American Airlines: Points For Canada Travel

American Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world, and its AAdvantage loyalty program is popular with many travellers. The number of miles you need to get a free flight on American Airlines starts at 7,500 AAdvantage miles for a one-way economy flight under 500 miles in the contiguous U.S. and Canada. Longer-distance flights in the contiguous U.S. and Canada start at 12,500 miles.

American Airlines is a founding member of the Oneworld alliance, which includes Lufthansa, Asiana Airlines, and United Airlines. It has dozens of partnerships with other airlines all around the world, opening opportunities to earn and redeem AAdvantage miles on non-American Airlines flights.

In addition to its airline partners, American Airlines also partners with several bank point programs, both in the U.S. and abroad. So, if you have transferable bank points, the odds are that you can transfer those points to American Airlines.

Redeem American Airlines miles for flights

American Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world, and its AAdvantage loyalty program is popular with many travellers. While the program has undergone some changes over the years, including the removal of published award charts, it still offers great value, especially if you can utilize its sweet spots.

One of the best ways to redeem American Airlines miles is for flights. According to The Points Guy, American Airlines miles are valued at around 1.55 cents each, so you should aim to get at least this value when redeeming your miles.

• Redeeming miles for American-operated flights: To find out how many miles an American-operated flight will cost, simply search for award flights on the American Airlines website or mobile app. American Airlines has transitioned to dynamic pricing for award flights, so the cost of a flight can vary depending on demand and other factors.
• Sweet spots for redemption: American Airlines has several sweet spots that offer great value for your miles. These include short-haul flights to the Caribbean, premium-cabin flights to Japan or South Korea, and business class flights to the Maldives on Etihad.
• Redeeming miles on partner airlines: American Airlines partners with several world-renowned airlines, such as Japan Airlines and Etihad. While partner award availability can vary, you can often find excellent redemption opportunities on these airlines.
• Using the AAdvantage shopping portal: You can earn bonus miles by shopping online through the AAdvantage shopping portal. Simply sign up for an account and click through the portal to your desired merchant before making a purchase.
• Dining at AAdvantage Dining restaurants: AAdvantage Dining is a program that allows you to earn miles when dining at participating restaurants. Sign up for an account, link your credit cards, and earn miles when you dine at eligible restaurants.
• Booking with AAdvantage travel partners: American Airlines partners with car rental companies and hotels, allowing you to earn miles on your travel bookings. You can also earn miles on vacation packages booked through aaVacations.com or cruises booked through bookAACruises.com.
• Redeeming miles for Flagship First dining: Starting in 2024, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum, and Concierge Key members will be able to redeem miles to access the Flagship First dining facility. The mileage cost for this experience is not yet known.
• Buying AAdvantage miles: Keep an eye out for promotions that offer bonuses or discounts when purchasing American Airlines miles. This can be a great way to boost your balance for a specific redemption.

Remember that the value of American Airlines miles can vary depending on how you choose to redeem them. By utilizing sweet spots and taking advantage of various earning opportunities, you can maximize the value of your AAdvantage miles when booking flights.

Earn miles with credit cards

Credit cards are a great way to earn miles and points that can be redeemed for flights. Here are some of the best credit cards for earning miles:

Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard

This card offers 4x AAdvantage miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile for every dollar spent on other purchases. It also comes with benefits such as Admirals Club lounge access, priority check-in, airport screening, boarding and a free checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions. Additionally, you can receive a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee statement credit.

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card

This card is ideal for occasional Delta flyers, offering valuable elite-like benefits such as a first checked bag free and priority boarding. It has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. You can also earn 2x miles on Delta purchases, at US supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

This card is a great choice for those seeking simplicity and strong rewards. It offers 2x miles on every purchase with no bonus categories to memorize, making it perfect for those with busy lives. The annual fee is $95, and new cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once they spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months of account opening.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a popular choice for travellers, offering an excellent return on travel and dining purchases. It has a $95 annual fee and cardholders can earn 2x Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining, including eligible delivery services and takeout. The current sign-up bonus is quite generous, and points can be redeemed at 1.25 cents each for travel booked through Chase or transferred to one of Chase's 14 valuable airline and hotel partners.

American Express Gold Card

The American Express Gold Card is perfect for foodies, offering 4x Membership Rewards points on dining at restaurants and US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar). There's also an up to $120 annual dining credit at select merchants and an up to $120 annually ($10 per month) in Uber Cash. All of this makes it a strong contender for all food purchases.

Earn miles with partners

American Airlines is a part of the Oneworld alliance, which means you can earn AAdvantage miles by flying with any of its Oneworld partners in addition to several other airline partners.

• Flying on Partner Airlines: You can earn miles when flying on American Airlines or any of its many airline partners. This includes Oneworld alliance members like Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and more. You'll earn miles based on how much your ticket costs, with more expensive tickets earning more miles.
• Booking with Partner Airlines: In addition to earning miles when flying on partner airlines, you can also earn miles when you book your ticket on a partner's site (and add your AAdvantage number). You'll earn miles based on the distance of your flight and the fare class of your ticket.
• American Airlines Cruises: You can earn tons of bonus AAdvantage miles when you book a cruise through American Airlines. Check American Airlines Cruises for the latest bonus offers on cruises to places like Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, and Hawaii.
• AAdvantage Events: AAdvantage Events is a new way to earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points. It allows you to earn 1 mile and 1 Loyalty Point per $1 spent on Ticketmaster tickets.
• Booking Vacation Packages: Earn a minimum of 1,000 AAdvantage miles when you book packages through American Airlines Vacations. You can earn up to 30,000 bonus AAdvantage miles by booking at preferred hotels and locations.
• Booking Rental Cars: American Airlines lets you earn miles through various car rental partners. Avis and Budget are considered “preferred” car rental partners, so they will get you the most miles for each rental.
• Hotel Partnerships: American Airlines has several hotel partners where you can earn extra miles for each night you stay or based on how much you spend, depending on the hotel in question.
• AAdvantage – World of Hyatt Partnership: AAdvantage members with Gold status and above can earn 1 mile per dollar spent at Hyatt with the AAdvantage – World of Hyatt partnership.
• Rewards for Show Tickets: If you sign up for Audience Rewards, you can earn up to 2,200 miles per ticket for various performances. Participating cities include Chicago, Durham, Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego, San Jose, and Tucson.
• American Airlines Financial Services Partner: The AAdvantage program has tons of partners in the business and financial space. Some of the products and services these companies offer will earn you extra miles when you digitally enter or verbally notify a sales agent of your AAdvantage miles number.
• Make a Donation to Stand Up To Cancer: American Airlines has partnered with Stand Up To Cancer to offer 25 AAdvantage miles per $1 donated (on donations of $25+) to the organization.
• Switch Your Home Utility Providers: American Airlines has partnered with 2 home utility providers to offer bonus AAdvantage miles when you switch your home utilities like electricity and gas. These companies service different parts of the U.S. and each offers a different number of miles for both signing up and paying your bill every month.

Earn miles with hotel stays

Earning American Airlines miles with hotel stays is a great way to boost your balance and get you closer to your next reward flight. Here's a detailed guide on how to do it:

Hyatt Hotels

When you stay at Hyatt Hotels, you can earn American Airlines miles instead of Hyatt points. To do this, you need to change your earning preference from Hyatt points to American Airlines miles. You can contact Hyatt customer support via Twitter Direct Message or phone to make this change. With Hyatt, you'll earn 500 American Airlines miles for each stay. This is a great option, as you'll also receive credit for one elite night towards the World of Hyatt program.

Additionally, if you're an American Airlines elite member, you can earn even more miles. American elites earn 1 American Airlines mile for every dollar spent on Hyatt stays. So, if you tend to spend a lot on your Hyatt bookings, this could be a lucrative way to boost your American Airlines miles balance.

Marriott Hotels

With Marriott Hotels, you can also choose to earn American Airlines miles instead of Marriott points. To do this, simply log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account and opt to earn miles with American Airlines instead of Marriott points. With Marriott, you'll earn 1-2 American Airlines miles for every dollar spent on qualifying charges. The number of miles you earn depends on the brand. Upscale brands like Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott earn 2 miles per dollar, while budget brands like Aloft and Moxy earn 1 mile per dollar.

When you credit your Marriott stays to American Airlines, you'll also receive credit for one elite night towards Marriott Bonvoy status. This is a great way to earn miles and maintain your hotel status at the same time.

IHG Hotels

IHG Hotels also allows you to earn American Airlines miles for your stays. To do this, change your IHG One Rewards Account earning preference from points to miles. With IHG, you'll earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on qualifying room rates at most IHG Hotels & Resorts properties. However, at Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, you'll earn 1 mile per dollar spent on qualifying room rates.

Like with Hyatt and Marriott, you'll also earn credit for one elite night towards IHG Rewards Club status when you credit your stays to American Airlines.

AAdvantage Dining

Another way to earn American Airlines miles with hotels is to sign up for AAdvantage Dining. This program allows you to earn miles when you dine at participating restaurants. You can earn up to 5 miles for every dollar spent as a VIP member. Simply sign up for an account, link your credit cards, and dine at participating restaurants to earn miles.

Earn miles with car rentals

If you're looking to boost your American Airlines points balance, renting a car is a great way to do so. American Airlines has partnered with several car rental companies, allowing you to earn miles on your rentals. Here's everything you need to know about earning miles with car rentals.

Earning Miles with American Airlines Car Rental Partners

American Airlines has partnered with several car rental companies, giving you the opportunity to earn miles on your rentals. Here are the current car rental partners and the earning rates:

• Hertz: Earn at least 500 miles with each qualifying rental at participating worldwide locations. American Airlines elite members can earn even more miles.
• Dollar: Earn 500 miles with each qualifying rental at participating locations.
• Thrifty: Earn 500 miles with each qualifying rental at participating locations.
• Alamo: Earn 500 miles with each qualifying rental at participating locations in the US and Canada.
• Enterprise: Earn 500 miles with each qualifying rental at participating locations in the US and Canada.
• National: Earn 500 miles with each qualifying rental at participating locations in the US and Canada.

In addition to these partners, American Airlines also offers the opportunity to earn miles with other car rental companies through its AAdvantage program. You can find more information on the AAdvantage website.

Maximizing Your Earnings

To maximize your earnings, keep an eye out for promotions and special offers from American Airlines and its car rental partners. Sometimes, they may offer bonus miles or other incentives to earn more miles on your rentals. Additionally, if you have elite status with American Airlines, you may be able to earn even more miles on your car rentals.

Redeeming Miles for Car Rentals

While earning miles with car rentals is a great option, redeeming your miles for car rentals may not always provide the best value. It's important to consider the value of your miles and compare it to the cost of the car rental. In some cases, you may be better off saving your miles for flights or other redemption options.

However, if you have a surplus of miles or are looking for a specific car rental option, here's how you can redeem your miles:

• American Airlines AAdvantage Program: You can use your miles to book car rentals directly through the AAdvantage program. Simply log in to your AAdvantage account and search for car rental options. You can also call the AAdvantage customer service line for assistance.
• Car Rental Company Loyalty Programs: Some car rental companies have their own loyalty programs that allow you to redeem points for free rental days or discounts. If you frequently rent cars, joining these programs can be beneficial.
• Credit Card Rewards: If you have a credit card that earns rewards, you may be able to use those rewards to offset the cost of your car rental. This can include using cash-back rewards, flexible travel points, or even airline miles, depending on the card and the redemption options offered.

Final Thoughts

Earning miles with car rentals is a great way to boost your American Airlines points balance, especially if you're already planning on renting a car. By taking advantage of the partnerships and earning miles on your rentals, you can get closer to your next award flight or upgrade. Just remember to compare the value of your miles when redeeming them for car rentals, as you want to ensure you're getting the most out of your hard-earned points.

Frequently asked questions