In case you often credit score flights to the American Airways AAdvantage program, you could be curious about studying what it takes to earn lifetime elite standing with American.
In its latest updates to the AAdvantage program, American introduced plans so as to add two new Million Miler tiers in 2025. So, let’s focus on the specifics of American Airways Million Miler standing, together with learn how to earn it, what it will get you and learn how to test your progress towards this standing.
earn American Airways Million Miler standing
If you wish to earn American Airways Million Miler standing, know that solely base miles earned by flying on American Airways, American Eagle and every other eligible airline taking part within the AAdvantage program depend, in line with the AAdvantage Million Miler program phrases and circumstances.
Briefly, you may must fly many miles on American Airways and its AAdvantage companions to earn Million Miler standing. You possibly can earn Loyalty Factors towards American Airways standing via many strategies — together with spending on cobranded American Airways bank cards, utilizing the AAdvantage eShopping portal and utilizing SimplyMiles affords. Nevertheless, solely base miles earned through flights depend towards Million Miler standing.
When wanting via my latest flight exercise, I discovered it wasn’t so simple as the bottom miles earned on flights counting towards Million Miler standing. For instance, on this American-operated and -marketed flight — for which AAdvantage calculated earnings based mostly on the fare — my base miles had been considerably decrease than my Million Miler earnings. The flight distance was 4,965 miles, nearly precisely what AAdvantage calculated as my Million Miler earnings.
In the meantime, on this Japan Airways-operated and -marketed flight — for which AAdvantage calculated my earnings based mostly on distance — my base miles equaled my Million Miler earnings. Japan Airways fares within the H class credit score to AAdvantage at 70% of the flight distance (4,757 miles). That is how my base miles and Million Miler miles ended up at 3,339.
The AAdvantage Million Miler program phrases and circumstances state base miles are what issues when calculating Million Miler earnings. Nevertheless, in apply, it is your flight distance that issues. And for flights that publish to AAdvantage based mostly on distance, you may seemingly earn towards Million Miler standing based mostly on the share at which your fare class credit.
Associated: How American Airways sucked me again into AAdvantage with Loyalty Factors
Advantages of American Airways Million Miler standing
The American Airways Million Miler program at present has two tiers:
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- 1,000,000 Million Miler miles: Lifetime AAdvantage Gold standing and 35,000 AAdvantage bonus miles
- 2,000,000 Million Miler miles: Lifetime AAdvantage Platinum standing and 4 one-way systemwide upgrades
As you retain flying with American Airways and its associate airways previous the two million-mile mark, you may obtain 4 further one-way systemwide upgrades for every further 1 million miles you earn.
As talked about above, AAdvantage will add two new tiers to its Million Miler program beginning March 1, 2025:
- 4,000,000 Million Miler miles: Lifetime AAdvantage Platinum Professional standing
- 5,000,000 Million Miler miles: Lifetime AAdvantage Govt Platinum standing
In case you’ve already accrued 4 million or 5 million miles, your new standing will mirror in your account on or round March 1, 2025.
Associated: So, what precisely is elite standing in journey — and the way can I get it?
test your American Airways Million Miler progress
American AAdvantage makes it simple to test your Million Miler progress. Log in to your account and click on in your title within the higher right-hand nook. Choose your private account in case you have each a private and an AAdvantage Enterprise account, after which click on “Exercise” on the navigation bar on the left. After doing so, a web page along with your present Loyalty Level steadiness and Million Miler steadiness will present.
You possibly can scroll down and choose a person exercise to see how AAdvantage posted its earnings. You can even test your exercise and Million Miler progress inside the American Airways app.
Associated: Is it price pursuing lifetime elite standing?
Backside line
Even with the 2 new tiers coming in March 2025, the American Airways Million Miler program remains to be underwhelming in comparison with United Airways Million Miler and Delta Air Traces Million Miler standing. United and Delta supply lifetime Gold standing — which is not the lowest elite standing in both program — to members who attain the 1 million-mile threshold. In the meantime, American affords lifetime standing in its lowest elite tier (Gold) and 35,000 redeemable miles.
However, as a frequent traveler who’s nearing Million Miler standing with AAdvantage, it is a carrot to maintain me engaged with this system. I thought of switching my Oneworld loyalty to Alaska Airways Mileage Plan to earn towards elite standing on award flights. As of now, although, I plan to persist with AAdvantage for a minimum of yet one more elite-qualifying 12 months. This manner, I can attain Million Miler standing and earn lifetime AAdvantage Gold standing.
If AAdvantage does not change the advantages at its Gold tier, then lifetime AAdvantage Gold standing will give me a free checked bag, precedence check-in and boarding, most popular seats at reserving, Fundamental Cabin Further seats at check-in, and Oneworld Ruby standing. These advantages shall be helpful even when my journey decreases or my loyalty adjustments.
