Travelers on China Southern can now earn American AAdvantage redeemable miles (but elite qualifying miles only in American Airlines codeshares) and AAdvantage miles can be used for award travel on China Southern.
American Airlines will offer elite qualifying miles only if you book an American-marketed codeshare. However, flying China Southern (on a China Southern-coded flight) will earn redeemable miles as follows:
Awards cost 37,500 miles in economy and 70,000 miles in business class each way. Connections beyond Asia such as to Australia would require a separate award.
Flying an allowable routing within most of Asia (Asia 2) is 17,500 miles each way in economy and 22,500 miles in business.
Only economy and business class awards are currently available to AAdvantage members.
Only China Southern economy and business class awards are available. American says “award travel in First won’t be available initially” so hopefully it follows in the near future.
American Airlines purchased a stake in China Southern. The Chinese carrier will be leaving SkyTeam this year. American and China Southern won’t start offering reciprocal lounge access until next year. And the benefit will only extend to selected lounges across each carrier’s network at this point.
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