Editor’s notice: We’ve up to date this information with present data.

American Airways is without doubt one of the largest airways on the earth, and its AAdvantage loyalty program is standard with many vacationers. Whereas American miles have seen some modifications over the previous few years — together with a latest elimination of printed award charts — you possibly can nonetheless get a ton of worth from this system, particularly should you can make the most of its candy spots.

And final yr, American utterly overhauled how flyers qualify for AAdvantage elite standing. Somewhat than being based mostly solely on flying, you now earn Loyalty Factors throughout all kinds of actions within the AAdvantage program — together with through bank cards, on-line purchasing, eating and extra.

This is all the pieces it’s worthwhile to know concerning the American AAdvantage loyalty program.

American Airways companions

American Airways is a part of the Oneworld alliance, so you possibly can earn and redeem miles with a handful of worldwide companions. American elite members usually get advantages when flying with associate airways, akin to lounge entry, an additional baggage allowance and extra on member airways:

• Alaska Airways.
• British Airways.
• Cathay Pacific.
• Fiji Airways (Oneworld Join member).
• Finnair.
• Iberia.
• Japan Airways.
• Malaysia Airways.
• Qantas.
• Qatar Airways.
• Royal Air Maroc.
• Royal Jordanian Airways.
• SriLankan Airways.

The airline additionally companions with a handful of airways outdoors of Oneworld, together with:

• Air Tahiti Nui.
• Cape Air.
• China Southern Airways.
• Etihad Airways.
• Gol Airways.
• Hawaiian Airways.
• IndiGo.
• JetBlue.
• Silver Airways.

Nevertheless, every associate has its personal standards for how one can earn or redeem miles with American, so you should definitely overview the particular associate web page for full particulars.

Elite standing

American AAdvantage has 4 public ranges of elite standing — Gold, Platinum, Platinum Professional and Government Platinum — plus an invite-only stage known as Concierge Key.

American Airways utterly modified the way you earn AAdvantage elite standing in 2022. Now, you care about only one metric: Loyalty Factors.

You earn Loyalty Factors if you fly on American, spend with a cobranded bank card or with choose AAdvantage companions. On the whole, one base mile earned is the same as one Loyalty Level. So should you earn 500 base miles on an American Airways flight, you earn 500 Loyalty Factors. Likewise, spending $1,000 on a cobranded bank card would earn 1,000 Loyalty Factors.

Right here’s the variety of Loyalty Factors you have to earn within the present qualification interval — March 1, 2023, by way of Feb. 29, 2024 — for every elite standing tier:

• Gold: 40,000 Loyalty Factors.
• Platinum: 75,000 Loyalty Factors.
• Platinum Professional: 125,000 Loyalty Factors.
• Government Platinum: 200,000 Loyalty Factors.

As an AAdvantage Gold member, you’ll get a 40% standing mileage bonus, complimentary Essential Cabin Additional seats at check-in when out there, complimentary Most popular seats at reserving when out there and one free checked bag on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airways.

In the meantime, Platinum members get a 60% mileage bonus, complimentary Essential Cabin Additional and Most popular seats at reserving and two free checked luggage on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airways.

Platinum Professional members get an 80% mileage bonus, complimentary Essential Cabin Additional and Most popular seats at reserving when out there and three free checked luggage on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airways.

Lastly, Government Platinum members get a 120% standing mileage bonus, complimentary Essential Cabin Additional and Most popular seats at reserving when out there and three free checked luggage on itineraries marketed and operated by American Airways.

All AAdvantage elites have entry to complimentary upgrades on American-marketed and -operated flights inside and between the U.S. (together with Hawaii), Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Central America for themselves and one companion. Nevertheless, solely Government Platinum members get complimentary upgrades on award flights.

AAdvantage Government Platinum and Platinum Professional members additionally get space-available complimentary upgrades on Alaska Airways flights, besides when flying on Alaska Airways Saver Fares.

AAdvantage elites get Oneworld standing, which supplies perks when flying on different Oneworld airways. Particularly, AAdvantage Gold members get Oneworld Ruby, Platinum members get Oneworld Sapphire and Platinum Professional and Government Platinum members get Oneworld Emerald standing.

Lastly, American awards a collection of Loyalty Level Rewards as vacationers hit sure thresholds of Loyalty Factors throughout the qualification yr — beginning at 15,000.

Associated: What’s American Airways elite standing price?

Easy methods to earn AAdvantage miles

There are various methods to earn AAdvantage miles. Beneath is a abstract of the highest methods.

Fly on American Airways

If you fly on an American-marketed flight, you’ll normally earn miles in response to the bottom value of your ticket — meaning with out taxes and charges. The miles you earn additionally differ based mostly in your AAdvantage elite standing. The upper your standing, the extra miles you’ll earn.

Right here’s what number of miles every standing tier earns per greenback spent:

• No standing: 5 miles.
• Gold: 7 miles.
• Platinum: 8 miles.
• Platinum Professional: 9 miles.
• Government Platinum: 11 miles.

Associated: Easy methods to earn miles within the American Airways AAdvantage program

Fly on associate airways

You may also earn AAdvantage miles on flights marketed by American’s companions. For many companions, you’ll earn miles and Loyalty Factors based mostly on flight distance. Nevertheless, the precise incomes price will depend on the fare class of your ticket. Right here’s an instance of the incomes chart for British Airways-operated flights:

Get and use American Airways bank cards

One of many best methods to earn American AAdvantage miles is thru American Airways bank cards. This is a listing of present provides:

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Government World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Earn 2 miles per greenback on eligible American Airways purchases. Earn 1 mile per greenback spent on different purchases.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Earn 2 AAdvantage miles per greenback on gasoline station, restaurant and eligible American Airways purchases and 1 mile per greenback on different purchases.
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® Mastercard®: Earn 65,000 American Airways AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first 4 months of account opening. Earn 2 AAdvantage miles per greenback on eligible American Airways purchases plus telecom retailers, cable and satellite tv for pc suppliers, automobile leases and gasoline stations. Earn 1 mile per greenback on different purchases.
• American Airways AAdvantage® MileUp®: Earn 10,000 bonus miles and a $50 assertion credit score after spending $500 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening. Earn 2 AAdvantage miles per greenback on grocery retailer and eligible American Airways purchases and 1 mile per greenback on different purchases.
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Crimson World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after making your first buy within the first 90 days and paying the annual charge. Earn 2 AAdvantage miles per greenback on American Airways purchases and 1 mile per greenback on different purchases.
• AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Enterprise Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 90 days. Plus one other 25,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 within the first 12 months. Earn 2 AAdvantage miles per greenback on workplace provide, telecom, automobile rental and eligible American Airways purchases, and 1 mile per greenback on different purchases.

The data for the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Choose, AAdvantage Aviator Crimson and AAdvantage Aviator Enterprise playing cards have been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuers.

Keep in mind that the sign-up bonuses and bonus class earnings gained’t get you Loyalty Factors towards AAdvantage elite standing. You’ll solely earn one Loyalty Level per greenback spent on American Airways playing cards.

Associated: Selecting one of the best bank card for American Airways flyers

Switch Bilt factors

American AAdvantage companions with only one transferable factors foreign money: Bilt Rewards. You possibly can switch your Bilt factors to your AAdvantage account at a 1:1 ratio, so should you’re at present incomes Bilt factors by paying lease, this generally is a nice possibility in your rewards.

Associated: How (and why) it’s best to earn transferable factors in 2023

Click on by way of the AAdvantage purchasing portal earlier than purchasing on-line

If you click on by way of the AAdvantage purchasing portal, you possibly can earn additional miles when making purchases with choose on-line retailers for purchasing on-line. Utilizing the portal is straightforward: Join an account after which click on by way of the portal to your service provider of selection earlier than purchasing on-line.

Associated: Maximizing purchasing portals in your on-line purchases

Use SimplyMiles

American provides a program known as SimplyMiles that means that you can earn miles when purchasing on-line or in particular person with choose retailers. You’ll first want to join SimplyMiles, hyperlink a number of Credit cards to your profile and enroll in provides.

Then, if you use a linked Mastercard to make an eligible buy at a service provider for which you’ve enrolled in a proposal, you’ll earn AAdvantage miles.

Dine at eating places that take part in AAdvantage Eating

AAdvantage Eating is just like the AAdvantage purchasing portal however for consuming out. Simply join an account and hyperlink your favourite playing cards for eating. When you achieve this, you’ll earn miles if you dine at taking part eating places.

You possibly can earn 5 AAdvantage miles per greenback spent as a VIP member, 3 AAdvantage miles per greenback spent as a Choose member and 1 AAdvantage mile per greenback spent as a fundamental member.

E book by way of AAdvantage journey companions

American Airways companions with main automobile rental corporations so its members can earn miles on automobile leases. Try AAdvantage’s automobile rental associate web page for data on companions and incomes charges.

You may also earn AAdvantage miles on lodge stays as follows:

• American Airways Accommodations: Earn as much as 10,000 miles per evening.
• Hyatt: Earn 500 miles every keep.
• IHG: Earn as much as 2 miles per greenback spent at choose accommodations.
• Marriott: Earn as much as 2 miles per greenback spent at choose accommodations.
• Rocketmiles: Earn as much as 10,000 miles every evening.

Moreover, Hyatt and American loyalists can earn extra rewards by linking accounts. After linking accounts, AAdvantage elites can earn one AAdvantage mile for each eligible greenback spent on qualifying Hyatt stays and experiences.

Along with the lodge and rental automobile companions talked about above, you possibly can earn miles on trip packages booked at aavacations.com or cruises booked at bookaacruises.com.

Open a financial savings account

In case you open a financial savings account with Bask Financial institution, you possibly can elect to earn AAdvantage miles as an alternative of money because the curiosity in your account. You possibly can learn our evaluation right here: Introducing Bask Financial institution, a brand new solution to earn miles. Sadly, miles earned with Bask Financial institution don’t rely as Loyalty Factors.

Purchase AAdvantage miles

Lastly, you should buy American Airways miles. Maintain a watch out for promotions that will let you purchase American Airways miles with a bonus or a reduction.

Associated: You possibly can at present purchase factors and miles with as much as a 100% bonus — however must you?

Easy methods to redeem AAdvantage miles

You’ll normally get one of the best worth from if you redeem your American AAdvantage miles for flights. TPG’s most up-to-date valuations estimate American miles to be price 1.77 cents every, so attempt to get no less than this worth when redeeming miles.

Redeeming miles for American-operated flights

To learn how many miles an American-operated flight will price, head to the American Airways web site or cell app and do an award search.

AAdvantage redemptions for journey on American at the moment are solely priced dynamically, permitting the airline to regulate the award price for any flight. It is also price noting that you may’t change these “Flight Awards,” as American now calls them – all modifications should be made by canceling your ticket, redepositing your miles and rebooking a brand new flight.

Accomplice awards

American companions with over a dozen airways, a lot of that are world-renowned for his or her wonderful premium-cabin merchandise. You need to use your American miles to fly merchandise akin to Japan Airways’ top quality from New York to Tokyo (80,000 miles every approach) or Qatar Qsuite to the Maldives (70,000 miles every approach).

Nevertheless, these flights aren’t all the time out there to associate airways, because the working service should launch saver-level award stock.

American Airways Enterprise Additional

The American Airways Enterprise Additional program lets corporations with no less than three workers earn rewards for his or her workers’ journey.

This program is free, and when you enroll, your online business can “double dip” on American and choose Oneworld flights. Enterprise Additional members earn 1 level per 5 {dollars} spent on qualifying flights on American, British Airways, Iberia and Japan Airways, and Finnair and Qantas flights offered by American.

The redemption choices in this system differ in worth. The very best worth is utilizing your Enterprise Additional factors totally free flights and upgrades. Redeeming for award journey on American, British Airways, Iberia and Japan Airways can also be potential.

Associated: Information to incomes and burning with American Airways’ Enterprise Additional program

AAdvantage Candy spots

Whereas American makes it comparatively straightforward to redeem miles throughout its personal community, there are various awards that may provide spectacular worth. These “candy spots” sometimes get you nicely over TPG’s valuation of AAdvantage miles.

This is only a few of those terrific redemptions.

Premium cabin flights to Japan or South Korea

American Airways divides Asia into three award areas: Asia Area 1, Asia Area 2 and South Pacific. Asia 1 covers Japan and Korea, whereas Asia 2 contains Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The decrease costs on premium flights to Asia 1 apply to Oneworld companions akin to Japan Airways. So, you possibly can e book JAL top quality from San Francisco to Tokyo for under 80,000 miles.

Qatar Qsuite to the Center East

One other terrific redemption is Qatar’s implausible Qsuite product — arguably one of the best ways to succeed in the Center East on factors and miles.

Awards price 70,000 miles every approach between the U.S. and the Center East or the Indian subcontinent. 75,000 miles every approach from the U.S. will get you to locations in Africa like Seychelles, Mauritius or South Africa.

Off-peak awards

Although American has now eradicated saver and anytime awards, it is not eradicating award charts, a transfer that was popularized by Delta again in 2015 and adopted by United in 2019.

As a substitute, American’s refreshed award chart shows “beginning at” values for Flight Awards and these could be nice worth if yow will discover seats on the lowest ranges.

Backside line

The American Airways AAdvantage program is way from good. But when you understand how to make it work, there’s nonetheless loads of worth, specific for redemptions on associate airways, the place wise award charts nonetheless exist.

In case you’re pondering of incomes miles with the AAdvantage program, we suggest making use of for an American Airways bank card. Doing so can provide you an enormous stash of miles from the sign-up bonus and the power to proceed to earn miles along with your every day spending. It’s additionally price utilizing the AAdvantage purchasing portal and SimplyMiles, particularly if you wish to earn Loyalty Factors and qualify for American Airways elite standing.

Extra reporting by Ben Smithson, Ehsan Haque and Andrew Kunesh.