This is how we maximize our miles for family travel.

We receive a lot of questions about how we travel so much as a family.  We owe a lot of it to our AAdvantage Citibank Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard where we earn airline miles for every dollar we spend.  Whether you’re an avid or occasional American Airlines flyer, it can be a good idea to have a credit card that makes flying cheaper, easier and more rewarding for you and your family.

During my 20 years of traveling, through credit card rewards, I have been able to earn all kinds of free flights, travel perks, upgrades, and lounge access at airports all around the world — all without spending any extra money.  And you can too!  Here’s how we maximize miles to fuel unforgettable family adventures.

There are many simple ways to earn and maximize miles for family travel and the best part – it adds up quickly.  I charge EVERYTHING to this credit card:

1. Sign-up. Earn 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after making first purchase within first three months.
2. Gas.  Earn 2 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent at gas stations.  AA has a partnership with Shell’s Fuel Rewards program, AAdvantage members earn 2 miles for every gallon of gas bought at Shell stations. Members also get 100 miles on their first fill-up after linking their AAdvantage account to Fuel Rewards.
3. Restaurants.  Earn 2 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent at restaurants.
4. American Airline Purchases. Earn 2 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airline purchases.
5. Rocketmiles.  American Airlines offers its own hotel portal.  It is an online travel agency that allows you to earn airline miles and Loyalty Points for hotel reservations. Occasionally, you will find hotels that offer north of 25 Loyalty Points and miles per dollar spent.
6. Hotels.  You can earn AAdvantage miles at most major hotel chains. In some cases, you earn 1 or 2 miles per dollar spent; in others, you earn a flat number of miles per stay.
7. AA Shopping Portal. When you shop online through the AAdvantage eShopping Mall, you earn miles for every dollar you spend at more than 950 retailers.
8. Vacations.  When booking a flight and hotel through AA Vacations, you could earn extra miles.
9. Cruises.  You could earn 3 miles per $1 (up to 30,000 AAdvantage miles) for booking a cruise through AA Cruises.
10. Car Rentals. Most major car rental agencies offer an option to earn AAdvantage miles. See the rules here.
11. Dining.  Register a credit card with AAdvantage Dining, and every time you use that card at a participating restaurant, club or bar, you’ll earn 1 to 5 miles per dollar spent. There are more than 11,000 participating locations.
12. All Other Purchases. Earn 1 AAdvantage mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Keep mind mind that we maximize miles for family travel specifically with American Airlines, so you will hear and read about American Airlines miles and loyalty points.  Miles are reward points used to redeem award travel and loyalty points are points that determine status level within the AAdvantage Rewards Program.

The straightforward way to think about it is you will earn a Loyalty Point for almost any AAdvantage mile you earn.  There are some exceptions to that rule that I will cover below.

As an AAdvantage member, you will earn 5 Loyalty Points for every dollar spent on American Airlines airfare (excluding taxes and government fees) and when flying on partner airlines.  This is a great way to. maximize miles for family travel.

These are the exceptions to earning a loyalty point for every AAdvantage mile earned:

• Bonus miles earned from special promotions.
• Buying, gifting, or transferring miles.
• Government taxes, fees and other charges associated with buying a ticket that do not count toward earning AAdvantage miles.
• Transferring points from another loyalty program (e.g., Marriott or Citi).
• Bonus miles on purchases made on AAdvantage credit cards.
• New account bonuses, welcome bonuses or spending bonuses on AAdvantage credit cards.

Other benefits and ways we maximize miles for family travel with the AAdvantage Mastercard are no foreign transaction fees if flying abroad.  This is great because we do not have to worry about extra fees when traveling internationally.  We also receive the first checked bag free and preferred boarding, which means we are always one of the first to board the plane.  I do love this with kids, so we can get settled before the long line starts to form inside the plane.  Since airlines require payment for checked bags, everyone wants to carry-on these days, so it has become more difficult to find space in the overhead bins for your luggage.  Get on first and that is not a problem.  Through Citi Entertainment, you will have access presale tickets and exclusive experiences to music, sports, arts and cultural events.

The annual fee is $0 the first year and $99 each year after but the checked bag benefit on this card can make up for it quickly. The first checked bag is free for you and up to four others traveling on your reservation.

My status is Executive Platinum, which I gained quickly through this program.  Click here to apply for your card.  This is the only way we travel as much as we do as a family!

Here’s to getting out there and maximizing miles for family travel.  This card will help you get there, fast!

Until next time,

xo, Kim