applicants.
- 15,000 AAdvantage® miles after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- 2X AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases and at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services
- Save 25% on inflight drinks and snacks when you use your card on American Airlines flights
- $0 annual fee
- 2 AAdvantage® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services
- 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card is American's no-annual-fee credit card.
As a new cardholder, you can earn 15,000 AAdvantage® miles after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening It's not much, but you can book American flights on sale for as few as 5,000 miles, which means you could potentially book a round-trip ticket using your bonus.
It's a no-annual-fee card, so don't expect a ton of benefits. You'll receive a 25% discount on inflight food and beverages, and you'll earn 2X miles on groceries and American flights. If you want an affordable way to earn AAdvantage miles, this is it.
Related: AA MileUp Card Full Review
With these perks, it's easy to justify the annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months.
- Free checked bags for you and up to 4 companions on domestic itineraries
- Priority boarding to help you win the race for overhead bin space
- A 25% discount on inflight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at restaurants
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at gas stations
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
If you want more benefits while keeping annual fees in check, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is the way to go. As a cardholder, you'll receive the following benefits:
- First checked bag free on domestic flights for you and up to 4 companions on the same reservation
- Preferred boarding
- Earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 on your card
- 25% discount on in-flight food and beverages
The earning potential is also a bit better — earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases. Plus, earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases..
Related: AA Platinum Select Full Review
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® is the newest credit card available to frequent flyers. With an annual fee of $350, it's an excellent mid-tier option for those who don't want to shell out for unlimited Admirals Club lounge access. As a cardholder, you'll receive the following benefits:
- Four Admirals Club Globe Passes each year
- Up to $100 Annual Splurge Credit for up to two of the following brands: 1stDibs, AAdvantage Hotels, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation
- Up to $240 back on Turo each year, split into $30 per Turo trip completed
- Up to $100 back on in-flight purchases
- $99 companion certificate valid for a round-trip main cabin domestic flight
- First checked bag free for you and up to eight companions on domestic itineraries
You'll also earn a 5,000 Loyalty Point bonus after every four qualifying American Airlines flights, up to 15,000 additional Loyalty Points each status qualification year. If your goal is to reach status, this is a great card to have.
Related: Citi AAdvantage Globe Card Full Review
- Complimentary Admirals Club® membership for the primary cardholder
- Admirals Club® membership for authorized user accounts
- First checked bag free on domestic AA flights for you and up to 8 companions
- Priority check-in, TSA screening lines, and boarding
- 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Earn 10X miles for every $1 spent on eligible hotels booked at aa.com/hotels and eligible rental cars booked through aa.com/cars
- Earn 4X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (increased to 5X miles through the end of the calendar year after you pass $150,000 in purchases annually)
- Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
If you like to travel in luxury, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is a great card to have in your wallet. In exchange for a $595 annual fee, you'll receive the following benefits:
- Complimentary Admirals Club membership
- Earn a 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year. Earn another 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points in the same status qualification year.
- Priority check-in, screening, and boarding
This card makes sense mainly if you live near an airport with an Admirals Club. If not, it's hard to justify the annual fee without taking advantage of the lounge access.
Related: AA Executive Card Full Review
- Free checked bags for you and up to 4 companions on domestic itineraries
- Priority boarding to help you win the race for overhead bin space
- A 25% discount on inflight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on cable and satellite providers
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at gas stations
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on select telecommunications merchants
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on car rentals
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
If you are a small business owner and you frequently travel for work, the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® could make a lot of sense.
- First checked bag free on domestic flights for you and up to 4 companions on the same reservation
- Preferred boarding
- Earn a $99 companion certificate valid for domestic round-trip travel after you spend $30,000 on your card
- 25% discount on in-flight food and beverages
- AAdvantage Business membership benefits
You'll also earn Loyalty Points on employee spending.
Related: Citi AAdvantage Business Card Full Review
Transfer flexible rewards to American
It's always been tricky to earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles if you aren't an American Airlines frequent flyer. This changed in 2025 when Citi added American Airlines as a transfer partner.
If you have the Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata Elite℠ Card(Rates & Fees), or the Citi Prestige® Card (no longer open to new applicants), you can transfer your Citi ThankYou Points to American Airlines AAdvantage at a 1:1 ratio.
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- 12X – Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time.
- 1.5X – Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
Even cash back cards like the Citi Custom Cash® Card and the Citi Double Cash® Card (Rates & Fees) can access American Airlines as a transfer partner at a lower 1:0.7 ratio.
If you want to earn as many points as possible that can be converted to AAdvantage miles, consider looking into the Citi Quadfecta, which allows you to maximize your earnings by being a cardholder of several different Citi cards.
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent
- 1% cash back thereafter, plus, you'll earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
- Eligible spending categories are: Restaurants, Gas Stations, Grocery Stores, Select Travel, Select Transit, Select Streaming Services, Drugstores, Home Improvement Stores, Fitness Clubs and Live Entertainment.
- Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
Earning a transferable point currency is an excellent option if you want to use your points on more than just American flights. Citi has 21 transfer partners, each offering its own sweet spot worth looking into.
Note that you can also transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points to American Airlines at a 3:1 ratio. While the rate isn't great, this can be useful if you have plenty of Marriott Bonvoy points and need to top off an AAdvantage reward flight. However, the earning potential on the Marriott Bonvoy credit cards doesn't come close to the earning potential you'll find with Citi cards.
Earn miles on American flights
You will earn miles with every flight you take with American Airlines. Your earnings is based on the ticket price (before tax and fees) and your AAdvantage elite status. AAdvantage members earn 5 base miles per dollar spent on flights marketed by American. Basic Economy fares earn just 2 miles per $1.
If you hold elite status, you'll earn even more:
- AAdvantage Gold: 7 miles per $1
- AAdvantage Platinum: 8 miles per $1
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 9 miles per $1
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 11 miles per $1
You can buy extra miles through the Mileage Multiplier option when buying your ticket or checking in online for your flight. However, we don't recommend doing so. The price doesn't normally justify the reward.
Earn miles with AAdvantage partner airlines
For flights marketed by one of American's partners, you'll earn miles based on the distance flown and the purchased fare class. The specific rates will depend on the partner, so you'll need to visit American's partner airlines page for more information.
However, here's how much you'll earn on a flight marketed by Alaska Airlines:
A nonstop flight from Anchorage (ANC) to New York (JFK) is 3,375 miles. If you booked a full fare economy ticket and credited the flight to American Airlines, you'd earn 3,375 miles. However, if you booked a full-fare first class ticket, you'd factor in the 75% cabin bonus, which would net you 5,906 miles and Loyalty Points.
Elite members receive their earnings bonus on partner flights, too:
- AAdvantage Gold: 40%
- AAdvantage Platinum: 60%
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 80%
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 120%
Related: How to Credit Airline Miles to Partner Frequent Flyer Programs
AAdvantage travel partners
Thanks to American's many travel partners, you can earn points on everything from hotels to cruises to car rentals.
When you book a stay through AAdvantage Hotels, you'll see how many miles you'll earn on a given stay. The number of miles you'll earn will depend on your elite status level, room type, and whether you're an AAdvantage credit card holder. For instance, cardmembers with status earn up to 10X more miles and Loyalty Points on hotels than AAdvantage members without a credit card.
If you prefer to book directly with the hotel rather than through a third-party portal, American has partnered with several different hotel brands. You can earn miles and Loyalty Points on stays booked directly with these brands by simply entering your AAdvantage number at booking or check-in. The earning rate will depend on the brand. For instance, you can earn 500 miles on each Hyatt stay, or earn 2 miles per dollar on Marriott or IHG stays.
Similarly, you can save 35% and earn at least 2X miles per $1 spent with car rental partners like Avis and Budget. If you have an American credit card or elite status, that rate can go up to 5X per $1 spent. You can also earn 2X miles on rentals with Hertz, Thrifty, and Dollar, and 1X miles on Alamo and National.
If you prefer cruises, you can book your next sailing through AAdvantage Cruises to earn 2X miles per $1 spent. You can also take advantage of a variety of members-only deals.
Finally, if you'd rather book several trip components in one place, you can go through AAdvantage Vacations. AAdvantage members earn 1 mile and 1 Loyalty Point per $1 spent on vacation packages, while elite status members earn 5 miles and 5 Loyalty Points per $1. In addition, you can often find promotions that allow you to earn bonus miles on a specific booking. At the time of writing, you could earn 20,000 bonus miles when you book a trip to Australia or New Zealand and meet minimum stay and spending requirements.
American Airlines shopping portal
If you're looking for a quick and easy way to boost your mileage balance, look no further than the AAdvantage eShopping Portal, which allows you to earn miles and Loyalty Points at more than 1,200 stores. You can either log in to the portal and shop there, or add the extension to Chrome so you can be notified when there's an opportunity to earn miles. The specific rates will depend on the retailer, but you can generally expect to earn anywhere from 1-10 miles per $1 spent, or more during promotional periods.
SimplyMiles
SimplyMiles is another easy way to earn miles when shopping. First, you need to register an eligible Mastercard to create your profile. Then, you can browse through a list of merchants and activate your offers. When you spend money with that retailer using your card, your miles are automatically added to your account. Just like with the AAdvantage eShopping Portal, the specific rates will vary by the merchant.
One great feature is that you can “double-dip” if you have a retailer in both the AA Shopping portal and SimplyMiles. Sign up for the offer in SimplyMiles, go through the AA Shopping portal to the retailer's website, and use the Mastercard registered with SimplyMiles for your purchase.
AAdvantage Dining
AAdvantage Dining allows you to earn up to 5 miles per $1 spent on dine-in and takeout orders from thousands of restaurants throughout the U.S. Simply create an account, link a credit card, and use that card when you go out to eat. You'll automatically receive your points when you dine at an eligible restaurant. You can also earn bonus miles by booking reservations or VIP experiences. Be sure to check for available restaurants in your area to confirm your restaurant participates in the program.
AAdvantage Events
You can book tickets to millions of events on the AAvantage Events platform to earn 1 mile and Loyalty Point per $1 spent. The platform is tied directly to Ticketmaster, so you can earn miles on just about any event out there. You can also use an AAdvantage credit card to earn even more on your purchase.
Shell Fuel Rewards partnership
Shell has a Fuel Rewards program in which you earn cash back for every gallon of gas you purchase. However, you can switch from cash back to earning 3 AAdvantage miles per gallon. Sign up for the program and link your AAdvantage number to start earning.
There's no limit to how much you can earn through the partnership, but you can only earn rewards on up to 20 gallons per fill-up.
Savings account with Bask Bank
The Bask Mileage Savings Account allows you to earn AAdvantage miles instead of cash interest. You will earn 1.75 AAdvantage miles per dollar saved annually. There are no minimum or monthly account fees on these accounts. Also, Bask Bank offers new account holder signup offers that will provide bonus miles.
Miles for Opinions
American Airlines offers a survey tool called Miles for Opinions that provides extra miles and Loyalty Points for completing surveys. You must set up an account with the survey tool and select the surveys you wish to take. Surveys typically average 20 minutes each, and you must meet qualifications to receive maximum miles. You'll earn anywhere from 3 to 200 miles per survey.
Buy American AAdvantage miles
You can buy American AAdvantage miles if you're short for an upcoming redemption. This can make sense in select situations, like if buying miles for a business class flight is cheaper than booking a business class ticket with cash. American Airlines miles are fairly easy to earn, so hopefully you don't need to go this route super often. But since you can only transfer Citi ThankYou Points to American, you might have a harder time accumulating miles if you aren't a Citi cardholder.
American typically runs an evergreen promotion that allows you to buy miles at up to a 35% discount. The more miles you buy, the closer you are to 35% off. However, you're limited to buying 200,000 miles per year, so this isn't a sustainable option if you book redemptions regularly.
We never recommend buying miles speculatively. In other words, you should have a plan for how you want to use your miles prior to purchasing them. Whenever possible, put your desired award ticket on hold so the price doesn't change when you're completing your purchase.
Related: Do American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Expire?
Can you transfer AAdvantage miles to other people?
You can transfer your AAdvantage miles to other members. You'll pay a fee of $5 per 1,000 miles transferred, and you can transfer up to 200,000 miles per year. This is in addition to the 200,000 miles you can buy or receive as a gift per year. Most of the time, this isn't worthwhile.
For instance, if your friend needs to book a flight that costs 50,000 miles, you can pay $250 to transfer your miles to them so they can complete the redemption. Or, you can just book it through your own account, which is free to do. Simply enter your friend's name as the passenger when completing the redemption.
However, this sometimes makes sense in select situations. For instance, I found a great deal on a round-trip business class award flight for my parents to fly from Wilmington (ILM) to Milan (LIN) for the Winter Olympics. They needed 213,000 miles to complete the redemption, but the maximum number of miles you can purchase each year is 200,000.
So, I bought the remaining 13,000 on my account and paid the $65 to transfer those miles to my dad's account. Even after the fees to buy the miles, we saved around $2,500 on those tickets compared to the revenue fare.
Related: Family Points Pooling: Combine Miles for Faster Free Travel
Redeeming American Airlines AAdvantage Miles
Now that you know how to earn AAdvantage miles, it's time to figure out how to redeem them. After all, you don't want miles just sitting in your account, as they tend to devalue over time. Luckily, you have numerous ways to redeem your miles, from American Airlines flights and flights operated by partner airlines to online shopping and lounge access. However, you'll generally receive the most value from your points by redeeming them for airfare.
How many American miles do you need for a flight?
Unfortunately, American Airlines introduced dynamic pricing for its award tickets back in 2023. This means that price will fluctuate based on several factors, including demand, availability, and seasonality. In other words, there's no way to know exactly how many miles you need for a flight. That said, American Airlines does technically publish an award chart, but it lists “starting at” figures.
Here's (at least) how many miles you'll need for flights on American's own metal:
And here is how many AAdvantage miles you'll need for flights operated by partner airlines:
Again, these are “starting at” figures, which means awards are often far more expensive. However, if you can find deals at these rates, you could potentially book a ticket for far less than what American charges for its own flights.
Finding American Airlines AAdvantage awards
To find book an award redemption, head to American's website and click “Redeem miles.”
Once you click “Search,” you'll be taken to your results. Unlike several other airlines, you don't need to be logged in to search for a redemption. However, you'll need to be logged in to apply miles to your purchase, so it's a good idea to do so.
To perform a more complicated search, click “Advanced / Multi-city search.” This is where you can search for a multi-city award, select an option to include nearby airports in your search results, or search specifically for a business or first class award.
Related: A Complete Guide to American Airlines Award Travel Rules
Mixed cabin awards
When you search for an award redemption, especially for longer journeys, you might see a message within your search results:
“The class of service you searched may not be available on one or more flights, Economy only on 1 or more flights.”
This means that, although the result falls under the “Business” column, one or more of the flights will be in a lower class of service.
For instance, consider the following award redemption from Wilmington, North Carolina (ILM) to Beirut, Lebanon (BEY). When you perform a search, you might see the result of only 70,000 AAdvantage miles for business class and immediately book the ticket. However, when you look at the fine print, it's likely not worth it.
The route requires four flights, and three of them are in economy:
- The 1 hour and 45 minute flight from Wilmington (ILM) to Philadelphia (PHL) is in economy.
- The 7 hour and 45 minute flight from Philadelphia to Zurich (ZRH) is in business.
- The 6 hour flight from Zurich to Doha, Qatar (DOH) is in economy.
- The 3 hour flight from Doha to Beirut (BEY) is in economy.
In other words, not even 8 hours of your 26 hour journey will be in business.
Best ways to use American Airlines AAdvantage miles
Despite American Airlines' dynamic award chart, deals can be found with just a bit of searching. More often than not, you can find better value redemptions when booking a premium fare. That doesn't mean that it's impossible to find a lucrative economy award, but it might take a bit more searching.
Here are some of our favorite AAdvantage sweet spots:
- Europe to the Middle East/Indian Subcontinent (62.5K in first class)
- Middle East to Asia (40K in business class/ 50K in first class)
- Europe to the Middle East/Indian Subcontinent (42.5K in business class)
- U.S. to the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, or Africa (70K–75K in business class)
- U.S. to Japan or South Korea (80K in first class)
- Intra-Japan flights (7,500 in economy/15K in business)
- Intra-Australia flights (10K in economy/20K in business)
AAdvantage instant upgrade
If you want a better seat, additional baggage allowance, and priority benefits, you can pay to upgrade your seat. Although elite status members earn complimentary upgrades, regular members can upgrade flights using AAdvantage miles. You can upgrade to premium economy, Flagship Business, and more, and your upgrade will be confirmed right away. You'll have to log in to your AAdvantage account online or through the app and locate your trip. Then, you'll see if upgrade space is available.
You can also use your AAdvantage miles to upgrade to a higher cabin of service on Qantas, including on codeshare flights. However, you cannot use miles for an upgrade if you booked a sale fare (E, N, O or Q) on an international Qantas flight.
Other ways to redeem American miles
Although award flights will typically represent the best value for your AAdvantage miles, you have several additional redemption methods to consider. You can use your miles to shop online, to book a hotel, car rental, cruise, experience, or vacation, and to visit an Admirals Club location.
However, we'd advise against these options. For instance, a one day pass to an Admirals Club lounge would cost $79 or 7,900 miles, giving you a value of just 1 cent per mile. As you'll see below, you can get far greater value from your miles by booking a flight.
What are American miles worth when booking award flights?
You clearly have several different options for using your flight. However, some options provide better value than others.
When redeeming AAdvantage miles for flights, AwardWallet users get the following average values:
- Average value for United miles: 2.56¢
- Short-haul economy and premium economy flights: 1.62¢
- Short-haul business and first class: 3.69¢
- Long-haul economy and premium economy flights: 1.69¢
- Long-haul business and first class: 3.86¢
Long-haul business- and first-class award tickets are the winner when it comes to the best ways to use your AAdvantage miles.
How to Earn American Elite Status
To earn American Airlines elite status, you need to earn Loyalty Points during the qualification year. Rather than following a calendar year, the qualification year follows the 12-month period starting on March 1 each year. Once you earn status, it's valid from the time you reach the threshold through March 31 of the following full year.
You earn Loyalty Points when you earn American Airlines miles by flying, using credit cards, or earning miles with partners. You'll receive 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 AAdvantage mile you earn.
AAdvantage elite tiers
There are four tiers in American's elite status program. Here's how many Loyalty Points you'll need to earn to earn elite status:
- AAdvantage Gold: 40,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Platinum: 75,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 125,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 200,000 Loyalty Points
If you don't want to earn 40,000 Loyalty Points, you can opt to buy the AAdvantage Gold Pass instead. For just $5,000 (plus taxes), you can receive AAdvantage Gold status for a year, 100,000 bonus miles, and 15,000 Loyalty Points. It's up to you to decide if the benefits are worth the price tag, but in most situations, you should try to earn elite status organically.
Loyalty Point Rewards
Apart from earning elite status, American Airlines frequent flyers can earn Loyalty Point Rewards by reaching certain thresholds. You'll earn your first reward at just 15,000 Loyalty Points earned, which is far less than it takes to earn the first tier of elite status. Once you earn a reward, you have until March 31 of the following program year to select your reward. For example, if you earn your reward in July 2026, you have until March 31, 2027 to choose your reward.
Each time you earn a Loyalty Point Reward, you'll be able to choose one or two benefits. The ability to personalize your perks means you can get a lot more value from this program than many other programs. Here's a look at the Loyalty Point Rewards you can earn throughout the year:
| Total Loyalty Points Required | Benefits Earned | One-Time Selection |
|---|---|---|
| 15,000 | Group 5 Boarding for membership year | Choose 1 reward from: - 1,000 bonus Loyalty Points - Priority privileges and Group 4 boarding for one trip - 5 Preferred Seat coupons - A collectible luggage tag personalized with your name (while supplies last) |
| 40,000 | AAdvantage Gold elite status (and all its related benefits) | |
| 60,000 | - Avis Preferred Plus status - 20% Loyalty Point bonus with select partners for 6 months | |
| 75,000 | AAdvantage Platinum elite status (and all its related benefits) | |
| 100,000 | - World of Hyatt Discoverist status - Avis President's Club status - 30% Loyalty Point bonus with select partners for 6 months | |
| 125,000 | AAdvantage Platinum Pro elite status (and all its related benefits) | |
| 175,000 | Choose 1 reward from: - World of Hyatt Explorist status - 5,000 Loyalty Points - 2 systemwide upgrades - 20,000 bonus miles (25,000 bonus miles – AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) - $200 Trip Credit ($250 Trip Credit – AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) - 75-gallon sustainable aviation fuel allocation - $250 donation to select nonprofit organization - 2 gifts of AAdvantage Gold® status - 35,000 AAdvantage® miles toward a Mastercard Priceless® Experience* (AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) |
|
| 200,000 | AAdvantage Executive Platinum elite status (and all its related benefits) | |
| 250,000 | Choose 2 rewards from: - World of Hyatt Explorist status - 15,000 Loyalty Points - 2 systemwide upgrades - 20,000 bonus miles (30,000 bonus miles – AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) - Admirals Club® membership (requires 2 choices) - $200 Trip Credit ($250 Trip Credit – AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) - 100-gallon sustainable aviation fuel allocation - $250 donation to select nonprofit organizations - 2 gifts of AAdvantage Gold® status - Bang & Olufsen product (requires 2 choices) - 1 Flagship® Lounge Single Visit Pass (2 Flagship® Lounge Single Visit Passes – AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) - 35,000 AAdvantage® miles toward a Mastercard Priceless® Experience* (AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) |
|
| 400,000 | Choose 2 rewards from: - World of Hyatt Category 1-4 Free Night Award - 1 systemwide upgrade - 25,000 bonus miles - Admirals Club® membership (requires 2 choices) - $200 Trip Credit ($250 Trip Credit – AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) - 100-gallon sustainable aviation fuel allocation - 1 gift of AAdvantage Platinum® status - Bang & Olufsen product (requires 2 choices) - 2 Flagship® Lounge Single Visit Passes - 1 Flagship® First Dining Pass - 40,000 AAdvantage® miles toward a Mastercard Priceless® Experience* (AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) |
|
| 550,000 | Choose 2 rewards from: - World of Hyatt Category 1-4 Free Night Award - 1 systemwide upgrade - 25,000 bonus miles - Admirals Club® membership (requires 2 choices) - $200 Trip Credit ($250 Trip Credit – AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) - 100-gallon sustainable aviation fuel allocation - 1 gift of AAdvantage Platinum® status - Bang & Olufsen product (requires 2 choices) - 2 Flagship® Lounge Single Visit Passes - 1 Flagship® First Dining Pass - 40,000 AAdvantage® miles toward a Mastercard Priceless® Experience* (AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) |
|
| 750,000 | Choose 2 rewards from: - World of Hyatt Category 1-4 Free Night Award - 1 systemwide upgrade - 25,000 bonus miles - Admirals Club® membership (requires 2 choices) - $200 Trip Credit ($250 Trip Credit – AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) - 100-gallon sustainable aviation fuel allocation - 1 gift of AAdvantage Platinum® status - Bang & Olufsen product (requires 2 choices) - 2 Flagship® Lounge Single Visit Passes - 1 Flagship® First Dining Pass - 40,000 AAdvantage® miles toward a Mastercard Priceless® Experience* (AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) |
|
| 1,000,000 | Choose 1 reward from: - World of Hyatt Category 1-7 Free Night Award - 4 systemwide upgrades - 250-gallon sustainable aviation fuel allocation - 1 gift of AAdvantage Platinum Pro® status - Up to 100,000 miles back on award redemptions - 150,000 AAdvantage® miles toward a Mastercard Priceless® Experience* (AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) |
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| 3,000,000 | Choose 1 reward from: - World of Hyatt Category 1-7 Free Night Award - 6 systemwide upgrades - 500-gallon sustainable aviation fuel allocation - 1 gift of AAdvantage Executive Platinum® status - Up to 300,000 miles back on award redemptions - 350,000 AAdvantage® miles toward a Mastercard Priceless® Experience* (AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) |
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| 5,000,000 | Choose 1 reward from: - World of Hyatt Category 1-7 Free Night Award - 10 systemwide upgrades - 1,000-gallon sustainable aviation fuel allocation - 1 gift of AAdvantage Executive Platinum® status - Up to 500,000 miles back on award redemptions - 550,000 AAdvantage® miles toward a Mastercard Priceless® Experience* (AAdvantage® credit cardmember exclusive) |
Earning Loyalty Points through credit card spending
Luckily, you can earn Loyalty Points through eligible credit card spending. As we already mentioned, you earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 AAdvantage mile you earn from purchases. However, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® offers something unique — you can earn a 5,000 Loyalty Point bonus after every four qualifying American Airlines flights you take each year, up to 15,000 bonus Loyalty Points each qualification year.
In other words, if you take 12 flights, you can earn 15,000 bonus Loyalty Points, in addition to the points you'd already earn as a frequent flyer and cardholder. Although that's not enough to earn elite status outright, it could certainly help you get to a higher tier. At the very least, it'll help you earn a Loyalty Point reward.
Similarly, the AA Executive Card offers cardholders the opportunity to earn two bonuses:
- Earn 50,000 Loyalty Points, get a 10,000-point bonus
- Earn 100,000 Loyalty Points, get another 10,000-point bonus
This means you can earn a total of 20,000 bonus Loyalty Points per qualification year, assuming you can earn 100,000 Loyalty Points to begin with. That's no easy feat, but if you're successful, you'll be just 5,000 Loyalty Points away from AAdvantage Platinum Pro.
Related: How to Play the American Airlines Loyalty Points Game
AAdvantage elite benefits
As is to be expected, the benefits you receive get better the higher you climb in American's elite status program. Here are the benefits you can enjoy at each level:
| Tier | Upgrades | Upgrade Window | Complimentary Main Cabin Extra (MCE) & Preferred Seats | Complimentary Baggage | Elite Mileage Earning Bonus | Other Notable Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Complimentary auto-requested upgrades on all American Airlines and Alaska Airlines flights within North America. | 24 hours | •Complimentary MCE at check-in •Complimentary Preferred Seats | 1 free checked bag | 40% | N/A |
| Platinum | Complimentary auto-requested upgrades on all American Airlines and Alaska Airlines flights within North America. | 48 hours | Complimentary MCE and Preferred Seats | 2 free checked bags | 60% | N/A |
| Platinum Pro | Complimentary auto-requested upgrades on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines within North America. | 72 hours | Complimentary MCE and Preferred Seats | 3 free checked bags | 80% | •Complimentary same-day flight change •Redeem miles for Flagship First Dining passes |
| Executive Platinum | Complimentary auto-requested upgrades on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines within North America - including American Airlines award flights. | 100 hours | Complimentary MCE and Preferred Seats | 3 free checked bags | 120% | •Complimentary same-day flight change •Complimentary upgrades on award tickets •Redeem miles for Flagship First Dining passes |
As you can see, the benefits of American's elite status tiers are much more pared back compared to competitor programs. Each tier offers perks like priority boarding, bonus miles, complimentary upgrades, free checked bags, and complimentary preferred or Main Cabin Extra seats at booking.
You can get several of these perks by being an American Airlines credit cardholder, so in my opinion, the real value of American's elite program falls between tiers when you earn Loyalty Point rewards.
AAdvantage Million Miler
If you're extremely loyal to American, you might be able to take advantage of the Million Miler program. Benefits start at 1 million miles flown, and get better with each additional million.
Here are the benefits you receive at each level:
- One million: Lifetime AAdvantage Gold status and 35,000 bonus miles
- Two million: Lifetime AAdvantage Platinum status and 4 one-way systemwide upgrades
- Three million: 4 one-way systemwide upgrades
- Four million: Lifetime AAdvantage Platinum Pro status and 4 one-way systemwide upgrades
- Five million: Lifetime AAdvantage Executive Platinum status and 4 one-way systemwide upgrades
If you are able to reach a million miles flown in your lifetime, odds are that you already have some form of elite status. However, the perks are nice and allow you to receive elite benefits during years where you don't fly quite as much.
Final Thoughts On American Airlines AAdvantage
American Airlines' AAdvantage program provides scores of benefits to its members. With so many ways to earn and redeem miles, you should have no problem extracting maximum value from the program. If you're a frequent flyer, you can work your way toward AAdvantage elite status, which comes with a variety of lucrative benefits.
Overall, if it isn't already, AAdvantage should be on your radar. This is especially true now that select Citi cardholders can transfer rewards to AAdvantage at a 1:1 ratio. Plus, American Airlines now offers free Wi-Fi across most of its fleet, which means you'll have an even more comfortable experience on board.
American Airlines AAdvantage FAQ
Is American Airlines AAdvantage free to join?
Yes, it is free to join American Airlines' AAdvantage loyalty program. You can sign up at aa.com
How do you find your American AAdvantage number?
You can find your AAdvantage number in the initial email you received when you signed up for the program. If you've forgotten it, you can head to aa.com and click "Need help logging in?" and "Forgot my AAdvantage number." Then, enter your first name, last name, and email, and American will email it to you.
Can I buy American Airlines miles?
Yes, you can buy American Airlines miles, but it isn't always recommended. However, American regularly runs promotions for 35% to 40% off miles purchases when you meet a minimum purchase amount.
Do American Airlines miles expire?
AAdvantage miles expire if no earning or redemption activity is over 24 months. Fortunately, there are many ways to keep your AAdvantage miles alive without taking a flight. These include buying something through one of the AA shopping portals, pumping gas through the Shell Fuel Rewards program, or eating at a restaurant listed on the AA Dining website.
What points can I transfer to American?
American Airlines AAdvantage only partners with Citi ThankYou Points. If you hold an eligible card, you can transfer your rewards at a 1:1 ratio. If you have a no-annual-fee Citi card, you transfer at a reduced 1:0.7 ratio. You can also transfer Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 ratio.
How long does it take to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to AAdvantage miles?
Marriott Bonvoy point transfers typically take 24–48 hours. However, it could potentially take longer.
How long does it take American Airlines miles to post after a flight?
If you are flying on an American-operated flight, your miles should post within three days. However, if you are flying on a partner operated flight, it might take up to 30 days for travel to post.
How long does it take for American shopping portal miles to post?
Miles from purchases in the AAdvantage eShopping portal should post within three to five days, but could take up to 15 days in select situations.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (Rates & Fees), and Citi Double Cash® Card (Rates & Fees)
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