AAdvantage Loyalty Point Rewards
American Airlines loyalists received great news in early 2026 – AAdvantage Loyalty Point Rewards are largely untouched for the next qualification year. First, reward thresholds are staying the same. Second, most all rewards of significance remain, with several new ones being added later in the year. Third, only a couple rewards are discontinued, and they’re relatively minor, anyway. On top of this no-big-devaluation news, AA has renewed the Citi AAdvantage Business promo on authorized user spend for yet another year.
But back to AAdvantage Loyalty Point Rewards. I still maintain the same boring, rewarding redemption strategy I always have with these perks and have no plans to change it. Nonetheless, I continue to stay up to speed on the variety of rewards types and changes. AAdvantage members who prefer a mixed bag of perks are subject to some Loyalty Point Reward oddities. Here are a few I’ve noticed over the years. I’ll start with one I still get caught up in, though.
15k Threshold Is Mostly Hollow
AAdvantage touts 15k Loyalty Points as the initial threshold for a member receiving a Loyalty Point Reward. On one hand, bravo to the program for recognizing a large group of members at a relatively attainable level. On the other, the level is close to meaningless, with very minor rewards for reaching that level. Of course, that’s to be expected, given a similarly-low level of commitment needed to hit the 15k threshold. The first four are currently available, and the last two new ones are being added later in the year:
- Personalized luggage tag
- 1,000 Loyalty Points
- Priority privileges and Group 4 boarding for a trip
- 5 Preferred Seat coupons
- 2 food and beverage coupons to use on flights where service is offered
- A 12-month New York Times subscription to your choice of Games, Cooking or The Athletic
As an Executive Platinum, I have little use for the third or fourth options. Heck, lower status levels might not really have a use for those, either. Another 1k LP’s is relatively minor for individuals earning them at otherwise high levels. I shamelessly went after the luggage tag last year, and as expected, have used it zero times. The last time I touched it was when I opened the mailer. But I’ll do it again this year without flinching, especially given it’s going to be a “limited-edition centennial luggage tag.” That’s because I have zero use for #5 or #6, either. Executive Platinum routinely satisfies that first one, and we already have those subscriptions. I imagine many of you can relate.
Want Miles and Other Stuff? Focus on Miles Here
Again, I stick with redeemable miles, but I get others who have FOMO. Many would like miles, but also other stuff, too. Members of the latter group who are also primary Citi AAdvantage cardholders should probably consider redeeming for miles at the 250k Loyalty Point threshold first. That’s because these individuals can pick up 30k redeemable miles with each of their two rewards at this level. Cardholders don’t obtain this amount at any other threshold. Individuals who want more than those 60k will then want to opt for their exclusive 25k redeemable miles at the 175k level – unless they want systemwide upgrades (more on that in a bit). Beyond that, primary Citi AAdvantage cardholders don’t have any redeemable miles advantages (ahem) over non-cardholders at any of the other levels.
Upgrade Hunting? Start Here
AA systemwide upgrades just aren’t my thing; I don’t want to be hemmed in by expiration dates, and I focus on award flights, anyway (where systemwides aren’t eligible). But I can understand this option’s appeal to those confident in their travel plans and interested in upgrades on cash bookings. Such a traveler should probably pick the two systemwide upgrades with their one reward option at the 175k LP threshold. This traveler is effectively buying each upgrade at 12.5 redeemable miles (at most) when weighed against the 25k redeemable miles reward alternative at this level. At the 250k level, that opportunity cost is as much as a 15k redeemable miles for primary Citi AAdvantage cardholders. (Though this changes to 10k for non-cardholders at the 175k and 250k levels.)
Systemwide upgrades are less attractive at the 400k, 550k, and 750k thresholds, where a member is giving up 25k redeemable miles for each systemwide upgrade they choose.
Probably Ignore Flagship Lounge and Flagship First Dining Options
AAdvantage members are generally better off picking redeemable miles instead of Flagship Lounge or Flagship First Dining passes at the 250k through 750k LP thresholds. Beyond the other alternatives, I’m focusing on these Flagship options compared to redeemable miles selection (again).
Let’s first look at the 250k LP level where members get two rewards. Among other options, primary Citi AAdvantage cardholders can pick 30k redeemable miles or two Flagship Lounge single-visit passes. This breaks down to giving up 15k redeemable miles per visit. That’s equal to what AA currently charges any member for on-the-spot access to a Flagship lounge, when available.
In my view, though, the redeemable miles are the way to go with this LP reward selection, because members won’t unnecessarily commit to lounge passes subject to expiration and lounge availability at any given time. By selecting miles, members keep their options open without losing anything if they end up using them later for Flagship Lounge access. (Of course, there’s the possibility AA raises the mileage price for entry, but I’d still take miles over the limiting factors of the passes.) The choice is even more cut and dry for non-cardholders, where they’d be giving up 20k redeemable miles for one Flagship Lounge pass.
At 400k, members again get two choices. One choice obtains either 25k redeemable miles, two Flagship Lounge passes, or one Flagship First Dining Pass (valid for the member and up to two guests). First, I’d recommend ignoring the FFD pass, since members are able to redeem 20k or 24k miles for FFD at their convenience via the “Enhance with Miles” option. The only reason to consider FFD as an LP reward at the 400k level is if members are already using their allotted Enhance with Miles selections on FFD and want/need more.
But in terms of Flagship Lounge access, one is giving up 12.5k redeemable miles per lounge pass at this level. That’s 2.5k better than paying on the spot. I can understand why this may work for some, but I’ll take the flexibility of the redeemable miles over the perceived 2.5k “savings.” It’s the same value proposition at the 550k and 750k thresholds.
AAdvantage Loyalty Point Rewards – Conclusion
Other wrinkles exist, but I think you get the point. Perhaps I’ll get into a few others down the road. I didn’t address the new options much in this article because I don’t think they’ll move the needle compared to what’s already available.
Of course, the calculus changes depending on one’s ability or inability to hit higher LP thresholds. I applaud American for not devaluing AAdvantage Loyalty Point Rewards in any meaningful way. But it’s on members to responsibly redeem. I’ll keep that going and encourage you to do the same. Through it all, American knows exactly what they’re doing with these rewards.
What are your preferred redemptions for AAdvantage Loyalty Point Rewards? How does that change at various levels?
