American Airlines AAdvantage miles are some of the most valuable miles you can earn with a U.S.-based airline. This is thanks to their generous award chart, which lets you book flights all over the world for very few miles. The value you’ll get from your miles will depend on how you use them, but generally speaking, they’re worth between 1.5 and 2.5 cents each.
Let’s take a look at how to figure out how much your AAdvantage miles are worth, the best way to redeem them, and where you can go when redeeming these miles.
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How to determine the value of a mile based on the flight cost
Figuring out the value of your mile with an award redemption involves doing a little math. To start, you’ll first want to take a look at the number of miles it costs to redeem for a flight.
In this example, it’s 9,000 miles one way from New York (EWR) to Miami (MIA). You’ll also pay $5.60 in taxes and fees.
You’ll then want to see how much the flight costs if you were to pay cash.
From there, you subtract the taxes and fees from the cash cost. In this example, the total out-of-pocket cost comes to $112.87.
To determine the cent-per-point value, you’ll divide the cost of the ticket by the number of miles you’re redeeming: $112.87 divided by 9,000. This gives you a value of 1.25 cents per point.
The value of AAdvantage miles when booking flights
Using your American Airlines miles for flights is always going to be your best option. Although you can redeem miles for other things – including rental cars, hotel bookings, vacations, and airport lounge access – flights are going to provide the best value.
Not all flights are the same, though. American Airlines has two different award charts that you can reference based on who you’re flying. There’s one award chart for American Airlines-operated flights and one for AA partner flights.
Generally speaking, you’ll get the best value from your miles by booking American Airlines flights within the United States. Economy class starts at just 7,500 miles, while first class starts at just 15,000 miles.
You can also find some pretty exceptional value when booking with AA partner airlines. For example, it costs just 75,000 miles for a one-way flight in business class from the United States to Africa. This includes flying Qatar Airways Qsuites, which is arguably the world’s best business class product.
You can also spend just 57,500 miles one way to fly business class from the United States to Europe. Oneworld partner Finnair is an excellent option for this since taxes and fees are very low.
The cash fare for this flight would be over $4,500.
In this example, you’re redeeming your American Airlines AAdvantage miles for 8.07 cents each, which is well over what they’re usually worth.
That’s generally true for getting the best value out of your miles; while you may be able to take more economy flights by using fewer miles, you’ll get more value out of them when flying in business or first class.
The value of AAdvantage miles for other redemptions
While you can use your American miles for options other than flights, you really shouldn’t. There are a few reasons for this:
- Your redemption value will be lower.
- You’ll potentially lose out on elite credit and elite benefits.
- There are other, better ways to book.
Here’s an example of a one-night stay at a hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It will cost you 12,200 AAdvantage miles to stay at the New York New York hotel, which otherwise costs $118 per night.
In this example, you’re redeeming your AAdvantage miles for a value of just 0.96 cents each.
The only exception to this would be using your AAdvantage miles for flight upgrades. Depending on where you’re going and your fare class, you can spend as little as 5,000 miles to upgrade your flight.
The best use of your AAdvantage miles
- Flights
- Partner business class flights to Europe
- Domestic flights in economy or business class
- Partner business class flights to Africa
- Partner first-class flights to Asia
- Flight upgrades
The worst use of your AAdvantage miles
- Vacation packages
- Hotel bookings
- Rental cars
- Lounge access
- Luxury experiences
Frequently asked questions about AAdvantage miles
How much are 10,000 AAdvantage miles worth?
10,000 AAdvantage miles are worth between $150 and $250, depending on how you redeem them. American Airlines flight awards start at just 7,500 miles one way.
How much are 50,000 AAdvantage miles worth?
50,000 AAdvantage miles can get you pretty far. Depending on how you redeem them, they’re worth around $750 to $1,250. For example, a one-way economy class ticket from the U.S. to Europe costs 22,500 miles. That means you can get a round-trip ticket for 45,000 miles total.
How much are 100,000 AAdvantage miles worth?
100,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles are worth anywhere between $1,500 to $2,500 – or more if you use them for a premium redemption. For example, you can spend 80,000 miles for a one-way first-class flight to Japan with Japan Airlines (JAL), which can cost over $10,000.
How many AAdvantage miles does it take for a free flight?
The cheapest you’ll usually find AAdvantage flights will be 7,500 miles one way for economy class within the United States. However, American Airlines will sometimes discount these awards even further; these sales aren’t advertised and can only be found when searching for flights.
How many AAdvantage miles to fly business class to Europe?
There are two price ranges to be aware of when redeeming miles for business-class flights to Europe:
- American Airlines-operated flights: 75,000 miles one way
- Partner-operated flights: 57,500 miles one way
Do AAdvantage miles expire?
AAdvantage miles will expire if you have no activity within the last 24 months. This rule only applies if you’re 21 years or older.
Can you use AAdvantage miles to book flights on other airlines?
Yes, American Airlines is a member of the Oneworld alliance and has partnerships with independent airlines on which you can redeem your miles.
Summary
American Airlines miles are incredibly valuable, especially when redeemed properly. To get maximum value, redeem your miles for business and first-class flights with partners. Otherwise, domestic flights on American Airlines start at just 7,500 miles one way.
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