The Best Ways To Advance American Airlines AAdvantage Status Levels Without Flying

Flying is perhaps the most lucrative method of collecting miles in American Airlines’ Aadvantage program. That hasn’t changed with American’s sweeping changes to its loyalty program, and there are still great benefits for those who reach Platinum or Gold status. But can you get to these tiers without even flying?

6

Earn loyalty points on utilities

Select energy partners offer lucrative bonuses and loyalty points.

It might surprise you to learn that paying the utility costs can help you advance American Airlines’ AAdvantage status. You can earn redeemable miles as well as loyalty points with select energy partners, depending on where you live. The current partners for this offer include:

NRG Energy

• Up to 15,000 bonus loyalty points and miles.
• 2,500 points for switching gas and 12,500 for switching electricity to NRG.
• 2 miles per $1 spent on monthly service.

Xoom Energy

• 5,000 miles for switching natural gas to Xoom Energy or 10,000 bonus miles for switching electric to Xoom Energy.
• 2 loyalty points and miles per $1 spent on monthly service.

Reliant Secure 24 plans

• 500 bonus miles for signing up.
• 15,000 AAdvantage miles and loyalty points for signing up.
• Loyalty points each month for the next 24 months.

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Travelers can redeem miles for luxury business class products on partner airlines.

Get an equal number of redeemable AA miles and loyalty points for purchases.

Shopping through the AAdvantage eShopping Portal will also earn American Airlines loyalty points and redeemable miles. To do this, you must first create an account at aadvantageshopping.com.

From here, you can shop with 1,200+ online retailers to earn miles. American Airlines says its members earn an average of 3,200 AAdvantage miles annually through its shopping portal. All the loyalty points and miles will be automatically added to your American Airlines account. You can also track how many miles per dollar you have earned.

Photo: astudio | Shutterstock

Some of the excellent offers on the AAdvantage shopping portal include:

• Meal delivery programs like Blue Apron or HelloFresh offer a good proportion of Loyalty Points for the first month for less than $20.
• You can get 500 AA Loyalty Points by subscribing to The Wall Street Journal for just $4 per month.
• If you shop at a store that offers 10 miles per dollar spent, you will pocket 10 redeemable AA miles and 10 AA Loyalty Points.

4

Earn while you eat with American Airlines dining

Earn up to 5 loyalty points and redeemable miles per dollar spent while dining at select restaurants.

You can also earn loyalty points and miles through American Airlines’ card-linked program, American Airlines Dining. For this, you need to add one more credit card to your account, dine at a participating restaurant, and then pay the bill using the card.

Photo: American Airlines

As the participating restaurants might not be located in the area where you live, this method of advancing your airline status without flying might not be suited to everyone. The participating restaurants can be found at the AAdvantage Dining website.

You can earn from 1 to 5 loyalty points and redeemable miles per dollar spent. Basic members who have opted out of the email communications from AAdvantage can earn a mile per dollar spent. If you have opted into the email communication from AAdvantage:

• Select members earn 3 miles/ dollar spent
• To qualify as a VIP member, you must have already completed 11 transactions. After such a qualification, you can earn 5 miles per dollar spent.

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3

Sleep and earn at AAdvantage Hotels

Earn up to 15,000 base miles per stay at an AAdvanatge Hotel.

Much like AAdvantage Dining, using AAdvantage Hotels is a great way to earn loyalty points faster. This program, which started in 2023, helps you earn around 15,000 base miles per stay. AAdvantage Hotels is an online travel agency that was previously known as bookahotels.com and powered by booking.com.

Image: American Airlines

The rates of the hotels on offer at AAdvantage Hotels might not be the same for everyone in this program. Aadvantagehotels.com cautions:

“Rates and miles per night will vary based on the AAdvantage® program and credit cardmember status as well as dates searched and length of stay. American Airlines AAdvantage® terms and conditions will apply to the AAdvantage® program and to any AAdvantage® miles used with or earned by your purchases on the site. “

Some of the things to watch out for while using AAdvantage Hotels include:

• No elite night credits or hotel points through third-party booking sites.
• The hotel you have booked through AAdvantage won’t recognize any elite status you may have.

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Earning status is an important part of the AAdvantage program for those that fly frequently.

2

Earn loyalty points through SimplyMiles

Register for free with a Mastercard to start earning rewards.

AAdvantage Mastercard credit card holders can earn extra miles and Loyalty Points through the SimplyMiles program as well. This exclusive program allows members to earn anywhere between 1 and 2.5 extra miles and Loyalty Points per dollar spent, though you need to shop at select retailers such as Levi’s, The Body Shop, J. Crew, among others.

 Photo: American Airlines

You can register any Mastercard for free to get started with the SimplyMiles program. To start earning rewards, you will have to register with your AAdvantage username and qualifying credit card number.

You can also combine the AAdvantage shopping portal bonuses with SimplyMiles. Extra redeemable miles and Loyalty Points are at offer if you shop with a retailer which is participating in both SimplyMiles and AAdvantage shopping portal.

A few points to remember if you are looking to earn Loyalty Points through SimplyMiles

• Some purchases through SimplyMiles are valid for the ones made online, while others are valid only for in-store purchases.
• You might be subject to a maximum number of miles you can earn or have a minimum spend criteria.

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1

Drive away with loyalty points for rental car bookings

Different numbers of base miles will be earned depending on the credit cards you use for car rentals.

You can also earn loyalty points if you book through American Airlines’ dedicated car rental programs. To take advantage of the program, you need to include your AAdvantage number when you book. The airline’s preferred partners are listed on its website.

According to American Airlines:

“ AAdvantage® members earn a minimum of 2 base miles and Loyalty Points per $1 spent on qualifying rentals with our preferred partners, Avis and Budget. Plus, AAdvantage® status members and cardholders earn even more.”

The airline further posits:

“ Any rental that encompasses the use of either a single car for more than one day, or different cars on the same or consecutive days in the same location counts as a single rental, even if you check the car in and back out during the same period. The car must be rented in member’s name to earn mileage. Only one AAdvantage® member per car rental will be credited with AAdvantage® miles.”

For more advice on maximizing your membership of American Airlines’ Aadvantage program, see our complete guide below.

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