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Earning airline miles using the traditional method (actually flying) is just one way to boost your account balance. Fortunately, airlines make it relatively easy to accrue miles without flying, whether through top credit card offers or by utilizing shopping portals and dining reward programs. You can also purchase miles directly from an airline.
Here’s how it works: You can earn up to 100,000 bonus miles and save 10% off when you buy or gift AAdvantage miles. You’ll earn the maximum ~67% bonus (100,000 miles) when you purchase the maximum amount of 150,000 miles. Or, you can earn up to a ~56% bonus (70,000 miles) for buying 126,000 miles. You can even earn a ~23% bonus (2,500 miles) for buying as little as 11,000 miles.
The regular price for buying miles from American is 3.17 cents per mile ($29.50 per 1,000 miles plus a 7.5% Federal Excise Tax) — before a $30 processing charge per purchase — but with the maximum ~67% bonus offer, it’ll drop your price down to just 1.72 cents per mile.
Here are the sweet spots of this promotion’s bonus chart:
- 11,000 + 2,500 bonus miles for $344 total (2.55 cents per mile)
- 21,000 + 5,000 bonus miles for $629 total (2.42 cents per mile)
- 51,000 + 15,000 bonus miles for $1,486 total (2.25 cents per mile)
- 76,000 + 27,500 bonus miles for $2,199 total (2.12 cents per mile)
- 101,000 + 45,000 bonus miles for $2,913 total (2.00 cents per mile)
- 126,000 + 70,000 bonus miles for $3,626 total (1.85 cents per mile)
- 150,000 + 100,000 bonus miles for $4,311 total (1.72 cents per mile)
Here’s how to take advantage of the promotion:
- Visit American’s Buy, Gift, and Share Miles page.
- Select Buy Miles or Gift Miles.
- Log in to your AAdvantage account.
- Add your credit card details and click Continue.
- Review the information, check the box to agree to the Terms and Conditions and click Pay Now to finalize the purchase.
- Your miles should “post to the designated account immediately.”
Keep in mind that the usual restrictions for purchasing American miles apply to this promotion, including the following:
American Airlines processes mileage transfers and purchases directly — rather than going through Points.com — so this spending counts as airfare! That means you can earn bonus points if you use a card with a travel or airfare category bonus, such as the American Express Premier Rewards Gold’s 3x Membership Reward points on airfare; the Citi ThankYou Premier and the Citi Prestige‘s 3x ThankYou points on air travel; or the Chase Sapphire Preferred with 2x Ultimate Reward points on general travel.
Is This Worth It?
In TPG’s most recent valuations, he pegs American miles at 1.5 cents apiece. The maximum bonus brings your price down to just 1.72 cents per mile, so this promo wouldn’t seem worth it at first.
Remember that 1.72 cents per mile is the “sticker” rate. You can get an even lower effective rate when you factor in the miles that you’ll earn from purchasing the miles. If you have certain American Airlines credit cards, you’ll also earn a 10% rebate on redeemed miles — stretching the miles you redeem even further.
Economy
Business/First
After AA’s March devaluation, AA miles are less valuable for business and first-class redemptions. However, if you’re only looking to redeem for first/business class, don’t write off American Airlines miles. You can still get plenty of value for certain business/first-class redemptions.
You can also pair your American Airlines miles (whether existing or newly purchased) with the Citi Prestige Card to get worldwide lounge access. You’ll have access to any Admirals Club when flying on American Airlines — even flying domestically and/or in economy — and more than 850 lounges worldwide through the Priority Pass Select membership. It can really come in handy!
Plus, you’ll get 50,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within three months of opening your account. Thanks to the 1.6 cents per point redemption rate for American Airlines flights, this sign-up bonus will get you $800 in free AA flights. The $250 per calendar year air travel credit, hotel 4th Night Free and $100 Global Entry credit can easily justify the $450 annual fee.
Bottom Line
Even at the very low rate of 1.72 cents per mile, buying miles speculatively doesn’t make sense in most situations. However, this might make sense for some travelers (i.e., business/first-class travelers or those who book one-way flights).
Due to the low bonus miles offered at most purchase levels, it likely only makes sense to buy the maximum number of miles — unless you need just a few more miles to top off your account for a certain redemption.
Source: thepointsguy.com