When you steadily credit score flights to the American Airlines AAdvantage program, chances are you’ll be thinking about studying what it takes to earn lifetime elite status with American.
In its latest updates to the AAdvantage program, American introduced plans so as to add two new Million Miler tiers in 2025. So, let’s talk about the specifics of American Airways Million Miler standing, together with the way to earn it, what it will get you and the way to verify your progress towards this standing.
Tips on how to earn American Airways Million Miler standing
If you wish to earn American Airways Million Miler standing, know that solely base miles earned by flying on American Airways, American Eagle and another eligible airline collaborating within the AAdvantage program depend, in response to the AAdvantage Million Miler program terms and conditions.
In brief, you will have to fly many miles on American Airways and its AAdvantage companions to earn Million Miler standing. You’ll be able to earn Loyalty Points towards American Airways standing by many strategies — together with spending on cobranded American Airlines credit cards, utilizing the AAdvantage eShopping portal and utilizing SimplyMiles presents. Nevertheless, solely base miles earned through flights depend towards Million Miler standing.
When trying by my latest flight exercise, I discovered it wasn’t so simple as the bottom miles earned on flights counting towards Million Miler standing. For instance, on this American-operated and -marketed flight — for which AAdvantage calculated earnings primarily based on the fare — my base miles had been considerably decrease than my Million Miler earnings. The flight distance was 4,965 miles, virtually precisely what AAdvantage calculated as my Million Miler earnings.
In the meantime, on this Japan Airways-operated and -marketed flight — for which AAdvantage calculated my earnings primarily based on distance — my base miles equaled my Million Miler earnings. Japan Airways fares within the H class credit to AAdvantage at 70% of the flight distance (4,757 miles). That is how my base miles and Million Miler miles ended up at 3,339.
The AAdvantage Million Miler program phrases and circumstances state base miles are what issues when calculating Million Miler earnings. Nevertheless, in follow, it is your flight distance that issues. And for flights that put up to AAdvantage primarily based on distance, you will seemingly earn towards Million Miler standing primarily based on the share at which your fare class credit.
Associated: How American Airlines sucked me back into AAdvantage with Loyalty Points
Advantages of American Airways Million Miler standing
The American Airways Million Miler program at present has two tiers:
Day by day Publication
Reward your inbox with the TPG Day by day publication
Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
- 1,000,000 Million Miler miles: Lifetime AAdvantage Gold standing and 35,000 AAdvantage bonus miles
- 2,000,000 Million Miler miles: Lifetime AAdvantage Platinum standing and 4 one-way systemwide upgrades
As you retain flying with American Airways and its companion airways previous the two million-mile mark, you will obtain 4 extra one-way systemwide upgrades for every extra 1 million miles you earn.
As talked about above, AAdvantage will add two new tiers to its Million Miler program beginning March 1, 2025:
- 4,000,000 Million Miler miles: Lifetime AAdvantage Platinum Professional standing
- 5,000,000 Million Miler miles: Lifetime AAdvantage Govt Platinum standing
When you’ve already accrued 4 million or 5 million miles, your new standing will replicate in your account on or round March 1, 2025.
Associated: So, what exactly is elite status in travel — and how can I get it?
Tips on how to verify your American Airways Million Miler progress
American AAdvantage makes it simple to verify your Million Miler progress. Log in to your account and click on in your identify within the higher right-hand nook. Choose your private account when you’ve got each a private and an AAdvantage Business account, after which click on “Exercise” on the navigation bar on the left. After doing so, a web page along with your present Loyalty Level stability and Million Miler stability will present.
You’ll be able to scroll down and choose a person exercise to see how AAdvantage posted its earnings. It’s also possible to verify your exercise and Million Miler progress inside the American Airways app.
Associated: Is it worth pursuing lifetime elite status?
Backside line
Even with the 2 new tiers coming in March 2025, the American Airways Million Miler program continues to be underwhelming in comparison with United Airlines Million Miler and Delta Air Lines Million Miler standing. United and Delta provide lifetime Gold standing — which is not the lowest elite standing in both program — to members who attain the 1 million-mile threshold. In the meantime, American presents lifetime standing in its lowest elite tier (Gold) and 35,000 redeemable miles.
However, as a frequent traveler who’s nearing Million Miler standing with AAdvantage, it is a carrot to maintain me engaged with this system. I thought of switching my Oneworld loyalty to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan to earn towards elite standing on award flights. As of now, although, I plan to stick with AAdvantage for at the very least yet another elite-qualifying yr. This fashion, I can attain Million Miler standing and earn lifetime AAdvantage Gold standing.
If AAdvantage does not change the advantages at its Gold tier, then lifetime AAdvantage Gold standing will give me a free checked bag, precedence check-in and boarding, most well-liked seats at reserving, Principal Cabin Additional seats at check-in, and Oneworld Ruby standing. These advantages will probably be helpful even when my journey decreases or my loyalty modifications.