American Airlines Million Miler Lifetime Status Guide
If you regularly credit incoming flights American Airlines AAdvantage program, you may be interested in learning what it takes to make money for life elite status with Americans.
In recent times Updates to the AAdvantage programAmerican has announced plans to add two new Million Miler levels by 2025. So let’s discuss the specifics of American Airlines Million Miler status, including how to earn it, what it gets you and how to check your progress towards this status.
How to Earn American Airlines Million Miler Status
If you want to achieve American Airlines Million Miler status, know that only base miles earned by flying on American Airlines, American Eagle, and any other qualifying airline participating in the AAdvantage program are eligible. calculated, according to AAdvantage Million Miller Program terms and conditions.
In short, you’ll need to fly many miles on American Airlines and its AAdvantage partners to achieve Million Miler status. you can earn Loyalty Points towards American Airlines’ status through a variety of methods – including co-branding spending American Airlines credit carduse AAdvantage electronic shopping portal and use Simply Miles provide. However, only base miles earned through flights count toward Million Miler status.
When looking over my recent flight activity, I see it’s not as simple as the base miles earned on flights that count towards Million Miler status. For example, on this American-operated and marketed flight — for which AAdvantage calculated earnings based on ticket price — my base miles were significantly lower than my Million Miler earnings. The flight distance is 4,965 miles, almost exactly what AAdvantage calculates as my Million Miler income.
Meanwhile, on this flight operated and marketed by Japan Airlines — for which AAdvantage calculated my earnings based on distance — my base miles equaled my Million Miler earnings. Japan Airlines class H ticket price credited to AAdvantage at 70% of flight distance (4,757 miles). Here’s how my base and million miles ended up at 3,339.
The terms and conditions of the AAdvantage Million Miler program state base miles are what matter when calculating Million Miler earnings. However, in reality, your flying distance is what matters. And for flights posted to AAdvantage based on distance, you’ll apparently earn Million Miler status based on the percentage your fare class credits.
Related: How American Airlines lured me back to AAdvantage with Loyalty Points
Benefits of American Airlines Million Miler status
American Airlines’ Million Miler program currently has two levels:
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- 1,000,000 million mile miles: Lifetime AAdvantage Gold status and 35,000 AAdvantage bonus miles
- 2,000,000 Million Miler miles: Lifetime AAdvantage Platinum status and four one-way system-wide upgrades
As you continue to fly with American Airlines and its partner airlines past the 2 million mile mark, you’ll receive four additional one-way system-wide upgrades for every additional 1 million miles you earn .
As mentioned above, AAdvantage is adding two new levels to its Million Miler program starting March 1, 2025:
- 4,000,000 Million Miler miles: Lifetime AAdvantage Platinum Pro status
- 5,000,000 Million Miler miles: AAdvantage Executive Platinum status for life
If you have accumulated 4 million or 5 million miles, the new status will reflect in your account on or around March 1, 2025.
Related: So what exactly is travel elite status – and how can I get it?
How to check your American Airlines Million Miler progress
American AAdvantage makes it easy to check your Million Miler progress. Log in to your account and click on your name in the upper right corner. Select your personal account if you have both a personal and account account Favorable business account, then click “Activity” in the navigation bar on the left. After doing so, a page with your current Loyalty Points balance and Million Miler balance will display.
You can scroll down and select an individual activity to see how AAdvantage posts your earnings. You can also check your activity and Million Miler progress in the American Airlines app.
Related: Is it worth pursuing lifelong elite status?
Bottom line
Even with two new tiers coming in March 2025, American Airlines’ Million Miler program still underperforms United Airlines Million Miler And Delta Air Lines Million Miler status. United and Delta offer lifetime Gold status — not the lowest elite status in either program — to members who reach the 1 million-mile threshold. Meanwhile, American offers lifetime status at the lowest elite level (Gold) and 35,000 redeemable miles.
However, as a frequent traveler approaching Million Dollar status with AAdvantage, that’s the carrot that keeps me sticking with the program. I have considered converted my Oneworld loyalty to the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan to achieve elite status on award flights. However, for now I plan to Stick with AAdvantage for at least one more year of elite eligibility. This way I can achieve Million Miler status and earn lifetime AAdvantage Gold status.
If AAdvantage does not change Gold benefits, lifetime AAdvantage Gold status will provide me with free checked baggage, priority check-in and boarding, and priority seating when booking , Main Cabin Extra seating at check-in and Oneworld Ruby status. These benefits will be useful even if my trips decrease or my allegiances change.
