Save up to 7,500 miles on American Airlines flights with reduced mileage awards

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If you are an American Airlines AAdvantage credit cardholder, you might be missing out on the chance to save on your award flights. With reduced mileage awards, eligible users can save up to 7,500 miles on roundtrip MileSAAver® awards – making it easier than ever to pay for your next trip with miles.

Qualifying destinations change each month, but by doing a little digging for a deal that matches your travel plans, you can score an incredible award price.

How much does a reduced mileage award save?

Depending on which AAdvantage credit card you carry, you can save up to 7,500 miles on a round-trip American Airlines award flight. For most cardholders, round-trip flights of more than 500 miles receive a 7,500-mile discount and flights of less than 500 miles receive a 2,000-mile discount. If you take a one-way flight, you’ll save 3,750 miles on flights more than 500 miles and 1,000 miles on flights less than 500 miles.

Some cards, however, have a slightly lower discount. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Gold American Express, Visa and MasterCard as well as the AAdvantage® Aviator® Blue MasterCard® (all no longer open to applications) only save 5,000 miles on round-trip flights longer than 500 miles and 1,000 miles on flights less than 500 miles. Similarly, one-way trips only qualify for a 2,500-mile and 500-mile discount, depending on the length of the flight.

All of these discounts apply to the MileSAAver award, which starts as low at 7,500 miles for a one-way flight. This means that even a smaller discount could have you flying on a budget.

Which cards qualify for a reduced mileage award?

Many AAdvantage cards, even some that are no longer open for applications, are eligible for the discounts. Here is the full list of eligible cards:

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® American Express®
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Visa®
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Select Visa®
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Select Mastercard®
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver World Elite Mastercard®
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard®
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Business Mastercard®
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Gold American Express®
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Gold Visa®
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Gold Mastercard®
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Blue Mastercard®

Unfortunately, the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card is not on the list of qualifying cards at this time.

How to book a reduced mileage award

Each month, different American Airlines destinations will qualify for one of these discounts, so check out the airline’s website to ensure the flight you want to book is eligible for this award. As long as either your departure or destination airport is on the list of locations for the month, you can use the discount.

To book a reduced mileage award, you’ll need to make your reservation over the phone (1-800-882-8880) or at a travel center, rather than on the website. Before you call to book your trip, it is a good idea to have the following information ready:

• Your departure and destination locations and dates
• Your AAdvantage membership information
• Your qualifying credit card number

Your discount code

Your reduced mileage award discount code is determined by your qualifying American Airlines credit card, the cabin you want to fly in and the length of your flight. Here’s a quick look at the current codes.

Gold and Aviator Blue cardholders (flights over 500 miles)

Gold and Aviator Blue cardholders (flights under 500 miles)

All other cardholders (flights over 500 miles)

All other cardholders (flights under 500 miles)

Restrictions on reduced mileage awards

When you call to reserve a reduced mileage award, be sure to ask to have the standard phone booking fee waived (typically $25-$35). You will, however, be charged a $5.60 fee per one-way trip.

While reduced mileage awards have the potential to make the most affordable American Airlines fare even cheaper, keep in mind that MileSAAver seats are not available on every flight. You might have to be flexible with dates and destinations to score a great deal.

Final thoughts

Reduced mileage awards offer significant savings and are a great perk for AAdvantage credit cardholders. However, you’ll need to do some research before you book to make sure your preferred flight qualifies. While it might take a bit more digging, these discounts can save significant miles – that you can put toward your next award flight.