Buying miles & points strategically can be a good value, especially for first and business class travel.
Going back several years, American AAdvantage used to consistently have different promotions on purchased miles each month. However, in 2022, American increased the cost to purchase miles, and seemingly gave up on selling miles, as the program has pretty consistently had the same 35-40% off promotion on buying miles since then, with limited exceptions.
With that in mind, American has just launched its best promotion of the year on buying miles. While I wouldn’t speculatively buy miles at this cost, there’s potentially value to be had. Note that buying AAdvantage miles doesn’t count toward your Loyalty Points total (other than any amount you may spend on an eligible credit card).
In this post:
Promotion on purchased American AAdvantage miles
Through Tuesday, December 2, 2025, American AAdvantage is offering up to a 50% discount on purchased miles. The offer is tiered, and you get a bigger percentage discount the more miles you buy, as follows:
- Buy 3,000-9,000 miles, receive a 10% discount
- Buy 10,000-29,000 miles, receive a 20% discount
- Buy 30,000-89,000 miles, receive a 30% discount
- Buy 90,000-299,000 miles, receive a 40% discount
- Buy 300,000-499,000 miles, receive a 45% discount
- Buy 500,000 miles, receive a 50% discount
As you can see, you need to buy a lot of miles to get the best price!
How much does it cost to purchase American AAdvantage miles?
Ordinarily American sells AAdvantage miles for 3.5 cents each (pre-tax) before factoring in any discounts or bonuses. If you maxed out this promotion and purchased 500,000 AAdvantage miles, you’d receive a total of 500,000 miles at a cost of $9,406.25, which is a rate of 1.88 cents per AAdvantage mile.
As mentioned above, this is the best promotion we’ve seen from the program so far all year. However, you do need to buy a lot of miles to unlock the best price.
How many American AAdvantage miles can you purchase?
The American AAdvantage program ordinarily allows members to purchase at most 150,000 miles per account per calendar year, before factoring in any bonuses. However, during this promotion, that cap has been increased to 500,000 miles. Note that AAdvantage accounts less than 30 days old aren’t eligible to purchase miles.
Which credit card should you buy American AAdvantage miles with?
American AAdvantage processes mileage purchases directly, which means the purchase of miles does qualify as airfare spending. Therefore you’ll want to consider using one of the below cards for your purchase, since you’d earn bonus points for airfare purchases.
American Express Platinum Card®
American Express® Gold Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
For example, I value Membership Rewards points at 1.7 cents each, so by my math American Express Platinum Card® (review) offers an 8.5% return on this spending, given the 5x points category.
Is buying American AAdvantage miles worth it?
Unlike Delta SkyMiles and United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage continues to publish award charts for travel on partner airlines, and redemption rates are largely quite good, especially for travel in premium cabins on partner airlines. Among the “big three” carriers in the US, I tend to think AAdvantage has the best redemption opportunities.
I find the cost of business class redemptions to be excellent in many cases. There are instances where it could make sense to pick up miles during a promotion with a short term use in mind. Just to give a few examples of some of my favorite uses of AAdvantage miles (all redemption rates are one-way):
- For 57,500 miles you can fly from the United States to Morocco in Royal Air Maroc business class
- For 60,000 miles you could fly from the United States to Japan in Japan Airlines business class
- For 70,000 miles you could fly from the United States to most of Asia in Cathay Pacific business class
- For 70,000 miles you can fly from the United States to India in Etihad business class
- For 75,000 miles you can fly from the United States to South Africa in Qatar Airways business class
Now, unfortunately the catch is that partner award availability is in many instances quite limited. For airlines like Cathay Pacific, Etihad, and Qatar Airways, the airlines now largely restrict premium awards to members of their own frequent flyer programs. So definitely do your research before buying any miles.
On what airlines can you redeem American AAdvantage miles?
American Airlines belongs to the oneworld alliance, so you can redeem AAdvantage miles on all oneworld airlines.
On top of that, you can redeem miles on some of American’s other partner airlines, including Air Tahiti Nui, China Southern, Etihad Airways, and GOL Airlines, among others.
How much are American AAdvantage miles worth?
Everyone will value mileage currencies differently, but personally I value American AAdvantage miles at ~1.5 cents each. However, I tend to value points pretty conservatively, and there are many ways to get way more value from AAdvantage miles than that.
Do American AAdvantage miles expire?
American AAdvantage miles don’t expire as long as you have at least some account activity once every 24 months. Eligible activity includes earning or redeeming AAdvantage miles in any quantity.
What other ways can you earn American AAdvantage miles?
There are lots of great ways to earn American miles aside from outright buying them:
- There are excellent welcome bonuses on co-branded American AAdvantage credit cards
- You can convert Citi ThankYou points into American AAdvantage miles
- You can earn AAdvantage miles with a Bask Savings Account
- You can earn AAdvantage miles for everyday purchases with programs like AAdvantage Dining and SimplyMiles
Bottom line
American AAdvantage has just launched its best promotion on purchased miles in quite some time. The program is offering up to a 50% discount on purchased miles, which is an opportunity to buy miles for 1.88 cents each. While I wouldn’t speculatively buy miles at this cost, with a specific use in mind, there could be value with this offer.
Do you plan on buying American miles with this promotion?
Also note - that AA subtracts any miles you have already purchased for the year - in my case 17K, so the max the site would allow me to buy was 483K (which then excludes the 50%). 483K was close to $10K with the 45% discount.
No mention of BA. BA generally has good availability of US to Europe - but of course there is the significant added fee.
Has anyone redeemed AA points on Etihad First recently?
What is availability like please?
Thank you
Howard
Will the AA miles purchase count towards the $200 annual Airline credit from Amex Plat?
If they offer an 80% bonus, I'm all in. Otherwise, hard pass
It's a small detail, but primary AAdvantage credit cardholders are exempt from mile expiration as long as they hold the card (though if you have the card, you're probably having some AAdvantage activity within the 24 month window, tbh)
When can you redeem a ticket for business class on Cathay from the USA to Asia? I have looked diligently for a year and only economy has ever been available for any dates.
So while partner charts may be available, the actuality of booking premium travel on partners is remarkably different. JAL in my experience has been the only one that you can find availability from USA to Asia in its premium cabins.
Availability in Main Cabin, sure. But, if you want J to Japan, good luck. And, you're typically looking at 300k each way.
@Lee
Incorrect. I flew JAL in mid September in First from USA to Tokyo for 80,000 points each way.
I am currently holding a JAL First class for travel in April 2026 that I booked for 80,000 Advantage miles again, plus $5.60.
Never, I'm sorry. Try using Cathay Asia Miles or BA Avios if you have a chance
@JamesK
You don't realize that this thread that Ben created is about purchasing AA miles with a mention of its partner charts and an indication of how said miles can be used? What is the relevance of "Try using Cathay Asia Miles or BA Avios"
The miles I accumulate are predominantly for business travel using AA, because it is my company's must used carrier.
I still don't understand why there is no news about the massive increase in point prices on transcon flights. Sure, oh-dark-thirty is still cheap. But, during "reasonable" hours, F had been 145k and now is often 240k to 310k. Han Solo says he got a bad feeling about this. Don't be surprised when (not if) partner awards go dynamic. There's no way I'm an acquirer of AA points. Not even transfers from Citi.
As Ben mentions in the post, the primary value is in booking partner awards. But I personally get lots of value on short haul economy routes on AA, which can be 9k roundtrip for something that costs $200+.
As I mentioned, don't be surprised when (not if) partner awards go dynamic. Sure, one can find value in certain spots. But, it's like saying one can get 2cpp+ on Hyatt redemptions . . . but, not anywhere one wants to go . . . or the quality of property if there is one.
Does American now have dynamic pricing on partner awards?! Looking at redemptions on Fiji airways from syd to nadi and akl to nadi in January and the prices are wildly different over different days and flights. Eg nadi to syd on 22 Jan has business flights up to 173k points. Other days it’s 30k. Did I miss this change?
@ Mick -- Dynamic pricing is primarily just on Fiji Airways, and that's because the airline uses AAdvantage as its own frequent flyer program:
https://onemileatatime.com/news/fiji-airways-american-aadvantage/
Thanks mate! I did wonder whether that might be the case. Did a quick sydney Tokyo search and saw the usual 40k biz and 60k F options.
No mention of the new Citi transfer options? Definitely relevant to a decision about purchasing
@ breathesrain -- Good point, thank you! Just added that detail.
Good morning 1990, have you forgotten your password and therefore need to respond as Ben …. :-)