The Complete Guide to American’s Reduced Mileage Awards
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American Airlines has discontinued reduced mileage awards for new trips booked on or after October 1, 2021.
American Airlines has a region-based award chart, offering several sweet spot opportunities for flights to Europe and South America. However, if you also hold one of the airline’s co-branded credit cards, you used to be able to take advantage of reduced mileage awards, which allow you to save up to 7,500 miles when booking round-trip award tickets within the U.S. and Canada.
It is important to note that this reduced mileage award program ended Oct. 1, 2021.
What are AA reduced mileage awards?
American Airlines reduced mileage awards offer a discount of up to 7,500 miles on the cost of a round-trip award ticket or 3,750 miles for a one-way flight, depending on which American Airlines credit card you hold.
One-way flights that are less than or equal to 500 flown miles get a smaller discount — either 500 or 1,000 miles depending on which card you have. Reduced mileage awards are available in the main cabin, business and first class. Award ticket taxes and fees are $5.60 per one-way trip.
Which American Airlines credit cards offer reduced mileage awards?
You must hold one of the co-branded American Airlines credit cards to be eligible for Reduced Mileage Awards. The following credit cards offer the full discount, which is 7,500 miles for round-trip flights longer than 500 miles or 2,000 miles for shorter flights:
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Select MasterCard®.
This next set of credit cards offers a 5,000-mile discount on round-trip flights longer than 500 miles or a 1,000-mile discount for shorter flights.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Gold World Elite™ Mastercard®.
Also, keep in mind that although the official American Airlines site consistently markets these discounts as round-trip amounts, you can book one-way award flights for half of the discount (so a 3,750-mile discount on an award flight longer than 500 miles with one of the credit cards in the first group).
» Learn more: Which American Airlines credit card should you choose?
Where can you fly with reduced mileage awards?
Through September, American’s reduced mileage awards are offered to 184 airports within the U.S. and Canada.
July, August and September 2021 reduced mileage award options
Destination | July 2021 | August 2021 | September 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
Abilene, TX (ABI) | available | available | available |
Akron / Canton, OH (CAK) | available | available | available |
Albuquerque, NM (ABQ) | Not available | available | available |
Alexandria, LA (AEX) | Not available | available | available |
Allentown, PA (ABE) | Not available | Not available | available |
Amarillo, TX (AMA) | available | available | Not available |
Appleton, WI (ATW) | available | available | available |
Asheville, NC (AVL) | available | available | available |
Aspen, CO (ASE) | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Atlanta, GA (ATL) | available | available | Not available |
Augusta, GA (AGS) | Not available | available | available |
Austin, TX (AUS) | available | available | available |
Baltimore, MD (BWI) | Not available | Not available | available |
Baton Rouge, LA (BTR) | available | available | Not available |
Beaumont / Port Arthur, TX (BPT) | available | available | available |
Birmingham, AL (BHM) | available | available | Not available |
Bismarck, ND (BIS) | Not available | Not available | available |
Bloomington, IL (BMI) | available | available | available |
Boise, ID (BOI) | Not available | available | Not available |
Brownsville, TX (BRO) | Not available | available | available |
Buffalo, NY (BUF) | Not available | Not available | available |
Calgary, AB (YYC) | Not available | available | available |
Cedar Rapids, IA (CID) | available | available | available |
Champaign, IL (CMI) | available | available | available |
Charleston, SC (CHS) | available | available | Not available |
Charleston, WV (CRW) | available | Not available | available |
Charlottesville, VA (CHO) | available | available | available |
Chattanooga, TN (CHA) | Not available | available | available |
Cincinnati, OH / Covington, KY (CVG) | available | available | available |
Cleveland, OH (CLE) | available | available | available |
College Station, TX (CLL) | available | available | available |
Colorado Springs, CO (COS) | available | available | Not available |
Columbia, MO (COU) | available | available | available |
Columbia, SC (CAE) | available | available | available |
Columbus, OH (CMH) | Not available | available | available |
Corpus Christi, TX (CRP) | Not available | available | Not available |
Dayton, OH (DAY) | available | available | available |
Daytona Beach, FL (DAB) | Not available | available | Not available |
Del Rio, TX (DRT) | available | available | available |
Des Moines, IA (DSM) | Not available | available | available |
Detroit, MI (DTW) | available | available | Not available |
Dubuque, IA (DBQ) | available | available | available |
Durango, CO (DRO) | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Erie, PA (ERI) | Not available | Not available | available |
Evansville, IN (EVV) | available | available | available |
Fargo, ND (FAR) | Not available | Not available | available |
Flagstaff, AZ (FLG) | available | available | available |
Flint, MI (FNT) | Not available | Not available | available |
Florence, SC (FLO) | available | available | available |
Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL) | available | available | Not available |
Fort Myers, FL (RSW) | available | available | Not available |
Fort Smith, AR (FSM) | Not available | available | available |
Fort Walton Beach, FL (VPS) | available | available | available |
Fort Wayne, IN (FWA) | Not available | available | available |
Fresno, CA (FAT) | Not available | Not available | available |
Gainesville, FL (GNV) | available | available | available |
Garden City, KS (GCK) | Not available | available | available |
Grand Island, NE (GRI) | Not available | available | available |
Grand Junction, CO (GJT) | Not available | available | Not available |
Grand Rapids, MI (GRR) | Not available | available | Not available |
Greensboro, NC (GSO) | available | available | available |
Greenville, NC (PGV) | available | available | available |
Greenville / Spartanburg, SC (GSP) | available | available | available |
Gulfport / Biloxi, MS (GPT) | Not available | available | Not available |
Harlingen, TX (HRL) | Not available | available | Not available |
Harrisburg, PA (MDT) | Not available | available | available |
Hartford, CT (BDL) | Not available | Not available | available |
Hilton Head Island, SC (HHH) | available | available | available |
Houston-Hobby, TX (HOU) | available | available | Not available |
Houston-Intercontinental, TX (IAH) | available | available | Not available |
Huntington, WV (HTS) | available | available | available |
Huntsville / Decatur, AL (HSV) | available | available | available |
Indianapolis, IN (IND) | available | available | available |
Ithaca, NY (ITH) | Not available | Not available | available |
Jackson, MS (JAN) | available | available | Not available |
Jacksonville, FL (JAX) | available | available | Not available |
Kalamazoo, MI (AZO) | available | available | available |
Kansas City, MO (MCI) | available | available | available |
Key West, FL (EYW) | available | available | Not available |
Killeen, TX (GRK) | available | Not available | Not available |
Knoxville, TN (TYS) | Not available | available | available |
La Crosse, WI (LSE) | available | available | available |
Lafayette, LA (LFT) | available | available | available |
Lake Charles, LA (LCH) | available | available | available |
Lansing, MI (LAN) | Not available | Not available | available |
Laredo, TX (LRD) | available | Not available | Not available |
Las Vegas, NV (LAS) | available | Not available | Not available |
Lawton, OK (LAW) | available | available | available |
Lexington, KY (LEX) | available | available | available |
Little Rock, AR (LIT) | Not available | available | Not available |
Long Beach, CA (LGB) | Not available | Not available | available |
Long Island-MacArthur, NY (ISP) | Not available | Not available | available |
Longview, TX (GGG) | available | available | available |
Louisville, KY (SDF) | Not available | available | available |
Lynchburg, VA (LYH) | available | available | available |
Madison, WI (MSN) | Not available | available | available |
Manhattan, KS (MHK) | available | available | available |
Marquette, MI (MQT) | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Martha's Vineyard, MA (MVY) | available | available | available |
McAllen, TX (MFE) | available | available | Not available |
Melbourne, FL (MLB) | available | available | Not available |
Memphis, TN (MEM) | available | available | Not available |
Midland / Odessa, TX (MAF) | available | available | available |
Milwaukee, WI (MKE) | available | available | available |
Minneapolis / St. Paul, MN (MSP) | available | available | Not available |
Missoula, MT (MSO) | Not available | Not available | available |
Mobile, AL (MOB) | available | available | available |
Moline, IL (MLI) | available | available | available |
Monroe, LA (MLU) | available | available | Not available |
Monterey, CA (MRY) | Not available | available | available |
Montgomery, AL (MGM) | available | available | available |
Montreal, QC (YUL) | available | available | Not available |
Montrose, CO (MTJ) | Not available | available | Not available |
Myrtle Beach, SC (MYR) | available | available | available |
Nantucket, MA (ACK) | Not available | available | available |
Nashville, TN (BNA) | available | available | available |
New Bern, NC (EWN) | Not available | available | available |
New Haven, CT (HVN) | available | available | available |
New Orleans, LA (MSY) | available | available | Not available |
Newport News, VA (PHF) | available | available | available |
Northwest Arkansas, AR (XNA) | Not available | available | available |
Oakland, CA (OAK) | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Omaha, NE (OMA) | Not available | available | available |
Orange County, CA (SNA) | Not available | available | Not available |
Orlando, FL (MCO) | available | available | Not available |
Palm Springs, CA (PSP) | Not available | available | available |
Panama City, FL (ECP) | Not available | available | Not available |
Pensacola, FL (PNS) | available | available | available |
Peoria, IL (PIA) | available | available | available |
Pittsburgh, PA (PIT) | available | available | available |
Providence, RI (PVD) | Not available | Not available | available |
Raleigh / Durham, NC (RDU) | available | available | available |
Reno, NV (RNO) | Not available | available | available |
Richmond, VA (RIC) | available | available | available |
Roanoke, VA (ROA) | available | available | available |
Rochester, MN (RST) | available | available | available |
Rochester, NY (ROC) | Not available | Not available | available |
Roswell, NM (ROW) | available | available | available |
Salisbury, MD (SBY) | Not available | available | available |
San Angelo, TX (SJT) | available | available | available |
San Antonio, TX (SAT) | available | available | Not available |
San Francisco, CA (SFO) | available | available | available |
San Jose, CA (SJC) | available | available | available |
Santa Barbara, CA (SBA) | Not available | available | available |
Santa Fe, NM (SAF) | Not available | available | available |
Santa Rosa, CA (STS) | Not available | available | available |
Sarasota / Bradenton, FL (SRQ) | available | available | available |
Savannah, GA (SAV) | available | available | available |
Seattle, WA (SEA) | Not available | available | available |
Shreveport, LA (SHV) | available | available | available |
Sioux Falls, SD (FSD) | Not available | available | available |
South Bend, IN (SBN) | Not available | available | available |
Spokane, WA (GEG) | Not available | Not available | available |
Springfield, IL (SPI) | available | available | available |
Springfield, MO (SGF) | Not available | available | Not available |
St. George, UT (SGU) | Not available | Not available | available |
St. Louis, MO (STL) | available | available | available |
State College, PA (SCE) | available | available | available |
Stillwater, OK (SWO) | available | available | available |
Syracuse, NY (SYR) | Not available | Not available | available |
Tallahassee, FL (TLH) | available | available | available |
Tampa, FL (TPA) | available | available | Not available |
Texarkana, AR (TXK) | available | available | available |
Toledo, OH (TOL) | available | available | available |
Toronto, ON (YYZ) | available | available | available |
Traverse City, MI (TVC) | Not available | Not available | available |
Tri-Cities, TN (TRI) | available | available | available |
Tucson, AZ (TUS) | available | available | Not available |
Tulsa, OK (TUL) | available | available | available |
Tyler, TX (TYR) | available | available | available |
Vail / Eagle, CO (EGE) | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Vancouver, BC (YVR) | available | available | Not available |
Waco, TX (ACT) | available | available | available |
Waterloo, IA (ALO) | available | available | available |
Watertown, NY (ART) | Not available | Not available | available |
Wausau, WI (CWA) | available | available | available |
West Palm Beach, FL (PBI) | available | available | available |
Westchester County, NY (HPN) | available | Not available | Not available |
Wichita Falls, TX (SPS) | available | available | available |
Wichita, KS (ICT) | Not available | available | available |
Wilkes-Barre / Scranton, PA (AVP) | Not available | Not available | available |
Williamsport, PA (IPT) | available | available | available |
Wilmington, NC (ILM) | available | available | available |
How to book American reduced mileage awards
Reduced mileage awards cannot be booked online — you have to call 800-882-8880 and provide a code to the phone agent. Most phone agents are aware of the program, so even if you don’t have the code, you may still be able to book the award, but it never hurts to be prepared.
Here is a list of the codes:
For flights of over 500 flown miles:
7,500-mile discount award codes
First class (2-cabin aircraft) – UD21X2A / AVM86.
Business class (3-cabin aircraft) – UD28X7A / AVA31.
Main cabin – TD8X7A / AVM85.
5,000-mile discount award codes
First class (2-cabin aircraft) – UD22X5A / AVM83.
Business class (3-cabin aircraft) – UD30A / AVA25.
Main cabin – TD10A / AVM82.
For shorter flights (less than 500 flown miles)
2,000-mile discount award codes
First class (2-cabin aircraft) – UD14A / AVA36.
Main cabin – TD6X5A / AVA35.
1,000-mile discount award codes
First class (2-cabin aircraft) – UD14X5A / AVA30.
Main cabin – TD7A / AVA29.
Since these awards cannot be booked online, the standard phone booking charge is waived, but you may still be charged a $35 fee if you book through the American Airlines travel center.
How to get the most from reduced mileage awards
If you already have American Airlines AAdvantage miles and you’ve got summer travels coming up, scan through the list of airports on the reduced mileage award list to see if any of the destinations align with your plans. If so, consider applying for a qualifying American Airlines credit card if you don’t already have one so you can take advantage of the discounted pricing.
Since the awards aren't available online, you’ll need to call American Airlines to book, which provides a good opportunity to verify if award availability exists before applying for an eligible credit card.
The information related to CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
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