How To Earn American Airlines Elite Status (2024)

There are four levels of elite status in the American Airlines AAdvantage program. To achieve status, you’ll need to earn the required number of Loyalty Points for each level in a qualifying year, which runs from March 1 through the following February.

• Gold: 40,000 Loyalty Points
• Platinum: 75,000 Loyalty Points
• Platinum Pro: 125,000 Loyalty Points
• Executive Platinum: 200,000 Loyalty Points

Once you earn status, it will be valid through March of the following membership year. For example, if you earn status between March 1, 2024, and February 28, 2025, it will be valid through March 31, 2026.

Let’s start by taking a quick look at why you would want AA elite status in the first place.

• AAdvantage Gold status comes with benefits including a free checked bag, Main Cabin Extra seats at check-in and complimentary upgrades beginning 24 hours before the flight.
• AAdvantage Platinum status allows upgrades to clear starting 48 hours before the flight. Another huge benefit at this level is complimentary Main Cabin Extra seats at the time of booking plus two free checked bags.
• AAdvantage Platinum Pro status awards travelers with upgrades starting 72 hours ahead of time and three free checked bags.
• AAdvantage Executive Platinum is the top tier of AA status and offers perks like upgrades beginning 100 hours ahead of time, upgrade eligibility on award flights and a 120% mileage boost.

American Airlines elite status is measured by only one metric: Loyalty Points. Generally, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point each time you earn 1 redeemable base AAdvantage mile.

Loyalty Point Rewards

Loyalty Point Rewards are perks that are earned on the way to each level of AA elite status. They are awarded based on your Loyalty Point earnings in the qualification year (March to February).

Once you earn 15,000 Loyalty Points, you’ll get Group 5 boarding status and a choice benefit of either Priority privileges and Group 4 boarding for a trip or five preferred seat coupons. At 60,000 Loyalty Points, you’ll get Avis Preferred status with the rental car company and also get a 20% mileage Loyalty Point boost when you spend with select partners within six months of qualifying. This is a great way to speed up your earnings to achieve the next elite level faster.

Let’s go over the many ways you can earn American Airlines Loyalty Points.

Flying

Of course, you’ll earn Loyalty Points each time you fly on American Airlines. Miles are earned based on your current elite status and the price of your ticket (less taxes and fees).

• Member: Earn 5 miles and Loyalty Points per dollar
• Gold: Earn 7 miles and Loyalty Points per dollar
• Platinum: Earn 8 miles and Loyalty Points per dollar
• Platinum Pro: Earn 9 miles and Loyalty Points per dollar
• Executive Platinum: Earn 11 miles and Loyalty Points per dollar

Miles and Loyalty Points are also earned when flying on American’s Oneworld partners as well as its other partners.

Credit Cards

American Airlines co-branded credit cards are another easy way to earn Loyalty Points. You’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar on any American Airlines card (with one exception—see below).

Card options that are open to new applicants include the following:

• Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®*
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®*
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®*
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®*
• American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®*

Any other American Airlines credit card you have that’s not open to new applicants will also earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar spent with the exception of the AAdvantage® Aviator® Mastercard® which earns 1 Loyalty Point per $2 spent.

Welcome bonuses from credit cards do not earn Loyalty Points.

Shopping

AAdvantage eShopping Portal

Another way to accumulate American Airlines miles and Loyalty Points is by shopping through the AAdvantage eShopping portal. All you need to do is start your shopping on aadvantageeshopping.com and you’ll earn American Airlines miles on your purchases.

What’s great about using this shopping portal is that you can earn multiple Loyalty Points per dollar. If a particular store is offering 5 miles per dollar, you’ll earn 5 redeemable miles plus 5 Loyalty Points.

SimplyMiles

SimplyMiles is another way to earn American miles and Loyalty Points. This website offers bonus miles on select stores. To use it you’ll first need to link any Mastercard (not just an American Airlines Mastercard) to your account and then add the offer to your card. Once you complete a purchase with a linked card, you’ll earn miles and Loyalty Points.

AA Dining

You can earn American Airlines miles and Loyalty Points the next time you dine out. To get started, you’ll want to sign up at aadvantagedining.com and then link any credit card (preferably one that earns bonus points at restaurants). Then when you dine at any participating restaurant and use your linked card, you’ll earn up to 5 miles per dollar spent.

Hotel Partners

American Airlines has a healthy list of options to earn miles through hotel stays.

• American Airlines Hotels: This site, powered by RocketTravel, allows you to earn up to 10 miles and Loyalty Points per dollar by booking select hotels

• Rocketmiles: Rocketmiles allows you to earn miles and Loyalty Points per night on select hotels. This is powered by the same booking engine and platform as booking through AAdvantage hotels.
• Hyatt Hotels: American Airlines has a partnership with Hyatt that allows AA elite members to earn miles and Loyalty Points on Hyatt stays (in addition to Hyatt points). You’ll earn 1 mile/Loyalty Point per dollar spent on Hyatt hotels (not including taxes and fees). You’ll earn 500 miles per stay at select brands.
• Marriott Hotels: You can elect to earn AA miles instead of Marriott Bonvoy points on your Marriott stays. If you choose this, you’ll earn 1 to 2 miles per dollar on all qualifying charges.
• InterContinental Hotels: You can opt to earn AA miles instead of IHG One Rewards points on IHG stays. You’ll earn 1 to 2 miles per dollar on select brands only.

Car Rentals

You can earn AA miles and Loyalty Points by renting a car. Depending on your current elite status, the car rental company and whether you’re an American Airlines credit card holder, you’ll earn 1 to 5 base miles and Loyalty Points per dollar spent.

Cruises

Cruise your way to American Airlines elite status by booking your voyages through American Airlines Cruises. You’ll earn 1 mile per dollar spent, up to 10,000 miles. It gets even better if you have an American Airlines credit card because then you can earn 2 miles per dollar spent, up to 20,000 miles when you pay with your AA card through 12/31/25.

Vacation Packages

You can earn AA miles and Loyalty Points by booking a vacation package with a flight through American Airlines Vacations. AAdvantage members will earn both 1 mile and 1 Loyalty Point per dollar based on the total package value (excludes taxes, fees and mileage redemption). AAdvantage members with elite status will earn up to 5 miles and 5 Loyalty Points per dollar.

Other Partners

American Airlines has additional partners that offer opportunities to earn more miles and Loyalty Points.

• Shell: Earn 3 miles per gallon with the Fuel Rewards program. This will replace any Fuel Rewards discount at the pump. You won’t get both.
• NRG: Earn 2 miles per dollar on the supply portion of your electric and natural gas bills.
• Reliant Energy: Earn 15,000 miles when you sign up, 500 bonus miles each month for 24 months, up to a maximum of 27,000 miles over the life of your plan.
• XOOM Energy: Earn 2 miles and Loyalty Points per dollar on the supply portion of your monthly electric or gas bills in select states.
• Miles for Opinions: Earn AA miles by taking surveys.