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American Airlines adds online award booking for 18th airline partner

Sept. 26, 2019
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3 min read
aerial view of Water Bay, St.Thomas, US Virgin Islands
American Airlines adds online award booking for 18th airline partner
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Last week, American Airlines added online award bookings for Cathay Pacific flights. Now, AA is back again with another partner addition to its online booking system — albeit a much less significant one: Seaborne Airlines.

The San Juan-based Seaborne Airlines operates just four 34-seat Saab 340B aircraft to 11 destinations around the U.S. Virgin Islands. That makes this online booking addition great for hops around the northern Caribbean, such as from San Juan (SJU) to St. Thomas (STT). Since many of these flights are under 500 miles in length, awards price out at just 7,500 miles each way:

Unfortunately, this doesn't make booking award flights from the U.S. mainland to these Caribbean destinations any easier. When I search award flights to a destination that American Airlines doesn't serve, such as the British Overseas Territory of Anguilla, AA automatically breaks the award search into two different searches with each pricing separately. A message at the top notes that "additional mileage is required when using a MileSAAver award for this itinerary":

Related: How to redeem miles with the American Airlines AAdvantage program

The 11 destinations that Seaborne Airlines currently serves are: Anguilla (AXA), Antigua (ANU), Tortola (EIS), Dominica (DOM), Santiago de los Caballeros (STI), San Juan (SJU), Nevis (NEV), St. Kitts (SKB), St. Maarten (SXM), St. Croix (STX) and St. Thomas (STT)

Image from Great Circle Mapper

With this addition, there are now 18 partners that can be booked through AA.com, with almost all of them having been added in the last two years:

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This addition shortens the list of partners that can't be booked online to just three airlines: China Southern Airlines, Interjet and LATAM Airlines.

Featured image by Getty Images

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Why We Chose It

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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.