Earn More American AAdvantage Miles for Holiday Shopping

The holiday shopping season is upon us. And like it or not, you're going to spend, spend, spend.

How much? According to a recent Gallup study, the average American plans to spend around $712 on Christmas gifts this year, down just a tick from the $715 reported a year ago.

The good news is that much of that spending can (and should) earn frequent flyer miles or point for buyers.

Of course, if you charge gifts to a travel-rewards credit card, you'll earn at least one mile for every $1 charged. But that's modest compared with the potential earnings for buying presents through a mileage mall linked to one of the airline or hotel loyalty programs.

The mileage malls typically mount bonus offers during the last two months of the year, like this one for the AAdvantage eShopping mall.

Offer Details

Through December 31, members of American's AAdvantage program can earn up to 1,000 bonus miles when shopping at any AAdvantage eShopping mall retailers, as follows:

• Earn 500 bonus miles for spending at least $500
• Earn 1,000 bonus miles for spending $1,000 or more

To earn the bonus, you must first click the "Opt In" button on the offer page.

And "Your AAdvantage eShopping account must be open and set to receive special offer emails at the time of the awarding of AAdvantage bonus miles in order to receive the spend bonus."

Deal or No Deal

The bonus for spending at the $500 and $1,000 levels amounts to one mile per $1 spent -- not enough by itself to make this a definitive argument for buying through the AAdvantage mall.

However, if that bonus is combined with one or more bonuses offered by individual AAdvantage eShopping merchants -- and the mile per $1 awarded for using an AAdvantage-linked credit card -- the total mileage payout could be significant, as much as 10 miles per $1.

Let's see ... 712 x 10 = 7,120 miles, more than a quarter of the 25,000 miles required for a free domestic award ticket. Who said giving shouldn't be rewarding?

Reader Reality Check

Do you make it a point to channel your Christmas purchases through a mileage mall to take advantage of the miles on offer?

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• Are Pricier US Airways Miles Still a Buy?
• Double Southwest Points on Baltimore/Washington, Denver, Phoenix Flights
• Alaska Airlines Doubles the Miles for Fall Flights

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Comments

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The main dilemma is that when you can afford to travel, you do not have time and when you have time, you do not have money. So, in the end most of the people stay home on holidays and watch television instead of travelling.

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