The American Airlines AAdvantage program is the primary loyalty program for American Airlines, offering frequent flyers perks and benefits, including the ability to earn miles that can be used for free flight awards. Many airlines have shifted to revenue-based earnings and dynamic pricing for award tickets. American Airlines was the last of the major US legacy carriers to implement entirely dynamic pricing for awards on its own flights. However, partner awards are still priced at published fixed rates. For domestic flights within the United States, there are several methods for booking travel using points and miles, each with distinct pricing structures and requirements.
The lowest-priced American Airlines flights start at 7,500 miles. Starting prices are published for all routes based on origin and destination zones. The shortest domestic flights within the US (between the contiguous 48 states and Canada) will start from 7,500 miles in the main cabin and 15,000 miles in business or first class. Standard taxes and fees, but no surcharges, are also payable. These are currently $5.60 for domestic flights. It is important to note that with dynamic pricing, flights may be available at the desired time but at a higher price than the published starting rate.
The AAdvantage program has adopted dynamic pricing for flights it operates itself, both domestically and internationally. This means that the number of miles required for a flight varies based on demand. You will need fewer AAdvantage miles on dates and times with less demand, while the rates rise on dates in high demand. The good news is that domestic flights start from just 7,500 miles on dates with less demand, which can include convenient travel dates like a Saturday morning in September. Additionally, the regular web specials AAdvantage offers occasionally mean domestic flights can be booked for as few as 5,000 AAdvantage miles. It is a great option to book American flights at this price, especially given the fees and taxes are only $5.60.
Flights in domestic first class start at 15,000 miles and are priced dynamically, rising to 145,000 miles on peak dates. Given the excellent long-haul partner redemptions that can be booked for fewer miles than what AAdvantage charges, redeeming AAdvantage miles for domestic first class is generally not recommended.
While you can redeem American miles through the carrier's own AAdvantage program, the best option might actually be to book American flights through partner programs instead. If you have a stash of AAdvantage miles and can find domestic American Airlines flights for under 10,000 miles per person, this is a great way to redeem them. However, if you are facing dynamic pricing higher than this, you may want to consider using a partner's currency instead.
Redeeming Through Avios-Based Partner Programs
Several airline loyalty programs use Avios as their currency, and you can transfer Avios between these programs at a 1:1 rate in any direction. This includes Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Finnair Plus, British Airways Executive Club, Aer Lingus, and Iberia. Using this redemption option can be much cheaper than booking through AAdvantage for the same American Airlines domestic flights.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Right now, the best option to book American (or Alaska) domestic flights under 2,000 miles in length is to redeem them through the Qatar Airways Privilege Club program. The required Avios for American flights are as follows: - Flights up to 650 miles in length: 6,000 Avios in Main Cabin economy, or 12,500 Avios in first class - Flights 651-1,150 miles in length: 9,000 Avios in economy, or 16,500 Avios in first class - Flights 1,151-2,000 miles in length: 11,000 Avios in economy, or 22,200 Avios in first class - Flights 2,001-3,000 miles in length: 13,000 Avios in economy, or 38,750 Avios in first class
While the taxes and fees are a couple of dollars higher than AAdvantage charges, this is still an excellent way to redeem your points and miles.
Finnair Plus
Finnair Plus is another program that uses Avios and is a good redemption option when booking domestic flights operated by American Airlines. This program charges a flat 11,000 Avios for any domestic AA flight, regardless of length, or 30,000 Avios in domestic first class. If your flight is less than 1,151 miles in length, such as from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), it is cheaper to book with Qatar Airways Avios than Finnair Plus Avios. For flights between 1,151 and 2,000 miles, it is the same price when booking through either Avios program. For flights over 2,000 miles, it is cheaper to use Finnair Plus Avios rather than Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios.
You may need to call Finnair Plus at 929-474-6049 to book an American domestic award if they do not show up online. You could also check availability through American's or Qatar's website. You can transfer Avios between any programs that use Avios as the currency, including Finnair and Qatar, in any direction at a 1:1 rate as many times as you like.
British Airways Executive Club
Redeeming Avios through British Airways' Executive Club program to book domestic American Airlines (and Alaska Airlines) flights used to be a great deal. However, a series of recent devaluations means these flights start from 12,500 Avios for American Airlines flights of up to 650 miles in length in economy and up to 20,000 Avios for flights 2,001 to 3,000 miles in length. Consequently, it is a better deal to use Avios through Qatar Airways Privilege Club or Finnair Plus.
All of these Avios redemption prices are fixed, regardless of dates. While it might seem like a smart deal to redeem Avios on peak dates when AAdvantage dynamically prices these flights (potentially) higher than the fixed amounts, remember that American Airlines only provides a limited number of seats to partner programs. It is worth checking the prices across programs, but if AAdvantage raises award prices on peak travel dates, seats may not be provided to partner programs.
Earning Points and Miles for American Airlines Domestic Flights
Whether you want to earn AAdvantage miles or Avios, it is easy with the right credit card.
Earning AAdvantage Miles
You can open an American Airlines co-branded credit card and earn miles on your everyday spending, plus earn a lucrative welcome bonus. These cards typically offer benefits such as free checked bags, priority boarding, and discounts on in-flight purchases, which can add value beyond the miles earned.
Earning Avios
To earn Avios for use in partner programs like Qatar Airways Privilege Club or Finnair Plus, you can transfer points from flexible currency credit card programs. Common transfer partners include Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, and Capital One Miles, which allow transfers to various airline partners, including those that use Avios. Additionally, co-branded credit cards for airlines that use Avios, such as British Airways or Iberia, can earn Avios directly on spending.
Conclusion
Booking domestic American Airlines flights using points and miles offers multiple pathways, each with different cost structures. The AAdvantage program uses dynamic pricing, with flights starting as low as 5,000 miles for web specials and 7,500 miles for standard economy awards on low-demand dates. Domestic first class starts at 15,000 miles but can be expensive on peak dates. For potentially better value, especially on higher-demand routes, consider using partner programs that utilize Avios. Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Finnair Plus offer fixed award charts for American Airlines domestic flights, which can be more economical than AAdvantage dynamic pricing in many cases. Transferring Avios between partner programs is possible at a 1:1 ratio. Earning the necessary miles can be achieved through co-branded credit cards or by transferring points from flexible currency credit card programs. It is essential to compare award prices across programs and check availability, as partner award space is limited.