In the world of travel, airline miles are more than just a currency – they are a ticket to new adventures, upgrades, and unforgettable experiences. For those flying with American Airlines, the AAdvantage program is a treasure trove of opportunities to earn miles and reap rewards. Whether you are an occasional traveler or a frequent flyer, understanding how to earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles efficiently can greatly enhance your travel experience.

How To Earn American Airlines Miles

Earn American Miles By Flying

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage miles by flying may seem straight forward, but how you earn miles has changed in the last few years. Here is how you can earn AAdvantage miles by flying on American and its various airline partners.

Flying On American Airlines

Flying with American Airlines is the most straightforward way to earn miles. AAdvantage members earn miles based on the ticket price, excluding government taxes and fees. The base earning rate is 5 miles per dollar spent, but this increases if you have elite status:

• No Status: 5 miles per dollar
• Gold: 7 miles per dollar
• Platinum: 8 miles per dollar
• Platinum Pro: 9 miles per dollar
• Executive Platinum: 11 miles per dollar

However, beware of the “special fares” from American Airlines, which earn miles at a modified rate based on a percentage of the distance flown instead of the ticket price.

Flying On Partner Airlines

American Airlines is part of the Oneworld alliance, allowing you to earn miles when flying with partner airlines such as British Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas. You can also earn miles on non-alliance partners like Etihad Airways and Hawaiian Airlines.

The earning structure varies by airline and is often based on the distance flown and fare class. AAdvantage elite members earn more bonus miles at the following rates when flying on eligible partner airlines:

• Gold: 40%
• Platinum: 60%
• Platinum Pro: 80%
• Executive Platinum: 120%

Check the American Airlines website for specific partner airline earning charts.

Earn American Miles With Credit Cards

Credit cards are a powerful tool for accumulating miles through everyday spending. American Airlines offers several co-branded cards with enticing sign-up bonuses and spending rewards through both Citi and Barclays.

The American AAdvantage credit card portfolio via Citi is more attractive, as it offers multiple options to earn miles on everyday spending. Here are a few of the best AAdvantage co-branded Citi credit cards:

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®: Offers bonus miles for purchases made on American Airlines, dining, and gas stations.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®: Includes Admirals Club membership and bonus miles on American Airlines purchases.
• American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®: Offers bonus miles for purchases made on American Airlines.

While Barclays only offers a single co-branded AAdvantage credit card, it routinely has one of the best, and most valuable, sign up bonuses on the market.

• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®: Provides a generous sign-up bonus and ongoing earning potential.

By strategically using these cards for daily expenses, you can quickly build your AAdvantage miles balance.

Note: Be sure to pay your balance in full each month to avoid interest charges.

Earn American Miles Through Partners

You can also earn American miles through non-airline AAdvantage partners. Through these partnerships, you can earn miles for activities you already do, like shopping, dining, banking, etc.

AAdvantage eShopping

The AAdvantage eShopping portal allows you to earn miles by shopping online at over 950 popular retailers. By starting your shopping journey at the eShopping portal and clicking through to your desired store, you earn miles on your purchases. This is in addition to the rewards you will already earn by using a rewards credit card to make your purchase.

Here is how it works:

1. Create an account on the AAdvantage eShopping portal
2. Browse participating retailers
3. Shop as you normally would

Miles are automatically credited to your AAdvantage account for completed purchases, but posting times may vary.

AAdvantage Dining

Earn American miles while dining out by registering your credit or debit card with the AAdvantage Dining program. You will earn miles when you use your registered card at participating restaurants, bars, and clubs. Here is how it works:

1. Sign up for the AAdvantage Dining program
2. Link your credit or debit card
3. Enjoy earning miles on every dining purchase

Your earning ability depends on your membership level:

• Basic Member: 1 Advantage miles per dollar
• Select Member: 3 AAdvantage miles per dollar (opt in to receive emails from AAdvantage Dining)
• VIP Member: 5 AAdvantage miles per dollar (opt in to receive emails from AAdvantage Dining and make 11 transactions in a calendar year)

As with the shopping portal, the miles you earn through AAdvantage Dining are in addition to the rewards you earn on the credit card. Make sure to pay with one of the best cards for dining and restaurants.

Transfer Partners

You can transfer points from various hotel loyalty programs into your AAdvantage account, allowing you to increase your miles balance. While most programs offer a relatively poor value proposition, the Marriott Bonvoy program is the exception. You are able to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to American Airlines AAdvantage miles are a ratio of 3:1. However, unlike most Marriott Bonvoy transfer partners, you will not earn a 5,000 mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred.

Hotel Stays

There are several ways to earn AAdvantage miles on your hotel bookings.

Booking Directly With Hotels

Hotel loyalty programs, such as IHG One Rewards, let you earn AAdvantage miles instead of hotel points. You are able to earn American Airlines miles at the following rates:

• Marriott Bonvoy: 1-2 miles per dollar (depending on the hotel brand)
• IHG One Rewards: 1-2 miles per dollar (depending on the hotel brand)
• World of Hyatt: 1 mile per dollar

Tip: Look for special promotions that offer bonus miles for hotel stays to maximize your earnings.

Note: It is often better to earn hotel points instead of airline miles on hotel stays. 

AAdvantage – World of Hyatt Partnership

If you have American Airlines elite status, you can earn both World of Hyatt points and American Airlines AAdvantage miles on hotel stays. After linking your AAdvantage and World of Hyatt loyalty accounts, you will earn 1 AAdvantage mile for every dollar spend at Hyatt hotels. This is in addition to the World of Hyatt points you would normally earn.

Note: World of Hyatt elite members are also able to earn bonus Hyatt points on flights operated by American Airlines (1 point per dollar on the base fare), in addition to the AAdvantage miles you would normally earn. 

Booking Through Rocketmiles

You can earn AAdvantage miles on hotel stays booked through Rocketmiles. This includes hotels outside the major loyalty programs. You can earn up to 10,000 miles per night. However, Rocketmiles often prices hotels higher than if you booked directly.

Booking Through AAdvantage Hotels

AAdvantage Hotels lets you earn AAdvantage miles on hotel stays booked through the platform. As the platform is powered by Booking.com, you are able to find a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional hotel options. American Airlines status holders and cardmembers may earn extra miles on each stay.

American Airlines Vacations

Booking vacation packages through American Airlines Vacations can earn you additional miles. These packages typically include flights, hotels, and car rentals, offering a convenient way to plan your travel while earning miles.

Tip: Keep an eye out for promotions that offer bonus miles for booking vacation packages.

Note: As this is a 3rd Party booking platform, you often will not receive elite status benefits or earn valuable hotel points.

American Airlines Cruises

American Airlines partners with leading cruise lines to offer miles for cruise bookings. You can earn miles based on the length and type of cruise. Visit the American Airlines Cruises website to browse and book cruises that offer AAdvantage miles.

Tip: Watch for promotions through American Airlines Cruises that provide extra perks like onboard credits and cabin upgrades.

Other Options To Earn American Miles

Rental Cars

Earn miles on car rentals by booking with American Airlines’ car rental partners, such as Avis, Budget, and Hertz. Always provide your AAdvantage number when making a reservation to ensure miles are credited.

Charity

American Airlines partners with several charitable organizations, allowing you to earn miles for donations. For example, you can earn miles through the Miles for Kids in Need® program or Stand Up To Cancer.

Bask Bank

Bask Bank offers a unique savings account where you earn AAdvantage miles instead of interest. This innovative approach allows you to passively grow your miles balance without the need to open new credit cards.

SimplyMiles

SimplyMiles is a program that lets you earn miles for making purchases at participating merchants. By linking your credit card and activating offers, you can earn miles on everyday shopping.

Gas

American Airlines has a partnership with Shell where you can earn 3 AAdvantage miles per gallon of fuel through the Fuel Rewards program. Make sure to sign up and use one of the best cards for gas purchases on your next fill-up.

Final Thoughts

Unlike other airline miles, earning American Airlines AAdvantage miles is relatively difficult due to the lack of traditional transfer partners. By leveraging the various methods above – from flying and using credit cards to shopping and participating in special promotions – you can maximize your mile earnings and unlock a new world of travel possibilities. Remember, the key to successful mile accumulation is staying informed and taking advantage of opportunities as they arise.