

This story has been up to date with new data.
In early March 2022, American Airways switched from elite qualifying miles, {dollars} and segments to Loyalty Factors, its new elite standing qualifying metric.
These days, the variety of Loyalty Factors you earn is essentially tied to your spending as a substitute of how a lot you fly. In consequence, you’ll theoretically be capable of spend your strategy to top-tier Govt Platinum standing with out stepping foot on a aircraft — not that we essentially suggest doing that.
Past flights, you’ll be capable of earn Loyalty Factors by spending and fascinating with American Airways’ companions. Goodbye last-minute mileage runs and whats up strategic flower orders.
Listed here are a number of the finest methods to earn Loyalty Factors to earn American Airways elite standing.
Flying American Airways
The normal strategy to earn elite standing — by flying on the airline — has been revamped as a part of this system’s overhaul.
Now, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Level for every redeemable AAdvantage mile from flying on American. Relying in your standing tier, redeemable miles are awarded at a multiplier between 5 occasions and 11 occasions your base ticket value.
- Common member: 5 miles per greenback.
- Gold: 7 miles per greenback.
- Platinum: 8 miles per greenback.
- Platinum Professional: 9 miles per greenback.
- Govt Platinum: 11 miles per greenback.
For easy math, when you paid $200 for a ticket (earlier than taxes) from New York to Los Angeles, you’d earn 1,000 AAdvantage miles and 1,000 Loyalty Factors as a common member with no elite standing. If a top-tier American Govt Platinum member booked the identical ticket, they’d earn 2,200 AAdvantage miles and a couple of,200 Loyalty Factors.
You’ll now not must hold monitor of elite qualifying miles, {dollars} or segments. One redeemable mile earned from flying on American will translate to 1 Loyalty Level.
Join our each day publication
Flying on associate airways
When flying with one among American’s airline companions, issues get somewhat extra difficult. You’ll proceed to earn redeemable AAdvantage miles based mostly on the cabin bought, the space flown and your elite standing for associate tickets. The one exception is JetBlue, which earns miles based mostly on ticket value.
When crediting a associate flight to American AAdvantage that hasn’t been purchased immediately with American, you’ll wish to take a look at the earnings tables on American’s devoted associate webpage. When you’ve recognized your fare class and flight distance, you may compute what number of redeemable miles you’ll earn from a given flight.
All of the redeemable miles you earn will contribute to your Loyalty Factors stability at a 1:1 ratio.
For instance, when you splurged for a reduced British Airways enterprise class fare from New York to London, you’d earn 5,177 redeemable miles (3,451 base miles for the flight distance with a 50% cabin bonus), which interprets to five,177 Loyalty Factors.
Suppose you’re a top-tier Govt Platinum member. In that case, you’d additionally obtain a 120% elite bonus on the miles earned, bringing your whole redeemable miles to eight,455 (3,451 base miles multiplied by the 1.20 elite bonus + 4,314) — and your Loyalty Factors to eight,455.
American’s distinctive partnership with JetBlue awards miles (and due to this fact Loyalty Factors) based mostly on the ticket fare utilizing the identical framework as when you flew American.
Bank card spending
This one is fairly easy: For each greenback you spend on a cobranded American Airways bank card, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Level. Eligible playing cards embody all Citi AAdvantage, Barclays AAdvantage Aviator bank cards (aside from the no-annual-fee AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard, which earns 0.5 Loyalty Factors per greenback on purchases) and AAdvantage playing cards issued exterior the U.S. (although you may need to contact your issuer for his or her actual phrases).
Some standard cobranded American playing cards embody:
The knowledge for the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Choose and AAdvantage Aviator Purple playing cards has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
With this modification, American made it extra easy to earn elite standing by means of spending alone. Word that you simply nonetheless must fly 30 segments per yr to have the ability to choose elite alternative rewards on the Platinum Professional and Govt Platinum ranges.
Sadly, sign-up bonuses, limited-time spending affords and bonus class multipliers (groceries, fuel, eating, and so on.) are excluded from incomes Loyalty Factors, so you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Level per greenback you spend.
Loyalty Factors increase on choose playing cards
These playing cards will earn bonus Loyalty Factors after hitting sure spending thresholds:
- AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard cardmembers: Between Jan. 1, 2022, and Feb. 28, 2023, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases and earn 5,000 further Loyalty Factors. Then, earn one other 5,000 Loyalty Factors when you spend $40,000 on purchases and one other 5,000 Loyalty Factors when you spend $50,000 or extra on purchases on this timeframe. So when you spend $50,000 in your card throughout the qualification interval, you’ll earn 15,000 Loyalty Factors.
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Govt World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 10,000 further Loyalty Factors after you spend $40,000 in purchases throughout the qualifying standing yr.
The knowledge for the AAdvantage Aviator Silver card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Associated: The very best bank cards for American Airways flyers
Eating out (or ordering in)
Relying on how a lot you dine out, you would possibly even be capable of eat your approach towards elite standing. The miles you earn by means of the AAdvantage Eating program rely as Loyalty Factors.
Taking part within the eating rewards program is easy. Simply join an account and hyperlink your favourite bank cards. Then, you’ll earn miles whenever you dine at a taking part restaurant or order takeout immediately. You possibly can earn 5 AAdvantage miles per greenback spent when you’re a VIP member (earned whenever you make 11 transactions in a calendar yr and you have chose to obtain electronic mail communication from AAdvantage Eating), 3 AAdvantage miles per greenback spent as a web based member (when you elect to obtain electronic mail communication from AAdvantage Eating) and 1 AAdvantage mile per greenback spent as a daily member.
AAdvantage Eating usually affords a welcome bonus for brand new members, although these miles should not eligible for Loyalty Factors accrual.
Associated: Full information to airline and resort eating rewards applications
Procuring
Likewise, you may earn Loyalty Factors by means of the AAdvantage eShopping on-line buying portal or the SimplyMiles program.
Miles earned by means of these buying applications rely towards incomes Loyalty Factors at a 1:1 fee. And in reality, you may doubtlessly stack the earnings within the applications to make elite progress rapidly with the fitting affords.
The AAdvantage eShopping on-line buying portal is only one of many on-line buying portals you may click on by means of earlier than making on-line purchases with choose retailers resembling Residence Depot, Apple, Walmart, Finest Purchase and tons of extra. Whenever you accomplish that, you’ll earn American Airways miles on the acquisition — usually as a multiplier of the price of your buy.
Nevertheless, use a buying portal aggregator to make sure one other buying portal isn’t providing a considerably higher payout.
The SimplyMiles program is just like Amex Affords in that it helps you to add merchant-specific affords to a credit score or debit card and earn AAdvantage miles whenever you use that card to make a web based or in-store buy with the service provider. For the SimplyMiles program, you’ll must reside within the U.S., maintain a legitimate Mastercard, and enroll. As soon as enrolled, you may browse affords and activate those that you simply wish to use. Miles are credited to your account whenever you make a purchase order with the taking part service provider.
Additional, American has confirmed that you simply’ll earn factors when buying immediately by means of retailers like Vinesse, FTD and Vivid Seats.
Associated: The way to earn frequent flyer miles buying in shops — and why these applications matter
Resort stays
It’s typically simple to overlook, however American Airways AAdvantage members can earn miles when staying at resorts. We don’t usually advise doing that because you usually miss out on incomes resort factors, however it will possibly make sense when you’d get extra use out of American miles than resort factors.
Any “base miles” earned from spending with resort companions will rely towards Loyalty Factors.
Select to earn miles as a substitute of factors
As a fast recap, you earn the next variety of factors with the next chains:
- Bookaahotels.com: This portal is powered by Reserving.com, and by making reservations immediately by means of it, you may earn as much as 10,000 miles per night time (although, in actuality, most bookings earn far much less).
- Hyatt: Earn 500 miles every keep, with the chance to earn extra with elite standing (extra on American’s partnership with Hyatt later).
- Marriott: Earn 1-2 AAdvantage miles per greenback spent on qualifying costs. Upscale manufacturers like Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott earn 2 miles per greenback, whereas finances manufacturers like Aloft and Moxy earn simply 1 mile per greenback.
- IHG: Earn 1-2 miles per greenback on qualifying room costs. Stays at Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites earn 1 mile per greenback, whereas different manufacturers earn 2 miles per greenback.
- Rocketmiles: Earn as much as 10,000 miles per night time reserving by means of this on-line journey company.
When reserving with Hyatt, Marriott and IHG, you will need to log in to your resort loyalty program account and choose to earn miles with AAdvantage as a substitute of resort factors. Ensure you take that step earlier than reserving if Loyalty Factors are your incomes precedence.
Associated: Don’t e-book resort stays immediately if you wish to earn most American Loyalty Factors
American Airways-Hyatt partnership
American Airways AAdvantage and World of Hyatt launched a partnership in 2019 to permit elite members from each loyalty applications to earn bonus factors and miles on stays and flights. American elite members earn 1 AAdvantage mile per greenback spent on Hyatt stays and Hyatt elite members earn bonus factors on American flights.
So when you’re already an American Airways elite and also you have a tendency to remain at Hyatt properties (or can change your journey plans to take action), you possibly can rack up plenty of additional AAdvantage miles, thus Loyalty Factors, in your resort bookings. Nevertheless, whilst you can switch numerous resort factors to AAdvantage miles, these transfers is not going to rely towards incomes Loyalty Factors per this system guidelines.
Whenever you register by Dec. 28, there is a standing problem for Explorist and Globalist members, however extra on that later.
Associated: We examined incomes American Airways miles for 3 totally different resort stays — right here’s what we discovered
Trip packages
American Airways has lengthy supplied a trip package deal service that permits you to bundle flights, resorts, rental automobiles, or any mixture. These packages typically supply barely higher offers than when you have been to e-book your flight, resort and automobile individually.
Plus, you’ll earn 1,000 AAdvantage for each trip package deal you e-book and might earn as much as 25,000 miles whenever you e-book featured resorts.
As all the time, run the numbers earlier than you e-book a trip package deal over reserving immediately. Additionally, be aware that you almost certainly gained’t earn resort factors and elite standing on resorts booked as part of a package deal.
Associated: The entire information to reserving all-inclusive resorts with American Airways Holidays
Cruises
American affords the power to e-book cruises immediately by means of its web site; any miles you earn will rely towards Loyalty Factors. You possibly can earn 1 AAdvantage mile per greenback spent on cruise sailings by means of Dec. 31, 2024, as much as 10,000 AAdvantage miles. As well as, these with an AAdvantage cobranded bank card earn a further mile per greenback spent.
For those who’re a cruiser trying to accumulate AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Factors, it might pay to make a reservation by means of American’s cruise portal.
Renting automobiles
AAdvantage miles earned with rental automobiles will rely as Loyalty Factors. The variety of Loyalty Factors and redeemable AAdvantage miles you’ll earn relies on the rental automobile associate you e-book with.
For instance, with Avis and Price range members can earn at the very least 2 base miles for each greenback spent on all qualifying leases at taking part airport rental areas within the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Center East, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Plus, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Level for each AAdvantage base mile earned.
Relying on how usually you lease automobiles, this could possibly be a great way to pad your Loyalty Factors stability.
Do not forget that you gained’t often earn rental automobile factors whenever you credit score leases to American, so contemplate whether or not that’s value it. It’s possible you’ll come out forward with American miles on shorter leases however earn extra rental automobile factors on longer and costlier leases.
Filling up your automobile
American participates within the Gas Rewards program by Shell. When filling up at a Shell location, you’ll obtain 2 miles per gallon of gasoline, which counts as Loyalty Factors. New members earn 100 miles only for becoming a member of and finishing their first fill-up at Shell, however these 100 miles will not earn Loyalty Factors.
Associated: Earn airline miles for fuel purchases
Paying utility payments
American at the moment companions with three utility firms: NRG Vitality, Reliant Vitality and Xoom.
American has confirmed that exercise by means of these companions will rely towards Loyalty Factors, making this a straightforward strategy to earn standing with out a lot legwork. Simply remember that a number of of those firms supply electrical energy at variable charges, so there may be some volatility in your month-to-month payments. Additionally, be aware that these providers are solely accessible in choose states.
Word that these providers supply welcome bonuses, however you could not earn Loyalty Factors from stated bonuses.
Taking surveys
Miles for Opinions permits you to earn American Airways miles for finishing surveys on numerous subjects. American has confirmed that miles earned by means of this associate will rely towards Loyalty Factors.
There’s no financial value to take part, so that you’ll earn Loyalty Factors for “free.” Nevertheless, remember that it takes plenty of answering inquiries to earn a small variety of miles this fashion, so contemplate the worth of your time.
Associated: The best strategy to high up your factors and miles with out spending a dime
Standing match and problem
American has relationships with many firms, so you could be eligible for a standing match or problem by means of your employer’s company journey company. Ask your journey division to see when you’re eligible.
Moreover, there’s at the moment an American Airline standing choice for World of Hyatt Explorist and Globalist members. Whenever you register by Dec. 28, Hyatt Explorist and Globalist members who’ve linked (or will hyperlink their accounts by Dec. 12) are eligible for American Airways standing from American’s Prompt Standing Go. Explorist and Globalist members obtain instantaneous Platinum and Platinum Professional standing, respectively. Standing is legitimate for 4 months after registering, and you will have to earn a sure variety of Loyalty Factors to increase or improve your standing for one more 4 months.
Associated: Present airline elite standing match and problem choices it is best to learn about
What exercise doesn’t rely
Sadly, not all mileage incomes counts as Loyalty Factors.
As talked about, you gained’t earn Loyalty Factors for cobranded bank card sign-up bonuses, limited-time spending affords or multipliers on sure classes, like grocery shops and eating. As mentioned, most AAdvantage cardholders will earn 1 mile per greenback spent, no matter the kind of buy.
Additional, you gained’t earn Loyalty Factors for miles earned from particular promotions or these accrued by means of purchase, present or switch transactions. This restriction contains miles transferred between particular person accounts and people transformed from one other loyalty program forex, resembling Marriott Bonvoy.
Sadly, American confirmed that you simply wouldn’t earn Loyalty Factors by means of Bask Financial institution curiosity. A Bask Financial institution mileage financial savings account permits you to rack up American Airways miles as a substitute of money in your financial savings. That stated, by means of Dec. 15, whenever you deposit $25,000, you will earn 5,000 AAdvantage Loyalty Factors after sustaining the stability for 105 consecutive days.
Lastly, American’s periodic donation campaigns don’t rely towards incomes Loyalty Factors. For example, if you wish to earn American AAdvantage miles whereas donating to charity, you may earn 10 miles for each greenback you give to Stand Up To Most cancers whenever you donate $25 or extra right here. The donation touchdown web page particularly states, “Bonus miles don’t rely towards elite-status qualification.”
Associated: Watch out: 9 occasions you will not earn American Airways Loyalty Factors, even when you earn miles
Backside line
There are a number of methods to earn American elite standing with out stepping on a aircraft. Though you finally could spend extra time and/or cash crediting American Airways associate transactions to this system than you beforehand would have, there at the moment are many extra choices than there have been within the earlier program.
Moreover, having a cobranded AAdvantage bank card will likely be extraordinarily helpful with the brand new qualification scheme. That stated, non-cardholders will nonetheless be capable of progress towards standing by participating with American’s different companions, together with the eating reward program and on-line buying portal.
You’ll have to have a look at your elite standing objectives and deliberate journey for the remainder of the standing yr and resolve whether or not the chance value of committing to American’s non-travel companions is value it to qualify for AAdvantage elite standing.
Extra reporting by Ehsan Haque, Andrew Kunesh, Chris Dong, Eric Rosen, Katie Genter, Zach Griff and Kyle Olsen.