American AAdvantage moves to revenue-based mileage earning on British Airways and Iberia
American Airlines is changing how AAdvantage members earn miles and Loyalty Points on flights marketed and operated by British Airways and Iberia, as first pointed out by Olouie on X, formerly known as Twitter, and confirmed to TPG by American Airlines.
Starting Oct. 18, AAdvantage members will earn miles based on the price of their tickets rather than the distance flown and their fare class. AAdvantage members will earn 5 miles and Loyalty Points per dollar spent, with additional elite bonuses for AAdvantage Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum members, which aligns with how you earn on American-marketed flights.
Here's what you need to know about the changes to what you'll earn on BA and Iberia tickets.
Revenue-based accruals on British Airways and Iberia
When you fly American, you earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points on the base fare of your ticket. But if you buy a ticket directly from one of American's partners, these airlines use different ticketing systems, so American has historically credited partner tickets based on three factors: the operating airline, the fare class and the distance of the flight.
Each partner has a dedicated AAdvantage accrual page.
Since there's not always a direct correlation between these three factors and your ticket price, AAdvantage members can sometimes earn far more miles and Loyalty Points on partner-marketed and -issued tickets than they would on American. That's why news reporter Caroline Tanner earned AAdvantage Platinum with Finnair last year.
And that's what is changing — AAdvantage members will soon earn on the price of their British Airways and Iberia tickets rather than the fare class and distance of the flight.
The new British Airways and Iberia earning charts have already been loaded onto American's website.
This change is motivated by British Airways and Iberia also transitioning to revenue-based earning in their loyalty programs, which happens Oct. 18.
And this change is reciprocal — British Airways Executive Club and Iberia Plus members will also earn Avios on the price of their American Airlines tickets (rather than the distance and fare class).
For now, no changes have been announced to how AAdvantage members earn on Qatar Airways, the other Avios Oneworld carrier. Next year, Finnair will join the Avios currency, but as with Qatar Airways, no changes to Finnair accruals have been announced.
We reached out to American to find out if it's planning to extend revenue-based accruals to other partner airlines.
An American spokesperson said, "Regarding other partners, we don't have anything else to share at this time."
Bottom line
Apart from British Airways and Iberia, for now, all other partner tickets will continue to earn miles and Loyalty Points on the three factors mentioned: the operating airline, the fare class and the flight distance.
This shift may not be favorable for British Airways and Iberia customers as revenue-based programs typically offer fewer opportunities for maximizing accruals on discounted airfare. But it's consistent with airlines' shift to award miles and status to high spenders instead of just frequent long-distance travelers.
It could take time for American to implement the technology to credit revenue-based accruals on other partner airlines. But for now, we know you'll earn on British Airways and Iberia just like you earn on American-marketed flights.
Related reading:
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.