Money Monday: AAdvantage Program

WSVN -- Attorney Susan Norton loves to shop online and now she shops and earns miles through the American Airlines Advantage Program.

Susan Norton: "I think you're nuts if you don't consider it you're going to spend the money anyway, why not get something for it?"

Susan and husband Robert signed up for the program in 1996. They've been all over the world on free trips.

Robert Norton: "We fly American to Paris and we're going to be doing that at the end of August and September, and that's 100-percent miles, so maybe a $20,000 worth of tickets for free."

Here's how the program works:

Sign up and get your miles advantage number. Then go online to their e-shopping mall and shop at one of more than 500 retailers.

Martha Pantin: "We have companies such as Barnes and Noble, Macy's, and you are able to make your purchases and accrue miles into your account."

Earn up to ten miles or more for every dollar spent. Members then redeem those miles for free travel perks like airline tickets, flight upgrades or vacation packages. Once you've collected 12,500 miles, you're good to go.

Martha Pantin: "More than half of the miles that they redeemed was for something else other than air travel for hotel stays, car rentals and from purchases so there are many ways that advantage members can really use their miles and save money."

Which means everyday purchases go towards earning the next big vacation.

Lynn Martinez: "Last year 67 million members redeemed 165 billion miles through the advantage program."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

AAdvantage Program
http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/programInformation/main.jsp?from=Nav