While tens of thousands of Southern California residents grapple with this week’s unprecedented wildfires, the American Airlines AAdvantage program is encouraging frequent flyers to help by offering bonus AAdvantage miles on donations to the American Red Cross for a limited time.
Here’s what you need to know about this new offer.
Earn 10x AAdvantage miles on Red Cross donations
You can now earn 10 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on Red Cross donations when you give $25 or more through this page between now and Jan. 22. You can select where your donation goes: the California wildfires, general disaster relief, the Red Cross’ overall efforts (where it’s needed most) or local programs in your community.
Since TPG’s January 2025 valuations peg AAdvantage miles at 1.65 cents apiece, that’s an impressive 16.5% return — in addition to supporting a great cause.
AAdvantage miles are some 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 programs.
The best credit cards for charitable donations
Don’t forget that, in addition to earning 10 AAdvantage miles per dollar, you can earn valuable rewards on the credit card you use to make your donation. We recommend paying with one of the best cards for donations, such as:
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 2 Capital One miles per dollar on all purchases
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Earn 1.5% back on all purchases (or 1.5 Ultimate Rewards points if you also have a higher-end Chase card)
- Citi Double Cash® Card: Earn 2% cash back on purchases; 1% when you buy and 1% as you pay (see rates and fees)
If you’d like to cover your donation with points and miles, your points can currently go farther on charitable donations when you use Chase’s Pay Yourself Back feature. Instead of the usual 1 cent per point, you can get a value of 1.25 or 1.5 cents per point at select charities, including the American Red Cross, across many Chase cards through Mar. 31.
Bottom line
If you’re feeling helpless watching the California fires rage across news screens, donating is an easy way to help — and it’s even sweeter when you can maximize the rewards you earn. This is a great opportunity to earn more AAdvantage miles, which you can redeem for off-peak flights to Europe, luxurious business-class seats and more.
But don’t wait. This offer is only available through Jan. 22 — and the sooner you donate, the sooner those funds can start having an impact.
