As tens of thousands of Southern California residents grapple with unprecedented wildfires this week, the American Airlines AAdvantage program is encouraging frequent fliers to help by providing additional AAdvantage miles through a donation to the American Red Cross for a limited time.
Here’s what you need to know about this new offer.
Earn 10x AAdvantage miles with Red Cross donations
Now, between now and January 22, donate $25 or more through this page and earn 10 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent in Red Cross donations. , an overall Red Cross effort (where the need is greatest), or an on-the-ground program in the community.
Since TPG’s January 2025 valuation puts AAdvantage miles at 1.65 cents each, that’s an impressive 16.5% return in addition to supporting a great cause.
AAdvantage miles are one of the hardest airline miles to earn, especially since AAdvantage ended its partnership with Bilt last year, meaning you can no longer transfer miles from any credit card program.
Best Credit Cards for Charitable Donations
Don’t forget, in addition to earning 10 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent, you can also earn valuable rewards with the credit card you use to donate. We recommend using one of the best donation cards to pay, such as:
daily newsletter
Reward your inbox with TPG daily e-newsletters
Join over 700,000 readers and get breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive offers from TPG experts
If you’d like to use points and miles to pay for your donation, your points can currently be used for charitable donations when you use Chase’s Self-Reimburse feature. Through March 31, you can get 1.25 or 1.5 cents per point on many Chase cards at select charities, including the American Red Cross, instead of the usual 1 cent per point.
bottom line
If you’re feeling helpless watching the California fires raging on the news screens, donating is an easy way to help, and it’s even sweeter when you can maximize your return. This is a great opportunity to earn more AAdvantage miles, which you can redeem for off-peak flights to Europe, premium business class seats, and more.
But don’t wait. This offer is only valid until January 22nd – the sooner you donate, the sooner those funds can start making an impact.
Editorial Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are those of the author, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
