American Airways AAdvantage is not a switch associate of Chase Final Rewards — or another transferable bank card forex, for that matter. In reality, AAdvantage miles are among the hardest airline miles to earn.
However this does not must cease you from redeeming your hard-earned Chase Final Rewards factors for American flights. Let’s dive into the assorted methods to fly on American steel utilizing Chase factors.
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Switch Chase factors to airline companions to ebook American flights
You might not be capable to switch Chase factors to AAdvantage, however American is a part of Oneworld, which implies you possibly can ebook award flights via different companions of this alliance. Since a number of Oneworld airways are switch companions of Chase Final Rewards, you possibly can switch Chase factors to one among these airways at a 1:1 ratio and use them to ebook American associate flights.
As an illustration, this American Airways flight from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL) to Aruba’s Queen Beatrix Worldwide Airport (AUA) is bookable via British Airways with 30,000 Avios plus $16 in taxes and costs in financial system.
Or you possibly can ebook this direct flight from Charlotte to Frankfurt, operated by American, via Qatar Airways for 25,750 Avios and $240 in taxes and costs.
These are cheap charges, however not each American associate flight can be a great deal. It is at all times a good suggestion to match award charges amongst numerous airways earlier than you resolve redeem your Chase factors.
There are 5 airline loyalty packages via which you’ll be able to ebook American flights with Chase factors: Aer Lingus AerClub, British Airways Membership and Membership Iberia Plus. Although Finnair Plus and Qatar Airways Privilege Membership aren’t direct Chase switch companions, you possibly can simply switch Avios between your 5 packages at a 1:1 charge.
All the above airways use Avios as their loyalty forex. Nevertheless, you may even see completely different award charges or availability on every airline’s web site.
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As an illustration, the Charlotte-to-Frankfurt instance that I discovered on Qatar Airways can also be out there via British Airways for 25,750 Avios and $233. The associated fee in factors is identical, however the taxes and costs differ barely. The Atlanta-to-Aruba flight, however, is not out there on Qatar’s web site.
It is price checking every associate airline in case you discover extra availability or higher charges on one among them.
Remember to examine TPG’s record of present switch bonuses earlier than you switch rewards. Chase often runs promotions that can help you earn bonus factors or miles if you switch, serving to you stretch your factors additional when transferring factors to ebook American flights.
Transferring your Chase factors to companions to ebook American flights may help you get monetary savings, but it surely is probably not the greatest strategy to maximize your factors. TPG values Final Rewards factors at 2.05 cents per level, per our April 2025 valuations, so that you wish to attempt to receive an identical worth when redeeming your factors. Be sure to examine the money charge of the American flight to the award worth.
Associated: How you can resolve when to make use of money or miles for getting airline tickets
Guide American flights via the Chase Journey portal
One other route for reserving American flights with Chase factors is thru Chase Journey℠, the issuer’s journey reserving platform, the place you possibly can redeem factors as an alternative of money to pay for journey.
If you cannot discover the American flight you are on the lookout for via a associate airline, or the associate’s redemption charges aren’t a great worth, do that choice as an alternative. Chase Journey gives all kinds of journey bookings, together with American Airways flights.
You possibly can redeem Chase factors for American flights straight via the portal, however the worth you will get per level depends upon which card you maintain. With the ever-popular Chase Sapphire Most popular, your Chase factors are price 1.25 cents apiece via the portal.
So, in the event you booked a $300 flight along with your Chase Sapphire Most popular, you would wish 24,000 Chase factors to pay for it.
Relying on the flight, redeeming Chase factors via the portal is probably not the best choice. Let’s take a look at our earlier instance flight from Charlotte to Frankfurt. This flight prices $494 on Chase Journey, or 39,520 factors if you redeem them for 1.25 cents every. You are higher off transferring 26,000 factors to British Airways Membership, then transferring these factors to Qatar Privilege Membership after which reserving the award flight for 25,750 Avios — saving your self almost 14,000 factors.
However this is not at all times the case. Typically, when award charges are excessive or associate airways have restricted availability, your greatest guess can be to redeem Chase factors via Chase Journey.
You possibly can usually get extra worth if you switch Chase factors to companions, however nonetheless, 1.25 cents per level is nothing to sneeze at. Chase’s cash-back playing cards will solely offer you 1 cent per level, which is on par with different issuers’ journey portals, like Amex Journey, Capital One Journey and Citi Journey.
The Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card is one among our favourite Chase playing cards that present greater than 1 cent of worth per level if you redeem via the portal. The one card that gives higher worth is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs), which helps you to redeem factors for 1.5 cents every via Chase Journey.
Backside line
American Airways’ lack of switch companions could also be irritating, however there are methods to get round it. Regardless that you possibly can’t switch Chase factors straight to AAdvantage, there are a number of different avenues to ebook American Airways flights with Chase factors.
If you happen to’re seeking to earn extra Chase factors, the Chase Sapphire Most popular is a improbable starter card, and proper now, it is providing a profitable welcome bonus of 100,000 Final Rewards factors.
Primarily based on the earlier instance, that is virtually sufficient to fly 4 individuals from Charlotte to Frankfurt on American Airways in the event you switch your factors to British Airways Avios after which to Qatar.
