Sweet Spot Sunday: Travel to South America for just 35,000 American Airlines miles round-trip

Editor's note: This article has been refreshed with the most current details.

American Airlines remains one of the few U.S. carriers that still shares award charts and continues to offer valuable opportunities like off-peak awards. These MileSAAver off-peak awards allow you to save up to 25% compared to standard economy award prices for specific regions during selected travel times.

Previously, we explored how to use off-peak awards for flights to Hawaii at 40,000 miles round-trip, Europe at 45,000 miles round-trip, and to the Caribbean, Mexico, or Central America for the cost of a domestic award. Today, we focus on securing off-peak awards to South America Region 1 for 35,000 miles round-trip, featuring popular spots like Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

What makes it unique

Typically, an economy-class award ticket to South America ranges from 40,000 to 60,000 American AAdvantage miles round-trip, depending on the destination. However, off-peak awards to South America Region 1 are available for just 35,000 miles round-trip.

Though a 5,000-mile reduction might not seem significant, it could be enough to cover a one-way domestic Web Special award. Additionally, South America Region 1 offers a wide range of off-peak dates, boasting an impressive seven-month off-peak period.

South America Region 1 encompasses Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Manaus (Brazil), Peru, and Suriname. This means you can secure discounted awards to cities like Bogota, Colombia; Lima, Peru; and Quito, Ecuador, along with many other fantastic locations.

This redemption becomes even more achievable thanks to the ease of earning AAdvantage miles. Moreover, the discount is automatically applied rather than through a rebate, enabling you to book these awards even if you lack enough miles for standard rates.

What steps should I follow to book this award?

Booking an off-peak award is as straightforward as any other AAdvantage redemption. You can complete it online, and there are no special tricks for finding these rates.

It’s essential to know which dates are classified as off-peak. For South America Region 1, the current off-peak timeframe is from January 16 to June 14 and September 7 to November 14. Keep in mind that these off-peak dates can sometimes differ based on whether you're departing from the U.S. or returning.

You can start your search on aa.com just as you usually would. Enter your destination, choose your dates, and make sure to check the "Redeem miles" option.

When saver availability exists, you'll see the discounted rates right away. If you struggle to find saver availability, try using the calendar search tool to explore alternative dates. You can also consider subscribing to ExpertFlyer (a service under TPG's parent company, Red Ventures) to set alerts for notifications when award space becomes available.

Sadly, to take advantage of MileSAAver off-peak awards, you must fly with American Airlines, which means you won't qualify for these rates if you're connecting through a partner airline.

Additionally, keep in mind that on certain days, you might find lower rates by booking a Web Special, so make sure to evaluate all your options.

The last step involves logging into your AAdvantage account to finalize your booking. While taxes and fees differ by country, they are generally quite reasonable. It's advisable to pay these surcharges using cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which offer benefits such as trip-delay reimbursement and trip-cancellation and interruption protection.

Ways to earn miles for this award

This sweet spot is perfect for travelers who already have American Airlines miles. There are several methods to earn AAdvantage miles. For example, you can accumulate American miles through online shopping, dining out, or purchasing them directly. However, our preferred methods are transferring from a partner program or earning through an American Airlines credit card.

Transferring points

Currently, the only transferable points currency you can convert to AAdvantage is Bilt Rewards. Transfers occur at a 1:1 ratio and typically process almost instantly, although they may take up to 24 hours in some cases.

Alternatively, you can transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy. The transfer ratio is 3:1, but you receive a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred. By applying for one of the Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, you can accumulate enough points for a round-trip redemption and even have some left over.

Earning with American Airlines credit cards

A straightforward way to earn AAdvantage miles is by applying for and using a cobranded American Airlines credit card. Many of these cards come with sign-up bonuses large enough to cover a round-trip award and still leave you with additional miles, including:

• AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard: Earn 65,000 miles after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. Plus, receive an additional 10,000 miles when an employee card is used for a purchase.
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Earn 65,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first four months of account opening.
• AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after making a purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days of card opening.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening (see rates and fees).
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 70,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first three months of account opening (see rates and fees).

The details regarding the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select, AAdvantage Aviator Red, and AAdvantage Aviator Business cards have been independently gathered by Dinogo. The information on this page has not been reviewed or supplied by the card issuer.

These cards not only enhance your AAdvantage account but also offer valuable "elite-lite" perks, such as free checked bags, priority boarding, and even lounge access with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive card. Keep in mind that you must meet the minimum spending requirements on your new card and wait for your bonus miles to be credited. Thus, applying for a new card is advisable only if you’re planning your trip well ahead of time.

Key takeaway

Utilizing off-peak awards to South America Region 1 is an excellent way to maximize your AAdvantage miles. American Airlines is quite accommodating with this sweet spot, as it designates most of the year as an off-peak period for this region. Just make sure to compare award rates with Web Specials, as they can occasionally offer lower prices.