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The 18 Best Ways To Earn AAdvantage Loyalty Points [2024]

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Why Should I Care About AAdvantage Loyalty Points?

Sign up for an american airlines aadvantage account, 1. citi co-branded aadvantage credit cards, 2. barclays co-branded aadvantage credit cards, 3. flying on american airlines, 4. flying on oneworld partner airlines, 5. flying on jetblue, 6. flying on gol, 7. use your aadvantage elite status, 8. book hotel stays, 9. book car rentals, 10. book cruises and vacation packages, 11. aadvantage dining, 12. aadvantage eshopping, 13. simplymiles, 14. pay your utilities, 15. add gas, 16. take surveys, 17. aadvantage events, 18. other retail partners, what doesn’t earn aadvantage loyalty points, final thoughts.

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Last year, American Airlines gave its AAdvantage frequent flyer program an enormous facelift. And while there were some initial concerns that the loyalty program would take a nosedive, its changes were actually thoughtfully simplified and more applicable to those who might not travel as frequently on American Airlines.

The most important concept about the program is that your AAdvantage elite status will now be determined by how much you interact with the AAdvantage ecosystem, which extends beyond flights on American Airlines and its partners.

One of the coolest implications of this is that you can now earn top-tier elite status just by spending on your American Airlines-branded credit card — so with all that being said, let’s take a look at all of the neat ways you can now earn AAdvantage Loyalty Points.

What Are AAdvantage Loyalty Points?

AAdvantage Loyalty Points are the new currency in AAdvantage’s loyalty program that is used to determine your elite status .

So instead of confusing metrics like the former elite qualifying miles, elite qualifying segments, or elite qualifying dollars, the pathway to earning AAdvantage elite status has been simplified tremendously.

There are many direct benefits associated with using Loyalty Points — the most obvious is that your Loyalty Points balance will determine which tier of elite status you fall under:

• AAdvantage Gold : 40,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Platinum : 75,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Platinum Pro : 125,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Executive Platinum : 200,000 Loyalty Points

Also, if you hit certain thresholds of Loyalty Points, starting at 15,000 and going all the way up to 5,000,000, you’ll earn Loyalty Point Rewards.

These rewards include systemwide upgrades , Admirals Club membership, carbon emissions offset, gifting elite status, bonus AAdvantage miles, and much more ( view the complete details ).

Lastly, your Loyalty Points balance now determines your upgrade priority in an objective way. Simply put, if you have the highest Loyalty Points balance among all other travelers on your flight, you will have the highest upgrade priority.

If you’re thinking about pursuing elite status on American Airlines, the first thing you ought to do is sign up for an account . Just fill out the form and you’ll be ready to go with an AAdvantage membership number.

Keep this membership number handy because you’ll need to provide it every time you’d like to earn Loyalty Points.

And with so many new ways you can get closer to elite status, you’ll probably have your AAdvantage number memorized by the time you’ve qualified for elite status!

Earn AAdvantage Loyalty Points Through Credit Cards

One of the most exciting aspects of American’s loyalty program is that the criteria used to determine your elite status, Loyalty Points, can be earned through a variety of activities beyond booking paid airfare on American Airlines.

Specifically, those who spend big on AAdvantage credit cards  have a huge opportunity to get elite status entirely through credit card spending!

So in this section, we’ll show you how that can be accomplished through its 2 credit card issuers: Citi and Barclays.

We’ll start off with Citi. At the moment, Citi issues the following co-branded American Airlines credit cards:

• American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ card
• Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® World Elite™ Mastercard ®
• Citi ® /AAdvantage ® Executive World Elite Mastercard ®
• CitiBusiness ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® Mastercard ®

For each qualifying AAdvantage mile you earn on these cards, you will earn 1 Loyalty Point.

It’s important to note that even if you’re earning 2 or 3 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on these credit cards through bonus categories like gas stations or telecommunications, you’ll still only earn 1 Loyalty Point.

Therefore, if you tried to earn 200,000 Loyalty Points to qualify for Executive Platinum status , you’d have to spend $200,000 to get there, which means welcome offers and bonus categories do not earn more Loyalty Points.

The AAdvantage Executive World Elite card offers another great way to earn AAdvantage Loyalty Points because it comes with Loyalty Point bonuses.

• After reaching 50,000 Loyalty Points in a qualification year, cardmembers get a 10,000 Loyalty Point boost .
• After reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points in the same qualification year, cardmembers get another 10,000 Loyalty Point boost .

In addition, Barclays issues co-branded credit cards that earn qualifying AAdvantage miles (and therefore Loyalty Points). These are:

• AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Blue Mastercard ®
• AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Mastercard ®
• AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Red World Elite Mastercard ®
• AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Silver Mastercard ®
• AAdvantage ® Aviator ® World Elite Business Mastercard ®

The same principles apply for Barclays credit cards — regardless of bonus categories and welcome offers, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point per qualifying AAdvantage mile earned. This more or less means that you will just get 1 Loyalty Point per dollar spent with these cards.

So if you had an AAdvantage Aviator Business card and wanted to pursue Platinum Pro status (which requires 125,000 Loyalty Points) solely through spending, you’d need to make $125,000 in purchases to qualify.

Bottom Line: With the simpler Loyalty Points system, you can now earn AAdvantage status (including top-tier status) solely through credit card spending. You’ll want to remember that bonus categories and welcome bonuses don’t give you bonus Loyalty Points , however, so you’ll likely earn just 1 Loyalty Point per dollar you spend on co-branded credit cards. 

Earn AAdvantage Loyalty Points Through Travel

Obviously, the most tried-and-true way to get AAdvantage elite status is by booking travel. Now the options to earn Loyalty Points through travel are much larger. So in this section, we’ll explore all of the best ways to earn AAdvantage Loyalty Points through travel.

The best way to kick off this section is to discuss the simplest way to earn AAdvantage Loyalty Points: from American Airlines flights!

When you fly on American Airlines, you will earn 5 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on your fare. In this case, all of your AAdvantage miles are qualifying AAdvantage miles, which means you’ll get 5 Loyalty Points per dollar spent on American Airlines flights. Basic Economy fares only earn 2 miles per dollar.

This  does not include airport taxes and fees, as well as carrier-imposed surcharges (including fuel surcharges) .

For example, if you book a $3,000 business class ticket to Spain, and this includes $700 in fuel surcharges and $50 in airport taxes and fees, you’ll earn based on a $2,250 fare. Therefore, you’ll earn 11,250 Loyalty Points. We’ll touch on how you can use existing elite status to earn Loyalty Points even quicker in a later section.

Note that AAdvantage’s Million Miler lifetime status requirements have not changed — you need to pass lifetime mileage thresholds to qualify for status:

• Lifetime AAdvantage Gold : 1 million lifetime miles
• Lifetime AAdvantage Platinum : 2 million lifetime miles

Hot Tip: Even under the new program, you can’t earn Lifetime Million Miler status through credit card spending. Interestingly, it’s based on distance flown for flights marketed by American Airlines and base miles earned for travel on flights marketed by eligible partners. 

For now, though, let’s look at other airlines!

You can also earn Loyalty Points for flying on any of American’s Oneworld partner airlines .

In fact, you’ll earn Loyalty Points at the same accrual rate as redeemable miles. Partner airline accrual is determined by the flight distance and cabin class, which means that the way you calculate how many Loyalty Points you get is slightly different.

But the good news is that cabin class multipliers and elite status bonuses  also  apply to earning Loyalty Points.

So let’s say you’re flying round-trip from Chicago (ORD) to London Heathrow (LHR) aboard British Airways on a paid, business class ticket in the R fare class. In total, you’d earn based on a total, round-trip flight distance of 7,906 miles. On an R-class ticket, you’ll accumulate 150% of the flight distance in miles, which is 11,859 AAdvantage miles. Therefore, you’ll earn 11,859 Loyalty Points (and that doesn’t even take into account any existing elite status!).

Although JetBlue isn’t a member of the Oneworld alliance, American Airlines has deemed JetBlue as one of the few non-alliance partner airlines that can earn Loyalty Points towards AAdvantage elite status!

Again, the accrual rate for Loyalty Points stays the same as the accrual rate for redeemable AAdvantage miles since all AAdvantage miles are deemed as qualifying AAdvantage miles.

So let’s say you book a paid JetBlue Mint flight one-way from Los Angeles (LAX) to Miami (MIA) in the I fare class. This ticket cost $599, and the fare was $585. In this case, you’d earn 5 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on the fare, which is 2,925 AAdvantage miles. By the same token, you’d earn 2,925 Loyalty Points.

GOL is the other partner airline that currently earns Loyalty Points as a non-alliance airline. This airline follows a distance-based accrual chart. For example, if you book a U-class economy ticket from Salvador (SSA) to Rio de Janeiro (SDU), your accrual is based on a flight distance of 758 miles.

You earn 75% of the flight distance as redeemable miles (and therefore Loyalty Points), which means you’ll end up with 569 AAdvantage miles and 569 Loyalty Points.

Another fantastic way to earn more Loyalty Points is to use your existing elite status. You can get up to 120% in bonus Loyalty Points, depending on which elite status you have:

• AAdvantage Gold : 40% bonus
• AAdvantage Platinum : 60% bonus
• AAdvantage Platinum Pro : 80% bonus
• AAdvantage Executive Platinum : 120% bonus

This elite status bonus could potentially be huge. For example, if you take the example of the business class ticket to Spain with a $2,250 fare that would normally earn 11,250 Loyalty Points, and layer Executive Platinum elite status, you would actually earn 13,500  more Loyalty Points! That would bring your total to a staggering 24,750 Loyalty Points earned from 1 plane ticket!

Hot Tip: Elite bonuses do not apply for non-flight activity, including shopping, hotel stays, and other travel. 

In addition to booking flights, you are eligible to earn Loyalty Points when booking hotel stays with eligible hotel partners .

There are 2 separate types of hotel stays you can book:

• Hotel booking portals
• Directly with the hotel

Currently, partner hotel chains include:

• Hyatt (1 mile per $1 spent)
• Marriott Bonvoy (Up to 2 miles per $1 you spend on all qualifying charges)
• IHG (Up to 2 miles per $1 you spend on all qualifying room rates)

Keep in mind that by crediting hotel stays to American Airlines (or any other partner), you won’t earn points or elite credit toward the hotel program.

Partner hotel booking portals include:

• AAdvantage Hotels
• Rocketmiles

You’ll generally earn more miles and Loyalty Points through American Airlines Hotels than you would with Rocketmiles, especially if you are an American Airlines elite member with an American Airlines credit card.

Planning on renting a car? With AAdvantage, rent at most major car rental companies  to earn Loyalty Points:

All miles earned through these car rental partners are qualifying miles, so you can rack up Loyalty Points very quickly!

Currently, you can book cruises through bookaacruises.com and vacation packages through aavacations.com .

With cruises, you can earn up to 10,000 AAdvantage miles per cruise, and all of these miles are qualifying miles, which will get you Loyalty Points towards AAdvantage elite status!

Similarly, you can earn loads of Loyalty Points when you book the right vacation package.

Earn AAdvantage Loyalty Points Through Other Partners

Now that we’ve wrapped up all of the travel- and credit card-based ways you can earn Loyalty Points, let’s look at the other ways to earn points towards elite status!

One of the most popular dining loyalty programs is AAdvantage Dining ! If you’re going to visit a specific restaurant, bar, or club anyway and can earn Loyalty Points, why wouldn’t you take advantage of this?!

The great aspect of this is that if you’re an AAdvantage Dining VIP member, you’ll earn 5x AAdvantage miles per dollar spent, all of which count towards elite status!

This is a significant way you can earn Loyalty Points through eating out.

American Airlines’ online shopping portal is called AAdvantage eShopping , and you can earn AAdvantage miles at more than 1,200 stores at brands, including Apple, Kohl’s, and The Home Depot.

For every AAdvantage mile you earn through AAdvantage eShopping, you’ll also earn 1 Loyalty Point.

Be sure to also compare the prices for your goods with other websites to make sure you aren’t paying too much more just to earn Loyalty Points and AAdvantage miles.

Another popular way to earn AAdvantage miles is SimplyMiles , which is similar to Amex Offers . Simply enroll using your AAdvantage account and you’ll receive personalized offers to earn bonus miles for spending at specific partners, such as SimpliSafe, Winc, 1-800-Flowers.com, and more.

All of the AAdvantage miles you earn through SimplyMiles are qualifying AAdvantage miles, which means you will earn Loyalty Points!

As if these ways to earn Loyalty Points weren’t comprehensive enough, you can even work towards elite status by paying your utility bill!

There are 3 main partners:

• Reliant Energy
• Xoom Energy

For example, with Xoom Energy, you can earn a welcome bonus when starting a residential electric or natural gas account and earn based on your energy bill.

Note that these offers are available only to customers in certain areas, so be sure to confirm directly with AAdvantage’s terms and conditions.

All of your accruals are eligible for Loyalty Points earning.

You can even earn Loyalty Points by adding gas, which is pretty incredible.

Specifically, with Shell Fuel Rewards , you can earn miles at the pump instead of getting a small discount on fuel.

All of your earnings here also earn Loyalty Points.

If you have a bunch of free time, you can take surveys to earn AAdvantage miles, all of which also earn Loyalty Points. There are 2 vendors available:

• Miles for Opinions

Just be sure to consider the value of your time, as some of these surveys can be very long, even if they do award more miles/points.

AAdvantage Events is a new way to earn American Airlines Loyalty Points and miles. It allows you to earn 1 Loyalty Point and 1 mile per $1 spent on Ticketmaster tickets. All you need to do is search for tickets through AAdvantage Events and use your AAdvantage member number when you make a purchase.

Although there is still a lot to be ironed out in terms of which partners qualify to earn Loyalty Points, the number of eligible partners you can leverage to get elite status has expanded dramatically.

This last way focuses on other partners that are available but didn’t merit their own sections.

For example, if you send flowers through FTD, buy event tickets through Vivid Seats , set up a WeWork membership, or shop through Vinesse, you can earn qualifying AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points.

So after this in-depth discussion, there’s a natural question that comes up: what doesn’t earn Loyalty Points?

Well, the reality is that AAdvantage has designed its new loyalty program to reward you as much as possible, even if you spend with its partners.

But there are a few (understandable) activities that will not earn you Loyalty Points:

• Any miles earned with Bask Bank (a savings account that earns AAdvantage miles instead of interest)
• Welcome offers or bonus categories on AAdvantage credit cards
• Mileage purchases , gifts, or transfers
• All government/airport taxes, fees, or other surcharges when buying airfare
• Airfare from ineligible airline partners (e.g. Etihad Airways, Air Tahiti Nui, etc.)
• Transfers to AAdvantage from other loyalty programs (e.g. Marriott Bonvoy)

Overall, American Airlines’ exciting recently refreshed frequent flyer program rewards you based on how much you interact with the AAdvantage ecosystem, instead of just how much you spend on American Airlines flights.

This rebrand has travelers hopeful of achieving elite status in a post-pandemic world where travel may not be as frequent as before.

Ultimately, we are big fans of these changes, especially if you’re a high-spending business owner who can make large enough purchases to qualify for elite status directly.

Whether you book flights on partner airlines, hotel stays, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages, or just shop at any partner merchant, you can get closer to AAdvantage elite status through Loyalty Points.

The information regarding the Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® World Elite™ Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the CitiBusiness ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you earn aadvantage loyalty points.

You can earn AAdvantage Loyalty Points much more easily than the previous elite earning requirements. In addition to booking flights on American Airlines and its eligible partners, you can now earn Loyalty Points towards elite status from credit card spending, dining partners, shopping partners, and so much more!

How do I get elite status on American Airlines?

You can get elite status on American Airlines by earning enough AAdvantage Loyalty Points. This is done through traveling on status-qualifying airlines, making purchases on your AAdvantage credit card, or making purchases at participating shopping, dining, and travel partners.

How do AA Loyalty Points work?

Loyalty Points are used to calculate your elite status. For example, if you earn 40,000 Loyalty Points, you will qualify for AAdvantage Gold. Furthermore, you can earn Loyalty Point Rewards if you hit certain thresholds of Loyalty Points, which resemble “milestone rewards.”

How are AA Loyalty Points calculated?

It’s very simple! If you earn 1 eligible AAdvantage mile, you’ll get 1 Loyalty Point. Keep in mind that 1 eligible AAdvantage mile isn’t the same as 1 AAdvantage mile. There are certain exclusions to earn Loyalty Points — for example, if you buy AAdvantage miles, you will not earn any Loyalty Points.

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American introduces new Flagship Suite Preferred seats as it scraps first class

American Airlines will become the latest airline to offer a "business class plus" experience.

The Fort Worth-based carrier unveiled Wednesday what it's calling the Flagship Suite Preferred experience, part of a larger overhaul of the onboard dining and amenities set to debut in the coming weeks.

Flagship Suite Preferred seats will be in the front-row bulkhead on newly delivered Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets and retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER planes.

Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG's free biweekly Aviation newsletter .

Because of the layout of the bulkhead, these seats will offer additional personal space and more storage areas. They won't feature buddy seats like you'd find in JetBlue's Mint Studio or Condor's Prime Seats , but they will be more spacious and desirable compared to the rest of the cabin. (Just note that the proximity to the galley could be bothersome during overnight flights.)

Aside from the additional space, American will also offer elevated amenities for the Flagship Suite Preferred seats. This includes a Nest Bedding-branded mattress pad, a throw blanket and a memory foam lumbar pillow. Flyers splurging for these seats will also enjoy Nest-branded pajamas and an exclusive amenity kit with additional skincare products from Thirteen Lune by Joanna Vargas and Relevant.

It remains to be seen if American can ensure that it provisions all of these extra amenities consistently on every flight that features the Flagship Suite Preferred experience.

American didn't have too many more details to share about this upgraded product, but it will debut as part of American's new business-class and premium economy cabins that were first announced in 2022 and are expected to take to the skies later this year.

The airline declined to share pricing information, nor did it mention if travelers would be able to redeem miles or upgrades for these seats. We'll be sure to update this story with more information as it becomes available.

That said, TPG spoke with Raphael Girardoni, managing director of customer experience product and design, who confirmed that the existing ground experience will remain available to Flagship Suite Preferred passengers, hinting that they might get access to the Flagship First Dining facilities.

"We really focused on the Flagship Suite Preferred as that differentiated experience that introduces additional bedding and amenities to our customers that they can enjoy regardless of what the Flagship route is that they're flying," explained Girardoni.

The introduction of the Flagship Suite Preferred product comes as the industry has been going all-in on business class at the expense of exclusive first-class cabins.

Though a handful of international airlines are still committed to offering first class in key business and leisure markets, most carriers are instead going all-in on business class. This includes American, which is retiring its Flagship First product in the coming months in favor of fancier business-class suites with sliding doors.

And, as airlines have been debuting cutting-edge business-class products, a new cabin class is emerging, commonly referred to as "business class plus."

These products usually occupy the first row of the cabin and offer additional space, storage and amenities that take advantage of the bulkhead's unique configuration. Though JetBlue was among the first to popularize this concept with the introduction of the Mint Studio, several airlines have since unveiled something similar.

Virgin Atlantic offers the Retreat Suite on its Airbus A330-900neo, but there are just two of them in the center of the bulkhead and they don't feature any additional amenities. German leisure carrier Condor unveiled a similar product dubbed the Prime Seat in the first row of its new A330neo, and it comes with extra perks, such as a special snack basket and pajamas.

Just last week, United Airlines began surveying customers about a possible Polaris Plus product in the first-row bulkhead of its upcoming 787 Dreamliners. The customer survey even included mention of additional amenities, including an option for "champagne-on-demand."

While the Chicago-based airline hasn't confirmed any details about this possible new product, the carrier may soon start feeling the competitive pressure from American's new Flagship Suite Preferred experience.

Related reading:

• Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage
• Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
• American Airlines elite status: What it is and how to earn it
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• Everything you need to know about flying basic economy on American Airlines

Guide to Azamara Cruises’ Azamara Circle loyalty program

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Like most cruise lines, Azamara Cruises has a branded loyalty program, Azamara Circle, which allows frequent cruisers to maximize their travel investment by earning points for each night they sail with the brand. As passengers earn points, they move up the ranks of five loyalty tiers, earning additional perks and amenities — including onboard discounts, free cruise nights and access to exclusive parties.

This article breaks down the program, from earning points to what each loyalty level offers and which cabin category bookings will allow you to punch above your weight in terms of perks.

For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s  cruise newsletter.

Ways to earn points

Azamara’s points-earning system is fairly straightforward. The line has eight cabin categories, each of which earns passengers a certain number of points per night they cruise.

• Club Interior (2 points)
• Club Oceanview (3 points)
• Club Veranda (5 points)
• Club Veranda Plus (6 points)
• Club Continent Suites (8 points)
• Club Spa (18 points)
• Club Ocean (18 points)
• Club World Owner’s Suites (18 points)

Note that the number of points you’ll receive depends on the cabin category you booked rather than the category you end up with. If you’re upgraded to a higher-level cabin, you won’t receive a higher number of points.

Because Azamara’s ships do not have accommodations for solo cruisers , anyone traveling alone must pay two cruise fares, as all cabins are designed for double occupancy. Therefore, all solo passengers will receive double points for each night of their voyage.

Program tiers and benefits

There are five tiers in the Azamara Circle loyalty program:

• Adventurer (1-149 points)
• Explorer (150-299 points)
• Discoverer (300-749 points)
• Discoverer Plus (750-2,999)
• Discoverer Platinum (3,000-plus points)

Adventurer is the easiest level to obtain, as you reach it after just one sailing, meaning your benefits will kick in on your second voyage. (To enroll, you must create an account with Azamara.)

All loyalty tiers receive 10% off select voyages once per quarter, free internet minutes based on tier level, discounts and upgrades on Hertz car rentals, the services of a loyalty ambassador and onboard host, a members-only happy hour on each sailing, exclusive email updates, future cruise credits of $300 per cabin for each referral who books with the line and beverage package discounts. Additional perks and specifics for each tier are below.

Unlike the first level of most other cruise lines’ loyalty programs, cruisers at the Adventurer level earn some valuable savings in addition to the ones already mentioned:

• 5% off future cruises booked on board
• Savings on future voyages in the form of up to $300 in onboard credit (when  you book future cruises on board during the first half of your cruise) and a 50% reduced deposit
• 30 free minutes of Wi-Fi or 20% off an unlimited internet package (more if staying in a Club Veranda Plus cabin category or higher; see chart below)
• 10% off signature spa treatments
• 5% discount on the line’s Ultimate Beverage Package

Many other cruise lines reward passengers with free cruises only after they have reached the highest loyalty tier. However, Azamara begins awarding free cruise nights to passengers when they hit the Explorer level and each subsequent level thereafter. That means passengers can enjoy further savings on top of percentage discounts when they book cruises from Explorer level onward.

Cruisers can reach Explorer level in as few as nine nights (or five nights if traveling solo) if they stay in one of the three top-level cabin types. Explorer perks include:

• Two free cruise nights (must redeem within 12 months on sailings of seven nights or longer)
• Savings on future voyages in the form of up to $300 in onboard credit (when you book future cruises on board during the first half of your cruise) and a 50% reduced deposit
• 60 free minutes of Wi-Fi or 35% off an unlimited internet package (more if staying in a Club Veranda Plus cabin category or higher; see chart below)
• Free laundry service for one bag of items per cabin per seven-night sailing (two bags if booked in a Club Veranda Plus cabin category or higher; see chart below)
• 15% off signature spa treatments
• 10% discount on the line’s Ultimate Beverage Package

You can attain the Discoverer tier after 17 nights (or nine nights if traveling solo) in one of the three highest-level cabins. Discoverer-level cruisers receive:

• Four free cruise nights (must redeem within 12 months on sailings of seven nights or longer)
• 6% off future cruises booked on board
• 90 free minutes of Wi-Fi or 50% off an unlimited internet package (more if staying in a Club Veranda Plus cabin category or higher; see chart below)
• 20% off signature spa treatments
• 15% discount on the line’s Ultimate Beverage Package
• Priority check-in at select ports
• Exclusive onboard get-together

Each level of the loyalty program is entitled to free Wi-Fi minutes, depending on tier level. However, those staying in Club Veranda Plus cabins or higher will receive more, based on a combination of cabin type and loyalty level, according to the following chart — even if they’ve only reached Adventurer status.

Additionally, passengers at Explorer level or higher will receive two bags of complimentary laundry service if booked in any of the cabin categories listed on the chart below.

Royal Caribbean Group sold Azamara to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm based in New York, in early 2021. Effective Feb. 1, 2023, the line’s loyalty program is no longer reciprocal with those of former sister brands Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises .

The elite level that makes a difference

The Discoverer Plus level is one that spans the largest number of points, making it the first level at which cruisers can earn enough to take a weeklong sailing almost completely free. Six nights are awarded when this level is first reached, along with three additional nights at 1,500 points and another three at 2,250 points.

Azamara Circle members at this level are entitled to:

• Six free cruise nights, plus three additional nights at 1,500 points and 2,250 points (must redeem within 12 months on sailings of seven nights or longer)
• 7% off future cruises booked on board
• 120 free minutes of Wi-Fi or 75% off an unlimited internet package (more if staying in a Club Veranda Plus cabin category or higher; see chart above)
• Free laundry service for one bag of items per cabin per seven-night sailing (two bags if booked in a Club Veranda Plus cabin category or higher; see chart above)
• 25% off signature spa treatments
• 20% discount on the line’s Ultimate Beverage Package

Best elite perk

Discoverer Platinum is Azamara Circle’s highest level of loyalty. It’s the only tier that, when reached, rewards cruisers with enough nights for a completely complimentary sailing of at least a week in length. However, apart from the initial four additional free cruise nights, free Wi-Fi and an extra 5% discount on the Ultimate Beverage Package, this tier doesn’t offer much that’s different from what you’ll receive at the Discoverer Plus level.

Discoverer Platinum amenities are:

• 10 free cruise nights, plus three additional nights every 750 points after reaching Discoverer Platinum status (must redeem within 12 months on sailings of seven nights or longer)
• 10% off future cruises booked on board
• 150 free minutes of Wi-Fi or a free unlimited internet package (more if staying in a Club Veranda Plus cabin category or higher; see chart above)
• 25% discount on the line’s Ultimate Beverage Package

Bottom line

Because Azamara is a premium line, it’s no surprise that its loyalty program offers passengers quite a bit more discounts and opportunities to earn free cruise nights than mainstream lines.

There are marked differences between Azamara Circle tiers, but cruisers hit the sweet spots when they achieve at least the Discoverer Plus level.

Because joining the program requires minimal work — just a registration — there’s no reason not to join, as the perks can add up over time, especially if you plan to cruise with Azamara regularly.

Have more cruise questions? TPG has answers:

• Banned items: What not to pack for a cruise
• Man overboard: Why do people fall off cruise ships?
• What is baked Alaska, and why is it paraded around cruise ships?
• What are the largest cruise ships in the world?
• What is a gentleman host on a cruise?
• What is the Jones Act, and how does it affect cruise ships?
• What is a lido deck on a cruise ship?
• What’s a cruise cabin guarantee, and will it save you money?
• What’s the difference between a cruise concierge and a butler?

SPONSORED:  With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.

And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free. 

These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

• Português do Brasil

Turn the everyday into the extraordinary with the AAdvantage® program

Unlock the best of travel.

The sky’s the limit as an AAdvantage® member. Over the years we’ve offered more ways to earn and use your miles, plus more rewards and benefits. The result? A more rewarding loyalty program that unlocks a world of possibility.

Continue earning AAdvantage® miles – you can redeem them for flights, as well as hotels, car rentals and other ways to enhance your travel. Plus, you earn a Loyalty Point for each eligible mile earned. Want even more travel benefits? Loyalty Points count toward AAdvantage® status and Loyalty Point Rewards.

Unlocking rewards is simpler than ever - just earn Loyalty Points

Explore 2023 loyalty point rewards.

Great job earning. Enjoy your new benefit and choose 1 additional reward:

New reward level

Enjoy all that AAdvantage Gold® has to offer.

• AAdvantage Gold®

Great job earning. Enjoy your new benefits:

Enjoy all that AAdvantage Platinum® has to offer.

• AAdvantage Platinum®

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Great job earning. Choose 2 rewards:

Group 5 boarding

(for the membership year), reward choice, priority privileges and group 4 boarding for a trip, 5 preferred seat coupons, priority privileges and group 4 boarding, complimentary upgrades on american and alaska airlines for you and a companion, 24-hour upgrade window, complimentary main cabin extra and preferred seats, 1 free checked bag, oneworld® ruby status, earn more miles and loyalty points with status, earn more miles and more loyalty points.

• 40% mileage and Loyalty Point bonus on eligible flights
• 4 miles and Loyalty Points per $1 with Avis and Budget car rentals
• 1 mile and Loyalty Point per $1 spent on qualifying World of Hyatt stays

Discover all the benefits of AAdvantage Gold® status

Avis preferred plus® status, 20% loyalty point bonus, when spending with select partners.

when you spend with American Airlines Vacations, SimplyMiles®, AAdvantage® eShopping SM , AAdvantage Dining SM , and AAdvantage Hotels TM within 6 months after qualifying

Priority privileges and Group 3 boarding

48-hour upgrade window, 2 free checked bags, oneworld® sapphire status.

• 60% mileage and Loyalty Point bonus on eligible flights

Discover all the benefits of AAdvantage Platinum® status

Avis president’s club® status, 30% loyalty point bonus, priority privileges and group 2 boarding, 72-hour upgrade window, 3 free checked bags, oneworld® emerald status.

• 80% mileage and Loyalty Point bonus on eligible flights
• 5 miles and Loyalty Points per $1 with Avis and Budget car rentals

Discover all the benefits of AAdvantage Platinum Pro® status

2 systemwide upgrades, 20,000 bonus miles, 6 admirals club® one-day passes, $200 trip credit, carbon offset, $250 donation to select nonprofit organization, 15% award rebate, 2 gifts of aadvantage gold® status, 35,000 aadvantage® miles toward a mastercard priceless® experience.

Available for U.S. American Airlines AAdvantage® Mastercard® credit card holders. While supplies last.

Priority privileges and Group 1 boarding

100-hour upgrade window, earn more miles and loyalty points.

• 120% mileage and Loyalty Point bonus on eligible flights

Discover all the benefits of AAdvantage Executive Platinum® status

Admirals club® membership, (requires 2 choices), bang & olufsen product, 1 flagship® lounge single visit pass, 1 systemwide upgrade, 25,000 bonus miles, gift of aadvantage platinum® status, 2 flagship® lounge single visit passes, 1 flagship® first dining visit pass, 40,000 aadvantage® miles toward a mastercard priceless® experience, 4 systemwide upgrades, gift of aadvantage platinum pro® status, up to 100,000 miles back on award redemptions, 150,000 aadvantage® miles toward a mastercard priceless® experience, 6 systemwide upgrades, gift of aadvantage executive platinum® status, up to 300,000 miles back on award redemptions, 350,000 aadvantage® miles toward a mastercard priceless® experience, 10 systemwide upgrades, up to 500,000 miles back on award redemptions, 550,000 aadvantage® miles toward a mastercard priceless® experience, aadvantage® program"> get rewarded with the aadvantage® program.

Earn miles and Loyalty Points when you fly, use an AAdvantage® credit card for purchases, or engage with AAdvantage® partners. You can redeem AAdvantage® miles for your next trip or other great offers. Plus, your Loyalty Points count toward earning status, and additional benefits when you travel.

HOW TO EARN LOYALTY POINTS

Earn when you fly and when you buy, travel on eligible airlines.

Fly on American Airlines, American Eagle®, any one world® airline and other partner airlines.

AAdvantage® credit card purchases

American Airlines AAdvantage® credit card members will earn one Loyalty Point for every one eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases using their U.S. or internationally-issued AAdvantage® credit card.

AAdvantage® eShopping SM , AAdvantage Dining SM , SimplyMiles™ & more

Shop, dine, travel and more with our partners and watch your miles and Loyalty Points add up faster.

Level up faster with status mileage bonuses

Have AAdvantage® status? You’ll earn more miles and Loyalty Points when you travel with American and our partners – making it easier to qualify for status again.

*Basic Economy tickets issued on or after January 1, 2023 for travel on or after March 1, 2023 will earn miles at a rate of 2 miles per dollar. As a status member, you’ll also receive your mileage bonus on top of base miles earned on eligible flights.

• AAdvantage® member Earns 5 miles per dollar*
• AAdvantage Gold® Earns a 40% bonus, 7 miles per dollar*
• AAdvantage Platinum® Earns a 60% bonus, 8 miles per dollar*
• AAdvantage Platinum Pro® Earns an 80% bonus, 9 miles per dollar*
• AAdvantage Executive Platinum® Earns a 120% bonus, 11 miles per dollar*

AAdvantage® Status Estimator

Estimate your status, reward potential and how many Loyalty Points you’ll earn via qualifying flights, purchases on AAdvantage® credit cards and eligible spending with AAdvantage® partners in the upcoming qualifying year.

Select your current status:

• AAdvantage® Member
• 15,000 Loyalty Point Reward level
• 60,000 Loyalty Point Reward level
• 100,000 Loyalty Point Reward level
• 175,000 Loyalty Point Reward level
• 250,000 Loyalty Point Reward level
• 400,000 Loyalty Point Reward level
• 550,000 Loyalty Point Reward level
• 750,000 Loyalty Point Reward level
• 1,000,000 Loyalty Point Reward level
• 3,000,000 Loyalty Point Reward level
• 5,000,000 Loyalty Point Reward level

Calculation assumes 1 AAdvantage® base mile earned per US$1 spent on purchases with a U.S. or internationally-issued American Airlines AAdvantage® credit card. Learn more about the base mileage earn on your card.

AAdvantage® base miles earned through non-airline partners such as AAdvantage eShopping™, AAdvantage Dining SM , car rentals, and hotel stays.

Enter new values above and click “Re-estimate” to see the results.

For illustrative purposes only.

Track your status March through February

Learn more about the qualification year

Earn Loyalty Points each March through February

You’ll qualify for status based on the Loyalty Points posted to your account for the 12-month period starting on March 1 of each year, rather than the calendar year. Your status membership year is valid through March 31 of each year.

Travel is better when you’re an AAdvantage® member

Join the AAdvantage® program for free in minutes and immediately access benefits to enhance everything from booking to travel.

• Get exclusive access to American Airlines Vacations for even better deals on packages New
• Board in Group 6 (or better)
• Manage trips and credits with ease
• Access exclusive partner offers and promotions
• Start earning miles and Loyalty Points on eligible American and partner flights, and AAdvantage® partners

New ways to earn and redeem miles

No more flight mileage earn cap.

Dreaming of booking that trip around the world? Now there's no limit to the miles you can earn on a single ticket.

Introducing fully dynamic mileage awards

In 2023, award travel on American becomes fully dynamic with a new, simplified award chart.

Start something Priceless®

Starting March 2023, U.S. American Airlines AAdvantage® Mastercard® credit card holders can redeem AAdvantage® miles toward Mastercard® Priceless® experiences.

Frequently asked questions

What are loyalty points.

AAdvantage® members track their qualification toward reaching AAdvantage® status by earning Loyalty Points. Each year the Loyalty Points tracker begins on March 1 and goes through the last day of the following February. For example, qualification for 2023 begins on March 1, 2023 and ends on February 29, 2024. Your Loyalty Point balance will reset to zero on March 1, 2024.

How do I earn Loyalty Points?

As an AAdvantage® member, you’ll earn Loyalty Points as you earn eligible AAdvantage® miles. One eligible AAdvantage® mile equals one Loyalty Point.

Which AAdvantage® miles count toward earning Loyalty Points?

In the air: Base miles earned from flying on Loyalty Point-qualifying airlines (flights marketed by American Airlines, one world® airlines, and GOL Airlines). This includes:

• All tickets purchased on American, including Basic Economy
• All AAdvantage® status and cabin of service bonuses earned when flying on American Airlines and eligible partner airlines

On everyday spend: Base miles earned with eligible partners. Base offers vary by partner and eligible partners include:

• Portals: American Airlines Vacations, AAdvantage® eShopping SM , AAdvantage Dining SM , SimplyMiles®
• Hotels: AAdvantage Hotels TM , Hyatt, Marriott International, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Vacations
• Cars: American Airlines Cars, Avis, Budget, Payless, Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty, Alamo, National, Sixt
• Cruise: American Airlines Cruises
• Retail: Shell, NRG Energy, Reliant Energy, Xoom, Miles for Opinions

For American Airlines AAdvantage® credit cardmembers, eligible AAdvantage® miles include the base miles earned on eligible purchases using your AAdvantage® credit card, and do not include any bonus miles or accelerators

• Base miles earned vary by credit card type and issuing bank. For example, most AAdvantage® credit cards earn 1 base mile per US$1 spent on eligible purchases, but some earn .5 base miles per $1 spent, others 1.5 miles or 2 miles, etc.
• Every base mile equals one Loyalty Point

How do I earn Loyalty Points on flights marketed by one world® airlines vs flights marketed by American Airlines?

• Flights marketed by one world® airlines: Loyalty Point eligible miles include base miles earned according to the distance flown plus cabin bonuses where applicable. Both the base miles and cabin bonus miles earned will count toward Loyalty Points
• In the case of an exception – when you earn miles based on the distance flown (i.e. bulk fares, consolidator fares and cases when the ticket / fare details are not available at the time your flight is posted), a cabin bonus may apply. In that case, Loyalty Points will be determined according to the base miles earned and, if applicable, the cabin bonus.

How points are calculated on American and partner airlines

How do I earn Loyalty Points from AAdvantage® eShopping SM purchases?

• For example, stores like Walmart, Apple and Best Buy currently earn 1 base mile per dollar spent whereas stores like Home Depot and Nike currently earn 4 base miles per dollar spent.

How do I earn Loyalty Points from Avis and Budget?

Rent with our preferred car rental partners and you’ll earn base miles and Loyalty Points at a higher rate based on either your AAdvantage® status or the type of AAdvantage® credit card you have, whichever rate is higher.

• 2 base miles per $1 spent – AAdvantage® members
• 3 base miles per $1 spent – Citi® / AAdvantage® Mastercard® cardmembers and AAdvantage® Aviator® Mastercard® cardmembers without AAdvantage® status
• 4 base miles per $1 spent – AAdvantage Platinum® and AAdvantage Gold® members
• 5 base miles per $1 spent – AAdvantage Executive Platinum® and AAdvantage Platinum Pro® members

Read more about earning on car rental partners

Which AAdvantage® miles do not count toward earning Loyalty Points?

• Bonus miles earned from special promotions
• Miles from Buy, Gift, Transfer transactions
• Government taxes, fees, and other charges associated with buying a ticket do not count toward earning AAdvantage® miles and do not count toward earning Loyalty Points
• Conversion of another program currency to AAdvantage® miles
• For AAdvantage® credit cards, “accelerators” or “multipliers” such as: extra miles for purchases in specific categories, with specific merchants (such as American Airlines purchases) or purchases made abroad
• AAdvantage® credit cards new account or welcome bonuses, spend bonuses, etc.

Which AAdvantage® credit cards can earn Loyalty Points on card spend?

All Citi® / AAdvantage® and AAdvantage® Aviator® credit cards issued within the U.S., and AAdvantage® credit cards issued outside the U.S. are eligible.

My AAdvantage® credit card offers the chance to earn additional Loyalty Points. What will happen to my benefit?

The benefit provided by eligible AAdvantage® credit cards that allows cardholders to earn additional Loyalty Points is not being changed.

What are the status qualification and membership year periods?

The status qualification year will start on March 1 and run through the last day of February of the following year.

• For example, in 2024, we’ll restart your Loyalty Point tracker on March 1, 2024, and it will run through February 28, 2025.
• The membership year (when your status is valid) takes effect the date you qualify, or April 1 (whichever comes first) and is valid through March 31.

AAdvantage® miles and Loyalty Points earned on posted purchases made with your AAdvantage® credit card will count based on the transaction date captured in the cardmember’s credit card account. AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points typically post to the applicable AAdvantage® account within 8 to 10 weeks. Keep in mind, Loyalty Points from credit card purchases that show a transaction date on or after March 1 count toward the new qualification year.

Review your AAdvantage® Aviator® Mastercard® Reward Rules for details.

Citi cardmembers can review cardmember program terms online.

When does the AAdvantage Gold® qualification change take effect?

For the qualification year starting on March 1, 2023, AAdvantage Gold® will be earned at 40,000 Loyalty Points.

Are you making changes to the qualification levels for any other AAdvantage® status tiers?

No, all other status qualification requirements will remain the same.

Are you making any changes to the benefits that currently come with AAdvantage® status?

No, earning status in 2023 will unlock all the same benefits as before.

Learn more about status benefits.

Are you making any changes to how I earn miles on flights?

Yes, for all tickets issued on or after January 1, 2023, for travel on or after March 1, 2023, Basic Economy fares will earn 2 base miles per dollar on the ticket price (excluding government-imposed taxes and fees) on flights marketed by American and eligible partner airlines. Status members will still earn their status mileage bonus on Basic Economy fares.

All other fares will continue to earn 5 base miles per dollar on the ticket price (excluding government-imposed taxes and fees) on flights marketed by American, with status members continuing to earn their status bonuses. Travel on all other partner airlines will continue to earn award miles based on the fare class and distance flown.

Additionally, for all travel starting on or after March 1, 2023, the 75,000 AAdvantage® mile maximum earn per ticket will be removed and members will be able to earn unlimited miles per ticket.

Will Loyalty Points be used to determine my upgrade priority?

We’ll use your 12-month rolling Loyalty Points value to determine your upgrade priority.

Boost / Renew purchases for 2023 status won’t count toward status qualification or upgrade priority.

Will Loyalty Points count towards Million Miler TM status?

No, Million Miler TM status will still be earned the same way as today, based on miles earned from flying with American and our partners.

Neither AAdvantage® award miles nor Loyalty Points contribute to Million Miler TM status.

Are Loyalty Choice Rewards going away?

Starting March 1, 2023, Loyalty Choice Rewards will be replaced by the new Loyalty Point Rewards, which won’t require a 30-flight segment minimum to gain access.

What are Loyalty Point Rewards?

Starting March 1, 2023, all benefits earned with Loyalty Points will be referred to as Loyalty Point Rewards. What’s new?

• More reward levels along the way – members can qualify for Loyalty Point Rewards even before reaching AAdvantage® status, and can earn rewards between status tiers and beyond.
• There’s no requirement to fly a minimum number of segments to qualify for Loyalty Point Rewards.

What happens to the Loyalty Choice Rewards that I’ve earned or will earn before March 1, 2023?

All Loyalty Choice Rewards you earned during the 2022 – 2023 qualification year will remain unchanged. You’ll still be able to choose your rewards in your account through March 30, 2023. The expiration date of each reward will vary by reward type.

• Learn more about 2022 Loyalty Choice Rewards
• View the available rewards in your account

Will the reward options available through Loyalty Point Rewards be the same as those offered before through Loyalty Choice Rewards?

Yes, we’ll continue to offer rewards like AAdvantage® bonus miles, systemwide upgrades, Admirals Club® membership, and new reward options.

How will the new Loyalty Point Rewards work?

Earn Loyalty Points as normal to earn AAdvantage® status and earn Loyalty Point Rewards between status tiers. Some levels will offer an option to choose the reward that works best for you.

The terms and conditions for Loyalty Point Rewards will be available on March 1, 2023.

How long will I have to choose and use my Loyalty Point Rewards?

If a Loyalty Point Reward selection is required, you’ll have until March 30 of the next year to choose your reward. Keep in mind, the expiration date of each reward may vary.

Which AAdvantage® partners are included in the Loyalty Points bonuses at 60,000 and 100,000 Loyalty Point Reward levels?

At the 60,000 and 100,000 Loyalty Point Reward levels, you’ll unlock a Loyalty Point bonus on spend with select partners.

• Earn a 20% bonus at 60,000 Loyalty Points
• Earn a 30% bonus at 100,000 Loyalty Points

Eligible partners include American Airlines Vacations, AAdvantage® eShopping SM , AAdvantage Dining SM , SimplyMiles®, and AAdvantage Hotels TM .

Do the Loyalty Point Rewards at the 1 million, 3 million, and 5 million levels replace the benefits currently earned by Million Milers?

No, starting March 1, 2023, these are additional rewards earned during the qualification year. The way you earn Million Miler TM status won’t change and will be based on miles earned from flying with American and our partner airlines.

Are you giving AAdvantage® members exclusive access to American Airlines Vacations?

Yes, starting March 1, 2023, vacation packages booked through American Airlines Vacations (aavacations.com) will only be available to AAdvantage® members in the U.S.

• Learn more at aavacations.com
• Join AAdvantage® today

We'll see you on board.

Thank you for your loyalty.

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Frugal Traveler

To Protect Your Miles, Be Careful How You Book

American Airlines recently announced new restrictions on point allocation based on how you book a flight. What does that mean for loyalty members?

By Elaine Glusac

Elaine Glusac is the Frugal Traveler columnist, focusing on budget-friendly tips and journeys.

Earlier this month, American Airlines announced that beginning May 1, it will require travelers to book directly with the airline, partner airlines or “preferred travel agencies” in order to receive points in its loyalty program.

The unprecedented move confused many travelers eager to protect their mileage currency, prompting posts like this one on X: “@AmericanAir your news about earning miles/loyalty points is a bit concerning — we’re loyal to you no matter who we book through!”

In an email, a representative of the airline said that the approved list of travel agencies would not be published until April.

While there is much to be determined about the new policy, a battle for customers between the airline and third-party ticket sellers, which includes online travel agencies like Orbitz, has emerged. Here’s what travelers should know before booking their next flight.

What are the new points rules at American?

Currently, the biggest domestic carriers — including Delta Air Lines , United Airlines , Southwest Airlines and American — award points and miles to members of their loyalty programs on most tickets regardless of where they are sold.

American’s new rules state that in order to receive miles and points, travelers must book through its website, a Oneworld partner airline or approved travel agencies (with exceptions for those enrolled in its business program, which targets small companies, or with a corporate contract).

Also beginning May 1, fliers booking basic economy fares, the airline’s cheapest fares, may only earn points by booking through American’s website or its airline partners.

What’s behind the switch?

According to analysts, this is largely a behind-the-scenes fight over technology.

Travel agencies have long used distribution systems like Sabre and Amadeus to sell airline tickets. But many airlines are interested in using an emerging channel developed by the International Air Transport Association called New Distribution Capability . It offers airlines a more direct means of communicating with passengers, whom they can target with personalized fares or bundled offers not available in the traditional systems, providing opportunities to sell more services.

The “preferred” agencies that American said it will announce in April will be those making a substantial number of bookings on the new platform.

“American is dead set on being a more efficient airline and reducing its cost of sales, so they have issued this new edict and travel agents who choose not to follow along will find themselves on the losing end of the battle,” said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and the founder of the Atmosphere Research Group.

Many travel agents object to the speed of adopting a technology they say still has bugs. In a recent letter to the 18,000 member agencies of the American Society of Travel Advisors , the president and chief executive of the trade organization Zane Kerby called it “an underdeveloped technology,” with “basic servicing” issues that include problems with cancellations, booking multiple people on the same itinerary and rebooking.

Mr. Kerby cited a heightened risk to most business travelers using external agencies to make their bookings. “It feels like American Airlines is disenfranchising or willing to disenfranchise its most profitable and lucrative segment, which is the frequent business traveler,” he said.

In American’s new requirement that basic economy fliers book directly with the airline to earn miles, Brian Sumers, who writes the Airline Observer newsletter, sees a play for greater loyalty from thrifty travelers at a time when many airlines have abandoned them. Delta , for instance, no longer awards points to its basic economy passengers. United restricts basic economy fliers to one personal item carried aboard when flying domestically.

American wants those basic economy passengers, Mr. Sumers said. “The end goal is to get people so excited about having AAdvantage points and using them all the time, because that’s where they’re making money.”

How should I book to ensure I’m awarded miles for American flights?

If you are accustomed to booking online with the airline directly, earning miles is not endangered.

If you use a travel agency, including online sites like Expedia or Orbitz, check the list of approved agencies when it is published in April.

But even for travelers who are accustomed to D.I.Y. bookings, the new American policy poses some threat to earning miles. If you use a travel agent to plan a more complicated trip — say, an African safari or a trek to Machu Picchu in Peru — make sure the agent is approved by American or be prepared to make the booking yourself to earn miles.

“American is counting on the fact that travelers engaged with AAdvantage will want to remain engaged, so that if their travel agent is not onboard, the customer will find a different travel agent or opt to book directly,” Mr. Harteveldt said.

Will other airlines follow suit?

Experts say commercial aviation is a copycat industry; if a policy is successful, others are likely to follow. But it may not happen quickly in this case.

“There are some very expensive tickets that go through using the older system,” Mr. Sumers said, describing other airlines as “taking a watch-and-wait approach” to see if any defections from former American customers boost their business.

“By no means has this play reached its conclusions,” Mr. Harteveldt said. “We are in the first part of the first act.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .