Dining programs are often the most easily overlooked way to earn extra miles or points. Most dining rewards programs are free and easy to use. Anyone new to miles and points game should definitely look into their preferred reward program’s dining program. For this example I’ll review the AAdvantage Dining program, but most dining rewards programs operate the same way. The AAdvantage Dining program is an excellent way to earn extra AAdvantage miles for everyday dining. My favorite feature of the AAdvantage Dining program is that it’s a passive way to earn miles. You don’t necessary need to go out of your way to earn extra miles.
AAdvantage Dining Overview and Registration
AAdvantage Dining one of the many loyalty programs that partners with Rewards Network which allows members to earn AAdvantage miles when dining out. Other partner programs include Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hilton Honors, IHG Rewards Club, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. A full list of Rewards Network partners is found here. Although Rewards Network is the group behind AAdvantage Dining it’s important to note that you must sign-up for each program individually. To sign-up for the AAdvantage Dining program you simply have to visit this site and register.
Registering for the AAdvantage Dining program is simple and straightforward. Remember when registering to enable promotional emails. Enabling promotional emails allows users to earn 3 AAdvantage Miles per eligible dollar spent. When registering you must also link a credit or debit card to your account. You must add at least one card to your account in order to earn AAdvantage miles. Additionally, there is no limit to the number of cards you can add to your account. Once your card is linked to your AAdvantage Dining account you are ready to earn AAdvantage miles for dining out.
Find AAdvantage Dining Partner Restaurants
Now that you’ve registered for the AAdvantage dining program, it’s time to start earning extra miles! Sadly, only certain restaurant are Rewards Network partners. To find a partner restaurant near you visit the AAdvantage Dining homepage and search restaurants using a zip code. Once entered you can easily see, in either list or map view, which nearby restaurants are rewards network partners.
It’s important to check eligible partners prior to visiting an establishment. I’ve noticed with certain chain restaurants that only certain locations qualify. Additionally, certain restaurants only offer miles or points on certain days of the week. I’ve noticed bars tend to not award miles on weekends.
I often use the AAdvantage Dining search to find nearby restaurants when traveling. When searching for a partner restaurant the list includes nearby partners, member ratings, reviews, and average meal prices. AAdvantage Dining is a great program to use when traveling in unfamiliar cities.
Maximizing The AAdvantage Dining Program
The best part of the AAdvantage Dining program is that you can use any credit/debit card! The only issue is that you can only link each card to one program. Since most dining programs are part of the Rewards Network it makes it nearly impossible to triple dip. That being said, you can link as many cards as you’d like to your preferred program. This means you can link multiple personal cards and your company’s credit card to your account. Personally, I’ve linked my non-points earning work credit card to my AAdvantage Dining account as well as the Chase Sapphire Reserve. This way I earn AAdvantage Miles when using my company reimbursed credit card and I earn both Chase Ultimate Rewards points and AAdvantage miles when dining out.
Another great feature of the AAdvantage Dining program is that you earn more points per visit the more often you dine at a participating restaurant. AAdvantage Dining members typically earn just 1 AAdvantage miles per qualifying dollar spent. Online Members, who’ve allowed promotional emails, earn 3 AAdvantage miles per qualifying dollar. VIP Members earn 5 AAdvantage Miles after completing 12 qualifying purchases in a year AND enabling promotional emails. A detailed listing of AAdvantage Dining membership tiers is found here.
To maximize dining purchases I first find a qualifying bar or restaurant and use my Chase Sapphire Reserve card to pay. This way I earn 5 AAdvantage miles AND 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on dining!
Final Thoughts
I love how easy it is to earn extra AAdvantage miles though the AAdvantage Dining program. Occasionally I’ll go out of my way to eat at a qualifying restaurant while other times I simply receive an email informing me that I’ve dined at a qualifying restaurant. Ever since I’ve signed up I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve gone to a bar and paid only to find out days later that it was a qualifying partner and I’ve earned 5 AAdvantage miles for my purchase!
If you haven’t already linked all of your credit or debit cards to a dining rewards program you’re missing out on valuable points earning opportunities. Lastly, if you have a corporate card that you don’t earn points on (as I do) make sure to link that card as well and you’ll earn miles on those purchases at qualifying establishments. I guess that explains why I always suggest the restaurant when traveling.
