Key takeaways
- American AAdvantage miles are worth around 1.0 cents apiece on average, according to Bankrate valuations.
- You can use Loyalty Points to boost your AAdvantage status.
- Miles can be earned from booking flights and other travel, as well as through shopping and dining.
The American Airlines AAdvantage rewards program allows you to earn miles from flying, credit card spending, eligible shopping and more, which you can then redeem for rewards like free flights, flight upgrades, vacation packages, and travel experiences.
Although you can’t redeem these miles directly for cash, you may be wondering how much are American Airlines miles worth? Read on to learn more about American Airlines miles value, how this value compares to similar programs and what you can get for your miles.
How much are American Airlines miles worth?
According to Bankrate’s latest points and miles valuations, American AAdvantage miles are worth about [Points and miles – 15] apiece on average. However, the actual American Airlines points value you will get depends on how you use them.
For example, a one-way, Main Cabin flight from Las Vegas to Orlando in March might set you back about $224 if you paid in cash. If you paid in miles, that flight might cost 24,500 miles. With that flight, your American Airlines miles are worth about 0.9 cents per mile ($224 / 24,500 = $0.009).
However, a one-way, Main Cabin flight from Portland to New York in March might cost you $147 in cash and about 12,000 miles ($147 / 12,000 = $0.012). With this flight, each mile would be worth about 1.2 cents.
American Airlines miles vs. other airlines
Compared to other airline rewards programs, the average value of American Airlines miles is on the lower end. You may be able to get more value if you travel in a specific geographical area through a smaller carrier, but you will forgo the expansiveness that comes with a rewards program from one of the largest airlines in the world.
| Airline rewards program | Bankrate estimated value |
|---|---|
| Source: Bankrate | |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 1.0 cents |
| Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan | 1.1 cents |
| Delta SkyMiles | [1.2 cents |
| Frontier Miles | 1.3 cents |
| Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles | 0.7 cents |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 1.3 cents |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards | 1.5 cents |
| Spirit Airlines Free Spirit | 1.0 cents |
| United MileagePlus | 0.9 cents |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 2.6 cents |
What’s the value of AA Loyalty Points?
In 2022, American Airlines discontinued its old status miles system and launched the Loyalty Point Rewards program. You earn one Loyalty Point for every one AAdvantage mile you earn.
The Loyalty Point Rewards feature is how you earn AAdvantage status, and status is how you can boost your airline experience overall or earn more rewards with each trip. The Loyalty Points both accumulate toward earning status – AAdvantage Gold at 40,000 points, Platinum at 75,000 points, Platinum Pro at 125,000 and Executive Platinum at 200,000 — and offer you a reward when you earn a certain amount. Rewards start at 15,000 points.
Beginning in 2024, you can also use Loyalty Points to further your progress toward AAdvantage status.
- 15,000 level: 1,000 Loyalty Points
- 175,000 level: 5,000 Loyalty Points
- 250,000 level: 15,000 Loyalty Points per reward choice (two available)
The higher your AAdvantage status, the more rewards you earn for each of your flights. That’s in addition, of course, to the other perks and benefits that come with airline status, ranging from priority boarding to free checked bags and more.
How to redeem American Airlines miles
AAdvantage miles can be redeemed for American Airlines flights, flights on partner airlines, flight upgrades, an Admirals Club membership, travel experiences, rental cars, hotel bookings, vacation packages and charitable donations. To redeem your miles, head to the American Airlines website and log in to your account. It should be noted that instructions will differ depending on your redemption method.
When is the best time to redeem American Airlines miles?
Although redemption values will vary no matter the method you choose, you may get more value from your miles when you redeem them for flights during off-peak seasons or to off-peak destinations. You may also get more value from your miles by redeeming them with American’s partner airlines. Otherwise, pay attention to American Airlines’ MileSAAver, AAnytime and Web Special awards to get flights for fewer miles.
Best credit cards for earning American Airlines miles
If you want to boost your ability to earn miles with the airline, you should consider getting one of American Airlines’ rewards credit cards. The airline has several credit cards to choose from, all of which are currently issued by Citi. Here are a few cards to consider:
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The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp* is the airline’s no-annual-fee credit card option. You’ll earn 2X miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases and grocery store purchases, along with 1X miles on all other purchases. Plus, as a new cardholder, you can earn 10,000 bonus miles and a $50 statement credit after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp* is the airline’s no-annual-fee credit card option. You’ll earn 2X miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases and grocery store purchases, along with 1X miles on all other purchases. Plus, as a new cardholder, you can earn 10,000 bonus miles and a $50 statement credit after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
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The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard* comes with a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles after you spend $2,500 within the first three months of account opening. Additionally, the card earns 2X miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, 2X miles at restaurants and gas stations and 1X miles on all other purchases. The annual fee is $99 per year, but it’s waived for the first 12 months.
The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard* comes with a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles after you spend $2,500 within the first three months of account opening. Additionally, the card earns 2X miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, 2X miles at restaurants and gas stations and 1X miles on all other purchases. The annual fee is $99 per year, but it’s waived for the first 12 months.
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Business owners who travel a lot with American may want to consider the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard*. This card offers an introductory bonus of 65,000 miles after spending $4,000 within the first four months of account opening. On top of this, the card offers 2X miles on eligible purchases made with American Airlines, gas stations, cable and satellite providers, select telecommunications merchants and car rental companies. You’ll earn 1X miles on everything else. Plus, the card’s $99 annual fee is waived for the first 12 months.
Business owners who travel a lot with American may want to consider the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard*. This card offers an introductory bonus of 65,000 miles after spending $4,000 within the first four months of account opening. On top of this, the card offers 2X miles on eligible purchases made with American Airlines, gas stations, cable and satellite providers, select telecommunications merchants and car rental companies. You’ll earn 1X miles on everything else. Plus, the card’s $99 annual fee is waived for the first 12 months.
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If you have some big purchases on the horizon, you can earn a lot of miles from the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard welcome bonus. You stand to earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles after spending $7,000 in the first three months. However, a card with impressive perks like this usually comes at a cost — in this case you’re on the hook for a $595 annual fee. Cardholders earn 4 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, 10 AAdvantage miles for every $1 on eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels and eligible car rentals through aa.com/cars, and 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases.
If you have some big purchases on the horizon, you can earn a lot of miles from the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard welcome bonus. You stand to earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles after spending $7,000 in the first three months. However, a card with impressive perks like this usually comes at a cost — in this case you’re on the hook for a $595 annual fee. Cardholders earn 4 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, 10 AAdvantage miles for every $1 on eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels and eligible car rentals through aa.com/cars, and 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases.
Additional ways to earn American Airlines miles
You can earn frequent flyer miles through more than just booking flights or spending on a co-branded credit card. One of the most attractive components of the American AAdvantage program is that there are numerous ways to earn miles.
- Booking flights. Traveling with American Airlines, American Eagle, oneworld airlines and partner airlines accrues miles.
- Other travel bookings. You can accumulate miles by booking cars, hotels, vacation packages, and cruises.
- Get creative with miles. Boost your mileage balance by buying or gifting miles. You can also take advantage of the Mileage Multiplier to increase your balance with bonus miles on eligible flights.
- Dining and partner offers. Earn miles through partner offers, AAdvantage eShopping at over 1,200 online stores, and personalized offers with SimplyMiles. You also earn when dining with linked cards through the American Airlines AAdvantage Dining program.
The bottom line
You’ll have a lot of flexibility with this program when it comes to earning and redeeming miles, but the value of your American Airlines miles will vary based on what you’re looking to redeem your miles for. Still, for the most part, the program’s value, perks and rewards compare favorably to many other airlines’ offerings.
*Issuer-required disclosure
Information about the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® and Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
