For those who often credit score flights to the American Airways AAdvantage program, you might be fascinated by 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 talk about the specifics of American Airways Million Miler standing, together with learn how to earn it, what it will get you and learn how to verify your progress towards this standing.
Easy methods to 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 accordance with the AAdvantage Million Miler program phrases and circumstances.
Briefly, you will must fly many miles on American Airways and its AAdvantage companions to earn Million Miler standing. You may earn Loyalty Factors towards American Airways standing by means of many strategies — together with spending on cobranded American Airways bank cards, utilizing the AAdvantage eShopping portal and utilizing SimplyMiles presents. Nonetheless, solely base miles earned by way of flights depend towards Million Miler standing.
When wanting by means of 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, virtually 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. Nonetheless, in observe, it is your flight distance that issues. And for flights that put up to AAdvantage based mostly on distance, you will seemingly earn towards Million Miler standing based mostly on the proportion 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 presently 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 accomplice airways previous the two million-mile mark, you will 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
For those who’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?
Easy methods to verify your American Airways Million Miler progress
American AAdvantage makes it straightforward to verify 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 you probably 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 together with your present Loyalty Level stability and Million Miler stability will present.
You may scroll down and choose a person exercise to see how AAdvantage posted its earnings. You may also verify your exercise and Million Miler progress inside the American Airways app.
Associated: Is it value 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 Strains Million Miler standing. United and Delta provide 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 presents 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 another elite-qualifying yr. 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 well-liked seats at reserving, Principal Cabin Further seats at check-in, and Oneworld Ruby standing. These advantages will probably be helpful even when my journey decreases or my loyalty adjustments.
