AAdvantage® FAQ – AAdvantage® program

AAdvantage® FAQ – AAdvantage® program – American Airlines

AAdvantage® FAQ

AAdvantage® number

If you can’t find your AAdvantage® number, fill out our form online and we’ll email it to you.

Need your AAdvantage® number?

Find your trip online using your confirmation code from your trip confirmation email

Go to the ‘Passenger information’ section

Add your AAdvantage® number

Find your trip

Your account summary and mileage balance

You can make changes to your username, password and contact details like email at any time.

To change:

Go to 'profile / settings'

Select 'information and password'

Update your information

Make sure to save your edits once you're done.

Update your profile

Need a password?

Contact aa.com technical support for more help

Contact American

Visit the account summary in your AAdvantage® account to view your progress toward AAdvantage® status, upcoming trips and program news. Your account shows your award miles balance and any available rewards. If you still have questions:

Contact AAdvantage® customer service

Print your AAdvantage® card at aa.com/youraccount or find a digital version in the American app.

AAdvantage® status membership cards can’t be printed, but status members can access a digital status card in the American app.

For airline travel: Travel on American is credited to your account 1 – 3 days from your date of travel. Allow 30 days for credit from other AAdvantage® partner airlines.

For other partner transactions: Activity from other AAdvantage® partners are generally credited within 30 days. Occasionally, it will take longer to post.

We recommend keeping your receipts until miles and Loyalty Points post to your account.

Just earn or redeem miles on American or with an AAdvantage® partner at least once every 24 months. We’ll automatically extend your mileage expiration date 24 months from the date of your most recent qualifying activity.

Your AAdvantage® account shows the number of miles you have and the earliest date they could expire. If you are under 21 years of age, you are not subject to the 24-month qualifying activity period. Once you turn 21 years of age, you will be subject to the 24-month activity period and must have mileage earning or redeeming activity within 24 months of your 21st birthday to retain your miles. The account profile must contain a valid birth date to be excluded from the 24-month activity rule.

Primary AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will not be subject to the 24-month qualifying activity period for as long as their card account is open.

AAdvantage® terms and conditions

If you have duplicate accounts, you'll have to log in to the account you'd like to keep and request to merge with your other account.

Merge your account

Award travel

Yes, taxes are charged for award travel on American Airlines.

Some partner airlines like British Airways and Iberia also have additional charges for award travel. The amount depends on your departure and arrival cities, destination and cabin. The charge is refundable if you cancel your flight.

No. You'll need to book 2 separate reservations. To ensure you can confirm both itineraries, it's a good idea to put the award reservation on hold and then book the ticket bought with cash.

Yes. You’ll need to book a separate reservation for each AAdvantage® account. To ensure you can confirm award travel for all passengers, it's a good idea to put the first reservation on hold, and then book the second reservation.

Yes, miles can be redeemed for award travel for an unaccompanied minor traveling within the U.S. and between the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands by calling Reservations.

Contact Reservations

Yes, an infant (under 2 years) sitting on a lap may be added to domestic tickets (travel within the U.S. and between the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) by a Reservations team member after booking.

Business / First and Main Cabin awards apply for flights with 2 classes of service

First, Business / First and Main Cabin awards apply for flights with 3 classes of service

1 day hold: For bookings made 7–331 days before departure

Instant purchase: For bookings made 1-6 days before departure

Keep in mind, awards that include certain airline partners may have shorter hold times.

You can book awards from 331 days up to 2 hours before departure.

You can cancel your award ticket anytime on aa.com. We will reinstate your AAdvantage® miles up to 1 year after the ticket issue date as long as you cancel your ticket before the first flight departs. If you cancel your trip on aa.com, your miles will be reinstated automatically in many cases.

Find your trip

Contact Reservations for help reinstating miles on a trip that:

Has already started

Involves travel on partner airlines

Has been changed since the ticket was originally issued

Contact Reservations

Reinstating flight and upgrade awards 

Reserve seats with miles

AAdvantage® members traveling in the Main Cabin on flights marketed and operated by American can use AAdvantage® miles to reserve a Preferred Seat or Main Cabin Extra seat after booking* exclusively on the 'My Trip' page**. AAdvantage® members may use miles to reserve seats for themselves and for other travelers.

Find your trip

* Tickets must be issued from the U.S. point of sale to use miles

** AAdvantage® miles may be used to buy a seat only on our U.S. site

Seat pricing depends on several factors including flight length and seat location. You can check seat prices when you view your trip details.

Find your trip 

You can:

Pay for the seats with cash instead

Choose new seats that use fewer miles

Buy the miles you need

Pay for some seats with miles, and pay for the remaining seats with cash in another transaction

Keep in mind you can't buy a single seat using more than one form of payment.

Buy, gift or transfer miles

We can only accept one form of payment at a time. First, choose the seats you’d like to pay for using miles. Finish that transaction, then come back and select ‘Cash’ to buy seats for the other passengers. You can also apply any seat coupons.

Yes, you can choose a seat of equal or lesser value at no extra charge. Keep in mind refunds are not issued if you choose a seat of lesser value. If you’d like to buy a seat at a greater value, we’ll refund your original purchase afterward. (Please allow up to 48 hours for processing.)

You can change your form of payment only if you would like to buy a seat of greater value. Seats of equal or lesser value will be complimentary. If you buy a seat of greater value, we’ll refund your original purchase afterward. (Please allow up to 48 hours for processing.)

Systemwide upgrades

No. Systemwide upgrades will not be deducted from your account until your request is confirmed. If you have questions regarding your wait list request, please contact your AAdvantage® status service desk.

If you’re traveling on an American Airlines flight and a seat in the upgraded cabin is not available at booking, we’ll add you to the waitlist for the longest flight on your trip. This allows us to ensure your upgrade is confirmed for your preferred flight first, before trying to confirm shorter connecting flights.

Once your longest flight is upgraded, we'll attempt to confirm or waitlist your connecting flights. Depending on when your long-haul flight is confirmed, there could be some scenarios where we're unable to automatically add you to the standby list for connecting flights. If this happens, please ask the gate agent to add you to the upgrade standby list manually and your request date / time will be your check-in time.

Yes, you can use a systemwide upgrade with British Airways on any purchased, published fare. Systemwide upgrades can be used for one-way travel for up to 3 segments on British Airways marketed and operated flights or British Airways operated flights marketed by American.

On British Airways flights that offer Premium Economy, upgrades from Economy will be to Premium Economy. On flights where British Airways doesn’t offer Premium Economy, the upgrade will be to Business.

Mileage upgrades on British Airways and Iberia

You can use your AAdvantage® miles to upgrade from eligible fares on British Airways and Iberia flights and American Airlines codeshare flights operated by British Airways and Iberia.

Mileage upgrades on British Airways and Iberia flights are valid from full fares only.

Mileage upgrades are valid for a one-cabin upgrade. On British Airways flights that offer Premium Economy, upgrades from Economy will be to Premium Economy. On flights where British Airways doesn’t offer Premium Economy, the upgrade will be to Business.

No, waitlisting is not available for flights operated by British Airways or Iberia.

Airport upgrade standby list

We add customers to the airport upgrade standby list as they check in. As more customers are added, the list will change according to other customers' AAdvantage® status levels, upgrade type and rolling 12-month Loyalty Points.

Companions are prioritized with the sponsoring AAdvantage® status member.

Upgrading with a companion

To be moved to the airport upgrade standby list, you need to have enough systemwide upgrades or AAdvantage® miles in your account at least 48 hours before departure.

Also, if your first flight is on another airline, you won't automatically be added to the standby list for complimentary upgrades. You'll need to see an American agent to be added to the list.

Earn miles and Loyalty Points

Include your AAdvantage® number when you book or shop with American or AAdvantage® partners.

You earn AAdvantage® miles for flying an eligible ticket on American and eligible partners. Travelers earn based on the ticket cost (excluding any government-imposed taxes, fees or additions like bags or seats) for flights marketed by American and select partners or based on the distance of the flight. Miles and Loyalty Points post to your account after you fly.

If your flight is canceled or you don’t travel, you will not earn miles and Loyalty Points for the flight.

We recommend keeping your receipts and boarding passes until your miles post to your account.

No. Only the person who flies, stays or rents will earn the miles and Loyalty Points. So, if you paid for someone’s ticket, the traveler would earn the miles and Loyalty Points.

No. You can only get rewarded for a trip in one loyalty program at a time. So if you have an American Airlines and British Airways frequent flyer number, you can only earn in one of the two loyalty programs for your trip.

Base miles earned from flying on Loyalty Point-qualifying airlines (flights marketed by American Airlines, oneworld® airlines and GOL Airlines). This includes:

Basic Economy tickets on American

All status and cabin of service bonuses earned when flying on American Airlines and eligible partner airlines

On everyday spend:

Base miles earned from spending with eligible partners. Base offers vary by partner and eligible partners include:

Portals: American Airlines Vacations℠, AAdvantage® eShopping℠, AAdvantage Dining℠, SimplyMiles®

Hotels: AAdvantage Hotels™, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Vacations

Cars: American Airlines Cars, Avis, Budget, Payless, Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty, Alamo, National, Sixt

Cruise: American Airlines Cruises

Retail: Shell, NRG Energy, Reliant Energy, Xoom, Miles for Opinions

Using an AAdvantage® credit card:

For American Airlines AAdvantage® credit cardmembers, eligible AAdvantage® miles include the base miles earned on eligible purchases using your AAdvantage® credit card, and do not include any bonus miles or accelerators.

Base miles earned vary by credit card type and issuing bank. For example, most AAdvantage® credit cards earn 1 base mile per US$1 spent on eligible purchases, but some earn .5 base miles per $1 spent, others 1.5 miles or 2 miles, etc.

Every base mile equals 1 Loyalty Point

For Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® accounts opened on or after October 16, 2023:

Miles may be earned on purchases made by Primary Cardmembers and Authorized Users. Miles earned will post to the AAdvantage Business™ account in 8-10 weeks.

Each cardmember earns 1 Loyalty Point for every $1 spent on card purchases.

Loyalty Points earned by each credit cardmember (Primary and Authorized Users) will post to their own AAdvantage® account.

Not a cardholder? Learn more about AAdvantage® credit cards 

Bonus miles earned from special promotions

Miles from Buy, Gift, Transfer transactions

Government taxes, fees, and other charges associated with buying a ticket do not count toward earning AAdvantage® miles and do not count toward earning Loyalty Points

Conversion of another program currency to AAdvantage® miles

For AAdvantage® credit cards, “accelerators” or “multipliers” such as: extra miles for purchases in specific categories, with specific merchants (such as American Airlines purchases) or purchases made abroad

AAdvantage® credit card new account or welcome bonuses, spend bonuses, etc.

The status qualification year will start on March 1 and run through the last day of February of the following year.

For example, in 2024, we’ll restart your Loyalty Point tracker to zero on March 1, 2024, and it will run through February 28, 2025.

The membership year (time period when your status is valid) will take effect the date you qualify, or April 1 (whichever comes first) and is valid through March 31.

AAdvantage® miles and Loyalty Points earned on purchases made with your AAdvantage® credit card will count based on the date the activity posts to the Primary Cardmember’s AAdvantage® account*, typically within 8 to 10 weeks. Review your AAdvantage® Aviator® Mastercard® Reward Rules and your Citi® AAdvantage Card Directory of Services for details. Keep in mind, Loyalty Points that post on or after March 1 count toward the new status qualification year.

For AAdvantage® credit cards issued outside the U.S., Loyalty Point earn rates and timing of postings may differ.

All other flight and partner transactions will count based on the activity date of the flight or other transaction.

*If you opened a Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® account on or after October 16, 2023, review your credit card terms and conditions for earning details.

Terms and conditions

All Citi® / AAdvantage® and AAdvantage® Aviator® credit cards issued within the U.S., and AAdvantage® credit cards issued outside the U.S. are eligible.

All base miles earned through AAdvantage® eShopping℠ purchases will count toward Loyalty Points. The rate at which you earn base miles via AAdvantage® eShopping℠ partners varies by store.

For example, stores like Walmart, Apple and Best Buy currently earn 1 base mile per dollar spent whereas stores like Home Depot and Nike currently earn 4 base miles per dollar spent.

Shop now

Rent with our preferred car rental partners and you’ll earn base miles and Loyalty Points at a higher rate based on either your AAdvantage® status or the type of AAdvantage® credit card you have, whichever rate is higher.

2 base miles per $1 spent – AAdvantage® members

3 base miles per $1 spent – Citi® / AAdvantage® Mastercard® cardmembers and AAdvantage® Aviator® Mastercard® cardmembers without AAdvantage® status

4 base miles per $1 spent – AAdvantage Platinum® and AAdvantage Gold® members

5 base miles per $1 spent – AAdvantage Executive Platinum® and AAdvantage Platinum Pro® members

Read more about earning on car rental partners

Yes. If you bought an upgrade on or after August 14, 2024, you’ll earn 5 miles and Loyalty Points per dollar (or more for status members) for the base price of your upgrade. The miles and Loyalty Points will post to your account after you fly.

Loyalty Point Rewards

If a Loyalty Point Reward selection is required, you’ll have until March 30 at 11:59 p.m. CT of the next year to choose your reward. Keep in mind, the expiration date of each reward may vary.

At the 60,000 and 100,000 Loyalty Point Reward levels, you’ll unlock a Loyalty Point bonus when you spend with select partners within 6 months after qualifying. American Airlines Vacations℠, AAdvantage® eShopping℠, AAdvantage Dining℠ , SimplyMiles™, and AAdvantage Hotels™ partners are eligible.

Earn a 20% bonus at 60,000 Loyalty Points

Earn a 30% bonus at 100,000 Loyalty Points

Missing miles

If miles haven’t posted to your account, you can request missing flight miles online within 12 months of the flight date. For missing (non-airline) partner miles, contact the partner directly.

Request missing flight miles

Please allow up to 10 days for travel on American Airlines and up to 30 days for travel on partner airlines.

Mileage Multiplier

Make a reservation and include your AAdvantage® number. To multiply your miles you can either:

Select Mileage Multiplier when booking a flight on aa.com

Check in for your flight on aa.com

Then, pay for Mileage Multiplier for yourself or anyone you're traveling with. You'll learn how easy it is to increase your miles for that next trip. In most cases, the AAdvantage® miles you bought will post to your account before you arrive at your destination.

Yes. Before your flight departs, go to aa.com and view your reservation or go to an airport kiosk and choose ‘reprint boarding pass’ or ‘check bag’ and you'll find the Mileage Multiplier option.

Mileage Multiplier may not be available in certain locations.

No, Mileage Multiplier must be bought before you fly.

You'll still receive the bonus miles you paid for if your flight is canceled or re-routed.

Million Miler™ program

For the life of the AAdvantage Platinum® and AAdvantage Gold® programs, you’ll continue to enjoy the rewards and recognition of that AAdvantage® status tier regardless of your AAdvantage® status-qualifying activity.

Flight distance for travel on eligible American marketed flights or on eligible partner-marketed flights count toward AAdvantage Million Miler™ status.

Track your progress toward Million Miler™ status in your AAdvantage® account.

No, Million Miler™ status is earned based on miles earned from flying with American and our partners.

Neither AAdvantage® bonus miles nor Loyalty Points count toward Million Miler™ status.

Promotions and registration

Some AAdvantage® promotions require you to register. You can view and register for available promotions in the promotions center in your account.

Make sure you've met all the requirements and allowed enough time for the bonus to be credited. If the posting timeframe has passed, contact us.

Contact AAdvantage® customer service 

Book Five Star Service™ with miles

We only accept a single form of payment at this time.

Yes. Please contact Reservations for more information.

Call at: 877-578-2702 (877-5STAR-02)

Email Five Star™ Service 

You can cancel your existing booking and make a new request through Reservations. Keep in mind that Five Star Service requests must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance for U.S. locations, and that availability is limited.

You can request to reinstate your miles if you cancel your Five Star Service™ booking at least 12 hours in advance.*

*Please allow up to 72 hours to process your reinstatement. Your AAdvantage® account balance will be updated as soon as the reinstatement is processed.

Vacations

Vacation packages booked through American Airlines Vacations℠ (aavacations.com) must be booked from the U.S. for travel originating in the U.S.

Learn more at aavacations.com

For every dollar spent on the total package value (excluding taxes and fees):

AAdvantage® members earn 1 mile and 1 Loyalty Point

AAdvantage® status members earn 5 miles and 5 Loyalty Points