Maybe the last time you flew American Airlines, you were invited to take advantage of an offer to buy bonus miles as you checked in online. The offer, known as the “American Airlines AAdvantage Mileage Multiplier” bonus miles program can be a good, cost-effective way to get more mileage points added to your AAdvantage frequent flier account.
You can earn up to 10,000 bonus miles per round-trip flight with the American Airlines AAdvantage Mileage Multiplier program. You can even accumulate points when you fly with other airlines.
The popular customer loyalty program was first introduced by American in 2007 and it has been updated over the years to include new features, benefits, and enhancements. The points can also be used to redeem award flights or upgrades on any American Airlines flight. The Mileage Multiplier can be used in conjunction with all other AAdvantage incentive programs.
The Mileage Multiplier offer may sound tempting up front, but is it really worth it?
What is the American Airlines Mileage Multiplier?
The American Airlines Mileage Multiplier is a loyalty program that allows AA travelers to purchase additional Mileage Multiplier miles whenever traveling American. These additional purchased miles are applied to your AA frequent flyer account, right along with the miles you’ve earned with your booked American Airlines flight.
You also have the opportunity to earn additional American Airlines Multiplier miles for each purchase made with participating partners, like for air travel, hotels, and rental cars.
How Does the American Airlines Mileage Multiplier Work?
For mileage purchases, the Multiplier gives you one mile per dollar spent for Economy Class, 2x for Business Class and 3x for First Class. You can also get additional mileage bonuses for purchases made with American Airlines credit cards.
Then there’s shopping. Travelers can also earn up to 10% of the miles they would normally be awarded through the program by purchasing goods or services from program partners.
Participating partners include:
- Hotels, car rental companies, and airline service providers (e.g., American Airlines)
- Online travel agencies (e.g., Expedia)
- Over 900 retailers to shop with, including Nike, Amazon, and Macy’s
How Do I Join the American Airlines AAdvantage Program?
You can join the AAdvantage program on the American Airlines website, by entering basic information about you. You’ll get an AAdvantage member number that you can use for booking flights on American Airlines and other partner airlines. By meeting specific spending and flying requirements you can earn yourself AAdvantage elite status to receive additional benefits, including free flight upgrades.
How Do I Purchase “Multiplier” Miles?
It’s easy. After booking your reservation with your AAdvantage number, you can purchase program miles by:
- Selecting “Mileage Multiplier” when reserving a flight on the American Airlines website (aa.com)
- Checking in for your AA flight on American’s website
- Checking in for your AA flight using an airport kiosk (you should opt for either the “Reprint Boarding Pass” or “Check Baggage” option)
If you’ve already checked in, you can still purchase the miles on the AA website by visiting the “My Reservations” section of the site, all the way until 45 minutes prior your flight is scheduled to leave.
Then, you can use your credit card to purchase Mileage Multiplier miles for yourself or anyone else.
For mileage purchases, the program gives you one mile per dollar spent for Economy Class, 2x the miles for Business Class reservations and 3x for First Class. You can also get additional mileage bonuses for purchases made with American Airlines credit cards.
How Many AA Miles Do You Earn per Dollar?
In general, you will get two AA miles for every $1 spent on eligible purchases. You can get up to four 4 AA miles for every $1 spent on eligible purchases, and 1 mile per $1 spent on everything else.
How Much Is the Mileage Multiplier?
It depends on your purchase and AAdvantage membership level, but on average, AA miles are worth about one cent each.
Are the Mileage Multipliers Worth It?
The American Airlines AAdvantage Mileage Multiplier is a great deal for those who fly and/or shop online frequently and want to participate in the loyalty program. If you’re not a frequent flier or AAdvantage program member, it might not be so worth it.
How Can You Tell If Using the AAdvantage Mileage Multiplier Program Is Worth It?
To assess the value of the miles per trip:
Take the cash price of your booking (minus taxes and fees) divided by the number of points needed for the flight. This will give you the point value for that particular flight.
Since AAdvantage miles are valued at about 1 cent per mile on average, you’ll know they’re worth using them if you’re booking a flight worth 1 cent (or more) per mile.
Is the American Airlines AAdvantage Mileage Multiplier a Good Deal?
Absolutely, as long as you’re a frequent flier and/or frequent online shopper. If you don’t fly as frequently, it will be a less appealing offer from a cost-effectiveness standpoint.
Can I Use My AAdvantage Number for Someone Else?
AAdvantage members can use their miles to purchase/upgrade seats for themselves and for other passengers, including for an existing flight reservation.
Do AAdvantage Miles Expire?
While many airlines do not let their incentives expire, AAdvantage miles expire after 24 months if there’s no account activity. To keep your miles active, you’ll need to earn or redeem American miles at least once every 18 months, though fortunately, this is easy.
If you have any AA miles that are about to expire, all you have to do is use your AAdvantage credit card, shop in the American Airlines online mall, or by performing any other action that can earn you AA miles.
So, Is the AAdvantage Mileage Multiplier a Good Deal?
If you’re a frequent flier and/or frequent online shopper, the American Airlines Mileage Multiplier program is of great benefit to you. If you don’t travel or shop online often, you may not find it to offer as much value to you.
