Loyalty Points are the new way members will track their qualification toward reaching AAdvantage® status starting in 2022. Loyalty Points replace the Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs), Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs), and Elite Qualifying Segments (EQSs) used to qualify for status.

As an AAdvantage® member, you’ll earn Loyalty Points as you earn eligible AAdvantage® miles. One eligible AAdvantage® mile equals one Loyalty Point.

In the air: All base miles earned from flying on Loyalty Point-qualifying airlines (flights marketed by American Airlines, oneworld® airlines, and JetBlue). This includes:

• Basic Economy tickets on American
• All status bonuses earned when flying on American Airlines and eligible partner airlines

On the ground: All base miles earned from spending with partners, such as AAdvantage® Dining, SimplyMiles™, and more

For American Airlines AAdvantage® credit cardmembers, eligible AAdvantage® miles include the base miles earned on eligible purchases using your AAdvantage® credit card, and do not include any bonus miles or accelerators

• Base miles earned vary by credit card type and issuing bank. For example, most AAdvantage® credit cards earn 1 base mile per US$1 spent on eligible purchases, but some earn .5 base miles per $1 spent, others 1.5 miles or 2 miles, etc.
• Every base mile equals one Loyalty Point

• Bonus miles earned from special promotions
• Miles from Buy, Gift, Transfer transactions
• Government taxes, fees, and other charges associated with buying a ticket do not count toward earning AAdvantage® miles and do not count toward earning Loyalty Points
• Conversion of another program currency to AAdvantage® miles
• For AAdvantage® credit cards, “accelerators” or “multipliers” such as: extra miles for purchases in specific categories, with specific merchants (such as American Airlines purchases) or purchases made abroad
• AAdvantage® credit cards new account or welcome bonuses, spend bonuses, etc.

You’ll start earning Loyalty Points on January 1, 2022. As a special thank you, you’ll get an extra 2 months in 2022 (January 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022) to earn Loyalty Points toward qualifying for status in 2023. Going forward, the normal qualification period will start on March 1 each year.

The first date you’ll see Loyalty Points in your account is March 1, 2022. Loyalty Points earned from eligible activity during January and February 2022 will appear in your account in early March 2022.

• All members with loyalty status set to expire on January 31, 2022, have been extended to March 31, 2022. Your account already reflects this change.
• If you have already achieved status in the 2021 qualification year, the end date of that status will update to March 31, 2023, by the end of March 2022.

• From January 1 to February 28, 2022, members will have the opportunity to continue to earn EQMs, EQDs, and EQSs toward 2021 status qualification when flying on eligible airlines (American Airlines, oneworld®, and JetBlue).
• During the same period, members will also earn Loyalty Points toward the new program. Loyalty Points earned in January and February 2022 will be deposited into your account in early March 2022 and will count toward reaching status for 2023.
• If you earn the Loyalty Points needed for 2023 status between January and February 2022, you’ll be granted status in early March 2022.
• If you qualify for AAdvantage® Platinum or AAdvantage® Gold status, your counter for earning 500-mile upgrades – which normally resets on January 31 –will be extended to March 31, 2022.

The status qualification year will start on March 1 and run through the last day of February.

• For example, in 2023, we’ll restart your counter on March 1, 2023, and it will run through February 29, 2024.
• The membership year (when your status is valid) will take effect the date you qualify, or April 1 (whichever comes first) and be valid through March 31.

Purchases made with your AAdvantage® credit card will count based on the date the activity posts to your AAdvantage® account. All other flight and partner transactions will count based on the activity date of the flight or other transaction.

• Yes, beginning March 2022 we will use your 12-month rolling Loyalty Points value to determine your upgrade priority.
• 12-month rolling EQDs will continue to determine upgrade priority through February 2022.
• To thank our members who earned EQDs in 2021, your starting rolling 12-month Loyalty Points will be composed of a combination of your 12 month rolling EQD value as of March 1, supplemented with Loyalty Points as you earn them. As of March 1, 2023, the rolling 12-month Loyalty Points value used for upgrade priority will be solely composed of Loyalty Points.

No, you will continue to earn award miles as you do today. This includes the ability to earn miles based on the ticket price (excluding government-imposed taxes and fees) for flights marketed by American and JetBlue. Travel on all other partner airlines will continue to earn award miles based on the distance flown.

No, Million Miler℠ status will still be earned the same way as today, based on miles earned from flying with American and our partners.

Elite Choice Rewards, now called Loyalty Choice Rewards, will require you to meet 2 thresholds to be eligible starting in March 2022:

• Qualify for AAdvantage Platinum Pro® status based on the new Loyalty Points requirement for that status
• Fly a minimum number of flight segments flown on Loyalty Point-qualifying airlines (flights marketed by American, oneworld® and JetBlue) during the qualification period

American marketed award travel will count toward reaching the minimum flight segment requirement.

We will continue to offer rewards like AAdvantage® bonus miles, systemwide upgrades, and Admirals Club® membership. We’ll share more details in the future.

Yes, if you meet the 2021 requirements to qualify for AAdvantage Platinum Pro®, AAdvantage Executive Platinum®, or reach the beyond AAdvantage Executive Platinum® thresholds in January or February 2022, you will be eligible for the 2021 Elite Choice Rewards.

All Citi® / AAdvantage®, all AAdvantage® Aviator® and all AAdvantage® credit cards issued outside the U.S. are eligible.

Only flight activity contributes to Million Miler℠ status. Neither AAdvantage® miles nor Loyalty Points earned through your card contribute to Million Miler℠ status.

Read more >>