Just a few years in the past, American Airways utterly modified how its members earn elite standing. As a substitute of elite-qualifying miles and {dollars}, Loyalty Factors at the moment are the metric by which you earn American Airways elite standing.
Apparently, you possibly can earn elite standing within the American AAdvantage program with out taking any flights. And maybe extra curiously, you possibly can earn all of the Loyalty Factors you’d want for any revealed elite standing tier — together with top-tier Government Platinum standing — solely by way of spending on an AAdvantage bank card.
However in apply, most AAdvantage elite members (myself included) mix spending on an AAdvantage card with different methods to earn Loyalty Factors. So, on this article, I am going to focus on incomes American Airways elite standing solely by way of bank card spending, earlier than explaining how my AAdvantage bank card performs into my bigger elite standing technique.
The best way to earn Loyalty Factors with an American Airways bank card
You may earn Loyalty Factors once you spend on Citi / AAdvantage and AAdvantage Aviator bank cards issued within the U.S. (and on different AAdvantage bank cards issued outdoors the U.S.). Citi will develop into the unique American Airways card issuer in 2026, however I additionally focus on Barclays Aviator playing cards on this submit since they’re presently helpful for incomes American Airways elite standing.
You solely earn Loyalty Factors once you earn base miles, and most AAdvantage playing cards earn 1 base mile per greenback spent on purchases. This is a take a look at how one can earn Loyalty Factors on American Airways bank cards issued inside the U.S.:
| Card | Loyalty Factors incomes price on purchases | Different methods to earn Loyalty Factors with this card | Annual payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Government World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and charges) | 1 Loyalty Level per greenback | You may earn 10,000 bonus Loyalty Factors after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Factors in a standing qualification yr.
Plus, you possibly can earn one other 10,000 bonus Loyalty Factors after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Factors in the identical standing qualification yr. |
$595 |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and charges) | 1 Loyalty Level per greenback | None | $99, waived for the primary 12 months |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Gold World Elite Mastercard® (not open to new candidates) | 1 Loyalty Level per greenback | None | $50 |
| American Airways AAdvantage® MileUp® Card | 1 Loyalty Level per greenback | None | $0 |
| Citi® / AAdvantage Enterprise™ World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and charges) | 1 Loyalty Level per greenback, though solely purchases on the first cardmember’s card earn Loyalty Factors for the first cardmember (purchases on a licensed person card earn Loyalty Factors for the approved person) | None | $99, waived for the primary 12 months |
| AAdvantage® Aviator® Crimson World Elite Mastercard® | 1 Loyalty Level per greenback | None | $99 |
| AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver World Elite Mastercard® (not open to new candidates, however you could possibly improve from the Aviator Crimson) | 1 Loyalty Level per greenback | Earn a further 5,000 Loyalty Factors after spending $20,000 on internet purchases with the cardboard throughout the standing qualification interval.
You may earn a further 5,000 Loyalty Factors after spending $40,000 on internet purchases with the cardboard throughout the identical standing qualification interval. Plus, you possibly can earn a further 5,000 Loyalty Factors after spending $50,000 on internet purchases with the cardboard throughout the identical standing qualification interval. |
$199 |
| AAdvantage® Aviator® Blue World Elite Mastercard® (not open to new candidates) | 1 Loyalty Level per greenback | None | $49 |
| AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Mastercard® (not open to new candidates) | 1 Loyalty Level per 2 {dollars} | None | $0 |
| AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Enterprise Mastercard® (not open to new candidates) | 1 Loyalty Level per greenback | None | $95 |
The knowledge for the Citi / AAdvantage Gold Mastercard, AAdvantage MileUp Card, AAdvantage Aviator Crimson Mastercard, AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard, AAdvantage Aviator Blue Mastercard, AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard and AAdvantage Aviator Enterprise Mastercard 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.
As you possibly can see, most AAdvantage bank cards allow you to earn 1 Loyalty Level per greenback spent on purchases. Nevertheless, two playing cards — the Citi / AAdvantage Government Mastercard and the AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard — additionally allow you to earn bonus Loyalty Factors at particular thresholds.
Associated: American AAdvantage miles vs. Loyalty Factors: What is the distinction?
AAdvantage elite standing necessities
This is a take a look at the American Airways elite standing tiers and the variety of Loyalty Factors you need to accrue every qualification yr (March 1 to Feb. 28 or 29) for every tier:
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- Gold: 40,000 Loyalty Factors
- Platinum: 75,000 Loyalty Factors
- Platinum Professional: 125,000 Loyalty Factors
- Government Platinum: 200,000 Loyalty Factors
When you earn an AAdvantage elite standing, you may preserve the standing for the qualification yr by which you earned it, plus 13 months. Along with elite standing, you possibly can earn different perks as you accrue Loyalty Factors by means of the Loyalty Level Rewards program.
Associated: Watch out: 9 instances you will not earn American Airways Loyalty Factors, even in the event you earn miles
Incomes AAdvantage elite standing solely by way of bank card spending
Incomes any revealed American Airways elite standing tier is feasible by way of spending on a number of AAdvantage bank cards. This is a take a look at the spending ranges you’d have to earn every American Airways elite standing tier with simply a number of AAdvantage bank cards.
| Card(s) | AAdvantage Gold (40,000 Loyalty Factors) | AAdvantage Platinum (75,000 Loyalty Factors) | AAdvantage Platinum Professional (125,000 Loyalty Factors) | AAdvantage Government Platinum (200,000 Loyalty Factors) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite Mastercard | $40,000 | $65,000 | $105,000 | $180,000 |
| AAdvantage Aviator Silver World Elite Mastercard | $35,000 | $60,000 | $110,000 | $185,000 |
| Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite Mastercard and AAdvantage Aviator Silver World Elite Mastercard | $35,000, with a minimum of $20,000 on the Aviator Silver | $50,000 on the Aviator Silver | $90,000 with a minimum of $50,000 on the Aviator Silver | $165,000 with a minimum of $50,000 on the Aviator Silver |
| AAdvantage Aviator World Elite Mastercard | $80,000 | $150,000 | $250,000 | $400,000 |
| Different U.S.-issued AAdvantage playing cards | $40,000 | $75,000 | $125,000 | $200,000 |
As you possibly can see, having each the Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite Mastercard and AAdvantage Aviator Silver World Elite Mastercard — and spending on a minimum of the Aviator Silver — cuts down the quantity you’d have to spend for all however the lowest American Airways elite standing. In spite of everything, these playing cards supply bonus Loyalty Factors once you meet particular thresholds.
So, you might earn top-tier Government Platinum standing with as little as $165,000 in spending on AAdvantage bank cards every qualification yr and $794 in annual charges. However, as I am going to focus on within the subsequent part, the quantity you may have to spend in your playing cards will lower in the event you additionally earn Loyalty Factors by means of different strategies.
Associated: 8 strategies that earned American AAdvantage Government Platinum for 2025 and my technique for 2026
How my AAdvantage bank card performs into my elite standing technique
Platinum Professional is my candy spot inside the AAdvantage program, because it provides me Oneworld Emerald standing. So, I try to earn a minimum of 125,000 Loyalty Factors every qualification yr to requalify for Platinum Professional standing.
Incomes 125,000 Loyalty Factors every qualification yr entails some planning. To begin, I exploit the Aviator Silver card as my common spending card every qualification interval till I’ve spent $50,000 on it. By doing so, I do know I am going to get 65,000 of the 125,000 Loyalty Factors I want for Platinum Professional standing from spending on my Aviator Silver.
Then, I try to e book a couple of cheap long-haul premium economic system or business-class flights on AAdvantage companions that also earn based mostly on fare class and flight distance every qualification yr.
I additionally earn some Loyalty Factors by means of AAdvantage Resorts, the AAdvantage eShopping portal, SimplyMiles and American Airways flights. However these incomes strategies are comparatively minor in comparison with my earnings by means of spending on AAdvantage playing cards and flights on AAdvantage companions. In spite of everything, I redeem miles for many of my flights — so I hardly ever earn on flights until I e book an affordable long-haul associate flight to earn plenty of miles and Loyalty Factors.
Associated: Why (and the way) I am incomes AAdvantage Platinum Professional elite standing and never going for AAdvantage Government Platinum
Backside line
AAdvantage bank cards are a compelling strategy to earn Loyalty Factors. As I confirmed on this submit, incomes top-tier Government Platinum elite standing with as little as $165,000 in bank card spending is feasible.
Nevertheless, most vacationers will earn Loyalty Factors by means of a couple of strategies, together with flights, card spending and the AAdvantage eShopping portal. So, take into account different methods to earn Loyalty Factors, lots of which seemingly have decrease alternative prices, earlier than attempting to earn standing solely by way of spending on AAdvantage bank cards.
