American Airlines unveils its list of Loyalty Point-qualifying partners
Ethan Klapper is a senior aviation reporter at TPG who focuses on the operational side of the airline industry.
Jan. 03, 2022
•
3 min read
American Airlines unveils its list of Loyalty Point-qualifying partners
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Editor's Note
This post has been updated with new information.
UPDATE: American Airlines has created a list of which AAdvantage miles count toward Loyalty Points:
- Portal sites: American Airlines Vacations, AAdvantage eShopping, AAdvantage Dining, SimplyMiles
- Hotels: bookaahotels.com, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, Marriott Vacations, RocketMiles
- Car rentals: aa.com/car, Avis, Budget, Payless, Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty, Alamo, National, Sixt
- Cruises: bookaacruises.com
- Retail: Shell, WeWork, Vinesse, FTD, Vivid Seats, NRG Energy, Reliant Energy, Xoom, Miles for Opinion
ORIGINAL: If you’re planning on earning American Airlines AAdvantage elite status next year, there’s now a list of partners where you can earn those coveted Loyalty Points.
Loyalty Points is the new elite status-qualifying currency that’s being rolled out next year that completely changes the way you earn AAdvantage status. Generally speaking, one AAdvantage mile equals one Loyalty Point.
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The list of partners should look familiar to any AAdvantage loyalist. While there are no significant changes from this year’s AAdvantage partners, you will notice two notable exceptions.
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The first change is good news: Brazilian airline GOL has now been added as an elite-qualifying airline, so AAdvantage miles earned when flying GOL will also earn Loyalty points. American recently purchased a 5.2% stake in GOL and strengthened its codeshare partnership.
On the other hand, the second change is not good news: AAdvantage miles earned through Bask Bank will not earn Loyalty Points. Bask Bank’s savings account currently earns an AAdvantage mile for each dollar deposited, and that will continue. However, you won’t earn Loyalty Points through deposits. This no doubt would have been a very popular way to earn points toward elite status.
More: How to earn American Airlines elite status next year
So, what else will earn Loyalty Points?
TPG reporter Benji Stawski has a comprehensive list of ways to earn Loyalty Points. Among the highlights:
- Flying American Airlines — the original way to earn AAdvantage miles. General members continue to earn 5 award miles per dollar spent, Gold members earn 7, Platinum members earn 8, Platinum Pro members earn 9 and Executive Platinum members earn 11 AAdvantage miles. Those will translate 1:1 into Loyalty Points.
- Flying partner airlines. In addition to GOL, Loyalty Points are earned by flying on all Oneworld airlines, as well as partners such as JetBlue.
- Spending on cobranded credit cards. American’s numerous cobranded credit cards will earn a single Loyalty Point per dollar spent, but sign-up bonuses, spending offers and category multiplier bonuses won’t earn points. Regardless, this should be a very popular way to earn Loyalty Points.
- Using AAdvantage Dining. Every mile earned through AAdvantage Dining also earns a Loyalty Point.
- Booking stays with partner hotels. Loyalty Points can be earned through American’s hotels portal, as well as stays at Hyatt, Marriott, IHG and Wyndham.
You can begin to earn Loyalty Points on Jan. 1, and the revamped program launches on March 1. If you haven’t yet qualified for 2022 AAdvantage status, you have until Feb. 28 to qualify under the old system, too.
Featured image by (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
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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- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees