You can now earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points by booking event tickets
You're in luck if you're considering purchasing tickets to sporting events, concerts or theater performances. American Airlines has introduced yet another way for AAdvantage members to earn miles and Loyalty Points.
You can buy U.S. and Canadian Ticketmaster tickets with AAdvantage Events to earn 1 AAdvantage mile and 1 Loyalty Point toward status per dollar spent.
Here's a closer look at how you can use AAdvantage Events to book ticketed events while earning miles and Loyalty Points.
Earn AA miles on Ticketmaster purchases
The new AAdvantage Events site functions like an online shopping portal for Ticketmaster purchases. However, instead of using AAdvantage eShopping, you'd navigate directly to the AAdvantage Events page.
From there, you can search for your desired event or simply explore all events in a given city.
When we looked at "Hamilton" tickets in New York City, we found the tickets cost the same whether you book through AAdvantage Events or directly on Ticketmaster's website.
The difference, however, is that if you book your tickets with AAdvantage Events, you'll earn 1 AAdvantage mile and Loyalty Point per base dollar spent on your tickets. For this order of two "Hamilton" tickets, you'd earn 298 miles, worth around $5 at TPG's valuations. While that's a nominal return, it's an added bonus.
Alternatively, you can earn American Express Membership Rewards points by initiating your Ticketmaster purchase through Rakuten.
For the same "Hamilton" order, you could earn 298 Membership Rewards points through Rakuten, which we value at around $6.
Ultimately, this is a nice option for American loyalists who previously went directly to Ticketmaster for live events, as you can now earn miles and Loyalty Points on these transactions. Just be sure you're not missing out on a better return with a different shopping portal.
Related: 8 apps and websites that make award redemptions easier
Bottom line
AAdvantage Events can be a convenient way to earn extra rewards on event tickets. An American spokesperson confirmed that you won't earn the 20% or 30% Loyalty Point Rewards bonus on AAdvantage Events if you've passed 60,000 or 100,000 Loyalty Points, respectively.
American also informed us that in the next phase of AAdvantage Events, members will be able to redeem miles for any of Ticketmaster's events.
If you're considering buying event tickets, you might want to book through AAdvantage Events to earn additional rewards.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.