By Shawn Gallagher
I’ve been a part of the AAdvantage loyalty program since I was 5 years old. Having used it throughout my life, I can comfortably say that they have one of the best redemption rates out of the main airlines in the United States.
I frequently travel between the East Coast US and East Asia, so I’m able to quickly rack up miles. Using these miles to book American’s partner airlines has always been a great deal, and I’ll talk about it here in this post.
American’s Partner Airlines
American Airlines is part of the Oneworld Alliance. In addition to Oneworld partners, they also have a few additional partners as well. Here’s a list of airlines you can book using AAdvantage miles:
- Air Tahiti Nui
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- British Airways
- Cape Air
- Cathay Pacific
- Etihad Airways
- Fiji Airways
- Finnair
- GOL Airilnes
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Iberia
- Japan Airlines
- Malaysia Airlines
- Qantas Airways
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Jordanian Airlines
- Silver Airways
- SriLankan Airlines
Booking Partner Airlines With Miles
Booking partner airlines will get you the best value for your AAdvantage miles. They have a published award chart, and the redemption rates most notably do not vary. Here’s a look:
I frequently fly to East Asia and I’ve taken advantage of these sweet redemption rates multiple times. Rates for business class and first class are great value as well.
Keep in mind that although the redemption rates don’t vary, these are based on availability for that partner airline. Book in advance if you want to be sure to get these deals.
If you’re super flexible, some partner airlines will open up leftover award seats and you’ll see these rates on American Airlines starting 2 weeks before departure day.
Booking American Airlines Flights With Miles
You can always book American Airlines flights with your miles, which is also straightforward. I’ve done this many times, and it’s helpful with American’s published award chart, as seen below.
This gives you a good idea of how many miles to expect for each destination. You’ll occasionally see starting rates lower than listed on the chart. For example, I’ve seen New York to Boston flights go for 6500 miles one way.
However, you’ll also see redemption rates that are much higher than those listed on the chart. Unlike with partner airlines, the miles you need will vary based on demand. If you can book in advance, go for it.
Related: Is Domestic First Class On American Airlines Worth It? Boston To New York Review
Bottom Line
It’s great that American Airlines has a published award chart, and even better that their partner airline redemption rates do not vary. This gives your miles tremendous value and opens up many travel opportunities for passengers.
Read my overview of the American Airlines AAdvantage program here, if you haven’t already.
Featured image by the author.