4 Reasons to Start Collecting American Airlines AAdvantage Miles

Among airlines’ frequent flyer programs, it should come as no surprise that the three “legacy” carriers offer some of the most valuable points. Depending on where you live and your travel style, some programs may offer more benefits than others.

Based on our latest analysis, American Airlines AAdvantage miles may be redeemed for an average of 1 cent each. Note that this is a baseline value based on random award searches. You should be able to get more value than that with a little work.

» Learn More: Looking for how much your points and miles from these programs are worth? Check out our separate valuations page.

How can you tell if the AAdvantage frequent flyer program is best for you? Here are four reasons why you may want to consider joining.

1. You live near an American Airlines hub

One of the best reasons to choose any airline is because you live near one of its hubs, giving you access to the widest range of direct flights.

American Airlines’ home airport is at Dallas-Fort Worth, but the carrier operates hubs at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Miami International Airport (MIA), New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia International Airport (LGA),Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC.

2. You travel internationally

American Airlines operates one of the most robust networks across the United States and around the world. As the largest airline by passengers enplaned, it operates an average of 6,700 flights every day serving 50 countries. The network reach includes eight airports in the Asia-Pacific region, 23 year-round and seasonal routes across Europe, 28 year-round and seasonal routes in Canada and Mexico, and 58 destinations across Brazil, Central America and South America.This year, American is adding nine new European routes to destinations such as Athens, Munich and Dublin.

3. You want the ability to redeem your miles for flights on Oneworld airlines

One of the perks of joining a frequent flyer program is being able to redeem earned points aboard their partners.

American Airlines is part of the Oneworld alliance, which is made up of 12 other airlines servicing the globe such as British Airways and Cathay Pacific. The airline also has partnerships with other carriers, including Etihad Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, Jet Airways and WestJet.

While you can book flights aboard other airlines using your AAdvantage miles, some of them will require some extra work. Only 15 airlines are bookable through American’s website - all the others require you to book over the phone. But if you have the American AAdvantage miles to use, this could be an effective way to see the world at a lower price.

4. You want to earn miles through everyday spending

If you plan on flying American Airlines or OneWorld partners frequently, picking a credit card for earning miles can give you a big boost toward redeeming miles for travel.

Generally, sign-up bonuses during the first year can make a big dent in the cost of a flight.

This post was updated on Jan. 15, 2020.

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