AAdvantage miles will have the best value when redeemed for award flights with American Airlines, oneworld partners, and other airline partners. Outside of flights, AAdvantage miles can also be used towards a number of other redemptions including seat upgrade, Admiral Club Membership, car rentals and hotel bookings.
How much are AAdvantage miles worth?
The value of AAdvantage miles largely depends on which flight you purchase and the class level you choose. Generally, AAdvantage miles are worth an average of 1.4 cents per mile when redeemed for economy flights, and up to 2 cents per mile for First Class or Business Class flights. So, 10,000 AAdvantage miles have a value ranging from $140-$200.
AAdvantage miles value
| Redemption option | Redemption value in cents |
|---|---|
| First/Business Class flights | 2 |
| Economy flights | 1.4 |
| Admiral Club membership | 0.73 |
| Hotel stays | 0.64 |
| Car rentals | 0.6 |
Using AAdvantage miles for flights
The Point Calculator values AAdvantage miles at 1.4 cents on average when redeemed for award flights with American Airlines and their partners.
Miles can be redeemed for flights on the following airlines:
- Air Tahiti Nui
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- British Airways
- Cape Air
- Cathay Pacific
- Fiji Airways
- Finnair
- GOL Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Iberia
- Japan Airlines
- JetBlue
- Malaysia Airlines
- Qantas Airways
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Jordanian Airlines
- Silver Airways
- SriLankan Airlines
When booking flights with American Airlines, you can generally obtain higher value when booking Business/First class flights, but there is great value to be had in economy as well.
Example: Chicago To Las Vegas
Looking at flights from Chicago to Las Vegas during the summer, I was able to find flights going for as low as $327 in Main Cabin. The cost in AAdvantage miles for these flights were 21,500 AAdvantage miles plus $11.20 in taxes. This would give your AAdvantage miles a value of 1.46 cents.
Looking at the same itinerary for First Class, tickets hovered around $741 with the cost in AAdvantage miles being 41,500 plus $11.20 in taxes. This particular redemption would give your miles a value of 1.75 cents each which is great.
Example: Atlanta To Tampa
For flights between Atlanta, Georgia and Tampa, Florida, I was able to find tickets for as low as $173 in Main Cabin with awards starting at 20,000 AAdvantage miles plus $11.20 in taxes. This redemption would give you a terrible value of 0.8 cents per AAdvantage miles.
The same flights for First Class would cost you $331 while award flights would cost 40,000 AAdvantage miles plus $11.20 in taxes. This produces around the same value of 0.8 cents which, again, is not a great redemption.
Example: New York (JFK) to London U.K.
Example flights from New York (JFK) to London Heathrow United Kingdom during the summer produced prices starting at $702 for Main Cabin with an award cost of 60,000 AAdvantage miles being plus $184.65 in taxes. This redemption would give your miles a value of 0.86 cents which is a no go.
The same flights offers First Class tickets for $5,083 with an award cost of 220,000 AAdvantage miles plus $315.75 in taxes. This particular redemption would give your miles a superb value of 2.98 cents each.
First/Business Class flights
You'll get the best value out of your AAdvantage Miles when redeeming them for flights on partner airlines with First and Business Class flights offering the highest value.
The table below lists some of the most popular AAdvantage miles redemptions on partner airlines.
| Airline | Class | Route | Avg. Cost One Way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Tahiti Nui | Economy | Los Angeles (LAX) to Tahiti (PPT) | 40,000 Miles |
| Cathay Pacific | First Class | New York (JFK) to Hong Kong (HKG) | 110,000 Miles |
| Etihad | First Class Apartment | New York (JFK) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) | 115,000 Miles |
| Qatar | QSuites | U.S. to Doha (DOH) | 70,000 Miles |
| Qantas | Business Class | Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) - Sydney (SYD) | 80,000 Miles |
| Royal Air Maroc | Business Class | Washington D.C. to Istanbul (IST) | 57,500 Miles |
There are lots more First and Business class sweet spots with Etihad, Qatar, and Qantas that can far exceed the average 1.4 cents in value. They are the best options for maximizing your value.
Using AAdvantage miles for seat upgrades
AAdvantage miles can be used to upgrade your seat on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines. These upgrade can be for yourself or anyone you designate.
Upgrades are valid to the next cabin of service and for a single one-way trip with a maximum of three segments. Do note that award tickets and Basic Economy fare tickets cannot be upgraded. The value of AAdvantage miles for upgrades will vary depending on the flight and other factors.
Upgrades within the contiguous 48 states will cost you between 5,000 and 15,000 AAdvantage miles while some of the bigger upgrades cost up to 25,000 AAdvantage miles plus $550.
Using AAdvantage miles to pay for Admirals Club membership
AAdvantage miles can be used to pay for an Admirals Club Membership. These rates are based on your AAdvantage Status when the membership is purchased, whether or not it's a new membership or a renewal, and if it's an individual membership or one for the whole household to enjoy.
Redeeming your AAdvantage miles for Admirals Club Membership will give you a range of 0.64 cents to 0.8 cents in value per mile. AAdvantage Executive Platinum members will get the best value at about 0.8 cents per AAdvantage Mile, while basic members will only receive around 0.64 cents per mile.
The easier (and better) way to obtain Admirals Club Membership is by having the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® which grants complimentary membership for you and access for up to two guests or immediate family members traveling with you.
The card also comes with a long list of additional benefits with American Airlines. The annual fee of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is $450, but paying out of pocket for Membership will cost you between $650 and $1,100. It makes the card a no-brainer if you're looking for Admirals Club access.
Using AAdvantage miles for car rentals
AAdvantage miles can be used to book rental cars for a value of around 0.6 cents per mile. You can book rentals with car rental companies such as:
The actual cost per day will vary but most of the standard compact and economy cars bottom out at around 6,500 to 8,500 AAdvantage miles per day. Some of the higher car type such as Premium and Luxury can cost as much as 68,000 AAdvantage miles per day which is quite costly.
Using AAdvantage miles for hotel stays
AAdvantage miles can be used to book hotels. This will give your AAdvantage miles a value of around 0.64 cents per mile. Hotels can cost where between 10,000 and 300,000 AAdvantage miles per night depending on the brand of the hotel.
Learn more: Best Hotel Rewards Credit Cards
How to convert American Airlines miles to dollars
Use the American Airlines Miles Value Calculator to quickly figure out how much your miles are worth when redeemed for flights, car rentals and more! This calculator will give you a fair estimate of your miles' value, so you can maximize the amount of rewards you get from them.
| Redemption | Estimated Value |
|---|---|
| First/Business Class Flights | $0+ |
| Economy Flights | $0 |
| Admiral Club Membership | $0 - $0 |
| Hotel Stays | $0 |
| Car Rentals | $0 |
How to earn AAdvantage miles
If you want to rack up lots of AAdvantage miles, then the best way to go about it is signing up for American Airlines credit cards.
AA offers six co-branded credit cards through both Citi and Barclays. Since the AAdvantage program is not a direct transfer partner of any major credit card rewards program, these credit cards are the best option when it comes to building miles.
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
- Earns 2X AAdvantage miles on American Airlines and grocery purchases.
- Receive 25% off in-flight purchases of food and beverage purchases aboard American Airlines flights in the form of a statement credit.
- Earn 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles and receive a $50 statement credit after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- Earn 2X AAdvantage miles on American Airlines purchases.
- Receive complimentary Admirals Club Membership as well as access to other airline lounges and clubs such as those operated by oneworld carriers
- First checked bag free for yourself and up to 8 companions traveling on the same reservation.
- Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
- Earns 2X AAdvantage miles on American Airlines, gas station, and restaurant purchases.
- Receive a $125 discount towards AA flights when you spend $20K or more on the card during the cardmembership year.
- First checked bag free for yourself and up to 4 companions traveling on the same reservation.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
- Earns 2X AAdvantage miles on American Airlines, telecommunications, rental car, and gas station purchases.
- Receive a $99 Domestic Economy Fare Companion Certificate every membership year that you spend $30K or more on the card.
- First checked bag free for yourself and up to 4 companions traveling on the same reservation.
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
- Earns 2X AAdvantage miles on American Airlines purchases.
- $99 Companion Certificate after spending $20,000 or more on your Aviator Red Mastercard during the year
- First checked bag free for yourself and up to 4 companions traveling on the same reservation.
- Receive $25 back in statement credits annually for Wi-Fi purchases on AA operated flights
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®
- Earns 2X AAdvantage miles on American Airlines, office supply store, telecommunications, and car rental purchases
- 5% mileage bonus on your card anniversary
- $99 Companion Certificate after spending $30,000 or more on the card during the calendar year
- First checked bag free for yourself and up to 4 companions traveling on the same reservation.
FAQ
How much are American Airlines AAdvantage miles worth?
AAdvantage miles are worth about 1.4 cents each for Economy and as much as 2 cent each for First and Business Class flights.
What can you use AAdvantage Miles for?
AAdvantage miles can be used for flights, car rentals, hotels, Admirals Club membership, and seat upgrades.
Can you use AAdvantage miles to pay for Admiral Club Membership?
Yes. Redeeming miles for Admiral Club membership will give your points between 0.64 and 0.8 cents in value.
How much are 5,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles worth?
5,000 miles are worth about $70 on average for economy flights and about $100 towards First/Business Class flights.
How much are 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles worth?
10,000 miles are worth about $140 on average for economy flights and about $200 towards First/Business Class flights.
How much are 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles worth?
15,000 miles are worth about $210 on average for economy flights and about $300 towards First/Business Class flights.
How much are 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles worth?
50,000 miles are worth about $700 on average for economy flights and about $1,000 towards First/Business Class flights.
How much are 60,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles worth?
60,000 miles are worth about $840 on average for economy flights and about $1,200 towards First/Business Class flights.
How much are 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles worth?
75,000 miles are worth about $1,050 on average for economy flights and about $1,500 towards First/Business Class flights.
How much are 80,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles worth?
15,000 miles are worth about $1,120 on average for economy flights and about $1,600 towards First/Business Class flights.
What's the best use of American Airlines AAdvantage miles?
You'll get the best value of up to 2 cents each or more when redeeming miles for First and Business class flights with American Airlines and their airline partners.
We've run the calculations for you and here are our top picks for best credit cards of 2023:
- Best premium card for unlimited miles: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
- Best for flexible travel rewards: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
- Best for everyday spend and travel: Citi Premier® Card.
- Best cash back card for groceries: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
- Best for dining and supermarkets: American Express® Gold Card
- Best for business travel rewards: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
- Best cash back business card: Capital One Spark Cash Plus
Our Credit Card Rewards calculator can help you find the perfect card and offers based on your monthly and yearly spending habits. Simply enter your spend amounts into our tool and let us do the work for you!
