Earning points and miles has become increasingly popular among travelers looking to maximize their rewards and save money on their travels. While many people are familiar with earning points through flying or spending on a credit card, there are other lesser-known methods that can help you earn even more rewards. One such method is by signing up for airline dining rewards programs, such as American Airlines AAdvantage Dining program.
The AAdvantage Dining program allows members to earn extra miles by using an enrolled credit card when paying their bills at participating restaurants, bars, and clubs. It is a low-effort way to earn additional rewards on top of those you already earn from your credit card. In this article, we will discuss how you can maximize the American Airlines AAdvantage Dining program to earn more points and miles.
To get started with AAdvantage Dining, you need to register and link your credit card and AAdvantage account on the AAdvantage Dining website. Once you have set it up, you will earn extra miles whenever you eat at a participating restaurant. The miles you earn count as base miles, which means they count towards Loyalty Points and can help you reach American Airlines elite status.
Finding participating restaurants is easy through the AAdvantage Dining website. You can search for specific restaurants by name or by typing in a city or ZIP code to find nearby options. It is important to note that you can link as many cards as you want to your AAdvantage Dining account, but each card can only be linked to one dining rewards program.
Joining AAdvantage Dining is free, and your membership will remain active as long as you have at least one qualifying dining experience every 36 months. This means you don’t have to worry about losing your membership if you don’t dine out frequently.
The AAdvantage Dining program offers three membership tiers with different earning rates. As a basic member, you earn 1 mile per dollar spent if you opt out of email communication from AAdvantage Dining. Select members earn 3 miles per dollar spent if they opt in to email communication, while VIP members earn 5 miles per dollar spent if they opt in to email communication and have completed 11 qualified transactions in the current or previous calendar year.
It is important to note that these membership tiers and earning rates are separate from your American Airlines elite status. So, having elite status with American Airlines won’t help you earn more miles in the AAdvantage Dining program.
The miles you earn through AAdvantage Dining will appear in your AAdvantage Dining account three to five days after a qualifying transaction. They should be posted to your AAdvantage account within one to two weeks of the transaction.
When it comes to choosing which credit card to use for dining, it depends on your status within the AAdvantage Dining program. Depending on your membership tier, you can earn anywhere from 1 to 5 miles per dollar spent at eligible restaurants. The AAdvantage miles you earn are in addition to any card rewards you would earn on the purchase. Popular choices for dining cards include the American Express Gold Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve.
If you have multiple cards that you regularly use when dining out, it is recommended to link them all to your AAdvantage Dining account to ensure you don’t miss any opportunities to earn rewards. This way, you can switch between cards depending on whether you want to earn Amex Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
In conclusion, signing up for airline dining rewards programs like the American Airlines AAdvantage Dining program is a great way to earn extra points and miles on purchases you would make anyway. By simply dining at participating restaurants and paying with a linked credit card, you can earn additional miles that count towards base miles and can help you reach elite status. Whether you are a frequent traveler or not, taking advantage of dining rewards programs can significantly boost your earning rate and make your travels more rewarding.