American Airlines AAdvantage members can now buy an “AAdvantage Pass™” for $5,000 that includes instant AAdvantage Gold status, 100,000 bonus AAdvantage miles and 15,000 Loyalty Points.
What you get
– Instant AAdvantage Gold status (priority check-in and boarding, 40% mileage bonus on flights, a free checked bag, complimentary upgrades on many domestic flights and access to Preferred or Main Cabin Extra seats beginning 24 hours before departure).
– 100,000 AAdvantage bonus miles.
– 15,000 Loyalty Points toward elite requalification.
– Possible Oneworld Ruby benefits and Alaska Airlines upgrade eligibility.
Value and considerations
– TPG’s December 2025 valuations put the 100,000 miles at roughly $1,550.
– The pass costs $5,000, so you’ll need to decide if the miles, Gold perks and Loyalty Points justify that outlay.
– The 15,000 Loyalty Points included fall short of the 40,000 Loyalty Points normally required for Platinum, so the pass won’t instantly get you to higher elite tiers beyond Gold.
Earning additional miles and points
– If the pass codes as an American Airlines purchase, it could trigger bonus earnings on co‑brand or other cards that award extra miles on AA purchases.
– Example: the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® offers 4x AAdvantage miles on eligible American Airlines purchases — on a $5,000 pass that would be another 20,000 miles plus 5,000 Loyalty Points.
– The Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® newer offer lets new cardholders earn 90,000 miles after $5,000 spend; Globe cardholders earn 3x on AA purchases, which on the pass would be 15,000 miles and 5,000 Loyalty Points. Globe also features a “Flight Streak” bonus of 5,000 Loyalty Points after four eligible AA flights (up to three times per year).
Who might consider buying it
– Frequent AA flyers who value immediate Gold perks and can maximize the pass coding as an AA purchase for card bonuses may find the package worthwhile.
– Those already near higher status might find the 15,000 Loyalty Points insufficient to change their requalification plans.
– For many, $5,000 will be a steep price unless the buyer can both use the Gold benefits extensively and maximize miles and Loyalty Points through card earning.
Bottom line
The AAdvantage Pass is a shortcut to Gold status, a large mileage boost and Loyalty Points, but it won’t replace the Loyalty Points needed for higher elite tiers. If the pass codes as an AA purchase, pairing it with the right credit card could materially increase its value — but buyers should weigh the $5,000 cost against how much they’ll actually use the status and miles.
Editorial note: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and not endorsed by any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain.
