Loyalty Points addict: Why it was worth spending nearly $400 at a not-so-great hotel

Why would I spend nearly $400 on a hotel I didn't really want or need to stay at? It's all about American Airlines AAdvantage Loyalty Points. In fact, I stayed at the Miami International Airport Hotel twice just to earn enough Loyalty Points to reach a new reward tier after I requalified for top-tier AAdvantage Executive Platinum status.

American Airlines AAdvantage members have just a few more weeks (until the last day of February) to earn enough Loyalty Points to reach American Airlines elite status — so maybe staying at an affordable hotel is a strategy you can use, too.

Going into a trip to Miami, I knew I wasn't quite where I needed to be to unlock the airline's 250,000 Loyalty Point Rewards milestones. Once you hit 250,000 Loyalty Points, you can choose from a menu of valuable benefits, including what I would consider the single most valuable perk: two systemwide upgrade certificates.

I've held AAdvantage Executive Platinum status for years, and I requalified when I hit 200,000 Loyalty Points — but I was woefully short of the next milestone.

Related: American AAdvantage miles vs. Loyalty Points: What's the difference?

So, I knew it was time to get creative. The Miami International Airport Hotel is currently the only hotel that is inside Miami International Airport (MIA) — a new Westin is planned for 2027 — and it was offering 10,000 Loyalty Points for a one-night stay during my time in Miami. Score.

I could tell from the online reviews that the MIA hotel wasn't exactly high-end, but I needed those Loyalty Points!

Indeed, the hotel is six decades old, and you can tell it has seen some things. The rooms have been recently refreshed, but parts of them are in their original condition, such as the ceilings and bathrooms. The views are more like those from a jail than an expensive hotel. I hate spending that much cash on an airport hotel anyway, but the points were just too big an incentive to ignore.

But all that aside, the service was good, and it was fairly quiet considering you are basically in an airport terminal. While I can't recommend the hotel, it's fine for a night or two, especially if you are getting a ton of Loyalty Points.

I paid a total of $388.72 for the first night and $445.22 for a second night later in the week. The second stay's points haven't posted yet, but I ended up earning a total of 13,000 Loyalty Points for the first night.

That has gotten me almost all the way to the critical 250,000 Loyalty Points threshold.

Bottom line

It's not too late to book a hotel stay to boost your Loyalty Points balance. I find that AAdvantage Hotels has some really good offers, so take a look if you're running short.

My colleague Katie Genter wrote the definitive guide to all the ways to boost your American Airlines status, so check out her article for more ideas before the end of the month if you, too, are running short on Loyalty Points.

Related reading:

• Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• American Airlines basic economy: What you need to know about bags, seats, boarding and more