AAdvantage
North America's largest airline rewards network
At a Glance
American Airlines AAdvantage is one of the world's largest airline loyalty programs, serving over 115 million members with access to the oneworld alliance network. As a founding member of oneworld, AAdvantage miles can be earned and redeemed across 13 partner airlines including British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and Qatar Airways. The program uses revenue-based earning for American Airlines flights while maintaining distance-based awards on many partner airlines. American operates the largest commercial airline network globally with major hubs in Dallas-Fort Worth, Charlotte, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. AAdvantage members earn Loyalty Points toward elite status and can redeem miles for flights, upgrades, hotels, and merchandise. The program offers competitive award pricing and strong availability on both domestic and international routes. American partners with Citi and Barclays for co-branded credit cards that provide accelerated earning, free checked bags, and priority boarding privileges. Premium cardholders gain access to Admirals Club lounges and receive expanded award inventory through preferred pricing.
Sweet Spots — Best Redemptions
| Route / Property | Points | Book With | Cabin/Type | Value / Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic US in Economy on American | 5,000 | — | economy | united_states |
| US to Australia in Business | 80,000 | — | business | australia_nz |
| Transcontinental US in Business | 21,000 | — | business | united_states |
| US to South America in Economy | 12,000 | — | economy | south_america |
| Domestic US in Economy on a Partner | 12,500 | — | economy | united_states |
| Domestic US in First Class | 16,500 | — | first | united_states |
| US to Europe in Economy | 19,000 | — | economy | europe |
| US to Hawaii in Economy | 20,000 | — | economy | united_states |
| Domestic US in Business | 22,000 | — | business | united_states |
| US to Japan in Economy | 25,000 | — | economy | asia |
| Australia/NZ | 35,000 | — | — | — |
| US to Europe in Business | 57,500 | — | business | europe |
| US to Japan in Business on a Partner | 60,000 | — | business | asia |
| US to Middle East in Business on a Partner | 70,000 | — | business | middle_east |
| US to Japan in First Class on a Partner | 80,000 | — | first | asia |
Transfer Partners
Earn via 1 bank points program
| Source Program | Ratio | Transfer Time | Source Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:1 | up to 2 weeks | 1.7 cpp |
Cards That Earn AAdvantage (5)
American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp
Citi
Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard
Citi
Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Legend Mastercard
Citi
Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard
Citi
Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
Citi
AAdvantage Dining · by American Airlines (Rewards Network)
Earn up to 5x AAdvantage miles when you dine out
Join AAdvantage Dining, link a credit card and pay as usual at participating restaurants. New members earn 1x, up to 5x at the VIP tier, on top of what the card earns.
Program Ratings
FAQs
How many miles gets a free flight?
The lowest one-way redemption on American is 7,500 miles for domestic U.S. or Canada routes. Partner awards start at 12,500 miles one-way and can offer better value on select international itineraries when availability lines up. Domestic pricing can vary by date and demand.
How many AA miles to fly to Europe?
You can fly to Europe from 25,000 miles one-way in economy or 75,000 in business/first on American. You can find partner redemptions starting at 22,500 in economy or 57,500 in business, but you have to find saver availability. Be careful of high surcharges on certain partners
Which credit card is best for miles?
American has five co-branded cards offered by Citi and Barclays. The Citi AAdvantage Executive offers the highest welcome bonus and premium perks (like lounge access), but it also carries the highest annual fee. "Best" card depends on how often you fly with AA
Which AA card has lounge access?
The Citi AAdvantage Executive includes full Admirals Club membership for the cardholder, immediate family, and two guests. The Citi Strata Elite offers four annual Admirals Club passes as part of its benefits. Both have high $595 annual fees.
What’s the difference between Loyalty Points and AAdvantage miles?
Loyalty Points determine your elite status; AAdvantage miles are the currency you use redeem for flights. You generally earn one Loyalty Point per base mile earned—not on credit card welcome bonuses, multipliers, or promotional bonus miles.