American Airlines has confirmed that the richest version of its 2026 Stand Up To Cancer mileage promotion is over. The airline says the campaign reached its $5 million qualifying-donation cap on Friday, Aug. 28, ending the special 50 AAdvantage bonus miles per dollar offer for donations charged to an eligible AAdvantage Mastercard.

The broader promotion remains available, but at half the mileage rate: eligible online donations of at least $25 now earn 25 AAdvantage bonus miles per dollar through Sept. 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

That distinction matters. The original landing page still describes the 50x path and its deadline language, but the controlling cap has already been reached. Cardholders should not assume that paying with an AAdvantage Mastercard will revive the higher rate.

What changed

When the campaign launched Aug. 13, donors could choose between two mileage offers:

• 25 AAdvantage bonus miles per dollar on online donations of $25 or more.
• 50 AAdvantage bonus miles per dollar on online donations between $25 and $10,000 when paid with an eligible American Airlines AAdvantage Mastercard.

The 50x offer was scheduled to run through Sept. 30 or until total qualifying donations reached $5 million, whichever happened first. American now says the cap was reached Aug. 28. The calendar deadline therefore no longer matters for that version of the offer.

The remaining 25x promotion is open through Sept. 30. A $25 qualifying donation would earn 625 bonus miles; $100 would earn 2,500 miles; and $1,000 would earn 25,000 miles.

Eligibility and important terms

To earn the remaining bonus, donors must contribute at least $25 in U.S. dollars through the dedicated Stand Up To Cancer–American Airlines donation page and provide an AAdvantage account number with a matching first and last name.

American’s published terms say:

• Donations are nonrefundable.
• Bonus miles are expected to post by Dec. 1, 2026.
• The miles do not earn Loyalty Points and do not count toward AAdvantage elite status or Million Miler status.
• The 25x and former 50x offers cannot be combined.
• For charitable-deduction purposes, each mile is valued at 3 cents, and receiving miles may reduce the deductible portion of the donation.
• American may change or end the offer without notice.

The last point is not boilerplate to ignore. The premium 50x opportunity ended more than a month before the advertised final date because its separate funding cap was reached.

Who benefits

The 25x offer can still make sense for someone who already intended to support Stand Up To Cancer and also has a practical use for AAdvantage miles. The mileage return is unusually large relative to ordinary credit-card spending, and the miles can supplement an existing balance for a planned American or partner-airline award.

This is best treated as a charitable contribution with a loyalty incentive—not as a conventional mileage purchase. AAdvantage award pricing can vary, availability is not guaranteed, and miles are not cash.

Who should skip it

Skip the promotion if the donation is being driven solely by the desire to acquire miles. The 25x rate is only half the expired Mastercard offer, the donation cannot be refunded, and the miles may take until December to arrive.

It is also a poor fit for anyone trying to qualify for AAdvantage status. Even a large donation generates zero Loyalty Points. Travelers who need miles for an immediate booking should not rely on an estimated future posting date, and donors focused on maximizing a tax deduction should discuss the benefit’s stated value with a qualified tax adviser.

Awardtrail analysis

American handled the original terms correctly: the 50x promotion clearly carried both a date and an aggregate cap. The practical problem is presentation. A donor can still encounter language describing the higher Mastercard rate even though American separately says the cap has been reached. That creates an avoidable risk for anyone who reads the headline offer but misses the update.

Awardtrail’s view is straightforward: 25x remains generous, but it is not a substitute for the expired 50x opportunity. Donate because the cause deserves the money. Treat the miles as an additional benefit whose eventual redemption value depends on your own travel plans.

Before submitting, confirm that the donation page shows the 25-miles-per-dollar offer, enter the AAdvantage account information exactly as it appears in the loyalty profile, and save the confirmation and receipt. Do not use an AAdvantage Mastercard expecting the discontinued 50x bonus.

Primary source: https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2026/American-Airlines-Stand-Up-To-Cancer-and-Lily-Collins-collaborate-for-10th-annual-fundraising-campaign-for-innovative-cancer-research-COMM-SU2C-08/default.aspx

Terms page: https://standuptocancer.org/get-involved/american-airlines-donate-25-mile/

Verified: Sept. 1, 2026