American aadvantage program

Generally speaking, the best redemptions are in business and first class cabins. Why is this? Because the cash cost increase from an economy ticket to a business or first class ticket is less than the cost increase in miles from an economy ticket to a business or first class ticket. For example, a round-trip award from the continental U. Economy award.

After deducting the cost of taxes, you arrive at a 0. Business class. In business class, the redemption looks very different given the high cost of the flight. This redemption results in a value of 2. This disproportionate miles to money increase explains why a premium cabin award often provides a much higher redemption value. Everyone has different travel preferences and destination goals, and some people may not care at all about a premium cabin experience. Remember that miles should be used for travel rather than hoarded for the best imaginable redemption.

Using your AAdvantage miles to book a hotel with points yields a low value. In one search for a hotel in Miami, the value of using the miles for a hotel room was around 0. A better bet would be to use hotel points or rewards earned from a cash-back credit card for hotel bookings. As seen below, this redemption would result in a valuation of only 0. In general, you can earn AAdvantage miles on flights with Oneworld partners and redeem your miles for flights on Oneworld airlines.

On airlines outside the Oneworld alliance, your ability to earn or redeem miles is more limited. You may be able to earn miles but not redeem them, for example, or you may be able to redeem only for certain flights. Other partner airlines include:. Although you can redeem miles for most of these partners on AA. Awards not bookable online include:. The flight award chart for partner airlines tells you how you can earn flights on carriers other than American for no cost.

Anyone can sign up for the AAdvantage program , but basic membership only comes with a frequent flyer number and an account where your points accumulate. The real goodies come when you earn elite status. No upgrades are available on Basic Economy fares. Main Cabin Extra seats have up to 6 inches more legroom and are at the front of the main cabin. Preferred seats have standard legroom but are at the front of the main cabin. What's more, as of Oct.

You can also now book JetBlue awards flights via American's website, a small but meaningful development in the partnership. Elite qualifying dollars , or EQDs for short, are earned based on how much you spend on tickets with American and its Oneworld partners excluding government taxes and fees. Your earnings will change based on which class of service you book, and partner restrictions. Elite qualifying miles , or EQMs, are the actual miles you fly every year aboard American and its Oneworld partners.

Your earnings may vary on other partner airlines, based on what class of service you book. Visit the American website to learn more about what qualifies for elite status and how it may affect your plans. Elite qualifying segments , or EQSs, are earned based on how many takeoff-to-landing flight segments you take. A nonstop flight from L. To earn this status, you must have EQDs of at least:.

American Airlines is unusual among U. Cards that earn AAdvantage miles include:. American Airlines flies to 50 countries through its Oneworld partners , providing ample opportunity for passengers to use its service. To contact American Airlines by phone in the U. You can also reach American Airlines on Twitter at americanair.

Award flights with American Airlines start at 7, AAdvantage miles for a one-way economy flight under miles long in the contiguous U. Longer distance flights in the contiguous U. Yes, it is free to join the American Airlines AAdvantage program. Head over to aa.

Doing so will allow you to earn AAdvantage miles when you fly on American Airlines and its Oneworld partners. We've covered all the basic details of the American Airlines AAdvantage program.

But if you still aren't sure whether a frequent flyer program is worth the effort, see our absolute beginner's guide to frequent flyer programs. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of , including those best for:.

How to earn AAdvantage miles. How to redeem AAdvantage miles. American Airlines partners. AAdvantage program status levels. Credit cards that earn AAdvantage miles. Show More. How much American Airlines miles are worth.

The best travel rewards in ' Earning AAdvantage miles when you fly. Status level. Miles earned. Status bonus. AAdvantage basic.

Platinum Pro. Executive Platinum. Back to top. Earning AAdvantage miles with a credit card. Earning AAdvantage miles through partners. Buying additional AAdvantage miles.

Three types of award redemptions. Good redemption options. Bad redemption options. Oneworld alliance members. Oneworld partner airlines are:. Alaska Airlines. British Airways.

Cathay Pacific. Japan Airlines. Malaysia Airlines. Qatar Airways. Airmiles are earned by flying and through partners. Partners, such as online portals, car rentals, hotel stays, and credit cards all reward customers with American Airlines miles.

Now, for each time you choose to earn American Airline miles, you are working your way towards AA status. Elite status and awards are no longer focused solely on flying. Differently, your total engagement with American Airlines Advantage will determine Elite status. American Airlines Loyalty points are easy to earn.

The most basic ways to earn miles is still through flying. Flying earns fewer miles than other sources, but more of this later.

Base members will earn at least 5 points for every dollar spent on airfare. Taxes and fees do not earn loyalty points. Elite members will also earn a bonus on base miles. The higher your status, the more points per dollar. Do note, that cars and hotels have their own loyalty programs. Cars and hotels usually let you choose if you want to earn points in their program towards free stays and rentals, or credit the points to a partner program.

In this case, to earn loyalty points you will have to credit the miles to American Airlines instead of the hotel or car rental program. I personally thing this is a bad choice, as I value free car rentals and hotel stays.

Yet, this is up to you. The easiest way to earn American Airlines loyalty points will be through credit card spending and their online portals. AAdvantage Eshopping awards miles for shopping online. Earn miles at over online stores from Walmart, to Bestbuy, to Home depot and beyond. Usually, online shopping earns between points per dollar spent. Similarly, Simplymiles award bonus points for shopping in locations where you already shop.

Link offers to your cobranded American Airline cards to earn miles. American Airlines still has four elite status level. To earn status, you must earn enough loyalty points through engagement of American Airlines and their loyalty partners.

Elite status still comes with select benefits such as upgrades, free luggage, priority boarding, and other benefits. Yet, for those people who want the best benefits that American Airlines offers, such as system wide upgrades American Airlines will require passengers to fly at least 30 segments on American Airlines. American Airlines is granting choice rewards to passengers who actually fly American Airlines.

As an incentive to earn Loyalty Points by flying, AAdvantage Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum members who fly 30 or more segments will have choice rewards. Starting in March , Loyalty Point award levels start at ,00 points.

For each award level, a choice award will be granted. American airlines claim other awards will be available later in American Airlines elite status no longer requires flying American Airlines to earn status.