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This new cruise offer could get you thousands of American AAdvantage miles

Oct. 01, 2024
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4 min read
Odyssey of the Seas
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Looking to book a cruise in the next few weeks? If you act fast, you can get thousands of extra American Airlines AAdvantage miles.

On Tuesday, American Airlines Cruises kicked off a promotion offering customers 2 AAdvantage miles for every dollar spent on a cruise fare (the base amount excluding taxes and fees). That's twice the normal offer of 1 mile for every dollar spent.

For example, if you spend $10,000 on a cruise fare during the promotion, you can earn 20,000 AAdvantage miles.

That's a solid number of AAdvantage miles. As of TPG's September 2024 valuations, AAdvantage miles are worth 1.6 cents each, meaning 20,000 miles would get you $320 in value.

To look at it another way, that 20,000 miles could get you two free flights in the contiguous U.S. and Canada when booking an award ticket at the AAdvantage program's lowest award rate of 7,500 miles per ticket — with lots of miles left over.

An opportunity for even more miles

The new double miles offer, notably, can be combined with a longstanding American Airlines Cruises promotion that brings additional miles for customers who book with an American Airlines AAdvantage credit card.

As has long been the case when booking through American Airlines Cruises, you can get 1 additional AAdvantage mile for every dollar spent on a cruise using an American Airlines AAdvantage card.

Combine the two promotions, and you can score 3 miles for every dollar spent on a cruise fare. That would be 30,000 AAdvantage miles for a $10,000 cruise.

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Note that you must book soon to get the bonus miles. The double mileage offer is only available through Oct. 22, 2024. It applies to new bookings for cruises scheduled to take place between now and Dec. 31, 2025.

Details of the bonus miles offer

Among the caveats to the new double miles offer: Bonus miles are earned per cabin and are awarded to only one passenger per cruise booking. To qualify, customers must book through the American Airlines Cruises portal.

Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles

Also, the number of miles customers earn from the promotion is based on the total cruise purchase price, excluding port charges, port expenses, taxes and insurance.

The fine print also states that:

  • There is no limit to how many miles you can earn.
  • You must provide your American Airlines AAdvantage number prior to embarkation.
  • Miles are posted to the member's account six to eight weeks after the cruise ends.
  • Cruises must be paid in U.S. currency.
  • AAdvantage members will earn Loyalty Points for base miles earned when booking at American Airlines Cruises but not for bonus miles earned during the promotion.

Which credit card should I use to book?

You can maximize your purchase by using an American Airlines AAdvantage credit card, such as the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees). As noted above, it'll earn you additional bonus miles when booking a cruise through American Airlines Cruises. As a welcome offer, this card is currently offering 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.

If you don't have an American Airlines card, it's best to use a card that earns bonus points on cruises. A good option is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which earns 2 points per dollar spent on travel, including cruises. Right now, you can earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

Featured image by ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.