MileValue is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Note: Some of the offers mentioned below may have changed or are no longer be available. You can view current offers here.


Key Link

American Airlines offers discounted MileSAAver awards within the United States and Canada to select cardholders. All the cards you’re likely to have because they’re the ones with the big sign up bonuses and best benefits qualify for 7,500 mile discounts on certain roundtrip economy awards.

Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 4.14.08 AM

Every two months, American Airlines publishes a list of new destinations in the United States and Canada eligible for discounted awards. The current list covers awards that must be booked by November 30, 2015 for travel by January 31, 2016.

Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 4.34.27 AM

Award travel must originate somewhere in the continental United States or Canada and must go to a city on the very long destination list. Awards can be booked one way for 8,750 miles in economy or 21,250 miles in First Class. Roundtrip awards are double those prices.

Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 4.14.32 AM

You have to call American Airlines at 800-882-8880 to book the discounted awards. Luckily American Airlines just eliminated the phone booking fee for awards that can’t be booked online!

Screen Shot 2015-02-09 at 12.56.51 PM

Here is the full list of discounted destinations for October through January. Not all destinations are discounted each month. For instance, Fort Lauderdale is only discounted in October while Burbank (the closest airport to Hollywood) is discounted all four months. Major cities are on the list–Montreal!–as well as competitors’ hubs like Houston and Atlanta. Here are some selected cities, though the full list is several times this length:
Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 4.14.41 AMScreen Shot 2015-10-07 at 4.14.53 AMScreen Shot 2015-10-07 at 4.15.07 AMScreen Shot 2015-10-07 at 4.15.18 AMScreen Shot 2015-10-07 at 4.15.36 AM

How to Book These Awards

It’s basically a three step process: find a discounted destination, search for MileSAAver award space online, call to book it.

Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 4.14.17 AM

I searched from Los Angeles to Fort Myers, Florida in January.

Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 4.17.39 AM

Pick out American Airlines-operated flights with MileSAAver space.
Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 4.18.26 AMBut do NOT book the flights online. Purchasing online will cost 25,000 miles. You have to call in to get your discount: 800-882-8880.

A discounted roundtrip is 17,500 miles and $11.20.

United and Delta charge at least 25,000 miles roundtrip for domestic awards. British Airways charges 9,000+ Avios roundtrip for American Airlines flights depending on how many segments your award is and the length of each segment.

Bottom Line

Discounted domestic and Canada MileSAAver awards open to American Airlines credit card holders are a fantastic deal.

If you need to book a domestic award, see make sure to check what destinations are discounted. If your destination is on the very long list, you can save big miles.

Key Link