Joe McConnell
American Airlines launches its annual donation drive in partnership with Stand Up to Cancer and is offering a special deal for American Airlines AAdvantage members who donate.
From now through September 30, AAdvantage members who contribute at least $25 (up to $10,000) to the nonprofit can earn 25 bonus miles per dollar.
And get this: Donations between $25 and $10,000 made with a co-branded AAdvantage Mastercard will earn a whopping 50 bonus miles per dollar from now until September 30 or until $3 million has been donated (whichever comes first). However, keep in mind that bonus miles from donations do not earn Reward Points—more on that below.
Related: Best Credit Cards for American Airlines Passengers
Stand Up to Cancer is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for cancer research. As of April 2024, the organization’s funding has supported more than 3,100 scientists conducting cancer research at more than 210 institutions.
American Airlines has been working with the organization since 2016 and even operates an Airbus A321 in the special SU2C livery featuring the names of people who have fought the disease.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease, according to the American Cancer Society. In 2021, the latest year for which data is available, more than 1.7 million new cases of cancer were reported, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2022, more than 600,000 people died of cancer in the United States.
How to donate to Stand Up to Cancer
To participate in this fundraiser with American and Stand Up to Cancer, visit SU2C.org/AA.
While contributions to the organization at any time of the year can have an immeasurable impact on cancer research, donating during this joint initiative between American and Stand Up to Cancer can also prove very lucrative for your AAdvantage account, especially if you pay for your donation with an AAdvantage Mastercard.
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Once on the webpage, you will be able to enter your AAdvantage number and name before making your donation.
How many AAdvantage miles can you earn?
At 50 bonus miles per dollar, a $150 donation would earn you 7,500 bonus miles. As of August 2024, TPG values AAdvantage miles at 1.7 cents each, so that’s a return worth $123.
With 7,500 miles, you could book a one-way flight to the U.S. and Canada, at the lower end of American’s redemption thresholds.
If you use an eligible AAdvantage Mastercard, a $10,000 donation would earn you a cool half a million miles. This is in addition to the base earnings you would earn if you charged the purchase to your card.
Related: Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select vs. AAdvantage Aviator Red: Battle of the AA Cards
Is the Stand Up to Cancer program tax deductible?
Donations to Stand Up to Cancer are tax deductible. However, receiving frequent flyer miles may affect this.
The conditions of the donation state the following:
“For charitable deduction purposes, each mile is valued at 3 cents per mile. Receiving miles may reduce the tax deductibility of your contribution.”
Best American Airlines Credit Cards to Use
Here’s a look at some of our favorite AAdvantage Mastercards that you can use to earn the 50 miles per dollar offer for your donation:
Information for the Citi Platinum Select and AAdvantage Aviator Red credit cards was collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Is it possible to earn Loyalty Points?
Generally, no.
AAdvantage members do not earn Loyalty Points on bonus miles, so bonus miles earned through a donation to Stand Up to Cancer will not count toward AAdvantage Elite status qualification.
However, some AAdvantage credit cards earn Reward Points on the base miles earned per dollar spent. So, a $1,000 donation made with the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, for example, would earn 1,000 Reward Points.
Related: Now you can finally earn miles and loyalty points from paid American Airlines upgrades
In conclusion
While donating to cancer research is always a noble and worthy cause, between now and September 30, American Airlines is offering its customers the opportunity to receive significant rewards for their generosity in the form of lucrative AAdvantage mileage returns.
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