- How to Transfer American Airlines Miles - November 20, 2022
- Best Rate Guarantee Hyatt - November 16, 2022
- Best Seats on a Plane Guide - November 16, 2022
American Airlines is one of the major air carriers in the United States. They are one of my favorites because they’re a reliable brand, and I can trust them to give me a good flight experience. However, they are on the pricey side. I used to shy away from booking flights with American Airlines, but I’ve learned how to leverage my money with them.
Signing up for the AAdvantage Rewards Program was one of the best decisions that I’ve made, and it’s been very beneficial for my travels. I’m constantly being rewarded as an AAdvantage Miles member, which makes flying with them more affordable. So, how much are American Airlines miles worth? Well, I’ll break that down in the article below. Check it out!
The American Airlines Advantage
Overall, you can’t go wrong with signing up for an AAdvantage account. If you thought you could only earn reward miles by booking flights, think again! There are several ways that you can earn, and you’d be surprised at how quickly the miles accumulate.
Once I discovered all of the additional perks that I could get through this program and the various ways that I could earn miles, I was hooked. This is definitely one of the most extensive airline reward programs out there.
How Much Are American Airlines Miles Worth?
The amount of miles that you earn through the AAdvantage program depends on the price of your ticket and your member status. The breakdown for the miles earned per ticket is as follows:
- AAdvantage® member – 5 miles
- Gold member – 7 miles/USD
- Platinum member – 8 miles/USD
- Platinum Pro member – 9 miles/USD
- Executive Platinum member – 11 miles/USD
So, let’s say you are a standard AAdvantage member, and you haven’t advanced in tiers. If your plane ticket is $200, you’ll earn 1,000 points. But if you are a Platinum Member, you’ll earn 1,600 points for a ticket that costs the same amount. As a reward, American Airlines adds an extra bonus on top of the miles earned for every level that you elevate to. Here’s a closer look at the perks that each tier status has to offer:
AAdvantage Gold
Once you reach Gold status, you’re offered complimentary preferred seats, 24-hour upgrades, a 40% status mileage bonus, and one free checked bag. You also receive complimentary main cabin extra seats. To reach Gold status, you need at least 30,000 loyalty points.
AAdvantage Platinum
With Platinum status comes two free checked bags, complimentary upgrades, and a 48-hour upgrade window. As a Platinum member, you’ll also receive a 60% status mileage bonus, as well as Free Main Cabin Extra. It takes 75,000 points to get to Platinum status.
AAdvantage Platinum Pro
At this level, the perks start to get better. It includes three free checked bags, a 72-hour upgrade window, and complimentary upgrades on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. You’ll also get one loyalty choice reward and free Main Cabin Extra. To reach Platinum Pro, you need 125,000 points.
AAdvantage Executive Platinum
Executive Platinum offers three free checked bags, complimentary Main Cabin Extra, and free upgrades on American and Alaska Airlines. It also comes with loyalty choice rewards, a 120% status mileage bonus, and a 100-hour upgrade window. It takes 200,000 points to get to Executive Platinum.
How to Earn AAdvantage Miles
Flying with Partner Airlines
Of course, the primary way to earn miles is to book a flight with American. However, American Airlines is part of the OneWorld Alliance, therefore, AAdvantage members can earn miles when flying with airlines, such as British Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Iberia, Malaysia Airlines, and more.
Hotel Stays
In addition to flights, AAdvantage members can earn miles through hotel stays. Marriott, Hyatt, IHG hotels, and American Airlines hotels. To earn miles for hotel stays, AAdvantage members must provide their AAdvantage number when booking the hotel or at check-in. Furthermore, you can convert your hotel points into miles and redeem them for flights with American Airlines or partner airlines.
When I discovered this, it was a game changer for me. For a while, I was mainly staying at Airbnb properties. Well, that meant that I was using my accumulated hotel points for free nights. However, I was able to get discounted flights by converting my hotel points to miles!
Car Rentals
Car rentals are another way to earn AAdvantage miles. American Airlines is partnered with Avis and Budget. When renting a car from these companies, don’t forget to provide your AAdvantage number! You’ll receive 500 AAdvantage base miles for every qualifying rental. For higher tier statuses, you’ll get even more miles, up to 1,250 for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members.
Cruises
Did you know that you can earn AAdvantage miles from cruises? American Airlines has partnerships with Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line. When booking your cruise, make sure to provide your AAdvantage number. You’ll earn 1 AAdvantage mile per $1 spent on the cruise. You can also earn bonus miles by booking select cruises!
Speaking of getaways, American Airlines offers vacation packages. You’ll earn miles when you book a vacation package, too!
Purchases
In addition to flying, hotel stays, car rentals, and cruises, you can earn AAdvantage miles through everyday purchases. There are many ways to do this, including dining at restaurants, shopping online, and more. You can earn points while dining by linking your credit or debit card to AAdvantage dining. This option makes me so happy! I love that I can accumulate airline miles for doing things that I always do.
Credit Cards
American Airlines has four credit cards, and owning one is a great way to earn more miles. Here’s a closer look at the details of each card:
American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard
With this card, you’ll receive 2X the AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent at supermarkets, including grocery delivery. You’ll also earn 2X the miles per $1 spent on American Airlines purchases, and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. There’s no annual fee for this card! New cardholders earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 AAdvantage miles and a $50 statement credit after spending $500 in the first 3 months.
Citi/ AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
This card offers 2X the AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on American Airlines purchases, and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Furthermore, you’ll also receive a free first checked bag when you use your card to book tickets on American Airlines flights. New cardholders can earn 50,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $2,500 in the first 3 months. There is an annual fee of $99 (waived for the first year).
Citi / AAdvantage Executive Mastercard
With this card, you’ll earn 2X the AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on American Airlines purchases, and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. You’ll also receive a free Admirals Club membership (a $650 value), and 10,000 elite qualifying miles after spending $40,000 in a calendar year. New cardholders receive 50,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. There is an annual fee of $450.
Additional perks for this card includes priority check-in and a $100 fee credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application.
CitiBusiness/ AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard
This card offers 2X the AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on American Airlines purchases, gas, phone carriers, and car rentals. You’ll get 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Furthermore, you’ll receive a 25 % discount on in-flight Wi-Fi. After you spend $30,000 or more in purchases each card membership year, you’ll receive an American Airlines Companion Certificate. New cardholders earn 65,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $4,000 in the first 4 months. There is an annual fee of $99 (waived for the first year).
Ways to Redeem AAdvantage Miles
Now that you know how to earn AAdvantage miles, let’s talk about ways to redeem them. As I previously mentioned, one way to redeem your AAdvantage miles is by booking flights with American Airlines or partner airlines. You can also use your miles for upgrades on flights, Admirals Club membership, and more.
Another way to use your AAdvantage miles is by booking hotel stays, car rentals, and cruises. You can also use your rewards for vacation packages. If you don’t have enough miles for a flight or hotel stay, you can combine cash and points to book your travel. In addition to booking travel, you can also redeem AAdvantage miles for luxury experiences through Five Star Private Arrival and Five Star Essentials.
FAQs
Question: How can I prevent my AAdvantage miles from expiring?
Answer: Just earn or redeem miles with American Airlines or their affiliated partners once every 24 months to keep your miles from expiring. American Airlines will automatically extend your expiration date for another 24 months from your latest qualifying activity.
Question: How long does it take for my miles to credit to my account?
Answer: Generally, it takes 1-3 days for your miles to post to your account after your date of travel. However, if you’ve flown on an American Airlines partner airline, it could take up to 15 days.
Question: What can I do if I have an issue with my AAdvantage Miles?
Answer: You can call 1-800-882-8880 to speak with customer service. If your miles aren’t showing up in your account, you can also request your flight miles.
How Much Are American Airlines Miles Worth: Final Thoughts
American Airlines goes above and beyond to reward their AAdvantage members. I make sure that I put my membership to good use and enjoy all the perks that come with it. I love globetrotting, but knowing that I can get discounted prices on travel-related expenses makes it even better.
After reading this article, I sure hope you sign up for an American Airlines rewards membership. Trust me, it’ll be well worth it!