Ready to elevate your travel game and unlock a world of exclusive benefits with American Airlines? Getting American Airlines Loyalty Points isn't just about flying; it's about making your everyday spending work for you! Whether you're a frequent flyer or just starting your journey into the world of airline loyalty programs, understanding how Loyalty Points work is key to unlocking elite status and incredible rewards.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step to accumulate American Airlines Loyalty Points, transforming your daily activities into valuable progress toward your next adventure.
The Power of Loyalty Points: Your Gateway to AAdvantage Status
Before we dive into the "how-to," let's quickly understand why Loyalty Points matter. American Airlines revamped its AAdvantage program, making Loyalty Points the sole metric for achieving elite status. This means that every eligible AAdvantage mile you earn translates directly into one Loyalty Point. The more Loyalty Points you accrue within a qualification year (March 1 to February 28 of the following year), the higher your elite status, and the more perks you'll enjoy, such as:
Complimentary upgrades
Free checked bags
Priority boarding and security
Bonus miles on flights
Lounge access (at higher tiers)
It's all about making your travel experience smoother, more comfortable, and more rewarding!
Step 1: Join the AAdvantage Program (If You Haven't Already!)
Alright, let's kick things off! Have you already signed up for American Airlines' AAdvantage frequent flyer program? If not, don't worry, it's quick, easy, and absolutely free! This is your essential first step, as all Loyalty Points are tracked within your AAdvantage account.
Sub-heading: How to Sign Up
Visit the American Airlines Website: Go to aa.com and look for the "AAdvantage" section or "Join AAdvantage."
Provide Your Information: You'll need to input your full name, address, phone number, and create a login and password.
Receive Your AAdvantage Number: Once registered, you'll be assigned a unique AAdvantage number. Keep this handy, as you'll use it for all your earning activities.
It's crucial to always use this AAdvantage number whenever you're earning miles, whether flying or engaging with partners.
Step 2: Earn Loyalty Points by Flying
This is perhaps the most traditional way to earn, and it remains a cornerstone of the AAdvantage program. Every eligible mile earned from flying counts as a Loyalty Point.
Sub-heading: Flying on American Airlines and American Eagle
When you fly on American Airlines or American Eagle-operated flights, the number of miles (and thus Loyalty Points) you earn is based on the price of your ticket (base fare plus carrier-imposed fees, excluding government-imposed taxes and fees).
AAdvantage Member (No Status): You'll earn 5 miles for every U.S. dollar spent.
AAdvantage Gold® Member: You'll earn a 40% mileage bonus (7 miles per dollar).
AAdvantage Platinum® Member: You'll earn a 60% mileage bonus (8 miles per dollar).
AAdvantage Platinum Pro® Member: You'll earn an 80% mileage bonus (9 miles per dollar).
AAdvantage Executive Platinum® Member: You'll earn a 120% mileage bonus (11 miles per dollar).
Even Basic Economy tickets issued on or after January 1, 2023, for travel starting March 1, 2023, will earn miles at a rate of 2 miles per dollar, plus Loyalty Points.
Sub-heading: Flying with oneworld® and Other Partner Airlines
American Airlines is a proud member of the oneworld® Alliance, which means you can earn Loyalty Points when flying with their partner airlines as well!
Check Partner Earning Charts: Earning on partner airlines is typically based on the distance flown and the fare class of your ticket, rather than the ticket price. Some fare classes, especially in economy, may earn a lower percentage of miles. Always check the specific partner airline's earning chart on the American Airlines website to understand how many miles (and LPs) you'll earn.
Ensure Your AAdvantage Number is Attached: It's absolutely essential to provide your AAdvantage number when booking or checking in for flights on partner airlines. If you forget, you can often request missing miles after the flight.
Step 3: Supercharge Your Loyalty Points with AAdvantage Credit Cards
This is where many savvy travelers rack up a significant number of Loyalty Points without even flying. American Airlines partners with various banks (primarily Citi and Barclays in the U.S.) to offer co-branded credit cards.
Sub-heading: Understanding Credit Card Earning
For every eligible AAdvantage mile earned from purchases using your U.S. or internationally-issued AAdvantage credit card, you'll earn one Loyalty Point. This means your everyday spending can directly contribute to your elite status!
Daily Spending: Use your AAdvantage credit card for groceries, gas, utilities, dining, and all your regular purchases.
Bonus Categories: Many AAdvantage credit cards offer bonus miles on specific categories like American Airlines purchases, restaurants, or gas stations. Leverage these categories to maximize your earning.
Sign-Up Bonuses (Caveat!): While credit card sign-up bonuses provide a large influx of AAdvantage miles, these miles typically DO NOT count as Loyalty Points. Loyalty Points are generally earned from actual spending on the card. Always read the terms and conditions carefully.
Example: If your AAdvantage credit card earns 2 miles per dollar on dining and you spend $100 at a restaurant, you'll earn 200 AAdvantage miles AND 200 Loyalty Points.
Step 4: Shop and Dine Your Way to Loyalty Points
Beyond flying and credit cards, American Airlines offers several excellent programs to earn Loyalty Points through your shopping and dining habits.
Sub-heading: AAdvantage® eShoppingSM
This is an online shopping portal where you can earn AAdvantage miles (and thus Loyalty Points) for purchases you make at hundreds of popular retailers.
Enroll and Log In: Visit the AAdvantage eShopping portal and log in with your AAdvantage account details.
Click Through the Portal: This is the crucial step! Before making a purchase, search for your desired retailer on the AAdvantage eShopping site and click on their link. This ensures your purchase is tracked.
Shop as Usual: You'll be redirected to the retailer's website. Complete your purchase as you normally would.
Earn Miles & LPs: Miles (and Loyalty Points) will be credited to your AAdvantage account, typically within a few days to a few weeks, depending on the retailer. Keep an eye out for special promotions offering elevated earning rates!
Sub-heading: AAdvantage DiningSM
Earn Loyalty Points simply by dining out at participating restaurants, bars, and clubs.
Enroll and Link Your Card: Sign up for AAdvantage Dining and link your credit or debit cards (any card, not just AAdvantage co-branded ones).
Dine at Participating Locations: Use your linked card to pay at any of the thousands of participating restaurants. You can find these locations on the AAdvantage Dining website.
Earn Miles & LPs: You'll earn miles (and Loyalty Points) per dollar spent, with rates often increasing based on your dining activity and if you opt to receive email communications:
Basic: 1 mile per $1
Select: 3 miles per $1 (if you elect to receive email communications)
VIP: 5 miles per $1 (after 11 qualifying transactions and opting into email communications)
Sub-heading: SimplyMiles™
SimplyMiles is another card-linked offer program where you activate personalized offers and earn bonus miles (and Loyalty Points) when you shop with select merchants using your linked Mastercard.
Enroll and Link Your Mastercard: Visit the SimplyMiles website and link your eligible Mastercard.
Activate Offers: Browse available offers from various merchants and activate the ones you're interested in.
Shop with Your Linked Card: Make a qualifying purchase with the activated offer using your linked Mastercard.
Earn Miles & LPs: Miles and Loyalty Points will automatically be added to your AAdvantage account.
Step 5: Explore Other Partner Earning Opportunities
American Airlines has a vast network of partners beyond shopping and dining, offering even more avenues to earn Loyalty Points.
Sub-heading: Hotel Stays
While some hotel programs allow you to directly earn AAdvantage miles, others, like World of Hyatt, may offer points that can be converted to AAdvantage miles, or have specific partnerships where you earn directly.
AAdvantage Hotels: American Airlines often has its own hotel booking portal (AAdvantage Hotels) where you can earn a significant number of miles and Loyalty Points when booking stays.
Direct Partner Programs: Check with major hotel chains like Hyatt, Marriott, and IHG. Some allow you to set your earning preference to AAdvantage miles instead of their own hotel points.
Sub-heading: Car Rentals
Renting a car can also net you Loyalty Points. American Airlines partners with major car rental companies.
Avis and Budget: You can often earn bonus miles (and Loyalty Points) with Avis and Budget, especially if you have AAdvantage status. Book through the American Airlines portal or use specific promo codes.
AAdvantage Cars: Similar to hotels, American Airlines may have a car rental booking portal that offers bonus earning opportunities.
Sub-heading: Cruises and Vacation Packages
Booking your entire trip through American Airlines Vacations or American Airlines Cruises can also contribute to your Loyalty Point balance.
American Airlines Vacations: Earn additional miles and Loyalty Points when you book flight and hotel packages.
American Airlines Cruises: Earn miles per dollar spent on cruise bookings.
Sub-heading: Other Miscellaneous Partners
Keep an eye out for other unique earning opportunities.
Bask Bank: This online savings account offers AAdvantage miles as "interest" instead of cash, which do count as Loyalty Points.
Shell Fuel Rewards: Link your AAdvantage and Fuel Rewards accounts to earn miles on gas purchases at Shell stations.
Miles of Opinions: Earn miles for taking surveys.
Loyalty Point Rewards and Elite Status Qualification
As you accumulate Loyalty Points, you're not just moving towards elite status; you're also unlocking Loyalty Point Rewards at various milestones. These rewards offer valuable choices even before you reach a full elite tier. Examples include bonus Loyalty Points, preferred seat vouchers, Avis status, World of Hyatt status, and even Systemwide Upgrades at higher thresholds.
Sub-heading: 2025 Loyalty Point Thresholds for Elite Status
AAdvantage Gold®: 40,000 Loyalty Points
AAdvantage Platinum®: 75,000 Loyalty Points
AAdvantage Platinum Pro®: 125,000 Loyalty Points
AAdvantage Executive Platinum®: 200,000 Loyalty Points
The qualification year runs from March 1 to February 28 of the following year. Once you achieve status, it's valid for the remainder of the current qualification year and the entire following membership year.
Top 10 FAQ Questions (How to...)
Here are 10 frequently asked questions about earning American Airlines Loyalty Points, with quick answers:
How to check my current Loyalty Point balance?
You can check your current Loyalty Point balance by logging into your AAdvantage account on the American Airlines website (aa.com) or through the American Airlines mobile app.
How to ensure my credit card purchases earn Loyalty Points?
Ensure you are using an American Airlines co-branded credit card for your purchases. All eligible miles earned from spending on these cards will automatically convert to Loyalty Points.
How to request missing Loyalty Points from a past flight?
If you forgot to add your AAdvantage number, you can request missing miles (and therefore Loyalty Points) for past flights on American Airlines or partner airlines through the "Request Missing Miles" section on aa.com, usually within 12 months of the flight.
How to find participating restaurants for AAdvantage Dining?
Visit the AAdvantage Dining website and use their search tool to find participating restaurants in your area by entering your city, zip code, or a specific restaurant name.
How to activate SimplyMiles offers?
Log in to the SimplyMiles website with your AAdvantage account, browse the available offers, and click "Activate" on the ones you wish to use before making a purchase with your linked Mastercard.
How to earn Loyalty Points without flying frequently?
Focus on maximizing your spending with an American Airlines co-branded credit card, utilizing the AAdvantage eShopping portal, AAdvantage Dining, and SimplyMiles for everyday purchases.
How to track my progress towards AAdvantage elite status?
Your progress toward elite status is automatically tracked by American Airlines based on your accumulated Loyalty Points, which you can view in your AAdvantage account summary online.
How to know which hotel bookings earn Loyalty Points?
Check the AAdvantage Hotels portal or the specific hotel partner pages on aa.com. Not all hotel bookings will earn Loyalty Points; look for specific promotions or direct partnerships that state LP earning.
How to understand the difference between AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points?
AAdvantage miles are the currency you can redeem for flights, upgrades, and other rewards. Loyalty Points are the metric that determines your elite status level; one eligible AAdvantage mile earned equals one Loyalty Point.
How to maximize Loyalty Point earnings during promotions?
Keep an eye on American Airlines' official website, your AAdvantage email newsletters, and financial news sites for limited-time bonus offers on flights, credit card spending, shopping portals, or partner activities.