The American Airlines Program That Lets You Earn AAdvantage Miles and Loyalty Points Without A Credit Card

Earning points in frequent flier programs is not limited to credit card holders or only flying with the airline. Airlines worldwide have options for earning through several partnerships in dining, travel, and other categories. For

American Airlines

, that comes through its SimplyMiles program. SimplyMiles gives

AAdvantage

members the chance to earn additional miles by making purchases with participating retailers.

The program is designed to enhance the value of the airline’s frequent flier program, AAdvantage by partnering with companies nationwide to offer exclusive deals. Members can use any credit or debit card to make these purchases and earn more miles.

Using the program is simple. AAdvantage members need to sign up for the program via the American Airlines website, link their cards, and activate the offers they would like to take advantage of. Through Simply Miles, members can access several categories like dining, shopping, travel, and more.

Austin Texas- FEB 12, 2023 Austin-Bergstrom International Airport American Airlines "Stand Up To Cancer Livery" Taxing to Runway 18L

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SimplyMiles is perfect for those who have established spending and shopping habits and want to make their purchases go even further. As offers constantly change, by checking what is available, members can increase their earnings even more, bringing the next vacation or trip within reach. The program is one of American Airlines’ best-kept “secrets” and something that every frequent flier program member should take advantage of.

How to sign up

It’s never been easier for American Airlines AAdvantage members to earn miles and Loyalty Points:

  • It’s free! Register ANY Mastercard to get started.
  • Earn miles faster with personalized offers.
  • Plus, earn Loyalty Points toward status.

*It is important to note that only Mastercards are eligible for the SimplyMiles program.

Bonuses will post automatically within 30 days of the purchase but typically post within 5 to 15 business days. To verify that miles have been posted, one can simply log in to their AAdvantage account or Simply Miles. The AAdvantage program has a dashboard that shows all activity and all points earned, whether through flying, credit card spend, or SimplyMiles.

Related

How Does American Airlines’ AAdvantage Business Loyalty Program Work?

This program allows companies and employees to earn miles and loyalty points for booking business trips directly through American Airlines.

According to the website, miles can be redeemed in the following categories:

  • Flights
  • Upgrades
  • Cars, hotels, vacations
  • Admirals Club
  • Main cabin seats
  • Luxury experiences

Logging in

Since I am already an AAdvantage member, signing up for the SimplyMiles program took a matter of seconds. Once registered, I was surprised to see that a credit card of mine had already been added to my profile. I have the AAdvantage Platinum Select credit card, and as a result, it is already connected to the SimplyMiles program. I tried adding another Mastercard I have, the Apple Card, but received an error message saying Sorry! It appears the card you entered is not eligible for this program. Please try again with a different Mastercard.

For the sake of trying to add a card, I tried adding a Mastercard I have from Brazil but also received the same error message.

Current offers

Upon logging in, I found that the SimplyMiles program currently has 73 offers. When compared to United Airlines’ MileagePlus X app, SimplyMiles is very limited. MileagePlus X is broken down into four main categories and has hundreds of partners and offers. SimplyMiles has partnerships with some major companies and stores, but most are not places one would be doing their “everyday” spending at.

One of the first names on the list is Men’s Warehouse, a national store for men’s dress clothes. Men’s Warehouse is famous for not only selling dress clothes, but also renting for special occasions, as well as making alterations. From today until November 1, SimplyMiles members who shop at Men’s Warehouse and use their linked credit card will earn 1.5 miles and 1.5 Loyalty Points per $1 spent. Urban Outfitters is another popular store and Simply Miles currently has an offer for 1 mile and 1 Loyalty Point per $1 spent, which runs until January 1, 2025.

For those looking to take advantage of a “bigger” purchase to earn more miles, Mattress Warehouse is currently offering a deal that runs until December 6. Any purchases from now until then are eligible for 2 miles and 2 Loyalty Points per $1 spent.

In dining, Flame Broiler is one of the more well-known options. The current offer is available until August 1, 2025, and earns 3.5 miles and 3.5 Loyalty Points per dollar spent. Subway is another one of the dining options and has the same earning rate as Flame Broiler and the offer is available until October 1. None of the other current offers earn more than Flame Broiler and Subway.

Offers range from one mile and loyalty point per dollar up to 3.5 miles and loyalty points. Other stores include Reebok, MAC Cosmetics, Vans, Asics, Pandora Jewelry, Carhartt, Ashley HomeStore, Forever21, and more.

Additional dining

Dining locations are not limited to the current offers, but have a separate tab within the program. With these restaurants, no activation is required, one must simply go to the restaurant and use the linked card to earn points. To see eligible locations, one must enter their ZIP code, which will yield the results. For example, in Encino, California (where I currently am), there are 51 locations nearby. Participating restaurants range from big chains to local businesses. Bucca di Beppo is on the list, and locally, there are several different types of cuisines, like Italian, Mexican, and Chinese.

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