Pursuing elite status with American Airlines? Check out these 15 methods to accumulate Loyalty Points.

In early March 2022, American Airlines transitioned from using elite qualifying miles, dollars, and segments to Loyalty Points as the new metric for earning elite status.

Today, your Loyalty Points are primarily linked to your spending rather than your flight frequency. This means you could theoretically achieve top-tier Executive Platinum status by spending alone—though we wouldn't necessarily recommend that approach.

In addition to flying, you can earn Loyalty Points through purchases and interactions with American Airlines' partners. In 2024, the airline introduced several new ways to earn Loyalty Points, including updates to the AAdvantage program that featured new Loyalty Point Rewards and opportunities to earn points through upgrades.

In February, American announced changes to how customers accumulate Loyalty Points on flights. Starting May 1, you will only earn Loyalty Points for flights booked directly with American, certain eligible partner airlines, or approved travel agencies. Additionally, points can be earned for travel booked as an AAdvantage Business member or through a corporate contract. More details on participating travel agencies will be revealed in April.

Considering all of this, here are some of the top methods to earn Loyalty Points for achieving American Airlines elite status.

Accumulate Loyalty Points by flying with American Airlines.

The classic method of earning elite status—by flying with the airline—remains valid within American's Loyalty Points system.

You receive 1 Loyalty Point for every eligible AAdvantage mile when you fly with American. Depending on your status level, redeemable miles can be earned at a multiplier ranging from 5 to 11 times your base fare.

• General member: earn 5 miles for every dollar spent
• Gold: earn 7 miles for every dollar spent
• Platinum: earn 8 miles for every dollar spent
• Platinum Pro: earn 9 miles for every dollar spent
• Executive Platinum: earn 11 miles for every dollar spent

For example, if you purchase a ticket from New York to Los Angeles for $200 (before taxes), a general member without elite status would receive 1,000 AAdvantage miles and 1,000 Loyalty Points. In contrast, an Executive Platinum member would earn 2,200 AAdvantage miles and 2,200 Loyalty Points for the same flight.

You are not required to monitor elite qualifying miles, dollars, or segments. Each redeemable mile you earn from flying with American converts directly into 1 Loyalty Point.

Starting May 1, please note that Loyalty Points will only be awarded on flights booked directly through the airline, eligible partner airlines, or selected travel agencies. Additionally, AAdvantage Business members and contracted corporate travelers can also accumulate points from any travel booked.

This alteration may impact travelers who typically book American flights with transferable credit card points via their issuer's platform. However, it remains unclear which travel agencies will be categorized as "preferred" until April.

You can accumulate Loyalty Points by flying with partner airlines.

Flying with one of American's airline partners introduces a bit of complexity.

For flights that are marketed and operated by most Oneworld partners, redeemable miles (and hence Loyalty Points) are accrued based on the distance traveled, fare class, and the specific airline.

However, this changed in October 2023 for flights with British Airways and Iberia, which now award miles and Loyalty Points based on the ticket price rather than distance flown and fare class.

When crediting a partner flight to American AAdvantage that was not purchased directly from American, be sure to consult the earnings tables on American's partner webpage. After determining your fare class and the distance of your flight, you can calculate the redeemable miles you'll earn.

All redeemable miles you accumulate will add to your Loyalty Points balance at a 1:1 ratio.

For instance, if you choose a business-class ticket on Qatar Airways from New York to Doha, you would earn 10,040 redeemable miles (6,693 base miles for the flight distance plus a 50% cabin bonus), equating to 10,040 Loyalty Points.

If you're an elite Executive Platinum member, you will also benefit from a 120% bonus on the miles earned, resulting in an extra 8,032 redeemable miles (6,693 base miles multiplied by the 1.20 elite bonus), which corresponds to 8,032 Loyalty Points.

Redeem your Loyalty Point bonus rewards.

In 2024, American Airlines introduced a new benefit for those collecting Loyalty Points, enabling you to redeem a Loyalty Point Reward to accumulate additional Loyalty Points toward elite status. This update will take effect in the next membership year.

Now, you can choose Loyalty Point bonuses at specific Loyalty Point milestones, all of which contribute to your status. For example, at the 15,000-Loyalty Point mark, you can opt for 1,000 bonus Loyalty Points; at 175,000, you can select 5,000 bonus Loyalty Points; and at 250,000, you can choose 15,000 bonus Loyalty Points.

At each Loyalty Point milestone, you have the option to receive bonus Loyalty Points instead of other perks.

Accumulate Loyalty Points by making cash payments to upgrade your travel.

In 2024, American announced that travelers can earn redeemable miles and additional Loyalty Points by paying cash for upgrades to premium cabins.

Now, passengers will earn Loyalty Points based on their upgrade fees, similar to how they earn points on a standard paid ticket.

As of January, the airline had not yet established a date for implementing this change.

Accumulate Loyalty Points through credit card expenditures.

It's quite straightforward: for every base mile earned on a cobranded American Airlines credit card, you will receive 1 Loyalty Point. American Airlines indicates that the base miles you earn depend on the type of credit card and the issuing bank. Most AAdvantage cards provide 1 base mile per dollar spent on eligible purchases, while some may offer .5 base miles per dollar, and others can provide up to 2 miles per dollar.

Eligible cards include all Citi AAdvantage cards, AAdvantage Aviator cards, and AAdvantage cards issued internationally (though you may need to check with your issuer for specific terms).

Here are some popular cobranded American cards:

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
• Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees)
• AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees)
• American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®

The details for the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select, AAdvantage Aviator Red, and American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp cards have been independently gathered by Dinogo. The card information presented here has not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

American has simplified the process of earning elite status through spending alone.

Unfortunately, sign-up bonuses, limited-time spending promotions, and bonus category multipliers (like those for groceries, gas, dining, etc.) do not count toward earning Loyalty Points, meaning you'll earn just 1 Loyalty Point for every dollar spent.

Loyalty Points enhancements on select cards

These cards will provide bonus Loyalty Points once you reach specific spending thresholds:

• AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Silver Mastercard® cardholders: According to the terms and conditions, from March 1, 2024, until the end of February 2025, primary cardholders can earn up to an additional 15,000 Loyalty Points by meeting certain spending goals during the qualification period. For example, if you spend $20,000 during this period, you'll receive an extra 5,000 Loyalty Points. As you spend more, you can earn another 5,000 Loyalty Points for spending $40,000, and if you hit $50,000 in spending, you’ll reach the maximum bonus of 15,000 Loyalty Points.
• Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard: Earn 10,000 Loyalty Points after accumulating 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year. Another bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Points will be awarded after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points within the same year.

The information regarding the AAdvantage Aviator Silver card has been independently sourced by Dinogo. The details provided here have not been verified or endorsed by the card issuer.

Accumulate Loyalty Points by dining out (or ordering in).

Depending on your dining habits, you could potentially eat your way to elite status. The miles earned through the AAdvantage Dining program contribute to your Loyalty Points total.

Joining the dining rewards program is easy. Simply create an account and link your preferred credit cards. You’ll earn miles when you eat at participating restaurants or order takeout directly.

As a VIP member, you can earn 5 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent (achieved by making 11 transactions in a calendar year and opting for email communication from AAdvantage Dining), while online members earn 3 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent (if they choose to receive email updates), and regular members earn 1 AAdvantage mile per dollar spent.

AAdvantage Dining frequently provides a welcome bonus for new members, but these miles do not qualify for accrual of Loyalty Points.

Accumulate Loyalty Points via a shopping portal.

You can also earn Loyalty Points through the AAdvantage eShopping online shopping portal or the SimplyMiles program.

Miles earned through these shopping portals contribute to your Loyalty Points at a 1:1 ratio.

The AAdvantage eShopping portal is just one of the many online shopping portals you can use before making purchases with select retailers like Home Depot, Apple, Walmart, Best Buy, and many others. By clicking through, you can earn American Airlines miles on your purchase, usually calculated as a multiplier of the total amount spent.

However, consider using a shopping portal aggregator to check if another portal is offering a significantly better rewards rate.

The SimplyMiles program functions similarly to Amex Offers, allowing you to link merchant-specific offers to a credit or debit card. You’ll earn AAdvantage miles when you use that card for online or in-store purchases with participating merchants. To use the SimplyMiles program, you must reside in the U.S., have a valid Mastercard, and enroll. After enrolling, you can explore offers and activate those you wish to take advantage of. Miles will be credited to your account upon making a purchase with a participating merchant.

Accumulate Loyalty Points during hotel stays.

It can be easy to overlook, but American Airlines AAdvantage members can earn miles when staying at hotels. While we usually recommend against this due to the potential loss of hotel points, it may be worthwhile if American miles hold more value for you than hotel points.

Any base miles earned from spending with hotel partners will contribute to your Loyalty Points total.

Opt to earn miles instead of points.

To summarize, here's how many points you can earn with various hotel chains:

• Aadvantagehotels.com: This portal, powered by Booking.com, allows you to earn up to 10 times more base miles on hotel stays when you book through it.
• Hyatt: Earn 500 miles for each stay at select properties, with potential for more if you have elite status.
• Marriott: Earn between 1 to 2 AAdvantage miles for every dollar spent on qualifying expenses. Upscale brands like Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott earn 2 miles per dollar, while budget options like Aloft and Moxy earn just 1 mile per dollar.
• IHG: Earn 1 to 2 miles per dollar on qualifying room charges. Stays at Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites earn 1 mile per dollar, whereas other brands offer 2 miles per dollar.
• Rocketmiles: Earn up to 10,000 miles per night when booking through this online travel agency.

When booking with Hyatt, Marriott, and IHG, it's essential to log into your hotel loyalty program account and select the option to earn AAdvantage miles instead of hotel points. Be sure to complete this step prior to booking if accumulating Loyalty Points is your main goal.

American Airlines-Hyatt collaboration

American Airlines AAdvantage and World of Hyatt established a partnership in 2019, enabling elite members from both programs to earn bonus points and miles on their stays and flights. Those holding elite status in both programs can double their rewards on qualifying American flights and Hyatt stays.

You can earn 1 World of Hyatt bonus point for every eligible dollar spent on qualifying American flights, and conversely, you earn 1 AAdvantage base mile (and 1 Loyalty Point) for every dollar spent on qualifying Hyatt stays and experiences. These rewards are in addition to the World of Hyatt points earned on stays and the AAdvantage miles collected from flights.

So, if you're already an elite member with American Airlines and frequently stay at Hyatt properties (or can adjust your travel plans accordingly), you could accumulate a substantial amount of extra AAdvantage miles—and thereby Loyalty Points—from your hotel bookings. However, while it is possible to transfer certain hotel points to AAdvantage, such transfers do not count toward earning Loyalty Points, according to program rules.

Earn Loyalty Points through vacation packages

American Airlines has long provided a vacation package service that allows you to combine flights, hotels, and rental cars—or any combination thereof. Often, these packages offer better deals compared to booking each element separately.

Additionally, you will earn 1,000 AAdvantage miles for each vacation package booked online, and you can earn up to 20,000 miles when you book featured hotels.

As always, it’s wise to compare costs before opting for a vacation package instead of booking directly. Also, keep in mind that you probably won’t earn hotel points or elite status on hotels included in a package.

Earn Loyalty Points by booking cruises

American allows you to book cruises directly through its website, and the miles you earn will contribute to your Loyalty Points. You can earn 1 AAdvantage mile for every dollar spent on cruise bookings through December 31, 2025, up to a maximum of 10,000 AAdvantage miles. Furthermore, if you have an AAdvantage cobranded credit card, you can earn an extra mile for each dollar spent until December 31, 2025.

If you're keen on cruising and want to rack up AAdvantage miles along with Loyalty Points, consider making your reservations through American's cruise portal.

Earn Loyalty Points by renting cars

AAdvantage miles accrued from rental cars will contribute to your Loyalty Points. The specific amount of Loyalty Points and redeemable AAdvantage miles you earn will vary depending on the rental car partner you choose.

For instance, members of Avis and Budget can earn a minimum of 2 base miles for every dollar spent on qualifying rentals at participating airport locations across the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Additionally, using an American Airlines cobranded credit card will earn you even more base miles.

If you frequently rent cars, this could be an excellent way to boost your Loyalty Points. Just keep in mind that typically, you won't earn rental car loyalty points when you credit your rentals to American, so weigh the benefits carefully.

Earn Loyalty Points by filling up your car

American is part of the Fuel Rewards program by Shell. When you fill up at a Shell station, you’ll earn 3 miles for every gallon of fuel, which will count as Loyalty Points. New members can also receive 250 miles just for signing up and completing their first fill-up at Shell, although this particular offer expires on August 1.

Earn Loyalty Points by paying your utility bills

American has established partnerships with three utility providers: Xoom, NRG Energy, and Reliant Energy.

American has confirmed that transactions with these partners will contribute to your Loyalty Points, providing a convenient way to earn status with minimal effort. Just keep in mind that many of these companies offer electricity at variable rates, which may cause fluctuations in your monthly bills. Also, these services are limited to select states.

Keep in mind that while these services offer welcome bonuses, you typically won't earn Loyalty Points from those bonuses.

Earn Loyalty Points by completing surveys

Miles for Opinions lets you earn American Airlines miles by participating in surveys on a variety of subjects. American has confirmed that miles earned through this partner will count towards your Loyalty Points.

There’s no cost involved in participating, allowing you to accumulate Loyalty Points for "free." However, keep in mind that it requires answering numerous questions to earn a small amount of miles, so weigh the value of your time.

Status match and challenge opportunities

American has partnerships with various companies, which might make you eligible for a status match or challenge through your employer's corporate travel agency. Check with your travel department to see if you qualify.

Currently, American Airlines is offering a status match for members of Delta Air Lines SkyMiles Platinum Medallion and Diamond Medallion, as well as United Airlines MileagePlus Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members. This status match is based on your account activity from 2022. To determine your eligibility for American Airlines' status match, you must register by providing your personal details and a copy of your current membership card (valid until either Jan. 31, 2024, or Jan. 31, 2025).

Platinum Medallion and Premier Platinum members will receive Platinum Pro status in AAdvantage, while Diamond Medallion and Premier 1K members will be upgraded to Executive Platinum status. This status will be valid for four months following registration, and you’ll need to earn a specified number of Loyalty Points to maintain or enhance your status for an additional four months. If you achieve all three Loyalty Point targets, you’ll secure matched status for the remainder of the year.

Which activities are not eligible?

Unfortunately, not all mileage-earning activities contribute to Loyalty Points.

As previously noted, you won't earn Loyalty Points for sign-up bonuses on cobranded credit cards, limited-time spending promotions, or multipliers on specific categories like groceries and dining. Generally, most AAdvantage cardholders earn 1 mile per dollar spent, regardless of the purchase type.

Additionally, miles earned from promotional events or through transactions involving buying, gifting, or transferring will not count toward your Loyalty Points. This includes miles transferred between personal accounts and those converted from other loyalty programs, such as Marriott Bonvoy points.

Regrettably, American has stated that you cannot earn Loyalty Points through interest accrued in a Bask Bank account. A Bask Bank mileage savings account enables you to earn American Airlines miles instead of traditional cash on your savings.

Lastly, donations made during American's occasional fundraising campaigns do not qualify for earning Loyalty Points. For example, you can receive 10 miles for every dollar donated to Stand Up To Cancer when contributing $25 or more here. However, the donation page clearly mentions: "Bonus miles do not count toward status qualification."

In summary

There are multiple ways to achieve American elite status without needing to fly. While you may find yourself investing more time and/or money into crediting partner transactions than you did with previous elite qualification methods, there are now significantly more options available than before.

Starting on May 1, the way you earn Loyalty Points will change. You'll only be able to accumulate points on flights booked directly with American Airlines, eligible partner airlines, or select travel agencies (the list will be revealed in April). However, if you're an AAdvantage Business member or a contracted corporate traveler, you'll still earn points for travel booked through any source.

Moreover, having a cobranded AAdvantage credit card will enhance your chances of qualifying for status. That said, those without the card can still make progress towards elite status by utilizing American's various partners, such as the dining rewards program and the online shopping portal.

You'll need to assess your elite status ambitions and upcoming travel plans for the remainder of the status year to determine if the potential trade-off of focusing on American's non-travel partners is worthwhile for achieving AAdvantage elite status.