Last updated on June 8th, 2020
If you are a member of the American Airlines AAdvantage rewards program and frequently stack miles earnings with hotel stays, there are important updates for you. Recently, American Airlines notified members of upcoming changes to the program’s partnerships with select hotel brands. Effective April 1st, 2020, members will no longer earn AAdvantage miles or transfer rewards with Hilton, Choice Hotels, or Best Western Hotels. As of now, they can still earn or convert rewards with these hotel brands until March 31st, 2020.
Current American Airlines AAdvantage Rewards
Presently, you can earn 250 miles per stay via both Choice Hotels and Best Western. Regarding rewards transfers, members can convert 5,000 Choice Privileges points into 1,000 AAdvantage miles. Hilton Honors points convert at a rate of 1,500 miles per 10,000 points.
Though this is a significant reduction for the AAdvantage program, it still features several big names through which travelers can earn or transfer miles. These include Hyatt, InterContinental Hotels (IHG), and Marriott Bonvoy. Through Hyatt, members can earn 500 miles per stay, whereas Marriott Bonvoy rewards 2 miles per $1 spent on qualifying charges. IHG also earns 2 miles per $1 on eligible purchases at qualifying InterContinental Hotels locations. You can find more information about all of the AAdvantage program’s hotel partners at the AAdvantage program’s site.
About Hilton, Choice and Best Western
With fourteen brands in its portfolio, Hilton operates over 5,700 locations in 113 countries. It is one of the largest hotel chains in the world and competes with other hospitality giants like Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International. Choice Hotels International franchises over 7,000 properties – which range from economy to upscale – in 40+ countries. Best Western Hotels & Resorts, meanwhile, owns 17 distinct brands with locations in over 100 countries and territories.
AAdvantage Cards to Consider
If you’re already an AAdvantage member and want more ways to earn miles, you can consider one of several AAdvantage credit cards offered by American Airlines. The AAdvantage MileUp℠ card earns 2X miles per $1 on all grocery store purchases, while the AAdvantage® Platinum Select® grants a free first checked bag and preferred boarding on AA flights. For business owners, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® card earns 2X miles per $1 on several business-centric spending categories, like cable providers and telecommunications merchants. Be sure to read BestCards’ thorough reviews of each of these cards for a detailed breakdown.
Related Article: How to Decide Between General and Co-Branded Travel Rewards Credit Cards
