How to Earn American Airlines AAdvantage® Miles

The American Airlines AAdvantage® program lets travelers earn miles and redeem them for upgrades, car rentals, flights and much more. Two big ways to earn miles are by shopping with a Citi® / AAdvantage® card or by making travel purchases as AAdvantage® members. Read on for more details on how to earn AAdvantage® miles.

Earn when you travel

Joining the AAdvantage® program is free and easy. Sign up for the AAdvantage® program here. You’ll be assigned an AAdvantage® number that you can use when booking flights and making eligible purchases.

Members can earn miles when they book flights directly with American Airlines, any oneworld® airline partner or other partner airlines like Aer Lingus and Etihad Airways or with preferred travel agencies (note that you cannot earn miles on basic economy fares booked through preferred travel agencies). If you’re booking through a partner airline or preferred travel agency, remember to provide your AAdvantage® number.

You can also earn miles on car rentals (aa.com/car), hotel bookings (eligible partners including AAdvantage Hotels, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, Marriott International and IHG Hotels and Resorts), vacation packages (aavacations.com) and cruises (bookaacruises.com). Watch your miles add up when you use the AAdvantage® eShopping portal or shop using SimplyMiles.

Spend with a Citi® / AAdvantage® card

Looking to earn AAdvantage® miles with everyday purchases? Citi® / AAdvantage® cards can be a great way to earn miles. Choose from 4 credit cards that each have their own set of benefits.

Earn on eligible AA purchases: Earn 2 miles (or 4 if you have a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®) for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.

Earn miles on other purchases: Every card lets you earn 1x miles on all purchases. Depending on which credit card you choose, you can earn additional miles on grocery store purchases (with the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®), restaurants and gas stations (with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®) or even purchases made at select telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers (with the Citi® / AAdvantage BusinessTM World Elite Mastercard®).

Welcome offer: These cards provide access to a welcome offer that lets you earn bonus miles if you meet the spending requirement within 3 months of opening your account. You can earn between 10,000 and 70,000 miles based on the card you choose and your spending.

No mileage cap: When you shop with your Citi® / AAdvantage® card, there’s no limit to how many miles you can earn.

Whether you’re looking to earn miles on everyday purchases, travel expenses or business expenses, there’s a Citi® / AAdvantage®  card that can match your spending habits.

Disclosure: This article is for educational purposes. It is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and is not a substitute for professional advice. It does not indicate the availability of any Citi product or service. For advice about your specific circumstances, you should consult a qualified professional.

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