American Airlines, a titan in the global aviation industry, boasts a highly regarded loyalty program, AAdvantage. Despite recent program evolutions, including the shift to Loyalty Points for elite status, AAdvantage remains a valuable asset for frequent flyers. This value was recently underscored when AAdvantage was recognized as the Best U.S. Airline Loyalty Program at the 2024 TPG Awards.
Understanding the AAdvantage program extends beyond just flights. A key component is the network of American Airlines Credit Card Partners that significantly enhance mile accumulation and unlock a suite of benefits. This guide will delve into the world of American Airlines credit card partnerships, providing a comprehensive overview for maximizing your rewards and travel experience.
American Airlines Partner Ecosystem: Beyond Credit Cards
Before focusing on credit cards, it’s important to understand the broader partner network of American Airlines. As a member of the Oneworld alliance, AAdvantage members can earn and redeem miles with a wide range of partner airlines. These include:
- Alaska Airlines
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Fiji Airways
- Finnair
- Iberia
- Japan Airlines
- Malaysia Airlines
- Oman Air
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Jordanian Airlines
- SriLankan Airlines
- S7 Airlines (currently suspended)
Beyond Oneworld, American Airlines also has partnerships with other airlines such as Aer Lingus, Air Tahiti Nui, Etihad Airways and Hawaiian Airlines, further expanding your earning and redemption possibilities. However, it’s crucial to note that the integration levels vary, and not all flights with these partners are eligible for earning or redeeming AAdvantage miles. Always consult the specific partner airline page on the American Airlines website for detailed information.
Related: American’s AAdvantage is now JetSmart’s loyalty program; more flights qualify for AA for miles
Unlocking AAdvantage Benefits: Member and Elite Status
Even without elite status, simply being an AAdvantage member provides perks. All members benefit from priority boarding in Group 6 or earlier and standby options for earlier flights within the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
For those seeking enhanced benefits, American Airlines AAdvantage offers four published elite status tiers: AAdvantage Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Executive Platinum, along with the invitation-only Concierge Key status. Status is earned through Loyalty Points, accrued during a qualification year from March to February.
Loyalty Points: Your Path to Elite Status and Rewards
Loyalty Points are the key metric for AAdvantage elite status. Most base miles earned translate directly into Loyalty Points. Bonus miles, however, do not contribute to Loyalty Point accrual.
Here’s how you can earn Loyalty Point-eligible base miles:
- Flights marketed by American Airlines, Oneworld partners, and Gol Airlines.
- Spending with eligible partners like American Airlines Vacations, AAdvantage eShopping, Dining, SimplyMiles, and Hotels.
- Purchases made with eligible AAdvantage credit card partners (excluding accelerators).
Elite Status Tiers and Benefits
Each elite tier offers progressively richer benefits. For the current qualification period (March 1, 2024 – Feb. 28, 2025), the Loyalty Point requirements are:
- AAdvantage Gold: 40,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Platinum: 75,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 125,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 200,000 Loyalty Points
Benefits range from mileage bonuses and complimentary seat selection to priority boarding, baggage allowances, and more, increasing with each tier. For example, AAdvantage Gold members receive a 40% mileage bonus, while Executive Platinum members enjoy a 120% bonus.
AAdvantage elite status also translates to Oneworld status, granting reciprocal perks when flying with other Oneworld airlines. AAdvantage Gold equates to Oneworld Ruby, Platinum to Sapphire, and Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum to Emerald.
Loyalty Point Rewards: Milestones Beyond Status
Beyond elite status tiers, AAdvantage offers Loyalty Point Rewards as you reach specific milestones, starting at 15,000 Loyalty Points. These rewards are separate from status benefits and include options like bonus Loyalty Points, systemwide upgrades, Admirals Club passes, and even donations to charity. Higher milestones, reaching into the millions of Loyalty Points, unlock even more exclusive rewards.
Earning American Miles: Credit Cards and Beyond
There are numerous ways to accumulate American Airlines AAdvantage miles. While flying is a primary method, american airlines credit card partners provide a significant avenue for boosting your mile balance.
Flying with American and Partners
When flying on American Airlines, Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and JetSmart, you earn base miles based on ticket price (excluding taxes and fees). Basic economy fares earn at a reduced rate. Elite status members earn bonus miles on these flights, further accelerating accrual.
For flights marketed by other partner airlines, mile earning is typically based on flight distance and fare class. Earning charts are available on the American Airlines website to determine mileage accrual for specific partner flights and fare classes.
American Airlines Credit Cards: A Fast Track to Miles and Loyalty Points
American airlines credit card partners, primarily Citi and Barclays, offer a suite of credit cards designed to reward AAdvantage members. These cards provide welcome bonuses, bonus miles on spending categories, and often, pathways to earn Loyalty Points, making them a powerful tool for both mile accumulation and elite status qualification.
Here’s a summary of popular American Airlines credit cards:
| Card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | Earning rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | $595 | 70,000 bonus miles after spending $7,000 in 3 months | – 10x miles on hotels/car rentals via aadvantagehotels.com/aa.com/cars – 4x miles on AA purchases – 1x mile on everything else |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | $99 (waived first year) | 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 in 3 months | – 2x miles on AA purchases, restaurants, gas stations – 1x mile on everything else |
| AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Red Mastercard® | $99 | 60,000 bonus miles after first purchase & fee payment in 90 days | – 2x miles on AA purchases – 1x mile on everything else |
| AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Silver Mastercard® | $199 | None (product change only) | – 3x miles on AA purchases – 2x miles on hotels/car rentals – 1x mile on everything else |
| American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® | None | 15,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in 3 months | – 2x miles at grocery stores & AA purchases – 1x mile on everything else |
| Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® | $99 (waived first year) | 75,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in 5 months | – 2x miles on AA purchases, telecom, cable, car rentals, gas stations – 1x mile on everything else |
The information for the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select, Aviator Red Mastercard, Aviator Silver Mastercard and AAdvantage MileUp Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
While welcome bonuses and bonus category spending typically don’t earn Loyalty Points, every dollar spent on these cards earns 1 Loyalty Point. Furthermore, select cards offer bonus Loyalty Points upon reaching spending thresholds, like the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard and the AAdvantage Aviator World Elite Silver Mastercard.
Choosing the right american airlines credit card partner card depends on your spending habits and travel goals. Cards like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® offer premium benefits like Admirals Club access, while others like the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® card provide a no-annual-fee entry point into the AAdvantage ecosystem.
AAdvantage eShopping, SimplyMiles, and Dining Programs
Beyond flights and credit cards, American Airlines provides additional avenues for mile accumulation through online shopping, targeted spending offers, and dining programs.
The AAdvantage eShopping portal allows you to earn miles on online purchases at numerous retailers. Simply log in, find your desired merchant, and click through the portal before making your purchase.
SimplyMiles offers targeted spending offers at select merchants. Link your Mastercard to your SimplyMiles account and enroll in offers to earn bonus miles on eligible purchases.
AAdvantage Dining rewards you with miles for dining at participating restaurants. Register your credit cards with AAdvantage Dining and earn miles automatically when you dine at participating locations and pay with a linked card.
Travel Partners: Car Rentals and Hotels
American Airlines partners with major car rental companies and hotel chains, allowing you to earn miles on car rentals and hotel stays. Booking through AAdvantage Hotels or directly with partners like Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott, and adding your AAdvantage number to your reservation, can earn you miles on your travel expenses. The earning rates vary by partner and booking method. Notably, the partnership between Hyatt and American AAdvantage, allowing account linking for enhanced rewards, is scheduled to end on December 31, 2024.
Other Avenues: Bask Bank and Buying Miles
Bask Bank offers a unique option to earn AAdvantage miles as interest on savings accounts. While miles earned this way do not contribute to Loyalty Points, it’s an alternative method for passive mile accumulation.
Finally, you can purchase American Airlines miles directly. Keep an eye out for promotions that offer bonuses or discounts on purchased miles, which can be strategic for topping up your account for specific award redemptions.
Redeeming American Miles: Maximizing Value
Redeeming American Airlines miles for flights generally offers the best value. Current valuations estimate AAdvantage miles at approximately 1.65 cents each.
Award Flights: Domestic and International
American Airlines publishes award charts, although award pricing can vary dynamically, especially for American Airlines-operated flights. Partner award charts tend to be more consistent, offering starting rates for award flights on partner airlines. The best way to determine award flight costs is to search directly on the American Airlines website or mobile app. AAdvantage offers free award cancellation and redeposit, providing flexibility in booking.
Upgrades, Admirals Club, and Enhance with Miles
American miles can also be redeemed for upgrades on select flights, Admirals Club memberships, and “Enhance with Miles” options that allow you to gift status benefits to others. However, these redemption options often provide a lower value per mile compared to award flights. For example, redeeming miles for an Admirals Club membership typically yields a value of around 1 cent per mile, less than the estimated 1.65 cents for flights. Often, obtaining Admirals Club access through american airlines credit card partners like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® represents a more advantageous approach.
Conclusion: Strategic Partnership for AAdvantage Success
The American Airlines AAdvantage program, while complex, offers significant value, especially when leveraging its partner network. American airlines credit card partners are a cornerstone of maximizing this value, providing accelerated mile earning, pathways to elite status, and valuable cardholder benefits. By strategically choosing and utilizing AAdvantage credit cards, alongside other earning methods like shopping portals and dining programs, you can unlock a world of travel rewards and elevate your flying experience with American Airlines.
