As you collect loyalty points you’ll move close to status tiers while simultaneously earning miles toward reward flights.
There are three ways to earn loyalty points, or (same thing) miles.
Travel on status-qualifying airlines: This includes flights on American Airlines, Oneworld members and partnering carriers. Every time you spend money on airfare for these flights, for every $1 you spend, you’ll earn five miles; therefore, a $250 flight earns you 1,250 redeemable miles and 1,250 loyalty points as well. Furthermore, if you achieve an AAdvantage Elite status, you’ll get more miles than five for every $1 spent. (Tiers are discussed in further detail below.)
Purchase things with your AAdvantage credit card: For almost every American Airlines credit card, one one eligible mile earned equals one loyalty point. Note that bonuses and accelerators don’t earn loyalty points; therefore, earning three miles per $1 spent on gas, for instance, with a co-branded card will still only earn you one loyalty point per $1 spent. By the way, the AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard isn’t quite so generous, earning one mile for every $2 spent. Some rewards credit cards, however, will give you two or more miles for every $1 you spend.
Shopping programs: Members can also earn loyalty points by spending through programs such as eShopping, AAdvantage Dining and SimplyMiles.
As you accumulate more miles, you progress through four levels of elite status. You earn status based on the number of loyalty points you accrue during each 12-month period from March 1 to February 28.