You can transfer American Airlines miles to another person through the AAdvantage program, but the process has specific rules about who can receive them and how much it costs.
American Airlines allows AAdvantage miles transfers between account holders, but you cannot transfer to just anyone. The recipient must be a family member or household member — American defines this as a spouse, domestic partner, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, or sibling. You can also transfer to someone you live with, even if they are not related by blood or marriage.
The transfer itself happens through your AAdvantage account online. You initiate the request, name the recipient, specify how many miles to send, and pay a fee. The recipient does not need to do anything on their end except have an active AAdvantage account. The miles land in their account within a few business days.
Key Takeaways
- You can only transfer miles to a family member, domestic partner, or someone in your household — not to friends or unrelated people.
- American Airlines charges a fee for every transfer: $0.01 per mile transferred, with a minimum of $5.95 and a maximum of $99.95 per transaction.
- Both you and the recipient must have active AAdvantage accounts before the transfer can happen.
- Miles arrive in the recipient's account within a few business days after you complete the transfer and pay the fee.
- You can transfer miles only once every 12 months to the same person, and you cannot transfer miles that are part of a promotional offer or bonus.
Who Can Receive Your Miles
American Airlines restricts transfers to people with a direct relationship to you. The program accepts transfers to spouses, domestic partners, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, and siblings. You can also transfer to anyone who shares your household address, even if no family relationship exists.
The recipient must have their own active AAdvantage account before you send the miles. If they do not have one, they need to open an account first — this is free and takes a few minutes on the American Airlines website. Once their account is open and active, you can initiate the transfer from your own account.
American Airlines does verify the relationship when you request a transfer. You may be asked to provide proof of your relationship — for example, a marriage certificate for a spouse or a birth certificate for a child. Keep this documentation handy if you plan to transfer miles.
How Much the Transfer Costs
Every mile transfer carries a fee based on the number of miles you send. American Airlines charges $0.01 per mile, which means transferring 10,000 miles costs $100. However, there is a minimum fee of $5.95 and a maximum of $99.95 per transaction.
This means small transfers are expensive relative to the miles moved. Transferring 500 miles costs $5.95, not $5. Large transfers hit the $99.95 cap, so sending 10,000 miles costs the same as sending 15,000 miles. Plan your transfer size with this fee structure in mind.
You pay the fee at the time you request the transfer. American Airlines charges your payment method on file — usually a credit card linked to your AAdvantage account. The fee is separate from the miles themselves; you are paying to move miles that already belong to you.
The Step-by-Step Transfer Process
Log into your AAdvantage account on the American Airlines website or mobile app. Navigate to the account settings or rewards section — the exact location varies slightly between the website and app, but look for a link labeled "Transfer Miles" or "Send Miles".
Enter the recipient's name and AAdvantage account number. Double-check both pieces of information; if you enter the wrong account number, the miles go to the wrong person and American Airlines does not reverse transfers. You will need the recipient's full name as it appears on their AAdvantage account.
Specify the number of miles to transfer. The system shows you the fee for that amount in real time. Review the total cost before proceeding. Once you confirm, American Airlines processes the request and charges your payment method.
The miles appear in the recipient's account within a few business days. They receive a notification that miles have been transferred to their account. There is no approval step on their end — the miles land automatically once the transfer clears.
Limits on How Often You Can Transfer
You can transfer miles to the same person only once every 12 months. If you transfer 5,000 miles to your daughter in January, you cannot transfer to her again until January of the following year. You can transfer to different people in the same year without this restriction.
Certain miles cannot be transferred at all. Miles earned as a sign-up bonus, promotional bonus, or special offer are locked to your account. Only miles you earned through regular spending, credit card purchases, or flights are may be able to access to transfer. American Airlines marks restricted miles in your account so you can see which ones you can move.
There is no annual limit on the total number of miles you can transfer across all recipients, only the once-per-year rule per person. You could transfer 10,000 miles to your spouse in March and 10,000 miles to your child in June without hitting any overall limit.
Alternatives to Transferring Miles
If transferring miles is too expensive or the recipient does not meet the relationship requirements, you have other options. You can book a flight for someone else using your miles — you do not need to be the passenger. Log into your account, search for flights, and enter the other person's name and details at booking.
You can also use your miles to purchase gift cards through the AAdvantage shopping portal, though the value is usually lower than booking flights directly. Some people use miles to pay for seat upgrades or baggage fees on flights they are taking with family members.
Another route is to let the miles sit in your account until you travel with the recipient. You can book a flight for both of you on the same reservation using your miles, which avoids the transfer fee entirely. This works well if you are planning a trip together anyway.
What Happens to Miles After Transfer
Once miles land in the recipient's account, they own them completely. They can use the miles to book flights, upgrade seats, or purchase anything else the AAdvantage program offers. You have no claim to the miles after the transfer is complete.
The recipient's account activity — flights taken, miles earned or spent — does not affect your account. The miles are separate from the moment they arrive. If the recipient's account is closed or inactive for an extended period, American Airlines may expire their miles, but this does not impact your account.
Miles transferred to someone else do not reset the 12-month transfer clock if you want to send more miles to that person later. The restriction is one transfer per person per year, regardless of how many miles were in the first transfer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer miles to someone who is not a family member?
No. American Airlines only allows transfers to spouses, domestic partners, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings, or people who share your household address. Friends and unrelated people cannot receive transferred miles, even if you want to send them.
What if I enter the wrong account number during a transfer?
The miles go to whoever owns that account number. American Airlines does not reverse transfers, so the miles are gone from your account. Contact American Airlines when ready if this happens, but be aware that recovery is difficult and not may provide. Always verify the recipient's account number before confirming.
Can I transfer miles that I earned as a sign-up bonus?
No. Bonus miles from credit card sign-ups, promotional offers, or special deals are locked to your account and cannot be transferred. Only miles earned through regular credit card spending or flights are may be able to access. Your account shows which miles are restricted.
How long does it take for transferred miles to show up?
Miles usually appear in the recipient's account within a few business days after you complete the transfer and pay the fee. The exact timing depends on when American Airlines processes the request, but you should see them within a week. The recipient gets a notification when the miles arrive.
Can I transfer miles back to myself if I change my mind?
No. Once miles leave your account, you cannot transfer them back. The recipient would have to transfer them back to you as a separate transaction, which costs another fee and counts as their one transfer per year to you. Plan carefully before initiating any transfer.