When you use your AAdvantage® credit card on purchases or take American Airlines flights, you earn AAdvantage® miles that can be redeemed to book new flights on American Airlines or their partner airlines, as well as other affiliated awards, like hotels, upgrades, vacation packages and rental cars.
Let’s look at how you can redeem your AAdvantage® miles. That way, you can make the most out of your AAdvantage® card spending and find rewards you’ll love.
Steps to redeeming AAdvantage® miles
Redeeming your AAdvantage® miles is fairly straightforward, but there are a few steps you’ll need to follow to get started
Log in to your AAdvantage® account
To log in to your AAdvantage® account, you will need to go to the American Airlines homepage. You’ll see a small box in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage asking you to log in.
Find the right flights
On the American Airlines homepage, scroll down until you see the option to “Book” a trip and check the small box labeled “Redeem Miles.” Then, you can search for flights based on whether it’s a round trip or one-way ticket, where you’re traveling to and from, as well as your preferred dates.
Once the search results come up, weigh your options based on the total number of miles, flight time, airport accessibility and any other important factors. Select the flight that works best for you.
Remember, when it comes to redeeming your miles, it can be helpful to stay flexible on your travel dates and the flights you are willing to take to your destination. That way, you can find the best value for your miles.
Confirm your checkout
Proceed to checkout once you’re satisfied with your flight choice, as well as your travel dates, the number of miles you are redeeming and your seat selection.
You can review your full itinerary, the number of miles you are using and any additional taxes and fees during the checkout process. Keep an eye on the total cost before you officially book. You’ll still have to pay for taxes and fees even if you’re booking award travel, so you’ll want to make sure you are comfortable with any out-of-pocket spend that your AAdvantage® miles might not cover.
If you are already logged in to your AAdvantage® account, you’ll be able to check out with a credit card to cover the fees and taxes, and the miles will be automatically deducted from your account.
Using miles on American Airlines vs. AA partner flights
You can use your AAdvantage® miles to book a flight with a partner airline in much the same way as booking a flight with American Airlines. You can book online through the American Airlines website for almost all partner airlines. All you have to do is select or deselect your preferred partner airlines when searching for award flights.
Once you’ve logged into your AAdvantage® account, enter your flight search details in the “Book” box on the American Airlines homepage and check “Redeem miles.” Once the search results come up, you can further filter the search to select specific airlines.
Redeem miles for non-flight awards
You can also use your miles to find a hotel room, rent a car, access a lounge at the airport, upgrade your airplane seats or reserve luxury experiences. You can even donate your miles through the AAdvantage® program. You can view your many options for redeeming your miles for non-flight expenses here.
There are many ways to benefit from the AAdvantage® program and traveling with American Airlines. Put your hard-earned miles to good use and enjoy the benefits along the way.
