Having elite status with an airline is a great way to earn benefits and perks that make travel more rewarding. American Airlines is one of the main players in the industry and an airline that many of us use often. Its AAdvantage loyalty program has 4 main levels of elite status available — Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Executive Platinum. Earning elite status can be confusing, so we’re going to break it down for you so it’s easy to understand.
In this post, we’ll go over how to earn elite status with American Airlines and discuss whether or not it’s a valuable thing to have.
American Airlines AAdvantage Elite Status
Before we talk about how to get American Airlines AAdvantage elite status, you’ll need to understand some specific terms, so let’s have a quick vocabulary lesson.
2022 AAdvantage Elite Status Updates: The 2021 qualification period has been extended so that you can earn EQMs, EQSs, and EQDs through February 2022. Starting in January 2022, you can also earn new Loyalty Points which will replace the old program officially in March 2022.
Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs)
Elite Qualifying Miles, or EQMs, are based on a percentage of the actual miles flown and can vary based on airline and booking code (Basic Economy is excluded).
The good news is that you’ll earn a minimum of 500 EQMs on each flight (flights under 500 miles will earn 500 EQMs).
Class of service bonus miles, elite bonuses, purchased miles, or any other AAdvantage bonus mileage does not count toward your Elite Qualifying Miles.
EQMs can, however, be earned on credit cards. The following cards will earn EQMs in addition to helping you earn AAdvantage miles:
Elite Qualifying Segments (EQSs)
Elite Qualifying Segments, or EQSs, are flight segments you earn on eligible purchased tickets on American Airlines or its partners.
Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs)
Elite Qualifying Dollars, or EQDs, are earned based on the cost of the ticket purchased (base fare plus carrier-imposed fees, excluding government taxes and fees) on American Airlines-marketed flights.
EQDs earned on Oneworld alliance flights are based on the flight distance and fare class purchased, not the actual cost.
Hot Tip: As of January 1, 2021, Basic Economy tickets do not earn EQMs, EQSs, or EQDs, however, they will earn new Loyalty Points.
Earning EQMs, EQSs, and EQDs
Here’s a handy chart to show you how many EQMs, EQSs, and EQDs you can earn on your flights.
| Cabin | Booking Code | EQMs per Mile Flown | EQDs | EQSs |
| Full Fare First and Business Class | F, J | 3 | Yes | 1 |
| Discounted First and Business Class | A, C, D, I, R | 2 | Yes | 1 |
| Premium Economy | W, P | 1.5 | Yes | 1 |
| Economy | Y, H, K, M, L, V, G, S, N, Q, O | 1 | Yes | 1 |
| Basic Economy | B | 0 | No | 0 |
Not sure what a booking code is? Check out our guide explaining everything you need to know about airline booking codes.
New Loyalty Points
Starting in March 2022, you’ll only earn Loyalty Points instead of EQMs, EQSs, and EQDs (in January and February of 2022, you’ll be able to earn both). You’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point for every eligible AAdvantage mile you earn.
Each eligible AAdvantage mile will equal 1 Loyalty Point. Image Credit: American AirlinesHere are the ways you’ll be able to earn American AAdvantage Loyalty Points:
- Fly on American Airlines, Oneworld partner airlines, JetBlue, and GOL Airlines
- Spend on AAdvantage co-branded credit cards
- AAdvantage eShopping and AAdvantage Dining portals
- SimplyMiles
- American Airlines Vacations
- Partner hotels and bookings through bookaahotels.com
- AAdvantage car rental partners booked through aa.com/car
- Cruises booked through bookaacruises.com
- Retail partners: Shell, WeWork, Vinesse, FTD, Vivid Seats, NRG Energy, Reliant Energy, Xoom, and Miles For Opinion
How To Earn AAdvantage Elite Status
To earn elite status with American Airlines in 2021, you’ll need to meet the EQD requirement plus either the EQM or EQS requirement. In 2022 and going forward, you’ll need to earn Loyalty Points.
After earning American Airlines elite status, you’ll enjoy benefits like upgrades, that can make your flights more comfortable. Image Credit: American AirlinesElite Status Qualifications for 2021
There are reduced requirements to earn American Airlines elite status in 2021:
| Qualification | Gold | Platinum | Platinum Pro | Executive Platinum |
| EQMs | 20,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 | 80,000 |
| EQSs | 20 | 45 | 70 | 95 |
| EQDs | $2,000 | $4,500 | $7,000 | $12,000 |
For 2021, the EQD requirement for Platinum Pro, Platinum, and Gold status will be waived if you spend at least $30,000 on net purchases (that post to your account within 2021) with a qualifying AAdvantage credit card.
Elite Qualifications for 2022 and Beyond
Starting in 2022, you’ll earn Loyalty Points to qualify for American Airlines elite status.
| Qualification | Gold | Platinum | Platinum Pro | Executive Platinum |
| Loyalty Points | 30,000 | 75,000 | 125,000 | 200,000 |
How To Check Your Progress Toward American Airlines Elite Status
To check your progress toward American Airlines elite status, log on to your AAdvantage account. You’ll then be able to quickly see your progress in the Account Summary section.
You can easily check your progress toward American Airlines elite status in your online account. Image Credit: American AirlinesHot Tip: You won’t see Loyalty Points in your account until March 2022.
Qualification Period vs. Membership Period
When you’re trying to earn American Airlines elite status, you’ll want to understand the qualification period and the membership period.
The qualification period is March 1 to the last day of February the following year. This is the time period you have to earn Loyalty Points. As soon as you qualify for elite status by meeting the requirements, your benefits will be active and they’ll remain active through the next membership year.
The membership year starts on the day you qualify for status or April 1 (whichever comes first) and goes through the following March 31.
Bottom Line: To earn American Airlines elite status in 2021 (qualification period goes through February 2022), you’ll need to meet the Elite Qualifying Dollar (EQD) requirement, plus either the Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) or Elite Qualifying Segments (EQSs) requirement. In March of 2022, American Airlines will completely switch over to the new Loyalty Points program.
AAdvantage Gold Status Benefits
We’ve written at length about the benefits and value of AAdvantage Gold status so we’ll just touch on the highlights here:
- Automatic upgrade requests on flights of 500 miles or less
- 24-hour upgrade window
- 40% elite mileage bonus
- Main Cabin Extra seats at check-in, if available
- Complimentary Preferred seats
- 1 free checked bag
- Oneworld Ruby status
Hot Tip: American Airlines and JetBlue have announced a reciprocal relationship when flying each others’ airlines. American AAdvantage elite members can now expect benefits such as priority check-in, free checked bags, priority baggage handling, priority boarding, and more when flying JetBlue.
AAdvantage Platinum Status Benefits
Our guide to the perks and value of AAdvantage Platinum status goes into detail on the benefits and their worth, but here are some of the highlights of this elite level:
- Automatic upgrade requests on flights 500 miles or less
- 48-hour upgrade window
- 60% elite mileage bonus
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra and Preferred seats at the time of booking
- 2 free checked bags
- Oneworld Sapphire status
AAdvantage Platinum Pro Status Benefits
Platinum Pro elites are eligible for upgrade and seating benefits and perks at the airport, fee waivers, and alliance benefits. Here are some of this elite level’s highlights:
- 1 elite choice award (through February 2022)
- Loyalty Choice Awards (starting in March 2022)
- Automatic upgrade requests on all flights within North America on American Airlines
- Complimentary upgrades on Alaska Airlines
- 72-hour upgrade window
- 80% elite mileage bonus
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra and Preferred seats
- 3 free checked bags
- Oneworld Emerald status
Hot Tip: Loyalty Choice Awards are extra bonuses for Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum members who also fly a minimum number of segments on qualifying airlines. Awards include things like systemwide upgrades, bonus miles, Admirals Club day passes, and more.
AAdvantage Executive Platinum Status Benefits
Executive Platinum is AAdvantage’s highest elite status and we’ve written extensively on this level’s upgrades and seating options and the airport benefits and alliance-wide perks. Here’s a quick look at the benefits:
- Automatic upgrade requests on all flights
- 100-hour upgrade window
- 120% elite mileage bonus
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra and Preferred seats
- 1 free food and 1 free drink item in Main Cabin seats
- 3 free checked bags
- Additional rewards starting at 120,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) (through February 2022)
- Oneworld Emerald status
- Ability to upgrade to first class on Alaska Airlines
- Loyalty Choice Awards (starting in March 2022)
Hot Tip: A fifth, unpublished status level exists within the AAdvantage program called ConciergeKey. This invitation-only status doesn’t have published specific requirements and is reserved for the top-tier spenders and influential travelers.
AAdvantage Million Miler Program
AAdvantage Million Miler status grants lifetime American Airlines Gold status, plus other additional benefits like bonus miles and upgrades after reaching 1 million miles.
Miles for the Million Miler program are calculated based on 2 criteria:
- The actual distance flown on American-marketed flights
- Base miles earned for flights on eligible American Airlines partners
After reaching 1 million miles on American Airlines, you’ll earn lifetime Gold status and 35,000 bonus AAdvantage miles. When you reach 2 million miles flown on American Airlines, you’ll earn lifetime Platinum status and 4 one-way system upgrades. After that, you’ll earn an additional 4 one-way system upgrades for each additional million miles flown.
Bottom Line: There are 4 levels of elite status within the American Airlines AAdvantage program — Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Executive Platinum. A fifth level, ConciergeKey, is invitation-only and doesn’t publish membership requirements. In addition, if you fly at least 1 million miles, you’ll be a part of the Million Miler program, earning you Gold status for life.
Is American Airlines Elite Status Worth It?
Determining whether or not an airline’s elite status is worth it is somewhat subjective, but that’s not going to stop us from breaking it down to help you determine the value you can get from American Airlines status.
For this analysis, we’ve evaluated the minimum standards for Gold status only, since it’s the base-level tier. According to our extensive analysis of the value of American Airlines Gold status, you can get upwards of $1,000 in value if you’re a frequent flyer who knows how to use your benefits.
Here’s a quick look at the estimated value you can get from just some of the American Airlines Gold status benefits:
- 40% mileage bonus: $90 (based on $3,000 yearly spend)
- Free checked bag: $30 per flight (more if you’re traveling with companions on the same reservation)
- Complimentary Preferred seats: $160 (based on 4 round trip flights per year)
- Complimentary Main Cabin Extra seats: $116 (based on 2 cleared upgrades per year)
These numbers are a conservative estimate based on just a few benefits and can dramatically increase based on your flying habits.
Final Thoughts
If you fly American Airlines often, earning elite status is something you’ll definitely want to consider. Many benefits that come with American Airlines elite status are geared at making your flights more comfortable, like preferred seating and upgrades. Plus, you’ll earn points faster and save money with benefits like free checked bags.
The information regarding the Citi®/AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® and AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
![American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card – Review [2021]](https://upgradedpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/American-Airlines-AAdvantage-MileUp℠-Card.png)
