American Airlines AAdvantage

What American AAdvantage is

How a frequent flyer program works: earning miles with AAdvantage

At AAdvantage, depending on the flight, either the ticket price (on American and selected partners) or the flight distance decides what you earn. On flights that American markets, miles follow the price made up of base fare and airline-imposed fees; government taxes and fees are left out. Members without status earn 5 miles per U.S. dollar there.

Status adds a bonus on that base. Gold brings a 40% bonus, Platinum 60%, Platinum Pro 80% and Executive Platinum 120%.

Two limits come with earning. Basic Economy tickets bought on or after December 17, 2025 earn neither miles nor Loyalty Points. And on certain partner flights you get only bonus miles instead of base miles, which earn no Loyalty Points. We leave out earning through credit cards or hotels as well as through shopping for the three markets, because no country page documents such a path.

Redeeming American Airlines miles

Award flights can be booked from 331 days out until 2 hours before departure. How many miles an award costs depends on the airline. On American and American Eagle flights the requirement can be higher depending on availability, and on partner airlines it may vary with the partner’s availability.

AAdvantage publishes an award chart that prices one-way awards on oneworld and partner airlines. The chart lists estimated starting figures for one-way trips from the country or region you pick, and it is informational only. A one-way trip with two long-haul international flights needs two awards. For Europe, Main Cabin off-peak dates are January 10 to March 14 and November 1 to December 14.

Miles do not cover every cost. The passenger pays any fees and surcharges that apply, including those not imposed by a government authority. Some partners such as British Airways and Iberia add further charges that depend on route and cabin. Taxes are also charged on award flights with American. We give no amounts in CHF or EUR, because the program publishes no such values.

Award tickets carry no change fees, though a fare difference can be due. If you cancel ahead of your first departure, the miles and the taxes and fees that qualify are returned free of charge for up to 1 year after purchase. We give no value per mile in cents or rappen, because the basis is missing.

Mileage expiry

The whole mileage balance lapses when 24 months pass without qualifying activity. Every qualifying activity pushes the expiry date of all miles still valid out to 24 months after that activity. The rule does not apply to members under 21, and primary holders of an AAdvantage credit card are exempt while the card account stays open.

Expired miles can be brought back for a reactivation fee that currently runs from USD 60 to USD 2,000. This works only within 24 months after expiry. The program states the fee in U.S. dollars and we do not convert it.

Status at AAdvantage: Loyalty Points and tiers

Your status follows the Loyalty Points you collect in the 12 months from March 1 of each year. That qualification year closes on the last day of February. Once you reach a tier, it is valid until March 31 of the next full year. Every eligible mile adds 1 Loyalty Point.

Anyone booked together with you can use your status baggage allowance, provided the whole trip is sold and flown by American. Complimentary upgrades work on a narrower map: American must be both seller and operator, and the route must stay inside the U.S. or link it with Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda or Central America.

AAdvantage Gold

Gold needs 40,000 Loyalty Points. Gold includes priority check-in as well as priority security and boarding. It boards in group 4. Preferred Seats cost nothing at booking, and Main Cabin Extra seats are free at check-in. Upgrades open 24 hours before departure at the earliest. At the oneworld level Ruby, business class lounges at oneworld airlines stay closed to you.

AAdvantage Platinum

Platinum needs 75,000 Loyalty Points. It brings 2 free checked bags with priority handling. It boards in group 3. Preferred Seats and Main Cabin Extra seats are free at booking. Upgrades follow as early as 48 hours before departure. As oneworld Sapphire, you get priority boarding at oneworld airlines, extra baggage allowance and access to business class lounges.

AAdvantage Platinum Pro

Platinum Pro needs 125,000 Loyalty Points. It brings 3 free checked bags with priority handling. It boards in group 2. Preferred Seats and Main Cabin Extra seats are free at booking. Upgrades follow as early as 72 hours before departure. As oneworld Emerald, access to first class lounges at oneworld airlines is added.

AAdvantage Executive Platinum

Executive Platinum needs 200,000 Loyalty Points. Here too you get 3 free checked bags with priority handling. It boards in group 1. Preferred Seats and Main Cabin Extra seats are free at booking. The upgrades come with a 100-hour window.

Lifetime status with one million miles

With the Million Miler program, one million miles earn lifetime AAdvantage Gold status. The miles that count for it always follow flight distance.

Frequent flyer program for Switzerland, Germany and Austria

American Airlines offers flights to Zurich (ZRH) and Geneva (GVA), nonstop or connecting depending on the route. In Germany these are Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC). For a frequent flyer program in Austria, Vienna (VIE) is the point of contact.

We could not document country-specific earning paths for the three markets. The AAdvantage pages are global.

Who AAdvantage is not for

Alternatives to Miles & More and a comparison of programs

Which mileage program is best depends on which airline you fly and from which airport. AAdvantage pays off most if you often fly American and book higher-priced tickets, because miles on American-marketed flights follow the price. If you look for alternatives to Miles & More, you can also look at British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Cathay. More programs are in the program archive.