A Guide to Booking Domestic American Airlines Flights Using Points and Miles

As one of the largest airlines globally, American Airlines boasts an extensive network of routes throughout the U.S. and beyond.

If you're located near a major hub like Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), or any of the numerous U.S. airports serviced by the airline, you might be curious about the best ways to book American Airlines domestic flights with points and miles.

Although you can redeem American miles via the AAdvantage program, you might find that booking through partner programs offers better value. Here are some of TPG's top recommendations for using points and miles to book American domestic flights.

Use AAdvantage miles to book domestic flights with American Airlines

The AAdvantage program from American Airlines has now implemented dynamic pricing for flights, both domestic and international. This means fewer AAdvantage miles will be needed for flights during off-peak times, while prices increase during peak demand periods.

The positive aspect is that domestic flights can be booked for as low as 7,500 miles on less busy travel dates, including convenient options like a Saturday morning in September.

Even better, the regular web specials from AAdvantage sometimes allow you to book domestic flights for as little as 5,000 AAdvantage miles.

This method of booking American flights is fantastic at this rate, especially since the fees and taxes are only $5.60—roughly the cost of a cup of coffee at these airports.

Domestic first-class flights begin at 15,000 miles and are priced dynamically, reaching up to 145,000 miles during peak travel periods. Considering the superb long-haul partner redemptions available for fewer miles than AAdvantage's rates, we advise against redeeming your miles this way.

Utilize partner miles to book domestic AAdvantage flights

If you have AAdvantage miles and find domestic American Airlines flights priced below 10,000 miles per person, this is an excellent way to use them.

On the other hand, if you're encountering dynamic pricing that's higher than this, consider using a partner's currency instead. TPG suggests using airline partners that utilize Avios as their loyalty currency for booking American Airlines flights.

Although British Airways Executive Club has significantly raised the Avios redemption rates for flights operated by American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, the Avios rates through Qatar Airways and Finnair have remained stable.

As British Airways Executive Club is a transferable partner with Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Wells Fargo Rewards, you can convert your credit card rewards points at a 1:1 ratio. This allows you to transfer Avios between programs like Qatar, Finnair, Aer Lingus, British Airways, and Iberia at a 1:1 rate in any direction.

Choosing this redemption method can be significantly less expensive than booking the same American Airlines domestic flights via AAdvantage.

Qatar Airways Privilege Club

Currently, the most effective way to book American (or Alaska) domestic flights under 2,000 miles is by using the Qatar Airways Privilege Club program, which operates on Avios as its loyalty currency.

For American flights, you will require the following Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios:

• Flights up to 650 miles: 6,000 Avios in Main Cabin economy, or 12,500 Avios in first class
• Flights 651-1,150 miles: 9,000 Avios in economy, or 16,500 Avios in first class
• Flights 1,151-2,000 miles: 11,000 Avios in economy, or 22,200 Avios in first class
• Flights 2,001-3,000 miles: 13,000 Avios in economy, or 38,750 Avios in first class

Although the taxes and fees are slightly higher than what AAdvantage charges, this remains a fantastic option for redeeming your points and miles.

Finnair Plus

Another program that utilizes Avios is Finnair Plus, which offers a solid redemption alternative for booking domestic flights on American Airlines. This program requires a flat rate of 11,000 Avios for any domestic AA flight, regardless of distance, or 30,000 Avios for domestic first class.

For flights under 1,151 miles, such as from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), booking with Qatar Airways Avios is more economical than using Finnair Plus Avios. When traveling between 1,151 and 2,000 miles, both Avios programs offer the same pricing. However, for journeys exceeding 2,000 miles, Finnair Plus Avios is the more cost-effective choice compared to Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios.

If you can't find availability for an American domestic award online, you might need to call Finnair Plus at 929-474-6049 to make your booking (you can also check availability via American's or Qatar's website).

Keep in mind that you can transfer Avios between any programs that utilize Avios as their currency (including Finnair and Qatar) at a 1:1 ratio, as often as you like and in any direction.

British Airways Executive Club

Using Avios to redeem flights through BA's Executive Club program for domestic American Airlines (and Alaska Airlines) flights was once a fantastic value. However, due to a series of recent devaluations, these flights now start at 12,500 Avios for journeys up to 650 miles in economy, and up to 20,000 Avios for flights ranging from 2,001 to 3,000 miles. Therefore, it is more advantageous to redeem Avios through Qatar Airways Privilege Club or Finnair Plus.

All Avios redemption rates are fixed and do not vary by date. While it may appear advantageous to redeem Avios during peak travel times when AAdvantage prices flights higher, keep in mind that American Airlines allocates only a limited number of seats to partner programs.

It's beneficial to compare pricing across different programs, but if AAdvantage increases award prices during busy travel periods, partner programs may not have any available seats.

How to accumulate points and miles for booking American Airlines domestic flights

Earning AAdvantage miles or Avios is straightforward with the right credit card options.

How to earn AAdvantage miles

You can apply for an American Airlines co-branded credit card to earn miles on your regular purchases and benefit from a generous welcome bonus. Here are some top options:

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® ($595 annual fee; see rates and fees): Receive 70,000 bonus miles after spending $7,000 in the first three months from account opening.
• Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® ($99 annual fee, waived for the first year; see rates and fees): Earn 75,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $5,000 in the first five months.
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® ($99 annual fee): Obtain 60,000 miles after making your first purchase and paying the annual fee in full, both within the initial 90 days.

The information regarding the AAdvantage Aviator Red has been gathered independently by Dinogo. The card details on this page have not been verified or provided by the card issuer.

How to accumulate Avios

As previously mentioned, the British Airways Executive Club partners with most major transferable rewards programs, excluding Citi ThankYou Rewards. Additionally, Finnair Plus works with Capital One miles, while Qatar Airways Privilege Club collaborates with American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards. All credit card points can be exchanged for Avios at a 1:1 ratio.

The following credit cards currently provide attractive welcome bonuses that you can easily convert into Avios:

• American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases during the first six months of card membership. Additionally, get 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases (up to $100) within the first six months. Terms apply.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months. Check if you’re targeted for a 125,000-point welcome offer through CardMatch (offer subject to change). Terms apply.
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.

In conclusion

You can discover excellent deals when booking domestic flights operated by American Airlines using points and miles. The AAdvantage program often features low rates during off-peak times, with flights usually starting at 7,500 AAdvantage miles and occasionally dropping to as low as 5,000 miles.

Regrettably, the program's frustrating dynamic pricing can lead to significantly higher rates on various dates, especially during the holiday season. It might be worthwhile to redeem Avios through Qatar Airways Privilege Club for shorter American Airlines flights or use Finnair Plus for longer routes with AA.