American Airlines’ AAdvantage frequent flyer program offers unique ways to earn miles and Loyalty Points. Apart from flying with the airline, AAdvantage members have numerous opportunities to earn miles. This article explores our top five ways to earn (and redeem) miles. American Airlines states,
“With miles and Loyalty Points, it’s easier than ever to elevate your travel experience. Earn miles to use on travel while earning Loyalty Points toward rewards and status. You’ll earn when you fly, use an American Airlines AAdvantage® credit card for purchases or engage with AAdvantage® partners.”
1
Concerts and events
Earn and redeem AAdvantage miles
- Concert tickets
- Theater plays
- Sporting events
The American Airlines AAdvantage members can earn and redeem miles when purchasing theater, concert, and event tickets. While members could previously earn miles through the airline’s partnership with Ticketmaster, they can now purchase directly from the AAdvantage Events platform.
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According to American Airlines,
“You can now buy tickets directly from Ticketmaster on the AAdvantage Events™ platform and earn American Airlines AAdvantage® miles and Loyalty Points. Plus, now you can use miles to either pay the entirety – or a portion – of your ticket price.”
- Step 1: Find an event or browse for events
- Step 2: Select your seats
- Step 3: Proceed with checkout and payment
- Step 4: You’re going! Access your tickets and receive your miles
2
Flights with partner airlines
The number of miles earned is based on the class of travel
- Economy class travel: 25% to 50% of flown miles
- Premium Economy: 75% to 100%base miles plus a cabin bonus between 10% and 50%
- Business and First Class: 100% base miles plus a cabin bonus between 10% and 50%
American Airlines AAdvantage members can earn reward miles when traveling with partner airlines in the oneworld alliance. The miles are generally awarded based on the class of travel flown with partner airlines. Depending on the cabin, members can earn anywhere between 25% and 100% base miles and may also qualify for an additional bonus.
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Notably, not all flights or routes may qualify for an earning opportunity when flying with partner airlines. Members must always check with the airline ahead of time to ensure their intended flight(s) with partner airlines qualify for AAdvantage miles.
The eShopping portal includes a range of retailers
- Explore: Explore over 1200 stores, exclusive offers, and bonus promotions, all in one place.
- Click: Click on any store or offer, and you’ll be taken to the store’s website.
- Shop: Shop like you normally do and pay with any credit card — no special card needed.
- Earn: After making a purchase, miles earned will be added to your AAdvantage® account.
AAdvantage members can earn miles when shopping at over 1,200 stores on the AAdvantage eShopping portal. Stores like Apple, Nike, and Home Depot are part of the online portal. Apart from the regular earnings, individual stores also offer specials and miles bonuses on cumulative purchases.
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American Airlines states,
“Join members earning 3,238 miles on average annually.”
The online shopping experience has become easier with the dedicated platform, enabling AAdvantage members to earn over 3,000 miles on average each year.
4
Co-branded credit cards
The number of miles earned is based on the type of credit card
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
- American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
One of the easiest ways to earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles is by using select co-branded credit cards. The number of miles earned per purchase depends on the type of card. New card members earn anywhere between 15,000 and 75,000 bonus miles after spending up to $3,500 within the first four months of account opening.
Photo: American Airlines
Base miles are earned on all purchases. For example, two AAdvantage miles are earned for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. While this card has a $99 annual fee, the benefits, such as free checked bags, can quickly make up for it.
5
Car rentals
The number of miles earned depends on the rental vendor
- Avis rental: earn a fixed amount per rental
- Budget rental: earn a fixed amount per rental
- Hertz rental: earn a fixed amount per rental day or dollar spent
The AAdvantage program has partnered with several major car rental brands, offering its members flexibility. Avis and Budget rentals can receive up to 35% savings, plus earn base miles and Loyalty Points. The actual miles earned depend on the AAdvantage status (up to 1,250 miles for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members).
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American Airlines states about earning miles with Hertz rental,
“Rent any car for any length of time and earn 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent. Plus, enjoy special savings on your base rental rate.”