So, you're an American Airlines AAdvantage member, and you're ready to see how many points (or as American Airlines calls them, miles and Loyalty Points) you've racked up! Whether you're planning your next dream vacation, eyeing an upgrade, or simply keeping track of your progress towards elite status, knowing your balance is the first step.
Let's dive right into how you can easily check your American Airlines AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points balance. Don't worry, it's a straightforward process, and we'll walk through it together, step by step!
How Do I Check My American Airlines Points? A Comprehensive Guide
Checking your American Airlines AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points is quite simple and can be done through a few different avenues. The most convenient ways are online via their website or through the American Airlines mobile app.
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| How Do I Check My American Airlines Points |
Step 1: Let's Get Started! Do You Have an AAdvantage Account?
Before you can check your points, you'll need to be an AAdvantage member. If you're already a member, fantastic! You can skip ahead to Step 2.
If you're not yet a member, don't fret! Joining the AAdvantage program is free and takes just a few minutes. You'll need to provide some basic personal information. Once you're enrolled, you'll receive your unique AAdvantage number, which is crucial for earning and tracking your miles.
To Enroll:
Visit the American Airlines website (aa.com).
Look for a "Join AAdvantage" or "Enroll Now" link, usually found in the top right corner or under the "AAdvantage program" section.
Follow the prompts to fill out your details.
Step 2: Choose Your Platform: Website or Mobile App?
American Airlines offers two primary, user-friendly platforms for managing your AAdvantage account:
The American Airlines Website (aa.com): Ideal for detailed viewing, managing bookings, and exploring all program benefits.
The American Airlines Mobile App: Perfect for on-the-go access, quick checks, and managing your travel.
Both methods will give you the same accurate information, so choose whichever is most convenient for you!
Reminder: Reading twice often makes things clearer.
Sub-heading: Option A: Using the American Airlines Website
The American Airlines website is a robust tool for AAdvantage members.
Step 2a: Navigate to aa.com and Log In
Open your preferred web browser and go to
www.aa.com In the top right corner of the homepage, you'll see a "Log in" button. Click on it.
You'll be prompted to enter your AAdvantage number or username and your password.
Forgot your AAdvantage number or password? Don't worry! There are "Forgot / Need my password" and "Forgot my AAdvantage® number" links available right on the login page to help you recover your credentials.
Step 2b: Access Your Account Overview
Once successfully logged in, you'll typically be directed to your AAdvantage account dashboard or a "Your account" page.
On this page, your current AAdvantage miles balance will be prominently displayed. It's usually a large number, easy to spot!
You'll also see your Loyalty Points balance, which determines your elite status. This is a crucial number if you're working towards AAdvantage Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, or Executive Platinum status.
The dashboard often provides other useful information, such as your current elite status level (if any), your recent activity, and information about miles that are potentially expiring.
Sub-heading: Option B: Using the American Airlines Mobile App
The American Airlines app is an excellent companion for travelers, providing quick access to your account on your smartphone or tablet.
Step 2a: Download and Open the App
If you don't already have it, download the "American Airlines" app from your device's app store (App Store for iOS or Google Play Store for Android).
Open the app on your device.
Step 2b: Log In to Your AAdvantage Account
On the app's home screen, look for the "Log in" option.
Enter your AAdvantage number or username and your password.
Just like on the website, if you've forgotten your details, there are links to assist you in recovery.
Step 2c: View Your Account Summary
After logging in, the app usually defaults to a screen showing your upcoming trips.
Look for a section or tab that says "Your account" or a similar phrase, often represented by a profile icon or your name. Tap on it.
Here, you'll find your AAdvantage miles balance and your Loyalty Points balance clearly visible.
The app also provides quick links to your recent activity, elite status progress, and other important AAdvantage details.
Reminder: Save this article to read offline later.
Step 3: Understanding Your Numbers: Miles vs. Loyalty Points
It's important to differentiate between your AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points:
AAdvantage Miles: These are your redeemable currency. You earn these miles through flying with American Airlines and its partners, using AAdvantage co-branded credit cards, shopping through the AAdvantage eShopping portal, dining, car rentals, hotels, and various other partners. You can use these miles for award flights, upgrades, car rentals, hotel stays, and more.
Think of them as your savings account for travel.
Loyalty Points: These are what determine your elite status with American Airlines. You earn Loyalty Points based on eligible spending with American Airlines and its partners, including flights and many non-flying activities. The more Loyalty Points you earn within a qualification year (March 1st to the last day of February), the higher your elite status tier (Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum).
Think of them as your progress bar towards VIP travel benefits.
When you check your "points" on American Airlines, you'll see both of these balances, giving you a complete picture of your AAdvantage standing.
Step 4: Beyond the Balance: Exploring Your Activity
Once you've seen your current balance, you might want to delve deeper into how you earned those miles and Loyalty Points, or see if certain activities have posted yet.
Sub-heading: Reviewing Your Activity History
Both the website and the app allow you to view your detailed account activity.
On the Website: From your AAdvantage account dashboard, look for a link like "Activity" or "My Activity." This will show you a chronological list of all your earning and redemption activities, including flight segments, credit card purchases, partner transactions, and mile redemptions.
On the App: Within the "Your account" section, you'll typically find an "Activity" or "Transactions" option. Tapping on this will display a list of your recent AAdvantage activities.
It's a good practice to review your activity periodically to ensure all your earned miles and Loyalty Points have been credited correctly. If something is missing, you'll need this history to submit a missing mileage request.
Sub-heading: Checking for Expiring Miles
QuickTip: Stop and think when you learn something new.
American Airlines AAdvantage miles do expire if there's no qualifying activity on your account for 24 months. However, this rule is waived for primary AAdvantage credit card members as long as their card account remains open. Also, members under 21 years of age are exempt from this rule.
On the Website/App: Your AAdvantage account overview will often show the earliest date your miles could expire. Keep an eye on this!
How to keep your miles from expiring: Simply earn or redeem miles on American or with an AAdvantage partner at least once every 24 months. This can be as simple as making a small purchase with your AAdvantage credit card, shopping through the AAdvantage eShopping portal, or flying on an American Airlines or partner flight.
Step 5: Making the Most of Your Points: Redemption Options
Now that you know how many miles you have, what can you do with them? American Airlines AAdvantage miles are incredibly versatile.
Sub-heading: Booking Award Travel
This is often the most popular way to redeem your miles.
On the Website/App: When searching for flights, simply select the option to "Redeem miles" or "Book with miles." You can search for flights on American Airlines and its Oneworld alliance and other partner airlines.
American offers different award levels, such as MileSAAver (lower miles, limited availability) and AAnytime (higher miles, more availability). You'll also see Web Specials, which can offer significant discounts.
Sub-heading: Upgrades
If you've already booked a cash ticket, you might be able to use your miles to upgrade to a higher cabin class (e.g., from Main Cabin to First Class).
Sub-heading: Other Redemption Options
QuickTip: Pause to connect ideas in your mind.
Beyond flights, you can also use your miles for:
Hotel stays through AAdvantage Hotels™
Car rentals
Vacation packages
Admirals Club lounge memberships or day passes
Unique experiences
Donating to charity
To explore these options, navigate to the "Use miles" section on the American Airlines website.
10 Related FAQ Questions
Here are 10 frequently asked questions about American Airlines points, with quick answers:
How to earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles? You can earn miles by flying with American Airlines and its Oneworld and other partner airlines, using AAdvantage co-branded credit cards, shopping through the AAdvantage eShopping portal, dining with AAdvantage Dining, booking hotels and car rentals with partners, and participating in various promotions.
How to check my American Airlines AAdvantage number if I forgot it? On the American Airlines login page (aa.com or in the app), look for a "Forgot my AAdvantage® number" link. You'll typically be asked to enter your first name, last name, and email address to retrieve it.
How to prevent my American Airlines AAdvantage miles from expiring? To prevent your miles from expiring, you need to have qualifying earning or redemption activity on your account at least once every 24 months. Primary AAdvantage credit card holders are exempt from this rule as long as their card account is open.
How to transfer American Airlines AAdvantage miles to another person? American Airlines allows you to transfer miles to another AAdvantage member, usually for a fee. You can find this option under the "Buy, gift or transfer miles" section on aa.com.
How to redeem American Airlines AAdvantage miles for flights? Log in to your AAdvantage account on aa.com or the American Airlines app, select "Book with miles" when searching for flights, choose your desired itinerary, and follow the prompts to complete the booking.
How to upgrade my American Airlines flight using miles? You can request a mileage upgrade when booking your trip or anytime before check-in by contacting American Airlines Reservations or through the "Manage trips" section on aa.com if eligible.
How to find out how many Loyalty Points I need for elite status? Your AAdvantage account dashboard on aa.com or the mobile app will show your current Loyalty Points balance and often indicate how many more you need to reach the next elite status tier. You can also find detailed status requirements on the AAdvantage program section of aa.com.
How to reactivate expired American Airlines AAdvantage miles? You may be able to reactivate expired miles for a fee within 24 months of their expiration. This can often be done online through your AAdvantage account or by calling AAdvantage customer service.
How to combine multiple American Airlines AAdvantage accounts? Generally, American Airlines does not allow members to combine multiple individual AAdvantage accounts. It's best to consolidate your activity into a single account.
How to contact American Airlines AAdvantage customer service for points inquiries? You can find contact information for American Airlines AAdvantage customer service on the "Contact us" or "Customer service" section of aa.com. They have dedicated phone lines for AAdvantage members.
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