How to Use the American AAdvantage Shopping Portal to Boost Your Miles

- UPDATED: July 21, 2022 |

Travel /
Airlines

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Need a few AAdvantage miles to top off your account in preparation for your next award flight? You’re in luck: there’s a super easy way to earn additional miles for shopping you’d probably do anyway!

This article will tell you everything you need to know about using the American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping Mall.

Table of contents

How to Log in & Basics of Using Program
Special AA Shopping Offers
Example Retailers
The AAdvantage eShoppingSM Button
Using Credit Cards To Earn Extra Points
- American Airlines AAdvantage Cards
- Marriott Credit Cards
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

How to Log in & Basics of Using Program
Special AA Shopping Offers
Example Retailers
The AAdvantage eShoppingSM Button
Using Credit Cards To Earn Extra Points
- American Airlines AAdvantage Cards
- Marriott Credit Cards
Final Thoughts

How to Log in & Basics of Using Program

american aadvantage eshopping login — It’s easy to log in to American’s AAdvantage eShopping mall.

You can see the potential bonus miles available at various retailers without logging in, but you will need to log in to your account in order to earn miles through AAdvantage eShopping.

If you are already a member of the AAdvantage frequent flyer program, all you need to do is create a separate login for the AA shopping portal. If you are not yet a frequent flyer member, you will need to join that program first.

american aadvantage eshopping enroll — You just need to enter a bit of information to join AA eShopping.

Once you are logged in to AAdvantage eShopping, you can easily search for retailers you want to shop with and see how many bonus points are being offered. When you’re ready to shop, just click through their link to complete your purchase!

american aadvantage eshopping example retailer — At the time of writing, American Eagle Outfitters was offering 2 bonus mi/$1 spent through the AA shopping portal.

Let’s say you need to do some back to school shopping for your kids at American Eagle Outfitters. At the time of writing, you could earn 2 extra AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on purchases at American Eagle Outfitters online.

In order to earn bonus points, you’ll need to click “Shop Now.” You’ll be redirected to the American Eagle Outfitters website where you can start shopping!

Special AA Shopping Offers

Sometimes American hosts special shopping offers where you can earn even more bonus points. These don’t happen all the time, but they are worth keeping an eye out for.

Here are some recent offers that were available:

November 2018: Earn up to 4,000 bonus miles (expires November 18). 500 when you spend $150, 2,000 when you spend $600 and 4,000 when you spend $1,200.
Spring 2017: 1,500 bonus miles for spending $50 or more in 3 separate transactions

Miles from these special shopping offers are earned in addition to any other bonus miles you will accumulate by shopping through the portal.

Example Retailers

The number of miles available and participating retailers in the AA Shopping portal change regularly. At the time of writing, here are some of the top earning rates that were offered:

Sephora: 5 mi/$1
bareMinerals: 8 mi/$1
eBags: 7 mi/$1
Macy’s: 5 mi/$1
glasses.com: 7 mi/$1
XFinity: 35 mi/$1
…and many more!

american aadvantage eshopping example retailers 2 — Even more stores are available where you can earn bonus AAdvantage miles by shopping.

The AAdvantage eShopping^SM Button

AAdvantage eShopping Button — (Use the AAdvantage eShopping^SM button & never forget your extra miles again!)

American Airlines AAdvantage has jumped on the bandwagon of Google Chrome extensions by recently introducing the AAdvantage eShopping^SM button.

Essentially, this button helps forgetful shoppers earn more miles. This extension notifies you anytime you’re are on a website that could earn you AAdvantage miles via shopping. Simply click the button to activate your miles.

Plus, it’s free to download!

Hot Tip: To find the best deal for any particular store, use a site like CashBack Monitor to keep track of all the different shopping portals, including the American AAdvantage portal.

Using Credit Cards To Earn Extra Points

Since you’ll be earning bonus miles by shopping through the online portal, you should also make sure you’re earning as many miles as possible through your points- or miles-earning credit card.

If your main focus is on AAdvantage program miles, you should use credit cards that earn them directly.

You won’t have many category bonuses to consider if you are only using the cards mentioned above, but it’s worth considering what category your chosen retailer falls under if you have other cards that earn category bonuses.

Below you’ll see the credit cards that earn American Airlines miles. Most of these include a sign-up bonus but will include an annual fee. However, the benefits outweigh the costs when used correctly!

American Airlines AAdvantage Cards

Want more information about AAdvantage credit cards? We’ve covered American Airlines credit cards extensively and highlighted the major differences between all the options you have!

Marriott Credit Cards

You can earn Marriott points and transfer those to American Airlines at a transfer rate of 3:1. Plus, for every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer, you’ll receive an extra 5,000 AAdvantage miles bonus.

Recommended Marriott Cards

Final Thoughts

If you use the American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping portal for your online shopping, you will be able to easily earn more American Airlines miles for very little extra work. Even better when you combine it with their dining program.

Through these portals and using a couple of other options, it’s possible to earn up to 100,000 miles in just a few months.

Those bonus miles will quickly add up to get you much closer to your next vacation. For even more info on the best ways to redeem your AAdvantage Miles, check out what you can do with 100,000!

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, click here.

Frequently asked questions

Do the miles earned through AAdvantage eShopping count toward Million Miler Status?

No. The miles earned through AA eShopping are redeemable, but they do not count toward your Million Miler Status.

Do I have to submit my receipt in order to earn the miles?

No, they should post automatically. If you don’t see them within a few weeks, you should contact American Airlines with your proof of purchase so they can look into it.

Can my spouse earn miles by shopping online through my AAdvantage eShopping account?

Yes, your spouse would earn miles when making purchases through your AA Shopping account. However, those miles will be deposited into your AAdvantage account since you’re the one logged in. Your spouse would need a separate login to earn their own.

Is there a limit to the number of points I can earn?

No, there is not a limit! You should see if you can shop through the portal for every purchase you are planning to make online.

The store that I wanted isn't available through the portal anymore. What can I do?

Stores and earning rates change constantly in the portal, and there is no guarantee that your store will be coming back anytime soon. If the product you want is available through another retailer, you can shop there instead. If you belong to another airline’s frequent flyer program, try using their portal to find your store.

If neither of those options work and you can’t wait, you can still buy the item without earning bonus points.

How long does it take for AAdvantage eShopping miles to post?

It takes 3-5 days for AAdvantage eShopping miles to post to your account, however, this could take up to 15 days. AAdvantage eShopping must wait for confirmation from the retailer before they can post the miles.

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About Caroline Lupini

Caroline Lupini always enjoyed traveling, but it became her goal to do as much as possible after a 3-week trip around Europe in 2011. In March 2014, Caroline left her job and embarked on nearly full-time travels. As a frequent traveler, frequent flyer miles have played a large role in planning her trips. Caroline has enjoyed discovering the ins and outs of how to maximize different types of miles, hotel points, and transferable points currencies.

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

21 comments

Linda Prellwitz January 4, 2019
I have been so far unsuccessful in getting miles credited for an Apple bonus miles purchase. There are a lot of miles involved as I purchased 2 computers.
I verified numerous times that I was on the portal and had no other windows open ( even used a different browser) . I have a case # but now have had no response from any agent for 3 weeks. I am thinking that I should just return the computers to Apple ( have not opened because of this issue) and hold off for another offer by a different airline . Any ideas how I can escalate this would be appreciated. Thank you
Reply
- Stephen Au January 4, 2019
  Hi Linda,
  I would contact the appropriate AA department to get this handled ASAP. You can also request to speak to a supervisor if the front-line rep is not being cooperative. Just keep trying to pester them. If the miles mean a lot to you, you can decide to return the laptops as well. Thanks for reading!
  Reply
Bill January 28, 2019
The flaw in AAdvantage Shopping is that there is no way to verify what points you will earn and when or if they will arrive. AAdvantage Shopping offers no direct contact phone number so its up to their online customer services as to if and when they will respond. In my case, AAdvantage Shopping said it was up to the store to report the miles earned, but Macy’s customer service knows nothing about any of this other than they have heard similar complaints from others.
Reply
Mary April 8, 2019
I am also having problems with getting points credited for purchases made through the online shopping portal. I booked hotel rooms, through the portal, in January and again in March but have not been able to get any help from AAdvantage Shopping to get the associated points credited to my account. It is very frustrating.
Reply
- Erin Miller April 8, 2019
  Hi Mary, sorry to hear you’re having issues. First, let me say that **we are not American Airlines, nor are we affiliated with the AAdvantage Shopping Portal in any way** other than the writing of this review.
  It’s very possible that your points won’t be awarded until your stay has been completed… Additionally, have you read the listed “mileage terms” for each hotel you’re booking?
  For example, here are the terms the portal lists for Marriott Bonvoy: “Please note these terms & conditions: Rooms offered at specially negotiated rates, where the customer is required to be affiliated with or employed by a particular company or organization to receive the special rate (e.g., corporate rate, government rate or the Marriott employee rate) are not eligible. Rooms offered at specially negotiated rates for Marriott Bonvoy™ members (e.g. Marriott Bonvoy™ offer discount, Marriott Bonvoy™ offer package), with the exception of Marriott Bonvoy™ Member rates are not eligible. Rooms that are booked or upgraded and paid for using redeemed Marriott Bonvoy™ Points are not eligible. Rooms booked at the brands Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, Design Hotels, Bulgari, Atlantis, Autograph Collection, Bulgari Hotel, London, Joshua G.E. Medical Corp. Conference Center, Jesse Jones Rotary Conference Center, Marriott Ranch, Protea Hotel Amani Beach, Protea Hotel Mbweni Ruins, The Ritz-Carlton London, U.S. Postal Service Conference Center, Four Points by Sheraton Havana, The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, Autograph Collection are not eligible. Not eligible on purchases made with coupon or discount codes that are not found on this site. Not eligible on gift cards, gift certificates or any other similar cash equivalents.”
  That seems like a lot of instances where a stay would be ineligible to earn the bonus points to us… you just want to be sure you aren’t booking under any circumstances that would void the bonus points!
  Reply
ST November 1, 2019
Do they deduct miles for returns?
Reply
- Jarrod West November 1, 2019
  Hi ST,
  Yes, if you return the item, then the miles will likely be deducted from your account.
  Thanks for reading!
  Reply
Joyce Hamilton November 12, 2019
My frequent flyer miles is about to expire and I have almost enough to get a ticket.
Is there some way to keep from loosing my miles?
Joyce Hamilton
Reply
- Michael McHugh November 13, 2019
  Hi Joyce,
  Redeeming or earning American miles will reset the expiration date of your miles. Some of the easiest ways to extend the expiration is to book flights on American or its partner airlines, use the American shopping portal, or use an American Airlines credit card.
  Reply
  - JoBallantine March 14, 2020
    I have booked a flight for this summer on AA but I’m still getting emails from American saying I have miles expiring March 25. This contradicts what is said above by Michael McHugh.
    Reply
    - Christine Krzyszton March 14, 2020
      In order to keep miles from expiring, you need to earn or redeem miles. Did you purchase the flight with an American Airlines credit card or use American Airlines miles for the flight?
      Reply
Kelly November 21, 2019
I used the Eshopping for the first time. I signed up, did what I was supposed to do and I have not received my miles. I just received a long winded email from Advantage Eshopping rep and she basically lied about everything and was trying to tell me I must have made my purchase through the email offers American Airlines sends out frequently. Also, I was told that I need to settle it with the company I made the purchase with. It seems I am not the only one who has trouble getting promised miles posted!
Reply
Honest Reviewer March 2, 2020
I’ve tried using the shopping button and the website shopping version, experienced headaches with both versions. Miles do not post consistently, about 20% of the time they post even when the app shows green checkmark. The process to report missing miles is arduous. Post 15 days after purchase date, submit documentation fill out forms and attach receipts. Only 20% of these transactions are posted within a few weeks, then you need to follow up every 2-4 weeks, some miles are credited some never post. AA will escalate with the vendor but it’s up to the vendor if they honor the miles. This process has gotten worst over the past year. Recently deleted the button since it doesn’t work and hurts web engine performance. The AA Dining program works flawlessly every time.
Reply
dave March 9, 2020
I bought a phone at best buy, the points show online in the aa eshopping account but have not posted to my account. I also see a 1,000 point bonus that did not post to my aa advantage account. anyone have this issue?
Reply
Jeff July 24, 2020
AAdvantage Shopping is terrible. There is always some reason why you don’t get the point you earned. Their customer service is rude and unhelpful and unfortunately you’ll be talking to them a lot. It’s pretty much a joke.
Reply
Peter November 27, 2020
The AA shopping portal is a joke, and a con! Merchandise can be found usually at a third of the price elsewhere. All one is doing here is buying miles, not getting a deal. As for their customer service, forget about it if you have a problem. There is no telephone number, so this is equally frustrating. While I hold an AA card, I gave up on the shopping. Totally misleading!
Reply
- Rocco February 18, 2021
  Peter, When you use an airline shopping portal, the airlines do not set the prices. If you want to buy something from Best Buy, then the AA portal simply redirects you to the BB website, where BB charges whatever BB charges. What part of this do you find misleading? For the millions of people who already shop online at Home Depot, Walmart, Target, Kohls, Best Buy, Walgreens, Dell, GAP, FTD, etc., the airline portal simply offers an opportunity to earn FF miles while making the same purchases they are already making. If your preferred vendor is not among the 950 stores listed on the portal, then you should certainly skip the portal and go to your store directly. However, aside from Amazon and Ebay, you would be hard pressed to find any retailers who are not on the airline shopping portals, and they all charge the same prices as if you went directly to their site.
  Reply
Rocco February 18, 2021
I routinely use shopping portals from AA, UA, DL, and CUR. The offerings change daily, if not more often. I was just shopping for a $2,000 Dell computer, and the AA portal had the best offer at 5 miles/$. IMO, 10,000 bonus miles is a decent score. However, by the time I decided on a machine, the offer was back down to 2 miles. Since I do not need a new computer immediately, I will wait until somebody has a more generous offer. Over the past year, AA and US have had several offers at Dell of 8-10 miles/$. Typically, one airline will have the most generous offer at a specific retailer, and then they switch positions. I have always wondered who decides what the bonus will be. Is this decided by the airline, or by the individual retailer?
Reply
- Jarrod West February 18, 2021
  Hi Rocco,
  I believe the decision is made by the airline, since they are the ones that are offering you points in exchange for shopping through their portal so they can get a cut of your purchase.
  Reply
Rocco February 18, 2021
For those few airlines that still allow miles to expire, the shopping portals are an easy way to keep them alive. I manage the FF accounts for my extended family, about 20 people. One AA account had miles about to expire, so I used the AA portal to make a small purchase from Walmart. They offer free delivery for orders over $35, so I bought 100 lbs of cat litter for $38. (It was shipped via FedEx at a cost that I am sure exceeded the $38 price of the litter, but that is a separate issue that Walmart should address.) Anybody who needs some activity to keep points alive can easily stock up on $35 worth of household staples from Walmart. AA only offered 0.5 mile/$ from Walmart, but it was good enough to save 60,000 miles from expiring.
Reply
Sedia Graham September 15, 2022
I am having an issue with the Aadvantage EShopping portal. I have used this portal a lot in the past 90 days. I recently purchased with a merchant in this portal and received the AAdvantage eshopping tracking email. After 15 days, my points had not been posted to my account. I submitted an Inquiry to AAdvantage eshopping Customer service where I attached the receipt for this purchase. The AAdvantage Customer rep told me “it was up to the merchant company to post the points”. I was then told it would take 4-8 weeks for AAdvantage to review my purchase to post my points. Next, I contacted the merchant I had made this purchase with, and they had no idea what AAdvantage or points even meant. This is sad really. The only incentive for using AAdvantage eshopping portal points. I am not sure why anyone at AAdvantage Customer Service thinks a customer should just suck it up when their points don’t post after they have spent their money. We have to be our own advocates as customers. I am making it my business to return this $1,440 purchase to the merchant this week where I am owed 12,150 points. I hope I am allowed to disclose my reason for returning was because my points were never posted for this transaction. I will not allow AAdvantage to collect my spending data as part of their data analytics if they are not going to keep up with their end of the agreement for every transaction that I make. We all have to ability to simply spend our money with the merchants directly, so there is no need to keep haggling with AAdvantage Customer Service reps (who sound clueless most times) if AAdvantage eshopping as a company is not willing to resolve what appears to be a re-occurring problem with points posting.
Reply

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How to Use the American AAdvantage Shopping Portal to Boost Your Miles

How to Log in & Basics of Using Program

Special AA Shopping Offers

Example Retailers

The AAdvantage eShopping^SM Button