American Airways AAdvantage: Your final information

American Airways is likely one of the largest airways on this planet, and its AAdvantage loyalty program is common with many vacationers.

Whereas the American AAdvantage program has seen some modifications over the previous few years, together with the elimination of printed award charts and the introduction of Loyalty Factors because the metric by which you earn elite standing, you possibly can nonetheless get a ton of worth from this system.

This worth is why the AAdvantage program received the Greatest U.S. Airline Loyalty Program title on the 2024 TPG Awards. So, let’s take a look at what you might want to find out about American Airways AAdvantage.

American Airways companions

American Airways is a part of the Oneworld alliance. American elite members get some perks when flying Oneworld airways, however all AAdvantage members can earn and redeem miles when flying with the next Oneworld alliance airways:

• Alaska Airways
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Fiji Airways
• Finnair
• Iberia
• Japan Airways
• Malaysia Airways
• Oman Air (will seemingly be a part of as a full member in late June)
• Qantas
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Air Maroc
• Royal Jordanian Airways
• SriLankan Airways
• S7 Airways (at the moment suspended)

American AAdvantage additionally companions at numerous ranges with a handful of airways exterior of Oneworld, together with:

• Aer Lingus
• Air Tahiti Nui
• Cape Air
• China Southern Airways
• Etihad Airways
• Gol Airways
• Hawaiian Airways
• IndiGo
• JetSmart

Nonetheless, some companions are extra built-in with American AAdvantage than others. So, assessment the particular accomplice airline web page for full particulars.

Associated: What are airline alliances, and who’s in them?

American AAdvantage member advantages

American AAdvantage elite standing has 4 tiers with printed qualification metrics — AAdvantage Gold, AAdvantage Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum Professional and AAdvantage Govt Platinum — plus an invitation-only tier known as Concierge Key.

You possibly can earn American Airways standing if you accrue a selected variety of Loyalty Factors through the 12-month qualification interval from the start of March to the tip of February annually.

Nonetheless, even in case you do not earn elite standing with American Airways, you may nonetheless get some perks only for being an AAdvantage member. For instance, AAdvantage members can board in Group 6 or earlier (besides when flying on a fundamental economic system ticket) and stand by for an earlier flight operated by American Airways or American Eagle at no cost when touring inside the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The right way to earn Loyalty Factors

Loyalty Factors are the metric that AAdvantage members should accrue to earn elite standing. Usually, each base mile you earn can be a Loyalty Level you earn. Nonetheless, bonus miles do not get you Loyalty Factors.

Listed here are some methods you possibly can earn base miles which can be Loyalty Level-eligible:

• Flights marketed by American Airways, different Oneworld airways and Gol Airways
• Spending with eligible companions, together with American Airways Holidays, AAdvantage eShopping, AAdvantage Eating, SimplyMiles and AAdvantage Resorts
• Eligible purchases utilizing an AAdvantage bank card (not together with bonus miles and accelerators)

Elite standing necessities and advantages

This is the variety of Loyalty Factors you should earn through the present qualification interval — from the beginning of March to the tip of February — for every American elite standing tier:

• AAdvantage Gold: 40,000 Loyalty Factors
• AAdvantage Platinum: 75,000 Loyalty Factors
• AAdvantage Platinum Professional: 125,000 Loyalty Factors
• AAdvantage Govt Platinum: 200,000 Loyalty Factors

As an AAdvantage Gold member, you may get a 40% mileage bonus, complimentary Important Cabin Further seats at check-in, complimentary Most well-liked seats at reserving, Precedence check-in, Group 4 boarding, and a primary checked bag free on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airways.

In the meantime, AAdvantage Platinum members get a 60% mileage bonus, complimentary Most well-liked or Important Cabin Further seats at reserving, Group 3 boarding, Precedence baggage dealing with, and a primary and second checked bag free on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airways.

AAdvantage Platinum Professional members get an 80% mileage bonus; Group 2 boarding; free same-day flight modifications (on eligible routes); and a primary, second and third checked bag free on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airways.

Lastly, AAdvantage Govt Platinum members get a 120% mileage bonus, Group 1 boarding, complimentary meals and drinks when touring in Important Cabin, and assured availability in Important Cabin on sold-out American Airways flights after they purchase a full-fare ticket at the very least 24 hours upfront.

The checked baggage and seat advantages apply to the AAdvantage elite member and as much as eight passengers touring on their similar reservation. AAdvantage elite members even have entry to complimentary upgrades for themselves and as much as one companion on the identical flight when touring inside North America on American and Alaska Airways. Nonetheless, these upgrades are primarily based on availability and infrequently do not clear, even for top-tier AAdvantage Govt Platinum members.

AAdvantage elite members additionally get Oneworld standing, which gives perks when flying on different Oneworld airways. Particularly, AAdvantage Gold members get Oneworld Ruby, AAdvantage Platinum members get Oneworld Sapphire, and AAdvantage Platinum Professional and AAdvantage Govt Platinum members get Oneworld Emerald standing.

Loyalty Level Rewards

As you earn Loyalty Factors every qualification interval, you may earn Loyalty Level Rewards which can be distinct from elite standing tiers as you attain the next milestones:

• 15,000 Loyalty Factors: Group 5 boarding and one selection of personalised baggage tag, 1,000 Loyalty Factors, 5 Most well-liked Seat coupons, or Precedence privileges and Group 4 boarding for a visit
• 60,000 Loyalty Factors: Avis Most well-liked Plus standing and a 20% Loyalty Level bonus if you spend with American Airways Holidays, SimplyMiles, AAdvantage eShopping, AAdvantage Eating and AAdvantage Resorts inside six months after qualifying
• 100,000 Loyalty Factors: Avis President’s Membership standing; World of Hyatt Discoverist standing; and a 30% Loyalty Level bonus if you spend with American Airways Holidays, SimplyMiles, AAdvantage eShopping, AAdvantage Eating and AAdvantage Resorts inside six months after qualifying
• 175,000 Loyalty Factors: One selection of World of Hyatt Explorist standing, 5,000 Loyalty Factors, two systemwide upgrades, 20,000 bonus miles (25,000 bonus miles in case you’re an AAdvantage bank card member), a $200 journey credit score ($250 in case you’re an AAdvantage bank card member), a 75-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, a $250 donation to pick out nonprofit organizations, two items of AAdvantage Gold standing or 35,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely obtainable to AAdvantage bank card members)
• 250,000 Loyalty Factors: Two decisions of World of Hyatt Explorist standing, 15,000 Loyalty Factors, two systemwide upgrades, 20,000 bonus miles (30,000 bonus miles in case you’re an AAdvantage bank card member), an Admirals Membership membership (requires two decisions), a $200 journey credit score ($250 in case you’re an AAdvantage bank card member), a 100-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, a $250 donation to pick out nonprofit organizations, two items of AAdvantage Gold standing, a Bang & Olufsen product (requires two decisions), one Flagship Lounge single go to move (two Flagship Lounge single-visit passes in case you’re an AAdvantage bank card member) or 35,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely obtainable to AAdvantage bank card members)
• 400,000, 550,000 and 750,000 Loyalty Factors: Two decisions of 1 World of Hyatt Class 1-4 free evening award, one systemwide improve, 25,000 bonus miles, an Admirals Membership membership (requires two decisions), a $200 journey credit score ($250 in case you’re an AAdvantage bank card member), a 100-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, one present of AAdvantage Platinum standing, a Bang & Olufsen product (requires two decisions), two Flagship Lounge single-visit passes, one Flagship First Eating move or 40,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely obtainable to AAdvantage bank card members)
• 1 million Loyalty Factors: One selection of 1 World of Hyatt Class 1-7 free evening award, 4 systemwide upgrades, a 250-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, one present of AAdvantage Platinum Professional standing, as much as 100,000 miles again on award redemptions or 150,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely obtainable to AAdvantage bank card members)
• 3 million Loyalty Factors: One selection of 1 World of Hyatt Class 1-7 free evening award, six systemwide upgrades, a 500-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, one present of AAdvantage Govt Platinum standing, as much as 300,000 miles again on award redemptions or 350,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely obtainable to AAdvantage bank card members)
• 5 million Loyalty Factors: One selection of 1 World of Hyatt Class 1-7 free evening award, 10 systemwide upgrades, a 1,000-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, one present of AAdvantage Govt Platinum standing, as much as 500,000 miles again on award redemptions or 550,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely obtainable to AAdvantage bank card members)

The right way to earn American miles

There are a lot of methods to earn American miles. Beneath is a abstract of the highest methods.

Flights marketed by American Airways and choose companions

While you fly on a flight marketed by American Airways, Aer Lingus, British Airways, Fiji Airways, Iberia and JetSmart, you may earn 5 base miles per greenback spent on the ticket (excluding government-imposed taxes and costs). Nonetheless, fundamental economic system fares solely earn 2 base miles per greenback spent.

You may earn extra base miles with AAdvantage elite standing. Particularly, this is what number of base miles you’d earn with every standing tier:

• Member (no standing): 5 base miles per greenback (2 base miles per greenback for fundamental economic system fares)
• AAdvantage Gold: 7 base miles per greenback (2.8 base miles per greenback for fundamental economic system fares)
• AAdvantage Platinum: 8 base miles per greenback (3.2 base miles per greenback for fundamental economic system fares)
• AAdvantage Platinum Professional: 9 base miles per greenback (3.6 base miles per greenback for fundamental economic system fares)
• AAdvantage Govt Platinum: 11 base miles per greenback (4.4 base miles per greenback for fundamental economic system fares)

Flights marketed by different accomplice airways

You can even earn AAdvantage miles on most flights marketed by American’s companions. You may often earn miles primarily based on the flight distance and the ticket fare class. This is an instance of the incomes chart for Finnair-operated flights:

So, a traveler with out AAdvantage standing who flew on an E-fare class ticket booked by Finnair from Helsinki Airport (HEL) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) — which is 5,762 miles — would earn 5,762 base miles. Nonetheless, a traveler with AAdvantage Platinum Professional standing would earn 10,372 base miles on this ticket as a result of 80% mileage bonus.

American Airways bank cards

One of many best methods to earn miles is thru American Airways bank cards. This is a have a look at the present welcome presents and incomes charges on some common American Airways bank cards:

The knowledge for the Aviator Pink Mastercard, Aviator Silver Mastercard and AAdvantage MileUp Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

Keep in mind that welcome presents and bonus class earnings will not get you Loyalty Factors towards AAdvantage elite standing. You may solely earn 1 Loyalty Level per greenback spent on American Airways playing cards. Nonetheless, the next playing cards provide the likelihood to earn extra Loyalty Factors if you attain particular thresholds:

• Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard: Earn a bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Factors after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Factors in a standing qualification 12 months; earn one other bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Factors after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Factors in the identical standing qualification 12 months.
• AAdvantage Aviator World Elite Silver Mastercard: Earn an extra 5,000 Loyalty Factors after spending $20,000 on purchases made with the cardboard account with a transaction date through the standing qualification interval; earn an extra 5,000 Loyalty Factors throughout the identical standing qualification interval after spending $40,000 on purchases with the cardboard account; earn an extra 5,000 Loyalty Factors throughout the identical standing qualification interval after spending $50,000 on internet purchases with the cardboard account.

AAdvantage eShopping portal

While you click on by the AAdvantage eShopping portal, you possibly can earn American miles in your purchases with choose on-line retailers.

Utilizing the AAdvantage eShopping portal is easy: Log in utilizing your regular American AAdvantage username and password, seek for your required service provider, after which click on by the portal to the service provider earlier than you store on-line.

Associated: Earn factors, miles or money again: The right way to maximize on-line purchasing portals on your purchases

SimplyMiles

American AAdvantage presents a program known as SimplyMiles that means that you can earn miles when purchasing on-line or in particular person with choose retailers. Log in to SimplyMiles utilizing your regular American AAdvantage credentials, hyperlink a number of Credit cards to your profile, and enroll in presents.

Then, if you use a linked Mastercard to make an eligible buy at a service provider for which you’ve got enrolled in a proposal, you may earn a set variety of AAdvantage miles or a selected a number of of your buy quantity.

AAdvantage Eating

AAdvantage Eating permits you to earn American miles when eating at taking part native eating places.

Log in utilizing your regular American AAdvantage username and password, and hyperlink your favourite bank cards for eating. When you achieve this, you may routinely earn miles if you dine at taking part eating places and pay with a linked card.

AAdvantage journey companions

American Airways companions with main automobile rental corporations so its members can earn miles on automobile leases. Try AAdvantage’s automobile rental accomplice web page for data on companions and incomes charges.

You can even earn AAdvantage miles on lodge stays. To take action, e book your keep by the AAdvantage Resorts platform or e book a qualifying stick with IHG, Marriott or Hyatt, and add your AAdvantage quantity at reserving or check-in. While you achieve this, you possibly can earn as follows:

• AAdvantage Resorts: Varies relying on keep
• Hyatt: 500 miles per keep
• IHG: As much as 2 miles per greenback spent on qualifying fees
• Marriott: As much as 2 miles per greenback spent on qualifying fees

Along with the lodge and rental automobile companions talked about above, you may also earn miles if you e book American Airways Cruises and American Airways Holidays.

Bask Financial institution

In the event you open a financial savings account with Bask Financial institution, you possibly can elect to earn AAdvantage miles as a substitute of money curiosity in your account. Sadly, miles earned through Bask Financial institution don’t depend as Loyalty Factors.

Purchase miles

Lastly, you should purchase miles. Look ahead to promotions that mean you can purchase American miles with a bonus or low cost.

The right way to redeem American miles

Redeeming American miles for flights often gives one of the best worth. TPG’s June 2025 valuations estimate American miles to be price 1.5 cents every, so attempt to get at the very least this worth when redeeming miles. This is a have a look at a few of the finest methods to redeem American miles.

Flights

American Airways publishes award charts with beginning charges. You may discover completely different charts for American- and partner-operated flights. Nonetheless, the charts for American-operated award flights aren’t all that useful since, in observe, you may discover extensively various charges that change ceaselessly primarily based in your routing, if you e book and if you’re touring.

The accomplice award charts are extra helpful. Though the charts record beginning charges, you may usually discover awards on the beginning charges on many companions. Nonetheless, we’re beginning to see AAdvantage provide further award availability with choose companions at increased award charges. For instance, the accomplice award chart says one-way economic system awards between the U.S. and the South Pacific (the area that features Fiji) begin at 40,000 miles and business-class awards begin at 80,000 miles. However you may see a lot increased charges on some dates.

Briefly, one of the simplest ways to find out what number of miles an award itinerary will value is to go to the American Airways web site or cellular app and do an award search. You possibly can e book award flights with little hesitation since you possibly can cancel anytime earlier than your first flight departs and redeposit your miles again into your account without cost.

Associated: Greatest makes use of of American Airways AAdvantage miles

Upgrades

On some itineraries, you may also redeem American miles for an improve to the following cabin of service.

American just lately rolled out the flexibility to purchase an on the spot improve on-line or through the airline’s app. You need to use money or miles for these on the spot upgrades, which the airline costs dynamically. Based mostly on our exams, redeeming American miles for these upgrades will solely provide you with a worth of about 1 cent per mile. In case your itinerary is eligible, it’s best to see improve choices if you open your itinerary on the American Airways web site or app.

Nonetheless, by Aug. 11, you possibly can nonetheless request upgrades for one-way journeys with as much as three segments primarily based on the mileage improve award chart. You could name American AAdvantage to course of these upgrades, however they’re going to often present higher worth on your miles.

Just some fare lessons are eligible, so test American’s improve web page for eligibility and pricing.

Associated: How a lot must you pay for a first-class improve?

Admirals Membership membership

You possibly can redeem American miles for an Admirals Membership membership, however you may solely get a worth of 1 cent per mile. This is a have a look at the mileage prices for an Admirals Membership membership primarily based in your American elite standing tier:

Paying for a membership presents higher worth than redeeming American miles. Nonetheless, one of the best deal is to get a complimentary Admirals Membership membership as a advantage of the Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard.

Associated: 3 the reason why that is one of the best card for Admirals Membership lounge entry

Improve with miles

As you attain completely different Loyalty Level tiers (the primary is at 40,000 Loyalty Factors) throughout a qualification interval, you should use a few of your miles to present another person standing for a day, get hold of a Flagship First Eating move or get a Hyatt free evening award.

The choices in your account will range relying on what number of Loyalty Factors you earned through the present or earlier qualification interval.

Associated: Airline and lodge loyalty applications that allow you to give the present of elite standing

Backside line

The American Airways AAdvantage program is way from excellent. But when you understand how to make it work and might be versatile when reserving award flights, there’s nonetheless loads of worth to be discovered.

An American Airways bank card has grow to be more and more necessary to earn AAdvantage elite standing. It is also price utilizing the AAdvantage eShopping portal and SimplyMiles, no matter whether or not you are all in favour of incomes American miles, attempting to qualify for American Airways elite standing or each.