Summary
Did you know you can earn airline miles without even flying? If you’re an American Airlines loyalist (or even just a member of the airline’s frequent flier program), the AAdvantage Dining program allows you to earn miles and Loyalty Points without booking a flight.
Moreover, the process couldn’t be easier. Simply register one of your credit or debit cards with the program, then dine in, order delivery, or pick up take-out from eligible restaurants, and pay with your registered card. Consequently, there’s a chance for a double win here too — if you use a card that has its own perks, you’ll earn those points plus miles and Loyalty Points through AAdvantage Dining. Here’s everything you need to know about the program.
What is AAdvantage Dining?
AAdvantage Dining is an American Airlines rewards program for dining at in-network restaurants (or ordering take-out or delivery from them). Members can earn AAdvantage base miles, which can be redeemed for award travel, among other uses, and Loyalty Points, which are used to earn elite status. AAdvantage Dining is free to join for AAdvantage members.
How do you use AAdvantage Dining?
If you already have an AAdvantage number, head to aadvantagedining.com to register for the program. Attach a credit or debit card to your AAdvantage Dining account — note that it can be any card; it doesn’t have to be an American Airlines co-branded card — and you’re set. After completing the process, you will automatically earn miles and Loyalty Points each time you use that card at an eligible restaurant.
To find out which restaurants are in the program network, visit aadvantagedining.com/search to see eligible restaurants in your area. If you’d like some flexibility in how you earn points, feel free to attach multiple cards to your AAdvantage Dining account. The only caveat is that a credit card can only be attached to one airline dining program, so you can’t link the same card to both AAdvantage Dining and other programs.
Which credit card should I use with AAdvantage Dining?
Choosing which credit card to attach comes down to personal preference. Remember that you will still earn your normal credit card rewards, whether that’s Chase Sapphire Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards, plus your AAdvantage Dining awards. If you’re trying to hit a sign-up bonus for a select card, you might want to attach that one to the program. If there’s a card you consistently use when eating out, consider attaching that one. Therefore, you can utilize more than one card with the AAdvantage Dining program, so if you can’t choose just one, why not go with multiple?
Another option is the Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard, which offers 2x miles on dining. That means you’d be earning AAdvantage Dining miles plus the 2x AAdvantage miles, providing substantial benefits.
How many AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points do you earn through AAdvantage Dining?
Your miles and points earnings depend on your membership tier in the AAdvantage Dining program. Basic members earn one base mile and Loyalty Point per dollar spent. If you opt in to receiving emails when you sign up for AAdvantage Dining, you can increase your earnings to three base miles and Loyalty Points per dollar spent.
If you’re a VIP member, which is achieved after 11 AAdvantage Dining qualifying transactions within a calendar year, you’ll earn five base miles and Loyalty Points per dollar spent. Consequently, because American Airlines elite status is earned through Loyalty Points, the AAdvantage Dining program is a relatively easy way to work toward that status — no flying involved.
Overall, AAdvantage Gold, the entry-level tier of elite status, is earned at 30,000 Loyalty Points, meaning you’d have to spend anywhere from $6,000 to $30,000 via AAdvantage Dining to get it, depending on the card you use and your membership tier.
