Sure, here is a detailed post on how to get award miles with American Airlines. American Airlines' AAdvantage program is a fantastic way to turn your everyday spending and travel into exciting award flights and elite status. Whether you're a frequent flyer or just starting your points journey, there are numerous strategies to build up your mileage balance. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know.
Ready to Unlock Free Flights? Let's Get Started!
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of earning miles, the very first thing you need to do is enroll in the American Airlines AAdvantage program. It's completely free and takes just a few minutes. Without an AAdvantage account, none of your mileage-earning efforts will count!
Step 1: Sign Up for AAdvantage (Your Essential First Move!)
This is the cornerstone of your mileage-earning adventure.
A. Head to the Official American Airlines Website: Open your web browser and navigate to
aa.com.B. Find the "Join" or "AAdvantage" Section: Look for a link or button that says "Join" or "AAdvantage" – it's usually in the top right corner or a prominent section of the homepage.
C. Fill Out Your Information: You'll be asked to provide basic personal details like your name, date of birth, address, and contact information. Make sure this information matches your government-issued ID exactly to avoid any issues when flying or redeeming miles.
D. Create Your Login Credentials: Choose a secure username and password for your AAdvantage account.
E. Confirm and Receive Your AAdvantage Number: Once you've completed the registration, you'll receive your unique AAdvantage membership number. Write this down or save it somewhere safe! You'll need this number for all your mileage-earning activities.
Now that you're officially an AAdvantage member, let's explore the many ways to earn those valuable miles!
Step 2: Earn Miles by Flying (The Traditional Route)
This is often the first method people think of when it comes to airline miles. American Airlines has a revenue-based earning system for its own flights, and a different system for partner airlines.
2.1 Flying on American Airlines Operated Flights
For flights marketed and operated by American Airlines (and eligible codeshare flights), the number of miles you earn is based on the price of your ticket (base fare + carrier-imposed fees, excluding government taxes and fees).
A. Understand the Earning Rate:
General AAdvantage Members (No Status): You'll earn 5 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on eligible tickets.
Basic Economy Fares: These generally earn a lower rate, typically 2 miles per dollar spent.
Elite Status Bonuses: If you achieve AAdvantage elite status (Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum), you'll earn significantly more miles per dollar. This is a huge incentive to strive for status!
AAdvantage Gold: 40% mileage bonus (7 miles per dollar total)
AAdvantage Platinum: 60% mileage bonus (8 miles per dollar total)
AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 80% mileage bonus (9 miles per dollar total)
AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 120% mileage bonus (11 miles per dollar total)
B. Loyalty Points: What's even better is that most eligible AAdvantage miles earned from flying (base miles, status bonuses, and cabin bonuses) also count as Loyalty Points. Loyalty Points are the sole metric for earning AAdvantage elite status. So, earning miles by flying directly contributes to your ability to achieve or maintain status and unlock even higher mileage earning rates in the future!
2.2 Flying on Partner Airlines (Oneworld Alliance & Other Partners)
American Airlines is a key member of the oneworld® alliance, which includes airlines like British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, and more. They also have partnerships with other airlines outside of oneworld, such as Hawaiian Airlines and JetSMART.
A. Earning Structure: When flying on partner airlines, your mileage earning is typically based on the distance flown and the fare class of your ticket, rather than the ticket price.
Higher fare classes (e.g., Business or First Class) will generally earn a higher percentage of flown miles, often 100% or more.
Lower fare classes (e.g., discounted Economy) might earn a reduced percentage, sometimes as low as 25-50% of flown miles.
B. How to Ensure You Earn Miles:
Always provide your AAdvantage number when booking or checking in for flights on American Airlines or any of its partner airlines.
Check the earning rules for specific partners on the American Airlines website, as earning rates can vary by airline and fare class.
Step 3: Supercharge Your Earning with American Airlines Credit Cards
This is, arguably, one of the fastest and most lucrative ways to accumulate a significant number of AAdvantage miles, often without even stepping on a plane! American Airlines partners with both Citi and Barclays for co-branded credit cards.
3.1 Welcome Bonuses (The Big Win!)
A. Strategic Card Applications: Many American Airlines credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses (often tens of thousands of miles, sometimes even 80,000+ miles!) after you meet a certain spending requirement within the first few months of opening the account.
Example: A common offer might be "Earn 80,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $3,500 in purchases within the first 4 months."
B. Responsible Spending: Only apply for credit cards if you can responsibly meet the minimum spending requirement without going into debt. The interest charges will quickly outweigh the value of any miles earned.
C. Citi and Barclays: Historically, you could apply for cards from both Citi and Barclays for their respective welcome bonuses. While this dynamic might change with American's evolving partnerships, it's worth exploring the current offerings from both issuers.
3.2 Everyday Spending Categories
Beyond the welcome bonus, these cards offer ongoing mileage earning on your daily purchases.
A. Bonus Categories: Most AAdvantage credit cards offer elevated earning rates on specific categories:
American Airlines Purchases: Typically 2x, 3x, or even 4x miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (flights, upgrades, baggage fees).
Dining/Restaurants: Many cards offer bonus miles at restaurants.
Gas Stations: Another common bonus category for everyday spending.
Grocery Stores: Some cards provide bonus miles for grocery purchases.
Car Rentals/Hotels: Certain cards may offer bonus miles on these travel-related expenses when booked directly or through specific partners.
B. General Spending: You'll usually earn 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
C. Loyalty Points from Credit Card Spending: A fantastic benefit is that for every eligible AAdvantage mile you earn from credit card purchases, you also earn 1 Loyalty Point. This means your everyday spending on these cards directly helps you achieve or maintain elite status! Note: Welcome bonus miles and certain promotional bonus miles from credit cards typically do not count towards Loyalty Points.
Step 4: Maximize Earning with American Airlines Partners (Beyond Flights)
American Airlines has an extensive network of partners where you can earn AAdvantage miles for activities other than flying.
4.1 AAdvantage eShopping Portal (Shop Online, Earn Miles!)
This is an incredibly easy way to earn miles on purchases you'd make anyway.
A. How it Works:
Visit AAdvantage eShopping: Go to
aadvantageeshopping.com.Log In: Use your AAdvantage number and password.
Find Your Retailer: Search for your favorite online stores (there are over 1,200!).
Click Through: Click on the retailer's link on the eShopping portal. This will redirect you to the retailer's website.
Shop as Usual: Make your purchase directly on the retailer's site.
Earn Miles: The miles will be automatically credited to your AAdvantage account (it can take a few days or weeks for them to post).
B. Bonus Promotions: The eShopping portal frequently offers bonus miles per dollar during special promotions (e.g., 5x miles instead of the usual 1x or 2x). Keep an eye out for these!
C. Browser Extension: Download the AAdvantage eShopping browser extension (available for Chrome and Edge). This clever tool will automatically remind you when you're on a participating retailer's website, ensuring you never miss out on miles.
D. Double Dip: Pay with an AAdvantage co-branded credit card through the portal to earn miles from both the shopping portal and your credit card!
4.2 AAdvantage Dining Program (Eat Out, Get Miles!)
Love dining out? This program is for you!
A. How it Works:
Register Your Cards: Go to
aadvantagedining.comand link your credit or debit cards to your AAdvantage account.Dine at Participating Restaurants: Use your linked card to pay at any of the thousands of participating restaurants, bars, or clubs.
Earn Miles: You'll earn miles automatically.
B. Earning Tiers:
Basic Member: 1 mile per dollar spent.
Select Member: 3 miles per dollar spent (by opting for email notifications and dining multiple times a year).
VIP Member: 5 miles per dollar spent (by consistently dining and reaching 11 qualifying transactions in a calendar year).
C. Initial Bonus: Often, there's a bonus for new members (e.g., 500 bonus miles) after your first qualifying dine.
4.3 Hotel Stays
A. AAdvantage Hotels: Book through
aadvantagehotels.comand earn miles on your hotel stays. You can often find deals offering a high number of miles per dollar.B. Direct Hotel Partners: Many major hotel chains (Marriott Bonvoy, Hyatt, IHG One Rewards, etc.) partner with American Airlines. You can choose to earn AAdvantage miles instead of hotel loyalty points for your stays. Ensure your AAdvantage number is linked to your hotel loyalty program preference.
4.4 Car Rentals
A. Partner Agencies: American Airlines partners with car rental agencies like Avis and Budget.
B. Booking through AA: Book your car rental directly through
aa.com/carsor directly with the partner using your AAdvantage number and relevant promo codes. Earning rates can vary based on your AAdvantage elite status.
4.5 Cruises
A. AAdvantage Cruises: Book your next cruise through
aavacations.com/cruisesto earn miles, often 1 mile per dollar spent. Sometimes there are bonus offers for credit card holders.
4.6 Other Partners
A. Utilities & Home Services: Some programs allow you to earn miles for signing up for or using certain utilities or home services.
B. Financial Partners: Companies like Bask Bank offer ways to earn AAdvantage miles on savings accounts instead of interest.
C. Surveys: Sites like "Miles for Thoughts" or "Miles of Opinions" allow you to earn a small number of miles by taking surveys.
D. Promotions: American Airlines frequently runs special promotions with various partners. Always keep an eye on your AAdvantage emails and the AA website for limited-time offers.
Step 5: Monitor Your Miles and Plan Your Redemptions
Accumulating miles is only half the battle; knowing how to manage and redeem them effectively is crucial.
5.1 Track Your AAdvantage Account
A. Online Portal: Regularly log in to your AAdvantage account on
aa.comto see your current mileage balance, recent activity, and Loyalty Point progress.B. Email Statements: Opt-in for AAdvantage email statements to get updates on your mileage balance and special offers.
5.2 Understand Mile Expiration
A. Keep Your Miles Active: American Airlines AAdvantage miles generally expire if there's no earning or redemption activity in your account for 24 months.
B. Easy Ways to Keep Them Active: A small earning activity, like making a purchase through the AAdvantage eShopping portal, dining through AAdvantage Dining, or even taking a survey, will reset the 24-month clock. Holding an active American Airlines co-branded credit card generally prevents your miles from expiring as long as your account is open.
5.3 Plan Your Redemptions
A. Award Travel: The most popular use of AAdvantage miles is for award flights on American Airlines or its partner airlines. Start searching for award availability well in advance, especially for popular routes or premium cabins.
B. Upgrades: You can use miles to upgrade eligible paid tickets on American Airlines flights.
C. Other Redemptions: While less value-oriented, you can also redeem miles for car rentals, hotel stays, magazine subscriptions, or merchandise, though these usually offer a lower value per mile.
By combining these strategies, you'll be well on your way to earning a substantial number of American Airlines AAdvantage miles, opening up a world of free or discounted travel opportunities! Remember, consistency and diversification are key to maximizing your mileage earnings.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to check my American Airlines AAdvantage mileage balance?
You can easily check your AAdvantage mileage balance by logging into your account on the official American Airlines website (aa.com) or through the American Airlines mobile app. Your current mileage total will be prominently displayed on your account dashboard.
How to earn American Airlines miles without flying?
You can earn American Airlines miles without flying by using an AAdvantage co-branded credit card, shopping through the AAdvantage eShopping portal, dining with the AAdvantage Dining program, booking hotels or car rentals with partners, and participating in various other partner promotions.
How to link my credit card to AAdvantage Dining?
To link your credit card to AAdvantage Dining, visit aadvantagedining.com, sign in with your AAdvantage number, and then follow the prompts to register your credit or debit cards securely.
How to find participating stores on AAdvantage eShopping?
You can find participating stores on AAdvantage eShopping by visiting aadvantageeshopping.com and using the search bar or Browse by category. The website lists all current retailers and their mileage earning rates.
How to prevent my American Airlines miles from expiring?
To prevent your American Airlines miles from expiring, you need to have qualifying earning or redemption activity in your AAdvantage account at least once every 24 months. Holding an active American Airlines co-branded credit card generally keeps your miles from expiring as long as the card account is open.
How to earn elite status with American Airlines AAdvantage?
You earn elite status with American Airlines AAdvantage by accumulating a specific number of Loyalty Points within a qualification year (March 1st to the last day of February). Loyalty Points are primarily earned from eligible flights on American and partner airlines, and from spending on AAdvantage co-branded credit cards and with various AAdvantage partners.
How to use American Airlines miles for award travel?
To use American Airlines miles for award travel, log in to your AAdvantage account on aa.com, go to the "Redeem Miles" section, and search for flights. You can select "AAdvantage miles" as your payment option.
How to earn bonus miles on American Airlines flights?
You can earn bonus miles on American Airlines flights by having AAdvantage elite status (Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum), which provides a percentage bonus on base miles earned, or by participating in special promotions offered by American Airlines.
How to transfer points from other programs to American Airlines AAdvantage?
Currently, American Airlines AAdvantage is not a direct transfer partner with most major transferable points programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards. However, you can transfer points from certain hotel loyalty programs (like Marriott Bonvoy) to AAdvantage miles, though the transfer ratios might not always be optimal.
How to get more Loyalty Points for American Airlines status?
To get more Loyalty Points for American Airlines status, focus on eligible activities that earn both redeemable miles and Loyalty Points. This includes flying on American and partner airlines, and making purchases with AAdvantage co-branded credit cards, AAdvantage eShopping, and AAdvantage Dining, as eligible miles earned from these activities typically count as Loyalty Points.
