American Airlines will let travelers mix cash and miles to pay for flights

Updated on: October 2, 2026 / 3:20 PM EDT / CBS News

American Airlines customers will soon be able to mix cash and airline miles to pay for flights.

The carrier announced the new policy in a memo to customers on Friday, explaining that it will soon offer travelers more flexibility in covering trip costs. U.S. members of American's AAdvantage loyalty program will be able to combine cash and miles to pay for domestic trips.

Flights to and from Alaska and Hawaii are excluded from the offer, while American said it plans to expand the offering to more routes.

American said it will roll out the feature in the coming weeks, without specifying when it plans to implement the policy. American billed the change as a way for customers to get more value from their memberships.

AAdvantage members will be able to book flights using cash and miles on American's website or mobile app. Once logged in to their loyalty account, members will be instructed to choose their desired flights first. On the checkout screen, members' available cash and miles options will be shown.

Customers will use an interactive slider to choose the combination of cash and miles to apply…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/moneywatch/