American Airways AAdvantage: Your final information

American Airways is among the largest airways on the earth, and its AAdvantage loyalty program is in style with many vacationers.

Whereas the American AAdvantage program has seen some modifications over the previous couple of years, together with the elimination of revealed award charts and the introduction of Loyalty Factors because the metric by which you earn elite standing, you’ll be able to nonetheless get a ton of worth from this system.

This worth is why the AAdvantage program gained the Greatest U.S. Airline Loyalty Program title on the 2024 TPG Awards. So, let us take a look at what it is advisable to find out about American Airways AAdvantage.

American Airways companions

American Airways is a part of the Oneworld alliance. American elite members get some perks when flying Oneworld airways, however all AAdvantage members can earn and redeem miles when flying with the next Oneworld alliance airways:

• Alaska Airways
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Fiji Airways
• Finnair
• Iberia
• Japan Airways
• Malaysia Airways
• Oman Air (will doubtless be a part of as a full member in late June)
• Qantas
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Air Maroc
• Royal Jordanian Airways
• SriLankan Airways
• S7 Airways (at the moment suspended)

American AAdvantage additionally companions at numerous ranges with a handful of airways outdoors of Oneworld, together with:

• Aer Lingus
• Air Tahiti Nui
• Cape Air
• China Southern Airways
• Etihad Airways
• Gol Airways
• Hawaiian Airways
• IndiGo
• JetSmart

Nonetheless, some companions are extra built-in with American AAdvantage than others. So, evaluation the particular accomplice airline web page for full particulars.

Associated: What are airline alliances, and who’s in them?

American AAdvantage member advantages

American AAdvantage elite standing has 4 tiers with revealed qualification metrics — AAdvantage Gold, AAdvantage Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum Professional and AAdvantage Govt Platinum — plus an invitation-only tier referred to as Concierge Key.

You possibly can earn American Airways standing once you accrue a selected variety of Loyalty Factors through the 12-month qualification interval from the start of March to the top of February annually.

Nonetheless, even should you do not earn elite standing with American Airways, you may nonetheless get some perks only for being an AAdvantage member. For instance, AAdvantage members can board in Group 6 or earlier (besides when flying on a fundamental financial system ticket) and stand by for an earlier flight operated by American Airways or American Eagle at no cost when touring inside the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The best way to earn Loyalty Factors

Loyalty Factors are the metric that AAdvantage members should accrue to earn elite standing. Usually, each base mile you earn can also be a Loyalty Level you earn. Nonetheless, bonus miles do not get you Loyalty Factors.

Listed below are some methods you’ll be able to earn base miles which are Loyalty Level-eligible:

• Flights marketed by American Airways, different Oneworld airways and Gol Airways
• Spending with eligible companions, together with American Airways Holidays, AAdvantage eShopping, AAdvantage Eating, SimplyMiles and AAdvantage Motels
• Eligible purchases utilizing an AAdvantage bank card (not together with bonus miles and accelerators)

Elite standing necessities and advantages

Here is the variety of Loyalty Factors you have to earn through the present qualification interval — from the beginning of March to the top of February — for every American elite standing tier:

• AAdvantage Gold: 40,000 Loyalty Factors
• AAdvantage Platinum: 75,000 Loyalty Factors
• AAdvantage Platinum Professional: 125,000 Loyalty Factors
• AAdvantage Govt Platinum: 200,000 Loyalty Factors

As an AAdvantage Gold member, you may get a 40% mileage bonus, complimentary Most important Cabin Additional seats at check-in, complimentary Most well-liked seats at reserving, Precedence check-in, Group 4 boarding, and a primary checked bag free on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airways.

In the meantime, AAdvantage Platinum members get a 60% mileage bonus, complimentary Most well-liked or Most important Cabin Additional seats at reserving, Group 3 boarding, Precedence baggage dealing with, and a primary and second checked bag free on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airways.

AAdvantage Platinum Professional members get an 80% mileage bonus; Group 2 boarding; free same-day flight modifications (on eligible routes); and a primary, second and third checked bag free on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airways.

Lastly, AAdvantage Govt Platinum members get a 120% mileage bonus, Group 1 boarding, complimentary meals and drinks when touring in Most important Cabin, and assured availability in Most important Cabin on sold-out American Airways flights after they purchase a full-fare ticket at the least 24 hours prematurely.

The checked baggage and seat advantages apply to the AAdvantage elite member and as much as eight passengers touring on their identical reservation. AAdvantage elite members even have entry to complimentary upgrades for themselves and as much as one companion on the identical flight when touring inside North America on American and Alaska Airways. Nonetheless, these upgrades are based mostly on availability and sometimes do not clear, even for top-tier AAdvantage Govt Platinum members.

AAdvantage elite members additionally get Oneworld standing, which gives perks when flying on different Oneworld airways. Particularly, AAdvantage Gold members get Oneworld Ruby, AAdvantage Platinum members get Oneworld Sapphire, and AAdvantage Platinum Professional and AAdvantage Govt Platinum members get Oneworld Emerald standing.

Loyalty Level Rewards

As you earn Loyalty Factors every qualification interval, you may earn Loyalty Level Rewards which are distinct from elite standing tiers as you attain the next milestones:

• 15,000 Loyalty Factors: Group 5 boarding and one alternative of personalised baggage tag, 1,000 Loyalty Factors, 5 Most well-liked Seat coupons, or Precedence privileges and Group 4 boarding for a visit
• 60,000 Loyalty Factors: Avis Most well-liked Plus standing and a 20% Loyalty Level bonus once you spend with American Airways Holidays, SimplyMiles, AAdvantage eShopping, AAdvantage Eating and AAdvantage Motels inside six months after qualifying
• 100,000 Loyalty Factors: Avis President’s Membership standing; World of Hyatt Discoverist standing; and a 30% Loyalty Level bonus once you spend with American Airways Holidays, SimplyMiles, AAdvantage eShopping, AAdvantage Eating and AAdvantage Motels inside six months after qualifying
• 175,000 Loyalty Factors: One alternative of World of Hyatt Explorist standing, 5,000 Loyalty Factors, two systemwide upgrades, 20,000 bonus miles (25,000 bonus miles should you’re an AAdvantage bank card member), a $200 journey credit score ($250 should you’re an AAdvantage bank card member), a 75-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, a $250 donation to pick out nonprofit organizations, two presents of AAdvantage Gold standing or 35,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely out there to AAdvantage bank card members)
• 250,000 Loyalty Factors: Two decisions of World of Hyatt Explorist standing, 15,000 Loyalty Factors, two systemwide upgrades, 20,000 bonus miles (30,000 bonus miles should you’re an AAdvantage bank card member), an Admirals Membership membership (requires two decisions), a $200 journey credit score ($250 should you’re an AAdvantage bank card member), a 100-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, a $250 donation to pick out nonprofit organizations, two presents of AAdvantage Gold standing, a Bang & Olufsen product (requires two decisions), one Flagship Lounge single go to move (two Flagship Lounge single-visit passes should you’re an AAdvantage bank card member) or 35,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely out there to AAdvantage bank card members)
• 400,000, 550,000 and 750,000 Loyalty Factors: Two decisions of 1 World of Hyatt Class 1-4 free night time award, one systemwide improve, 25,000 bonus miles, an Admirals Membership membership (requires two decisions), a $200 journey credit score ($250 should you’re an AAdvantage bank card member), a 100-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, one present of AAdvantage Platinum standing, a Bang & Olufsen product (requires two decisions), two Flagship Lounge single-visit passes, one Flagship First Eating move or 40,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely out there to AAdvantage bank card members)
• 1 million Loyalty Factors: One alternative of 1 World of Hyatt Class 1-7 free night time award, 4 systemwide upgrades, a 250-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, one present of AAdvantage Platinum Professional standing, as much as 100,000 miles again on award redemptions or 150,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely out there to AAdvantage bank card members)
• 3 million Loyalty Factors: One alternative of 1 World of Hyatt Class 1-7 free night time award, six systemwide upgrades, a 500-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, one present of AAdvantage Govt Platinum standing, as much as 300,000 miles again on award redemptions or 350,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely out there to AAdvantage bank card members)
• 5 million Loyalty Factors: One alternative of 1 World of Hyatt Class 1-7 free night time award, 10 systemwide upgrades, a 1,000-gallon sustainable aviation gas allocation, one present of AAdvantage Govt Platinum standing, as much as 500,000 miles again on award redemptions or 550,000 AAdvantage miles towards a Mastercard Priceless Expertise (solely out there to AAdvantage bank card members)

The best way to earn American miles

There are numerous methods to earn American miles. Beneath is a abstract of the highest methods.

Flights marketed by American Airways and choose companions

While you fly on a flight marketed by American Airways, Aer Lingus, British Airways, Fiji Airways, Iberia and JetSmart, you may earn 5 base miles per greenback spent on the ticket (excluding government-imposed taxes and charges). Nonetheless, fundamental financial system fares solely earn 2 base miles per greenback spent.

You will earn extra base miles with AAdvantage elite standing. Particularly, here is what number of base miles you’d earn with every standing tier:

• Member (no standing): 5 base miles per greenback (2 base miles per greenback for fundamental financial system fares)
• AAdvantage Gold: 7 base miles per greenback (2.8 base miles per greenback for fundamental financial system fares)
• AAdvantage Platinum: 8 base miles per greenback (3.2 base miles per greenback for fundamental financial system fares)
• AAdvantage Platinum Professional: 9 base miles per greenback (3.6 base miles per greenback for fundamental financial system fares)
• AAdvantage Govt Platinum: 11 base miles per greenback (4.4 base miles per greenback for fundamental financial system fares)

Flights marketed by different accomplice airways

You too can earn AAdvantage miles on most flights marketed by American’s companions. You will normally earn miles based mostly on the flight distance and the ticket fare class. Here is an instance of the incomes chart for Finnair-operated flights:

So, a traveler with out AAdvantage standing who flew on an E-fare class ticket booked by way of Finnair from Helsinki Airport (HEL) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) — which is 5,762 miles — would earn 5,762 base miles. Nonetheless, a traveler with AAdvantage Platinum Professional standing would earn 10,372 base miles on this ticket because of the 80% mileage bonus.

American Airways bank cards

One of many best methods to earn miles is thru American Airways bank cards. Here is a have a look at the present welcome presents and incomes charges on some in style American Airways bank cards:

The data for the Aviator Pink Mastercard, Aviator Silver Mastercard and AAdvantage MileUp Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Do not forget that welcome presents and bonus class earnings will not get you Loyalty Factors towards AAdvantage elite standing. You will solely earn 1 Loyalty Level per greenback spent on American Airways playing cards. Nonetheless, the next playing cards provide the likelihood to earn extra Loyalty Factors once you attain particular thresholds:

• Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard: Earn a bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Factors after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Factors in a standing qualification 12 months; earn one other bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Factors after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Factors in the identical standing qualification 12 months.
• AAdvantage Aviator World Elite Silver Mastercard: Earn an extra 5,000 Loyalty Factors after spending $20,000 on purchases made with the cardboard account with a transaction date through the standing qualification interval; earn an extra 5,000 Loyalty Factors throughout the identical standing qualification interval after spending $40,000 on purchases with the cardboard account; earn an extra 5,000 Loyalty Factors throughout the identical standing qualification interval after spending $50,000 on web purchases with the cardboard account.

AAdvantage eShopping portal

While you click on by way of the AAdvantage eShopping portal, you’ll be able to earn American miles in your purchases with choose on-line retailers.

Utilizing the AAdvantage eShopping portal is easy: Log in utilizing your regular American AAdvantage username and password, seek for your required service provider, after which click on by way of the portal to the service provider earlier than you store on-line.

Associated: Earn factors, miles or money again: The best way to maximize on-line procuring portals on your purchases

SimplyMiles

American AAdvantage presents a program referred to as SimplyMiles that means that you can earn miles when procuring on-line or in individual with choose retailers. Log in to SimplyMiles utilizing your regular American AAdvantage credentials, hyperlink a number of Credit cards to your profile, and enroll in presents.

Then, once you use a linked Mastercard to make an eligible buy at a service provider for which you have enrolled in a proposal, you may earn a set variety of AAdvantage miles or a selected a number of of your buy quantity.

AAdvantage Eating

AAdvantage Eating allows you to earn American miles when eating at taking part native eating places.

Log in utilizing your regular American AAdvantage username and password, and hyperlink your favourite bank cards for eating. When you achieve this, you may routinely earn miles once you dine at taking part eating places and pay with a linked card.

AAdvantage journey companions

American Airways companions with main automobile rental corporations so its members can earn miles on automobile leases. Take a look at AAdvantage’s automobile rental accomplice web page for data on companions and incomes charges.

You too can earn AAdvantage miles on lodge stays. To take action, ebook your keep by way of the AAdvantage Motels platform or ebook a qualifying stick with IHG, Marriott or Hyatt, and add your AAdvantage quantity at reserving or check-in. While you achieve this, you’ll be able to earn as follows:

• AAdvantage Motels: Varies relying on keep
• Hyatt: 500 miles per keep
• IHG: As much as 2 miles per greenback spent on qualifying prices
• Marriott: As much as 2 miles per greenback spent on qualifying prices

Along with the lodge and rental automobile companions talked about above, you can even earn miles once you ebook American Airways Cruises and American Airways Holidays.

Bask Financial institution

Should you open a financial savings account with Bask Financial institution, you’ll be able to elect to earn AAdvantage miles as an alternative of money curiosity in your account. Sadly, miles earned by way of Bask Financial institution don’t depend as Loyalty Factors.

Purchase miles

Lastly, you’ll be able to purchase miles. Look ahead to promotions that let you purchase American miles with a bonus or low cost.

The best way to redeem American miles

Redeeming American miles for flights normally gives the very best worth. TPG’s June 2025 valuations estimate American miles to be price 1.5 cents every, so attempt to get at the least this worth when redeeming miles. Here is a have a look at a number of the greatest methods to redeem American miles.

Flights

American Airways publishes award charts with beginning charges. You will discover completely different charts for American- and partner-operated flights. Nonetheless, the charts for American-operated award flights aren’t all that useful since, in observe, you may discover broadly various charges that change ceaselessly based mostly in your routing, once you ebook and once you’re touring.

The accomplice award charts are extra helpful. Though the charts record beginning charges, you may typically discover awards on the beginning charges on many companions. Nonetheless, we’re beginning to see AAdvantage provide further award availability with choose companions at greater award charges. For instance, the accomplice award chart says one-way financial system awards between the U.S. and the South Pacific (the area that features Fiji) begin at 40,000 miles and business-class awards begin at 80,000 miles. However you may see a lot greater charges on some dates.

In brief, one of the best ways to find out what number of miles an award itinerary will price is to move to the American Airways web site or cell app and do an award search. You possibly can ebook award flights with little hesitation since you’ll be able to cancel anytime earlier than your first flight departs and redeposit your miles again into your account without spending a dime.

Associated: Greatest makes use of of American Airways AAdvantage miles

Upgrades

On some itineraries, you can even redeem American miles for an improve to the following cabin of service.

American not too long ago rolled out the flexibility to purchase an immediate improve on-line or by way of the airline’s app. You need to use money or miles for these immediate upgrades, which the airline costs dynamically. Based mostly on our checks, redeeming American miles for these upgrades will solely offer you a worth of about 1 cent per mile. In case your itinerary is eligible, you need to see improve choices once you open your itinerary on the American Airways web site or app.

Nonetheless, by way of Aug. 11, you’ll be able to nonetheless request upgrades for one-way journeys with as much as three segments based mostly on the mileage improve award chart. You have to name American AAdvantage to course of these upgrades, however they’re going to normally present higher worth on your miles.

Just some fare lessons are eligible, so verify American’s improve web page for eligibility and pricing.

Associated: How a lot must you pay for a first-class improve?

Admirals Membership membership

You possibly can redeem American miles for an Admirals Membership membership, however you may solely get a worth of 1 cent per mile. Here is a have a look at the mileage prices for an Admirals Membership membership based mostly in your American elite standing tier:

Paying for a membership presents higher worth than redeeming American miles. Nonetheless, the very best deal is to get a complimentary Admirals Membership membership as a advantage of the Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard.

Associated: 3 the reason why that is the very best card for Admirals Membership lounge entry

Improve with miles

As you attain completely different Loyalty Level tiers (the primary is at 40,000 Loyalty Factors) throughout a qualification interval, you need to use a few of your miles to give another person standing for a day, receive a Flagship First Eating move or get a Hyatt free night time award.

The choices in your account will fluctuate relying on what number of Loyalty Factors you earned through the present or earlier qualification interval.

Associated: Airline and lodge loyalty packages that allow you to give the present of elite standing

Backside line

The American Airways AAdvantage program is much from excellent. But when you know the way to make it work and might be versatile when reserving award flights, there’s nonetheless loads of worth to be discovered.

An American Airways bank card has grow to be more and more essential to earn AAdvantage elite standing. It is also price utilizing the AAdvantage eShopping portal and SimplyMiles, no matter whether or not you are interested by incomes American miles, attempting to qualify for American Airways elite standing or each.