Rack up AAdvantage miles on everyday purchases with SimplyMiles

Citi is a CreditCards.com advertising partner.

American Airlines is offering AAdvantage members a new way to rack up points for their next trip with American Airlines. With SimplyMiles, you can earn bonus miles on everyday purchases at restaurants, department stores and more, even without an American Airlines co-branded credit card. SimplyMiles is easy to use and worth a look for rewards-savvy American Airlines customers.

Here’s everything you need to know about the SimplyMiles portal.

See related: Citi/AAdvantage credit cards offer a sign up bonus up to 50,000 miles

What is SimplyMiles?

SimplyMiles is an online portal designed to help AAdvantage members earn miles on everyday purchases. Similar to other card-linked offer programs, SimplyMiles lets you add special promotions to your card and earn bonus miles when you use it to make eligible purchases. This concept should be familiar if you’ve used Amex Offers or Chase Offers, but where those programs offer discounts, points or cash back, SimplyMiles only awards AAdvantage miles.

See related: A guide to card-linked offer programs: A simple way to earn more rewards

How does SimplyMiles work?

As its name implies, SimplyMiles is exceedingly simple to use. To get started, sign up for SimplyMiles using your AAdvantage account number and link your card (any Mastercard card will work, even if it’s not an American Airlines co-branded card). You can add up to three cards to SimplyMiles and add or remove cards at any time via the account page.

Next, follow these steps to earn bonus miles with SimplyMiles:

1. Browse: Look through the list of offers available in the SimplyMiles portal. At launch, this list included offers at Olive Garden, Aldo, ExxonMobil and more. New offers are added regularly, however, so if nothing catches your eye, be sure to check back later.
2. Activate: When you find an offer you like, click Add to Card to activate it.
3. Buy: Once you’ve added an offer to your card, simply use your registered card to complete the purchase. If your purchase meets the offer’s terms, bonus miles are automatically credited to your AAdvantage account.

Who can enroll in SimplyMiles?

To join SimplyMiles, you must be over 18 years old, reside in the U.S. and have an AAdvantage account and eligible Mastercard credit card.

How much does SimplyMiles cost?

SimplyMiles is free.

How many miles can I earn with SimplyMiles?

There’s no limit to how many miles you can earn with SimplyMiles. The number of miles you earn on a given purchase will depend on both your normal rewards rate and the terms of the offer you’ve activated.  Any bonus miles you earn from SimplyMiles will apply on top of miles earned with your card’s general rewards rate.

See related: How to stack rewards to save big on purchases

What if I return or exchange an item I purchased using a SimplyMiles offer?

If you return or exchange an item purchased using a SimplyMiles offer, American Airlines reserves the right to deduct the bonus miles you’ve earned from your AAdvantage account.

Which credit cards can I use with SimplyMiles?

You can use any Mastercard credit card with SimplyMiles. If you want to rack up AAdvantage miles in particular, however, you may want to consider a few of the most popular AAdvantage rewards cards:

Comparing AAdvantage cards

	American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card	Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®	CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
Rewards rate	2 miles per dollar on grocery stores and eligible American Airlines purchases 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases	2 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases	2 miles per dollar on telecommunications, car rental, cable and satellite and gas station purchases 2 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases
Introductory bonus	10,000 miles and $50 statement credit if you spend $500 in the first 3 months	50,000 miles if you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months	65,000 miles if you spend $4,000 in the first 4 months
Annual fee	$0	$450	$99, waived for the first 12 months
Other things to know	25% savings on in-flight purchases Doesn’t waive foreign transaction fees	Includes up to $100 credit for Global Entry / TSA PreCheck every 5 years Admirals Club access, priority check-in and boarding No foreign transaction fee	First checked bag free Free companion ticket if you spend $30,000 in a year and renew your membership No foreign transaction fee

How long does it take miles to post after I use a SimplyMiles offer?

Award miles earned through SimplyMiles offers should automatically post to your AAdvantage account in three to 5 business days, but this can take up to 15 days in some cases.

Do miles earned from SimplyMiles expire? Can I transfer miles?

The miles you earn from SimplyMiles offers are no different from the AAdvantage miles you earn every day.

AAdvantage miles expire after 18 months if there’s no activity in your account, so be sure to earn or redeem miles if you need to reset your AAdvantage mileage expiration date. American Airlines transfer partners include hotel brands like Marriott and Hyatt and airlines like British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and Qantas.

See related: Best ways to redeem AAdvantage miles

Should I use SimplyMiles?

If you’re already an AAdvantage member and Mastercard credit card holder, you’ve got nothing to lose by signing up for SimplyMiles. With minimal effort you can browse dozens of offers, add them to your card and earn extra miles on purchases outside your card’s existing bonus categories.

That said, even with a SimplyMiles bonus offer added, the rewards you earn with a given card may fall short compared to those you could get with a general travel card or a rewards card that offers big bonuses in a specific spending category like dining or groceries. It all depends on your airline loyalty, spending habits and travel goals. And, as always, you should never take on debt to earn rewards or let the prospect of big rewards justify a purchase you wouldn’t make otherwise.

See related: Ready for your first airline card? Ask yourself these questions first