We didn’t have a first class ticket. But there we were, sipping Champagne and slurping Dan Dan noodles in Cathay Pacific’s iconic first class lounge in Hong Kong, all thanks to my American Airlines (AA) AAdvantage Platinum Pro ® status. This status unlocks Oneworld Emerald perks, including first class lounge access around the world. And the best part? It was the result of a simple, intentional strategy to earn AAdvantage® Loyalty Points and secure elite status.
Now that the AAdvantage® Loyalty Point Rewards year has reset (as of March 1st), it’s the perfect time to build your own plan, whether you’re aiming for better seats, free checked bags, or exclusive first class lounge access. In this post, I’ll share exactly how we accessed one of the most exclusive lounges in Asia and show you how to start earning AA status step by step.
Photo Credit: Maria Fung.
Our Anniversary At Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge
When it comes to airport lounges, Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong Airport is on another level. This wasn’t just a spot to grab a snack before our flight. It felt like a destination on its own. It’s consistently ranked as one of the top 10 best first class lounges in the world, and from the moment we walked in, it was clear why. Everything felt calm, exclusive, and seamless, with attentive staff and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the runway.
What Stood Out To Us:
- The Champagne Bar – Yes, an entire Champagne and cocktail bar to kick off the trip. Cheers to that!
- The Dining Room – A full à la carte restaurant. Since we visited the day before Christmas, they had a festive three-course menu featuring Chestnut Soup, Turkey Wellington, and a Chocolate Vanilla Log. We also enjoyed made-to-order Dan Dan noodles, Wonton noodles, and traditional starters like marinated century egg and red date sweet soup.
- The Bureau – Private rooms with workstations, perfect for getting a bit of work before your flight.
- THIA Wellness Spa – A complimentary neck and foot massage before takeoff? This was such a special way to mark our anniversary.
Our AAdvantage Platinum Pro ® status, which equals to Oneworld Emerald, earned entirely through AA Loyalty Points system, gave us access even though we were flying economy class. This is exactly why AA status is so valuable, especially if you’re a frequent international traveler or a family wanting to elevate your airport experience without paying cash for premium cabins.
American Airlines Elite Status = Oneworld Elite Status = Lounge Perks
One of the best parts of the American Airlines (AA) program is that your status extends across the entire Oneworld Alliance, which includes Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qantas, British Airways, and more. Here are key Oneworld Emerald perks:
- First and business class lounge access
- Priority check-in and boarding
- Extra baggage allowance
- Preferred seating and priority waitlists
- First class check-in counters
- Fast Track security at select airports
Lounge Access
This is the crown jewel of having Oneworld Emerald status. You get access to first and business class lounges when flying any Oneworld airline internationally, no matter what cabin you’re flying. And yes, you can even bring a guest traveling on a Oneworld airline’s flight that day. However, there are a few limitations:
- Passengers with AA and Alaska Airlines elite status only get lounge access when traveling outside North America.
- Some premium lounges are excluded (like the American Airlines / British Airways Chelsea Lounge in New York (JFK) Airport and Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Class Lounge in Doha Airport).
- You’ll still have access to incredible spaces like:
- Cathay Pacific’s The Wing / The Pier First Class Lounge at Hong Kong Airport.
- Qantas First Class Lounge at Sydney Airport.
- Japan Airline First Class Lounge at Tokyo Narita Airport, Tokyo Haneda Airport and other Airports in Japan like Osaka Itami Airport, Sapporo Chitose Airport
Priority Check-In & Boarding
Oneworld Emerald status gives you first class check-in and priority boarding on most airlines. For us, when we flew Japan Airlines business class from Shanghai to Tokyo and Cathay Pacific economy class from Hong Kong to Shanghai, we used the first class check-in counters and priority boarding for both.
Extra Baggage
As someone who really cares about baggage allowances (just ask me about the time I ditched Etihad Airways first class for ANA “The Room” business class to avoid baggage fees!), this is clutch:
- Extra 20kg on weight-based tickets
- An additional checked bag on piece-based tickets
For example, AA’s domestic first class includes two free checked bags, but with AA Platinum Pro status (which equals to Oneworld Emerald status), I can get three free checked bags.
Related reading: From Chaos To First Class: How I Mastered Last-Minute Award Travel For The Ultimate Self-Care Escape
🎧 Prefer to listen? I joined as a co-host on Award Travel 101 Podcast, Episode 108—check it out!
How To Earn American Airlines Loyalty Points
The beauty of American Airlines (AA) Loyalty Points (LP) system is that You don’t need to fly constantly to earn elite status. Nearly all our status came from everyday spending and strategic travel expenses we were already planning. Here’s what you need per year:
- Gold (Oneworld Ruby): 40,000 LP
- Platinum (Oneworld Sapphire): 75,000 LP
- Platinum Pro (Oneworld Emerald): 125,000 LP
- Executive Platinum (Oneworld Emerald): 200,000 LP
One of the best parts of the AA program is how many ways you can earn Loyalty Points. American Airlines often runs promotions to help you boost your totals even faster. For example, there’s a targeted promotion currently offering 500 bonus Loyalty Points per flight segment flown in March, up to 5,000 bonus Loyalty Points. Offers like this are an easy way to give your balance a boost just by traveling as you normally would.
Here’s How To Get Started And Build Your Loyalty Points Intentionally:
- Sign up for an AA program account. This is your foundation since everything earns through your account.
- Earn Loyalty Points through everyday spending and travel plans. You can rack up Loyalty Points by, for example:
- Shopping online through the AA eShopping portal
- Dining out / Takeaway with the AA Dining program
- Booking hotels through AA hotels portal and pre-pay by Citi AAdvantage Executive co-branded credit cards
- Flying AA and other Oneworld partner airlines
- Using select subscription services (more on that below)
- Buying upgrades to premium cabins
- Even though any credit card works for shopping and dining portals, but American Airlines co-branded credit cards (from Citi and Barclays) give you 1 Loyalty Point for every mile you earn, which means 1 mile for every dollar spent on purchases.
👉 Further reading: How To Best Reach American Airlines Elite Levels With Daily Spending
My Insider Strategy: The Biggest Boost To Earning Oneworld Emerald Status (Platinum Pro)
One of the best shortcuts to my Oneworld Emerald status has been the 20,000 Loyalty Points bonus earned from the Citi AAdvantage Executive credit card. This card packs a punch with:
- 10x AA miles on hotel bookings through the AA hotels portal.
- AA Admirals Club lounge access.
- Up to 20,000 bonus Loyalty Points. Here’s how the bonus works:
- 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points when you reach 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status year
- Additional 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points when you reach 90,000 Loyalty Points in the same year.
That’s 20,000 extra Loyalty Points bonus, just for spending on what you’re already doing.
How Hotel Bookings Accelerated The Status
If you look at my top 8 Loyalty Points earning in the chart, the hotel stays have been one of the fastest ways we’ve earned Loyalty Points. Instead of using points to book hotels in non-points redeemable locations (i.e. New Zealand), or to just book the second room for the kids, we choose cash bookings through AA hotels portal, using our Citi AAdvantage Executive credit card. This earns us both AA award miles and Loyalty Points at the same time, helping us climb toward status with expenses we already planned. For families like ours, where hotel stays are a big part of our travel budget, this has been a huge win.
Related Reading: Earned 30,000 Miles At The Mitsui Garden Hotel Sapporo West: The Ultimate Family Comfort And Rewards Experience
The Hidden Gem: Subscriptions
Don’t overlook subscriptions! Services like Blue Apron and Factor 75 often offer 4,000+ Loyalty Points through AA eShopping portal promotions. These are easy ways to boost your Loyalty Points with minimal effort, just by signing up for meal deliveries or household services you might already be considering. Keep reading to see how I used everyday spending and subscriptions to accelerate my Loyalty Points earning.
Photo Credit: Maria Fung
Why The March 1st Reset Matters For Chasing American Airlines Elite Status
AA’s Loyalty Points year runs from March 1 to February 28, making March 1 your “New Year” for status earning.
Photo Credit: Maria Fung
Some people time big spending, such as property taxes or tuition in early March, to kick off the year strong. We’ve even booked hotel check-ins to fall beyond March 1 so the points count toward the new Loyalty Point year (i.e. March 1st 2025 ~ February 28th, 2026). For example, the spending I did in June 2024 earned me AA Platinum Pro status through March 31, 2026. And now we’re planning trips to Asia and Europe for summer and winter 2025, where we can double down on the accommodations through AA hotels portal to help us earn status through March 31, 2027.
Is American Airlines Elite Status Worth It For Families?
If you’re traveling as a family like us, you might wonder if airline status is worth the effort, especially if you’re not flying constantly. Here’s what I’ve found:
- For domestic flyers: The Citi AAdvantage Executive credit card gives you Admirals Club lounge access (with family) and access to Alaska Airlines Lounges.
- For international business class flyers: You’ll get lounge access with your ticket.
- For international economy class flyers: Elite status equivalent to Oneworld Sapphire / Emerald makes a huge difference.
Benefits like lounge access, priority check-in, priority boarding and extra checked baggage allowance are game changers with kids and family in tow.
Final Thought
Our Cathay Pacific first class Lounge visit was one of those moments where all the strategies paid off, such as Loyalty Points, AA elite status and Oneworld alliance perks. We didn’t need a first class ticket to enjoy world-class amenities. Just the right status and a solid plan into your daily spending and holiday travels. And now that the Loyalty Points year has reset on March 1, it’s the perfect time to start yours.
ABOUT Maria
Hi, I’m Maria, founder of Maria Points The Way. I help families simplify award travel and turn points into extraordinary, luxury journeys to Asia Pacific. Check out my latest free guide: 5 Insider Tools to Effortlessly Start Your Family Award Travel. I’ve made it actionable and easy to follow—with one bonus tool and an exclusive checklist to guide you step by step, all in a simple, bite-sized format.
