American AAdvantage

Use it for

• Qatar Qsuite US to Doha, the Middle East or India: 70,000 miles plus under USD 50 in taxes
• Japan Airlines business US to Japan or Korea: 60,000 miles plus about USD 50; JAL First 80,000
• Cathay Pacific business US to Hong Kong and onward within Asia 2: 70,000 miles plus about USD 80 (seats rarely released)
• Qantas business US to Australia or New Zealand: 80,000 miles plus about USD 70
• Etihad business US to Abu Dhabi: 70,000 miles with no surcharges, mostly within 30 days of departure

Do not use it for

• British Airways flights: large carrier charges are passed on
• American's own long-haul flights: dynamic pricing, transatlantic business from about 75,000 and often far more
• Buying AA miles from zero for one trip: at the standing 40 percent discount (2.26 cents) a 70,000 award costs about USD 1,580 in miles

Where to search

aa.com shows most partners online, including Qatar, JAL, Cathay, Qantas, Finnair and Iberia; China Southern and some Etihad itineraries need a phone call. Partner space is thin in 2026: Qatar keeps most Qsuite seats for its own members, Etihad releases business to AA mostly in the last 30 days, and Cathay business and first are close to non-existent. seats.aero caches AA; always re-run the exact flight on aa.com.

How to book, step by step

1. Open an AAdvantage account in your passport name. You can book for anyone, and there is no pooling.
2. Search aa.com with 'Redeem miles' ticked, one-way, business. Partner flights price at the fixed chart (for example 70,000 to Doha); ignore higher dynamic prices on American's own flights.
3. Open the details and check that every segment is in business; a cheaper price can hide an economy leg.
4. Hold the itinerary: free for 24 hours on bookings 7 to 331 days out. Inside 6 days of departure you must pay straight away.
5. During the hold, transfer Citi ThankYou points (1:1 from premium cards, near-instant). Marriott takes days, so use it only for a trip you can afford to lose.
6. If an itinerary that mixes an American domestic flight with a partner long-haul fails at payment, keep the hold and call to ticket it.
7. Pay the taxes, check the confirmation for a ticket number, then use the partner's own booking reference to manage seats on the partner's site.
8. If plans change, cancel online before the first flight; miles and taxes come back at no fee.

When you need to phone

Needed for China Southern, some Etihad itineraries and any mixed domestic plus partner itinerary that fails online. The AAdvantage reservations line long published as 800-882-8880 could not be re-confirmed on aa.com. A 2026 phone booking fee is not confirmed; historically it was waived when the award could not be booked online.

Fees

No booking, change or cancellation fees on awards; change or cancel before the first flight departs. No close-in fee. Buying miles adds 7.5 percent US excise tax.

Surcharges

None on Qatar, JAL, Cathay, Etihad, Qantas or Finnair; taxes start at about USD 5.60 on short flights and run about USD 50 to 80 long-haul from the US. British Airways carries large carrier charges, and AwardFares lists Iberia with them too.

Getting points in

US: Citi ThankYou 1:1 from Strata Premier, Strata Elite and Prestige, or 1:0.7 from Double Cash, Custom Cash and Strata, in 1,000-point steps, near-instant. Canada: RBC Avion 10:7. Marriott Bonvoy 3:1 with no 5,000 bonus, 1 to 8 days. Bilt no longer transfers to AAdvantage (ended 2024).

Booking for other people

You can book awards for anyone from your account. There is no family pooling.