7 ways to use the AAdvantage Executive’s 100,000-mile welcome bonus

Citi is a TPG advertising partner.

Right now, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) has a fantastic welcome offer for new applicants. New cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Based on TPG’s May 2025 valuations, this bonus is worth $1,650.

At a minimum, new cardholders will have 110,000 AAdvantage miles after meeting the minimum spending requirement and earning the welcome bonus. You can earn a lot more miles if you make purchases in your card’s bonus categories while working toward the minimum spending requirement.

This is quite the generous welcome offer and can be used for several economy tickets, if you’re a thrifty traveler. However, if you’re looking to redeem your miles for more luxurious options, this welcome bonus can also help with that.

Here are seven of the best ways you can redeem your AAdvantage miles to get the most out of the 100,000-mile welcome bonus.

AAdvantage program basics

The AAdvantage program has both an award chart and dynamic pricing for redemptions. If you’re looking to redeem miles for American Airlines-operated flights or Fiji Airways-operated flights, you’ll encounter dynamic pricing. Most of the pricing for those flights is absurdly expensive.

Instead, you’re better off redeeming your hard-earned welcome bonus and AAdvantage miles with Oneworld airlines or partner airlines (some exceptions are noted below). Award flights on American Airlines, Oneworld airlines or partner airlines can easily be booked through American’s website or via its mobile app. About 90% of the time, I check for award availability through the mobile app as it’s easy to navigate and works smoothly.

AAdvantage also has off-peak pricing for economy tickets for two regions: the contiguous 48 U.S. states and Canada, and Europe. Main Cabin off-peak dates for Europe are Jan. 10- March 14 and Nov. 1-Dec. 14. Redemptions during off-peak dates will run you 22,500 miles one-way.

Fly economy to Europe

Whether you’re looking to explore Buckingham Palace or the historic streets of Rome, take advantage of off-peak pricing for economy award tickets to Europe.

You can fly any Oneworld airline, like Finnair, British Airways or Iberia, to Europe during off-peak dates, and it’ll cost 22,500 AAdvantage miles each way or 45,000 miles round-trip.

The welcome bonus from the Citi / AAdvantage Executive card is enough for a round-trip vacation for two people. For thrifty travelers looking to keep costs low, try to avoid flying British Airways over the Atlantic as the carrier passes on fuel surcharges and fees.

Fly business class to Tokyo on Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines is a great Oneworld airline. In my experience, it often releases more business-class seats to AAdvantage than any other Oneworld partner. Japan Airlines flies nonstop to several U.S. cities, including:

• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• San Diego International Airport (SAN)
• Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD)

Japan and Korea are part of the AAdvantage program’s Asia Region 1. You can fly from the U.S. to Tokyo or Osaka nonstop for only 60,000 AAdvantage miles (plus minimal taxes and fees). Japan Airlines often releases award seats sporadically throughout the year, so it’s always worth a shot to check from time to time. I’ve had great luck getting last-minute tickets a few days before departure.

If you plan your purchases and combine the miles you earn from them with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive card’s welcome bonus, you could have a round-trip ticket to Tokyo for 120,000 miles.

In addition, Japan Airlines is flying its new Airbus A350 with business-class suites to JFK and DFW year-round and to LAX from June 2025 to October 2025. If you earn the welcome bonus soon, start searching for availability to experience its latest business-class seat.

Having flown Japan Airlines from the U.S. several times, I know that’s the next redemption I’m eyeing with my AAdvantage miles.

Related: New first class, business class and the rest: Flying the Japan Airlines A350-1000 in all 4 cabins

Fly Qsuite to Africa with Qatar Airways

Hands down, my favorite redemption of AAdvantage miles is to use them for a Qsuite redemption. Qatar Airways’ Qsuite is an amazing product and a pioneer in the field: It was the first business-class seat to offer doors for privacy and the ability to create a double bed in the sky.

I have flown nearly a dozen times in Qsuite by redeeming my AAdvantage miles.

For just 75,000 AAdvantage miles, you can fly from Qatar’s U.S. gateways to various African destinations (excluding Egypt). All flights from the U.S. to Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) are equipped with Qsuite.

Depending on your destination in Africa, you could also fly in Qsuite from Doha to places like Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) or Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO).

Award availability for Qsuite through AAdvantage is inconsistent, so be sure to check often or set up alerts through third-party websites.

Related: Qatar Airways Qsuite review: Still setting the standard for business class (and a mileage sweet spot)

Visit Down Under in premium cabins

Australia is a great place to visit. But it’s a long flight away for many travelers, so if you’re going to book an award ticket, it’s best to book a seat in business or first class. Luckily, you have a few options if you’re looking to travel to Australia.

Your first option is to fly American Airlines from the U.S. to Australia for anywhere between 65,000 and 80,000 AAdvantage miles. When flying American, you’re subject to dynamic pricing, which means a nonstop flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Sydney Airport (SYD) could be 65,000 miles, but a flight connecting domestically through LAX and onward to Sydney will be 80,000 miles.

In my experience, flying Qantas is a much better option. A nonstop flight from LAX to SYD will cost you 80,000 miles. I know it’s a bit more, but flying on the Airbus A380 and in (in my opinion) a much more comfortable business-class seat is well worth it.

This was my experience in 2023, and everything from the Qantas pajamas to the meal service and customer care was on point and better than on American Airlines.

Related: Qantas first-class flight review: The most comfortable way to fly Down Under

Fly to Morocco

If you’ve dreamed of visiting the riads of Marrakech or the greenery of northern Morocco and the Tangier Kasbah, then the welcome bonus of the Citi / AAdvantage Executive card can help you get there. Interestingly, Morocco is classified as part of Europe within AAdvantage’s award charts.

You can fly for 57,500 miles one-way from the U.S. to Morocco or 115,000 miles round-trip. If your journey starts in the Midwest or the West Coast, this is a great deal, seeing how much distance you have to cover.

Your route options include flying directly from the East Coast to Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) on Royal Air Maroc. Some one-stop options include flying on British Airways via London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) or on American Airlines and connecting in cities that both American and Royal Air Maroc service.

A family trip to Hawaii

Sometimes, if you have a large family, it can be challenging to trek halfway across the globe. Luckily, visiting Hawaii doesn’t require a passport.

Flights from the contiguous 48 states to Hawaii only cost 22,500 miles per person in Main Cabin. The welcome bonus on the Citi / AAdvantage Executive card is enough for a family of four to fly one-way to destinations like Honolulu or Maui.

Although the welcome bonus is not enough to get a larger family to and from Hawaii entirely on miles, it should definitely help reduce travel costs, which can he quite high during peak travel months.

Related: TPG exclusive: A first look at the freshly renovated Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa

Fly to South America in business class

Dynamic pricing is not always bad news. In the case of American Airlines, it could offer a cheap way to visit the Southern Hemisphere.

The AAdvantage program splits South America into two regions.

• South America Region 1: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Manaus (Brazil), Peru and Suriname.
• South America Region 2: Argentina, Brazil (excluding Manaus), Chile, Falkland Islands, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela

A one-way business-class ticket from the contiguous U.S. to South America Region 1 is 30,000 miles one-way or 60,000 miles round-trip.

Meanwhile, a one-way business-class ticket from the contiguous U.S. to Argentina will run you 50,000 miles one-way or 100,000 miles round-trip.

You’re limited to flying American Airlines or Gol Airlines to South America, but remember that GOL does not operate any wide-body aircraft. So if you’re flying to South America, opt for an American Airlines flight as it flies several wide-body aircraft, allowing you to enjoy a lie-flat seat during your journey.

Related: These are the best Latin American cities to use your points and miles

Bottom line

Whatever your travel goals, the 100,000-mile welcome bonus from the Citi / AAdvantage Executive card is enough to get you there.

Depending on your travel preferences, you can get one amazing redemption of a lifetime or several redemptions from just a single welcome bonus. In my opinion, AAdvantage has one of the best award charts in the world of points and miles, so new cardholders should not have an issue getting the most value out of it.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard.

Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard