Only $131.00/pp
(all taxes, fees, one checked bag, carry-on, and handbag/pp)
During our 2025 trip to Belize, we used Air Canada's Aeroplan miles to book round-trip flights for just $375 per person. You can find more details here.
American Airlines AAdvantage program: For our 2026 Caribbean adventure, we're taking a different approach. We were fortunate to snag a special promotional offer on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® with an impressive 80,000-mile bonus. Note: Bonus offers fluctuate—check the current offer here to see what's available now (typically 50,000-60,000 miles).
The card comes with a $0 introductory annual fee (then $99 after the first year) and includes valuable perks like a free first checked bag on domestic flights, priority boarding, and a statement credit to cover your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee. Keep reading to learn how we maximized our American Airlines miles and discovered some important differences between booking with Aeroplan versus AAdvantage!
New to the Airline Miles Game?
No worries! Click the button below to access a step-by-step guide we created just for you, which is packed with helpful tips on how to choose the right credit cards and earn airline miles. The guide uses our trip to Mexico as an example. Here's what you can expect to find when you tap the For Beginners #1 >> button:
-
Step 1: Pick a Credit Card With a Signup Bonus
-
Step 2: Double Down on Miles With Bonus Offers
-
Step 3: Strategic Spending for Maximum Miles
-
Step 4: Be a Savvy Traveler
-
Step 5: Best Article On Canceling Credit Cards
MILES THAT
TAKE YOU PLACES
Our AAdvantage Strategy
Making American Airlines Miles
Work for Caribbean Travel
Today's travel hack is about using American Airlines' AAdvantage frequent flyer program to plan our Aruba escape. As part of the Oneworld alliance, AAdvantage lets you earn and redeem miles with American Airlines and 14 other airlines worldwide. That means your miles can get you to London on British Airways, Tokyo on Japan Airlines, Australia on Qantas, the Middle East on Qatar Airways, or anywhere across the Caribbean on American—all from the same rewards program. With this kind of flexibility and extensive Caribbean coverage, it's an ideal program for both island-hopping adventures and bucket-list destinations.
The Perfect Timing: After our success with Aeroplan for Belize, we were ready to diversify our miles portfolio. When I spotted the limited-time 80,000-mile promotional offer on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, it was a no-brainer—that's enough miles for multiple Caribbean trips! The generous sign-up bonus, combined with perks like free checked bags and priority boarding, made this the perfect addition to our travel hacking toolkit.
Pro Tip: To earn the 80,000 bonus miles twice, each of us had to apply for our own card. A joint account only qualifies for one bonus per family. This applies to any adult family member in the household who can apply for their own card.
Here’s the full list of benefits:
-
80,000 bonus miles? Yep! (That's enough for multiple round-trip flights within the U.S. or a trip to Europe!)
-
Earn bonus miles after hitting the $3,500 spending requirement in the first 4 months? Yep, check!
-
2X miles on restaurants, gas stations, and eligible American Airlines purchases? Love it, check!
-
$125 American Airlines flight discount after spending $20,000 in a year? Absolutely, check!
-
Complimentary checked baggage for the cardholder and up to four companions on the same reservation on domestic American Airlines flights? Double check!
-
Up to $120 statement credit every 4 years for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck? You bet, check!
-
Priority boarding on American Airlines flights? Of course, check!
-
25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases when using your card? Nice perk, check!
-
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year (then $99)? Great deal, check!
-
No foreign transaction fees? Perfect for international travel, check!
Disclaimer: This offer was available in 2025 but is subject to change. Be sure to review the current offers and terms before applying to ensure you receive the best benefits for your travel plans.
Let's Get Started
STEP ONE: Aruba Bound! Using Frequent Flyer Miles: Apply for the AAdvantage Card and Start Earning Miles.
-
Apply for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® to begin earning miles. You can check the current offer here: AAdvantage Card Application.
STEP TWO: Check Flights from Milwaukee to Aruba (using our trip as an example)
-
Sign in to your AAdvantage account (it's free to join) and begin by checking American Airlines' flight schedules to see if they offer flights from Milwaukee to Aruba. You can do that here: American Airlines Flight Schedules.
-
Good news! American Airlines does fly from Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) to Aruba Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA). Our route connected through Chicago O'Hare (ORD) with an overnight layover, then a direct morning flight to Aruba. The return flight was direct from Aruba back to Chicago
-
Pro tip: Even with a $75 hotel stay at Quality Inn O'Hare, this routing was still an incredible deal using points.
-
STEP THREE: Explore Oneworld Alliance Options for More Flexibility
-
Want more flight options or better connection times? Check the Oneworld alliance flight schedules to see if any of the 14 partner airlines offer alternative routes you can book with your AAdvantage miles.
-
You can do that here: Oneworld Alliance Flight Schedules.
-
Alternatively, if you want a visual route map option (an interactive route map showing all Oneworld destinations).
-
Oneworld partners such as British Airways, Iberia, and other carriers may offer different routing options through their hubs.
-
Note the airline partner's code (e.g., BA for British Airways, IB for Iberia) and proceed to step four.
-
STEP FOUR: Book Your Flight Using AAdvantage Miles
You can do that here: American Airlines Flight Schedules
-
Sign in to your AAdvantage account, or create one if you haven't yet (it's free!).
-
Select "Redeem miles" when searching for flights.
-
Enter your travel dates (a rough estimate is okay—you can adjust later).
-
Review the available flight options and compare the miles required.
-
We found flights from Milwaukee to Aruba for 26,500 miles per person (53,000 miles total for two). Our route included an overnight connection at Chicago O'Hare (ORD) on the outbound flight, followed by a direct morning flight to Aruba. The return was a direct flight from Aruba back to Chicago.
-
Pro tip: Even with a $75 hotel stay at O'Hare for the overnight connection, this was still an incredible value using miles!
STEP FIVE: Book With Miles
-
Select your desired flight (from step 4).
-
Click "Select" on your preferred flight option.
-
Good news: Since you're booking directly with American Airlines (not a partner airline), you can select your seats right away during the booking process.
-
Review the flight details and choose your cabin class (Economy, Premium Economy, or Business).
-
We selected Economy for 26,500 AAdvantage miles per person (53,000 miles total for two) plus $191.32 in taxes and fees.
-
Important: Don't forget about baggage! The first checked bag costs $35 per person when you pay online (we paid $70 total for both of us). Remember, the AAdvantage credit card free baggage benefit only applies to domestic flights, not international routes like Aruba.
-
Review your trip summary to confirm dates, flights, and cost.
-
Enter passenger details and payment information for taxes, fees, and baggage.
-
Confirm and book your trip!
-
And just like that, you're Aruba-bound! 🌴 Time to start planning which beaches to explore, which restaurants to try, and whether you'll spend your days snorkeling, relaxing with a good book, or both. The hardest part? Waiting for your departure date. Happy travels!
Be a Savvy Traveler. We love airline miles, but let's be honest: annual fees can leave your wallet feeling lighter than your carry-on. So, we found a travel hack that keeps our wallets happy and our miles soaring. Once we use the card enough to get those bonus miles, we tuck it away and cancel in two years.
Here’s a Friendly Tip: Banks might get suspicious if you frequently close accounts within a year. To avoid losing future sign-up bonuses, try to keep your accounts open for at least two years. Learn more about canceling credit cards here.
A Gentle Reminder: This is our travel hacking story, and the best card for you depends on your unique habits, priorities, and spending patterns. Please research whether this card aligns with your goals before applying. We hope it inspires you to explore your mileage-boosting options and take flight on amazing adventures!
Join Us for Tips & Trips
Do you have questions about capturing amazing deals, racking up those precious airline miles, or navigating the world of airline sign-up bonuses? We're always ready to chat travel and share our best tips.
-
Shoot us a text at 715-252-3326 or
-
email us at alloverthemaptravelventures@gmail.com
P.S. Want to stay in the loop about our latest adventures and discoveries? Join our email list (it's free), and we'll deliver travel goodness straight to your inbox. Click the red button below for details.
