The world of airline loyalty programs can sometimes feel like deciphering ancient hieroglyphs, but fear not, fellow traveler! American Airlines' AAdvantage program, with its focus on Loyalty Points, offers a straightforward path to enjoying fantastic benefits. If you've ever dreamt of complimentary upgrades, free checked bags, or exclusive lounge access, understanding Loyalty Points is your golden ticket.
How Do American Airlines Loyalty Points Work? Your Comprehensive Guide to AAdvantage Status!
Let's embark on this journey together and unlock the secrets of American Airlines Loyalty Points, paving your way to a more rewarding travel experience. Ready to dive in?
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| How Do American Airlines Loyalty Points Work |
Step 1: Join the AAdvantage Program (It's Free!)
Ready to start earning? The very first and most crucial step is to become an AAdvantage member. It costs absolutely nothing, and you can sign up in minutes online. This is your gateway to earning miles and, more importantly, Loyalty Points. Without an AAdvantage account, none of the magic happens!
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Visit the American Airlines Website: Head over to aa.com and look for the "Join AAdvantage®" link.
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Fill in Your Details: Provide your basic information like name, date of birth, and address. Ensure this information matches your government-issued ID to avoid any issues with future flights or benefits.
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Receive Your AAdvantage Number: Once registered, you'll get a unique frequent flyer number. Keep this handy, as you'll use it to earn Loyalty Points and miles on all your eligible activities.
Step 2: Understanding Loyalty Points: The Core of Your Status Journey
Gone are the days when elite status was solely about how many miles you flew. American Airlines has embraced a revenue-based system where Loyalty Points (LPs) are the sole metric for achieving AAdvantage elite status. It's simple: the more eligible AAdvantage miles you earn, the more Loyalty Points you accumulate. Every eligible AAdvantage mile you earn translates directly into one Loyalty Point.
What are Loyalty Points?
Loyalty Points are the currency of elite status qualification within the American Airlines AAdvantage program. They are not redeemable for flights or other rewards directly; rather, they are a tracker that determines your AAdvantage status level for the following year.
The Status Tiers:
American Airlines offers four elite status levels, each requiring a different number of Loyalty Points:
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AAdvantage Gold®: Requires 40,000 Loyalty Points
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AAdvantage Platinum®: Requires 75,000 Loyalty Points
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AAdvantage Platinum Pro®: Requires 125,000 Loyalty Points
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AAdvantage Executive Platinum®: Requires 200,000 Loyalty Points
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Step 3: Earning Loyalty Points: Multiple Pathways to Status
This is where the fun begins! American Airlines offers a multitude of ways to earn Loyalty Points, meaning you don't necessarily have to be a road warrior to achieve status.
Sub-heading 3.1: Flying with American Airlines and Partner Airlines
This is the most traditional way to earn, and it's still a cornerstone of the program.
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Flying on American Airlines: You'll earn Loyalty Points based on the price of your ticket (base fare + carrier-imposed fees, excluding government taxes and fees).
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General Members (no status): Earn 5 Loyalty Points per dollar spent.
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AAdvantage Gold®: Earn 7 Loyalty Points per dollar spent (40% bonus).
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AAdvantage Platinum®: Earn 8 Loyalty Points per dollar spent (60% bonus).
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AAdvantage Platinum Pro®: Earn 9 Loyalty Points per dollar spent (80% bonus).
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AAdvantage Executive Platinum®: Earn 11 Loyalty Points per dollar spent (120% bonus).
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Note: Basic Economy fares generally earn fewer Loyalty Points (typically 2 LPs per dollar spent).
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Flying with Oneworld® and Other Partner Airlines: When you fly with American's airline partners (like British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways, etc.), the Loyalty Point accrual is based on the distance flown and the fare class of your ticket. This can vary significantly, so it's always wise to check the earning charts on the American Airlines website for specific partners and fare classes. Elite status bonuses and cabin class multipliers also apply here, meaning a business or first-class ticket on a partner airline can rack up LPs quickly!
Sub-heading 3.2: Leveraging AAdvantage Credit Cards
This is a game-changer for many! Spending on co-branded American Airlines credit cards is an incredibly powerful way to earn Loyalty Points without even stepping on a plane.
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1 Loyalty Point per Eligible Mile Earned: For every eligible AAdvantage mile you earn on your co-branded American Airlines credit card, you'll also earn 1 Loyalty Point.
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Citi and Barclays Offerings: Both Citi and Barclays issue American Airlines co-branded credit cards. Popular options include the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard®.
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Important Note: While welcome bonuses and bonus category miles on credit cards earn redeemable miles, they generally do not earn bonus Loyalty Points. You'll typically earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar spent on eligible purchases.
Sub-heading 3.3: Maximizing Partner Activities
American Airlines has an extensive network of partners beyond just airlines. These collaborations provide numerous opportunities to earn Loyalty Points on your everyday spending.
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AAdvantage eShopping℠ Portal: Shop online through the AAdvantage eShopping portal at over 1,200 retailers. For every dollar you spend, you'll earn AAdvantage miles (and thus Loyalty Points) in addition to any rewards from your credit card. Look out for bonus mileage offers that can significantly boost your LP count!
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AAdvantage Dining℠ Program: Link your credit or debit cards to AAdvantage Dining and earn miles (and LPs) when you dine at participating restaurants.
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Hotel Stays: Earn Loyalty Points with partner hotel chains like Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, and IHG. Earning rates can vary (e.g., 1-2 miles per dollar spent, or a flat number of miles per stay). Remember to set your earning preference to AAdvantage miles if given the option.
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Car Rentals: Book car rentals with partners like Avis, Budget, Alamo, Dollar, National, and Thrifty to earn miles and Loyalty Points.
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American Airlines Vacations & Cruises: Booking vacation packages (flight + hotel) through American Airlines Vacations or cruises through American Airlines Cruises can also earn you a significant number of Loyalty Points.
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Other Partners: Keep an eye out for other partnerships, such as utility companies, survey sites (like Miles for Opinions), and other retail collaborations.
Step 4: Tracking Your Loyalty Points
Knowing where you stand is key to achieving your desired status.
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AAdvantage Account Online: Log in to your AAdvantage account on aa.com or through the American Airlines mobile app. You'll find a clear tracker showing your current Loyalty Point balance and your progress towards the next elite status tier.
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Loyalty Point Earning Period: Loyalty Points reset annually. The qualification period runs from March 1st to the last day of February of the following year. So, for example, Loyalty Points earned from March 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, will determine your status for the 2026-2027 membership year.
Step 5: Enjoying AAdvantage Elite Status Benefits
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Once you've achieved a status tier, a world of enhanced travel benefits opens up to you!
Sub-heading 5.1: AAdvantage Gold® Status (40,000 LPs)
The entry point to a more comfortable journey:
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Complimentary Upgrades: Automatic upgrade requests on flights within the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean, Canada, and Mexico. Upgrade window is generally 24 hours before departure.
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Bonus Miles: Earn 40% more redeemable miles on eligible flights.
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Checked Bags: First checked bag free (for you and up to 8 companions on the same reservation).
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Seating: Complimentary Preferred Seats and Main Cabin Extra seats at check-in (if available).
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Priority: Priority check-in, security, and Group 4 boarding.
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Oneworld® Ruby Status: Enjoy benefits across the Oneworld alliance.
Sub-heading 5.2: AAdvantage Platinum® Status (75,000 LPs)
Stepping up your travel game:
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Complimentary Upgrades: Upgrade window typically 48 hours before departure.
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Bonus Miles: Earn 60% more redeemable miles on eligible flights.
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Checked Bags: First 2 checked bags free (for you and up to 8 companions).
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Seating: Complimentary Preferred Seats and Main Cabin Extra seats at time of booking.
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Priority: Priority check-in, security, and Group 3 boarding.
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Oneworld® Sapphire℠ Status: Enhanced benefits across Oneworld airlines, including international Business Class lounge access on eligible flights.
Sub-heading 5.3: AAdvantage Platinum Pro® Status (125,000 LPs)
Getting serious about premium travel:
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Complimentary Upgrades: Upgrade window typically 72 hours before departure, including on Alaska Airlines.
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Bonus Miles: Earn 80% more redeemable miles on eligible flights.
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Checked Bags: First 3 checked bags free (for you and up to 8 companions).
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Seating: Complimentary Preferred Seats and Main Cabin Extra seats at time of booking.
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Priority: Priority check-in, security, and Group 2 boarding.
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Oneworld® Emerald℠ Status: Top-tier Oneworld benefits, including international First Class lounge access on eligible flights.
Sub-heading 5.4: AAdvantage Executive Platinum® Status (200,000 LPs)
The pinnacle of AAdvantage benefits:
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Unlimited Complimentary Upgrades: Highest priority for upgrades within North America, including on Alaska Airlines.
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Bonus Miles: Earn 120% more redeemable miles on eligible flights.
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Checked Bags: First 3 checked bags free (for you and up to 8 companions), with priority handling.
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Seating: Complimentary Main Cabin Extra and Preferred seats at time of booking.
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Complimentary Food & Drinks: In Main Cabin, where available.
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Free Same-Day Flight Changes: And standby priority.
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Priority: Priority check-in, security, and Group 1 boarding.
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Dedicated Service Desk: Access to exclusive Executive Platinum service desk.
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Oneworld® Emerald℠ Status: Highest Oneworld benefits.
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Loyalty Point Rewards: At this level, you start unlocking choices from a menu of valuable rewards, such as Systemwide Upgrades, Admirals Club memberships, or bonus miles.
Step 6: Loyalty Point Rewards: Customizing Your Perks
Beyond the standard elite status benefits, American Airlines introduces Loyalty Point Rewards starting at 15,000 Loyalty Points and scaling up to millions of LPs. These are additional rewards you can choose from as you hit specific LP thresholds throughout the year, even before you reach a higher status tier.
QuickTip: Scan quickly, then go deeper where needed.
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Choices May Include: Systemwide Upgrades (allowing you to upgrade any flight), Admirals Club One-Day Passes, bonus redeemable miles, mileage rebates on award redemptions, carbon offsets, and even gifting elite status to another AAdvantage member at higher tiers.
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This program allows for greater customization, so you can pick the rewards that best suit your travel needs.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to earn American Airlines Loyalty Points?
You can earn American Airlines Loyalty Points by flying with American Airlines and its partner airlines, using co-branded American Airlines credit cards for purchases, and engaging with various AAdvantage partners such as hotels, car rentals, the AAdvantage eShopping portal, and AAdvantage Dining.
How to track my American Airlines Loyalty Point progress?
You can easily track your American Airlines Loyalty Point progress by logging into your AAdvantage account on the American Airlines website (aa.com) or through the American Airlines mobile app. Your current Loyalty Point balance and progress towards elite status will be displayed.
How to keep my American Airlines AAdvantage miles from expiring?
American Airlines AAdvantage miles expire after 24 months of inactivity. To keep them from expiring, you need to have eligible earning or redeeming activity on your account at least once every 24 months. This can include flying, using an AAdvantage credit card, shopping through the eShopping portal, or redeeming miles for an award.
How to redeem American Airlines AAdvantage miles for flights?
You can redeem American Airlines AAdvantage miles for flights directly on aa.com or through the American Airlines app. Simply select "Book with miles" when searching for flights. Miles can also be used for flights on Oneworld and other partner airlines.
How to get complimentary upgrades with American Airlines?
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Complimentary upgrades are a benefit of AAdvantage elite status. The higher your status (Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum), the earlier your upgrade window and the higher your priority for upgrades on eligible flights within North America.
How to get free checked bags on American Airlines?
Free checked bags are a benefit of holding American Airlines AAdvantage elite status (Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum), with the number of free bags increasing with higher status. Many American Airlines co-branded credit cards also offer a free checked bag for the cardholder and companions on the same reservation.
How to access American Airlines Admirals Club lounges?
Admirals Club lounge access can be obtained through an Admirals Club membership (purchased or as a Loyalty Point Reward at higher tiers), flying in eligible premium cabins on international or transcontinental flights, or holding certain co-branded American Airlines credit cards.
How to achieve American Airlines AAdvantage elite status solely through credit card spending?
While significant credit card spending can earn a large number of Loyalty Points, achieving top-tier AAdvantage elite status solely through credit card spending is possible because every eligible AAdvantage mile earned from credit card purchases counts as one Loyalty Point. However, it requires a very high volume of spending, as welcome bonuses and category bonuses usually don't count towards Loyalty Points.
How to choose Loyalty Point Rewards with American Airlines?
Once you hit specific Loyalty Point thresholds throughout the qualification year (starting at 15,000 LPs), American Airlines will notify you that you've unlocked a Loyalty Point Reward. You can then log into your AAdvantage account and select your preferred reward from the available options.
How to link my AAdvantage account to hotel or car rental partners?
To earn Loyalty Points and miles with hotel or car rental partners, you typically need to add your AAdvantage number to your reservation when booking directly with the partner or ensure your loyalty accounts (e.g., World of Hyatt and AAdvantage) are linked if there's a specific partnership program. Check the American Airlines partner page for specific instructions for each partner.
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