American Airlines travel rewards: full guide

American Airlines® offers a travel rewards program for frequent flyers. You can earn Loyalty Points when you make purchases with American Airlines or any participating partners.

This program can help you enjoy regular travel perks - and you can redeem your miles on flight upgrades, hotels, and dining.

Read a full guide to the American Airlines travel rewards program, including the different status levels and how to make the most of your membership.

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What is the American Airlines reward travel program and how does it work?

Also known as the AAdvantage Program, American Airlines offers a reward travel program for frequent flyers looking to earn miles and access perks.

Members of this program can earn miles when flying with American Airlines and any partners. You can redeem your miles for flights to almost 1,100 destinations across the world, and you can also use them to pay for upgrades, vacations, hotels, car rentals, and more.¹

After you sign up for the program, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage mile you fly. These points add up - and they count toward your status, which determines how much you can redeem in travel benefits.¹

There are many ways to earn miles, including hotel stays, spending money on flights, and using American Airlines credit cards. You can easily redeem your miles online using your AAdvantage account.

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How to earn miles with American Airlines

There are a few ways to earn miles with American Airlines. We’ve detailed some of the common options.

Earn miles by flying

You can easily earn miles when flying with American Airlines - and the higher your status, the more miles you can earn. You can also gain points on flights with partner airlines, such as British Airways.²

Hotel stays

Earn American Airlines miles when you stay in selected hotels. This includes AAdvantage Hotels, Hyatt® Hotels and Resorts, Marriott® International, InterContinental® Hotels and Resorts, and Rocketmiles®.¹

Simply provide your AAdvantage number when you check in to earn your miles and improve your status.

American Airlines travel rewards credit cards

If you use an AAdvantage credit card, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage mile earned from purchases using your card.¹

These cards include:
American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp MasterCard®  Citi® / AAdvantage Platinum Select MasterCard Citi / AAdvantage Executive MasterCard CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select MasterCard

You can also access additional perks, such as a complimentary Admirals Club membership with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive MasterCard.¹

Car rentals

Earn miles on car rentals while you travel! You can earn a minimum of 2X base miles and Loyalty Points for every dollar you spend renting Avis® or Budget® cars - and AAdvantage members can access great deals, too.¹

Dining

American Airlines AAdvantage Dining is a convenient way to earn miles when you eat out at participating restaurants.

Simply sign up for an account and link your credit cards to start earning. The number of points you can earn depends on your AAdvantage status.²

Redeeming your AA miles for travel

It’s easy to redeem miles for flights with American Airlines and any partners. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to redeeming your AA miles.

Step 1. Log in to your AAdvantage account and search for flights

Step 2. Click “Redeem Miles” and select your flight. Make sure to confirm your details and choose your seat (if applicable)

Step 3. Select your payment method for taxes and fees. Click “Pay Now” to complete the transaction

It’s important to think about how you want to redeem your miles to make the most of your AAdvantage Loyalty Points. Typically, you’ll get the best value by redeeming your miles for flights.

There are a few restrictions when it comes to redeeming your rewards. For example, you’re responsible for paying any taxes and fees. Flight upgrades are also limited to one-way tickets and they don’t include stopovers.¹

Can you use your American Airlines miles for someone else's ticket?

You can use your American Airlines miles to redeem a flight for someone else via your AAdvantage account. However, it costs 15 USD to transfer your miles - and you can’t transfer more than 200,000 miles each year.³

Can you upgrade my flight with miles?

You can upgrade your flight using your AAdvantage miles. This includes flights operated by American Airlines or American Eagle® - and you can designate this upgrade to another passenger, too. However, upgrades are subject to capacity and other restrictions.

Make sure to double-check your upgrade details with American Airlines before you travel.¹

What are the reward levels for American Airlines?

There are a few different reward levels for AAdvantage members, depending on your status in the program.

AAdvantage Gold

AAdvantage Gold status is available to those with 40,000 Loyalty Points.¹ You can access priority check-in and security at the airport, including 1 free checked bag.¹ You can also get hotel discounts during your travels.¹

AAdvantage Platinum

AAdvantage Platinum status is available to members with 75,000 Loyalty Points.¹

This status level includes even more benefits, such as 2 free checked bags at the airport. You can also access priority security and boarding with American Airlines and any partner airlines.¹

AAdvantage Platinum Pro

You need 125,000 Loyalty Points to reach AAdvantage Platinum Pro status.¹

You can access 80% in mileage bonus points and take 3 free checked bags on your trip. You can also get same-day standby priority and a complimentary same-day flight change as part of this level.¹

AAdvantage Executive Platinum

You need to earn 200,000 Loyalty Points to achieve AAdvantage Executive Platinum status.¹ You can earn your Loyalty Points by flying, booking hotels, or using an AAdvantage credit card, for example.

However, you need to earn these points in a status qualification year to achieve and maintain your elite status. This runs from March 1 to the end of February the following year.³

With AAdvantage Executive Premium you’re guaranteed availability in the Main Cabin and you’ll get waitlist priority for purchased First or Business Class flights.¹

How can you become eligible for AA travel rewards?

It’s easy to sign up for AAdvantage travel rewards. Simply head to the American Airlines website⁴ and fill out the application form to get started.

You’ll need to log into your American Airlines account whenever you want to check your balance. You can also use your account to redeem your points for flights.

American Airlines travel rewards FAQ

If you’re joining the American Airlines travel rewards program, you may have a few questions about using your miles.

Do American Airlines miles expire?

You can stop your AAdvantage miles from expiring by earning or redeeming miles at least once every 24 months. Your mileage expiration date is extended 24 months from the date of your most recent account activity.

However, if you’re under 21 years old, this rule doesn’t apply - and Primary AAdvantage credit card holders aren’t subject to this activity period as long as their card remains open.¹

Can you combine miles from multiple accounts?

You can’t combine your AAdvantage miles with someone else, including family and friends.² However, you can redeem your miles for someone else’s ticket.

What are the benefits of American Airlines travel rewards credit cards?

There are many benefits of American Airlines travel rewards credit cards for members of the AAdvantage program. For example, you can earn 10,000 bonus miles and get a 50 USD statement credit with the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp MasterCard.

The Citi / AAdvantage Executive MasterCard also offers a complimentary Admirals Club membership - and many of these credit cards allow you to earn extra points with any purchases.¹

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The American Airlines AAdvantage travel program is a great way for frequent flyers to earn travel perks. It’s easy to sign up for this program - but you may find it hard to reach elite status.

From upgrading your flights to staying in your favorite hotels, there are lots of ways to earn and redeem AAdvantage miles across the world.

To find out more about spending your money abroad, check out Wise.

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Sources:

1. AAdvantage
2. The Points Guy
3. Nerd Wallet
4. American Airlines

Sources checked on 08.15.2023