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[edit] AAdvantage Program Basics

[edit] Links

[edit] Enrollment

[edit] How To Enroll

Enroll online or call your local AA reservation number or AAdvantage Customer Service. Go to http://www.aa.com and click on Contact AA for telephone numbers and hours.

Be sure to check for any current enrollment bonuses here.

[edit] Retroactive Mileage Credit

Retroactive credit for flights in the previous 30 days is allowed upon enrollment.

[edit] Elite Status Levels

AA elite status levels are Gold (GLD/AG), Platinum (PLT/PL), and Executive Platinum (EXP/EP). It is possible to get Lifetime Gold status and Lifetime Platinum status. See Elite Status for status level requirements and a listing of benefits.

[edit] Mileage Accrual

[edit] Flight Mileage Accrual

You can earn miles when flying on AA and many partner airlines. For details on how mileage accrual is calculated, and the differences between elite-qualifying miles (EQM) and redeemable miles (RDM), see Miles and Points.

Nearly all published fares on AA earn 100% flight miles, with premium fares earning 25-50% bonus miles. See Inventory Classes and Mileage Eligibility for full details.
The only published fare class not eligible for mileage credit are O fare tickets between North America and Latin America (including Central and South America).*
Award tickets and other free ticket promotions, including free or reduced rate tickets, companion tickets, charter flights, travel agency/industry reduced rate tickets, and infant and unpublished fares are not eligible for mileage credit.

* Prior to October 15, 2008, transatlantic Q fares and O fares between North America and Europe, India, or Asia were not eligible for mileage credit, but this policy has been rescinded.

Note that there are several partner airlines on which you may earn fractional or no mileage for certain routes and fares (see the AA.com partner pages for the most up-to-date information):

British Airways (BA): Transatlantic flights on BA between the US and the UK/Europe are not eligible for AA mileage accrual. However, flights between the UK/Europe and other North American countries, the Caribbean, and South America do qualify. Discount economy fares earn 25% of actual miles flown.
Cathay Pacific Airways (CX): Coach fares must be booked in B, H, or Y to earn AA miles.
Iberia Airlines (IB): Discount economy fares earn 30% of actual miles flown.
Japan Airlines (JL): Discount economy, business, and first class fares earn 50-75% of actual miles flown. Note that fare eligibility is more restrictive for Japanese domestic flights than international flights.
LAN Airlines (LA): Discount economy fares earn 25% of actual miles flown.
QANTAS (QF): Discount economy fares earn 50% of actual miles flown.

AA codeshare flights (operated by another carrier but ticketed with an AA flight number) earn miles as if flying on AA. For example, a BA operated/marketed flight from Dubai to London on a discount economy fare will earn 100% miles if ticketed as an AA codeshare but only 25% miles if ticketed with a BA flight number.

Note that elite-qualifying miles (EQM) are earned only on AA, oneworld partners, and Alaska Airlines (AK). (Summary Chart) Flights on other partner airlines earn only redeemable miles (RDM), but no EQM.

Mileage will be credited only to the account of the AAdvantage member who flies. No mileage credit will be awarded for canceled flights. Technically, mileage credit is also not awarded if you are accommodated on another airline, however, many FTers have successfully requested "Original Routing Credit due to an Involuntary Reroute". Some suggest that proactively having a note with this phrase placed in your PNR at the time of rebooking may assist you with your subsequent Miles Credit Request.

[edit] Minimum Miles

Effective January 16, 2009, only elites earn 500 minimum miles (EQM and RDM) for each AA flight (including codeshares operated by other airlines). Elites also earn 125-500 minimum miles on partner airlines; see the appropriate partner page for details.

[edit] Class-of-Service Bonus

On AA and all partner airlines, passengers on paid First Class tickets earn 50% bonus RDM and passengers on paid Buisness Class tickets earn 25% bonus RDM on eligible fares. Bonus mileage calculations are based on actual miles flown, subject to applicable elite minimum miles guarantees above. Upgraded tickets receive miles based on the class originally booked. Class-of-service bonus miles do not count toward annual elite status qualification (EQM).

[edit] Elite Status Bonus

On AA and certain partner airlines, EXP and PLT elites earn 100% bonus RDM, while GLD elites earn 25% bonus RDM. Bonus mileage calculations are based on actual miles flown, subject to applicable elite minimum miles guarantees above. Elite status bonus miles do not count toward annual elite status qualification (EQM).

[edit] Online Booking Bonus

Effective April 1, 2008, American Airlines no longer offers an online booking bonus for travel booked on AA.com (except for certain countries - see below**). The previous bonus was honored for all bookings made on or before March 31, 2008, regardless of travel dates.

To earn the previous online booking bonus, tickets must have been purchased at AA.com by March 31, 2008. Eligible tickets earned 500 bonus miles per flight for travel in First or Business Class, and 250 bonus miles per flight in Coach / Economy (bonus class determined by the fare paid for the first two flights on the itinerary and remain unaffected by upgrades.) A maximum of two bonuses could be earned per passenger, per itinerary. Bonus miles were redeemable miles (RDM), and did not count toward annual elite status qualification (EQM). This bonus was instituted December 15, 2005 and has ended, as described above.

An online booking bonus is still available to residents of Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, México, Nicaragua, Panamá, Perú, República Dominicana, Uruguay and Venezuela. A bonus of 250 miles per flight for travel in First or Business Class, and 125 miles per flight in Coach / Economy is earned for those booking and paying for the itinerary on aa.com. A maximum of two bonuses can be earned per itinerary

Prior to December 15, 2005, travel booked and purchased on AA.com earned 500 bonus miles for one-way travel or 1,000 miles for round-trip travel, regardless of the fare purchased. AAdvantage award bookings made on or after May 2, 2005 were not eligible to earn this bonus.

Multiple passengers traveling on the same ticketed itinerary were each eligible for bonuses if their AAdvantage numbers were provided.

[edit] Non-Air Miles

Be sure to check the Non-Air Mileage page for additional ways to earn miles without flying. Non-air miles are redeemable miles (RDM), but do not count toward annual elite status qualification (EQM).

[edit] Mileage Pooling

Mileage credit is transferable between AAdvantage accounts when offered by American Airlines online with the ShareAAmiles program. Members may "share" (transfer) up to 60,000 miles and receive up to 15,000 miles per calendar year. Cost is USD$50 for 1,000-5,000 miles; USD$100 for 6,000-10,000 miles and USD$150 for 11,000-15,000 miles. Prices do not include applicable taxes or USD$30 per transaction processing fee.

Miles from two accounts may not otherwise be added or pooled when using for awards, etc.

[edit] Mileage Purchase

You may purchase up to 40,000 miles per a year for yourself through the buyAAMiles program. The cost is US$27.50 per 1,000 miles, plus a $30.00 transaction fee. Miles post within 72 hours. See AA buyAAMiles for more information.

You may purchase up to 40,000 miles a year for others as a gift through the giftAAMiles program. The cost is US $27.50 per 1,000 miles, plus a $30.00 transaction fee. Miles post within 72 hours. See AA giftAAMiles for more information.

Do purchased miles apply toward elite status? Purchased miles do not count as elite qualifying miles, and thus do not count towards elite status. However, like all miles, they do count toward million miler status which will earn lifetime gold on American.

[edit] Mileage Tracking

Present membership number when making reservations and at check-in for automatic tracking.

[edit] Mileage Statement

View online, or members may subscribe to eSummary to receive emailed statements.

[edit] Mileage Expiration

[edit] 18-Month Mileage Expiration Policy

In 2007, AA reduced its 36-month mileage expiration period to 18 months. If a member's account has no qualifying activity in any 18-month period, all mileage in the account expires. There is an exception for so-called 'old miles' earned prior to Jul 1, 1989, for accounts established prior to Jan 1, 1989; 'old miles' do not expire. Any qualifying activity extends the expiration date of all unexpired mileage credit in your account for 18 months from the date of the qualifying activity.

[edit] How Do I Prevent My Miles from Expiring?

Qualifying activity is defined as redeeming any award or accruing mileage credit on any eligible American Airlines, AmericanConnection, American Eagle or AAdvantage airline participant flight, as well as accruing mileage credit with participating hotels, car rental companies, credit cards, RewardsNetwork dining partners, telecommunication providers, and other service providers offering AAdvantage miles. Purchasing an iTunes song for $1 through the AAdvantage eShopping portal is often cited as a cheap way to extend the life of your miles. Certain partners also offer AAdvantage miles for signing up for a free membership. See the Non-Air Mileage page for more information.

[edit] Mileage Reinstatement

[edit] Reactivate Miles

In 2009, AA offers the ability to reactivate miles that expired on or after December 31, 2002 for a fee. The rate is $50 per 5,000 miles, plus 7.5% excise tax, plus a flat $30 processing fee. This offer is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2009.

[edit] Reengagement Challenge

As of 2008, AA offers an unpublished Reengagement Challenge to allow members to restore expired miles in their accounts. Members have 12 months to complete the following requirements (advance registration required; flights cannot be credited retroactively):

To restore up to 50,000 miles:
1. Subscribe to AAdvantage eSummary and AAdvantage Promotions emails for the duration of the challenge (minimum 3 months)
2. Complete at least one of the following:
  - Become a Citi AAdvantage credit card holder and earn at least 750 base miles using the card
  - Earn at least 5,000 miles using the products and/or services of at least 3 AAdvantage partners
  - Purchase and fly one round-trip ticket on AA of at least 750 miles each way
3. Call AAdvantage Customer Service upon completion of these requirements to validate activity and restore miles
To restore up to 200,000 miles:
1. Subscribe to AAdvantage eSummary and AAdvantage Promotions emails for the duration of the challenge (minimum 3 months)
2. Become a Citi AAdvantage credit card holder and earn at least 750 base miles using the card
3. Complete at least one of the following:
  - Earn at least 5,000 miles using the products and/or services of at least 3 AAdvantage partners
  - Purchase and fly one round-trip ticket on AA of at least 750 miles each way
4. Call AAdvantage Customer Service upon completion of these requirements to validate activity and restore miles
To restore over 200,000 miles:
1. Subscribe to AAdvantage eSummary and AAdvantage Promotions emails for the duration of the challenge (minimum 3 months)
2. Become a Citi AAdvantage credit card holder and earn at least 750 base miles using the card
3. Complete at least one of the following:
  - Earn at least 10,000 miles using the products and/or services of at least 3 AAdvantage partners
  - Purchase and fly two round-trip tickets on AA of at least 750 miles each way
4. Call AAdvantage Customer Service upon completion of these requirements to validate activity and restore miles

[edit] Missing Mileage Credit

Send copy of ticket and original boarding pass with membership number to the service center within one year of transaction, or fax to 817/963-7882. For flights flown on American Airlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection and some airline partners, missing credit can also be submitted via AA.com. For all remaining airline partners contact AAdvantage Customer Service via phone, e-mail or fax for mileage credit. For car rental or hotel partners, contact the partner and advise them that you need to retroactively provide your AAdvantage number for credit. ACS can provide correct contact info, if not readily available. AA missing credit will post in 48 hours when calling it in, otherwise up to 7 days, most airline partners will take up to 30 days, car rental and hotel partners can take anywhere from 15-60 days to credit.

[edit] Newsletters

You can subscribe to a number of AA newsletters (AAdvantage eSummary, AAirmail, NetSAAver, AAdvantage Promotions) via your account page on AA.com.

[edit] Award Expiration

Award certificates (including eVouchers) and tickets are valid for one year from issue date, unless otherwise stated.

[edit] Related FlyerTalk Threads

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Category: American Airlines