American Airlines and the Miami HEAT today announced a multiyear sponsorship extension, with American continuing as the Official Airline of the Miami HEAT. As Miami’s hometown airline and the country’s largest gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, American is continuing its long-term investment in the city through the renewed partnership, which includes experiences for fans, as well as in-arena promotion at basketball games throughout the season at the Kaseya Center.
Through this partnership, American is bringing fans and members of its award-winning AAdvantage® loyalty program closer to the action with unique game day experiences. AAdvantage® members will have opportunities to participate in the HEAT Perks sweepstakes program, with chances to win exclusive prizes, giveaways, travel to select away games and VIP experiences with the Miami HEAT throughout the year. Members can also redeem AAdvantage® miles for access to games and experiences, turning loyalty into memorable moments on and off the court.
Building on more than 25 years of partnership
This sponsorship extension builds on a partnership that spans more than 25 years. Earlier this year American celebrated its centennial, while the Miami HEAT marked the 20th anniversary of the 2006 Miami HEAT Championship team.
As part of the celebration, American served as the Presenting Partner of a commemorative game, receiving in-game and social media recognition and hosting a postgame concert featuring Dwyane Wade. The event included exclusive benefits for 100 AAdvantage® members, such as priority viewing access, photo opportunities with the 2006 NBA Finals Championship trophy and signed merchandise giveaways.
Commitment to community
American Airlines and the Miami HEAT share a commitment to supporting the South Florida community. Most recently, the organizations have partnered on initiatives, including HEAT Day of Service presented by American, providing fresh groceries to underserved communities and enhancing the gardens and interior of the Overtown Youth Center with Alonzo Mourning, helping inspire, empower and enrich the lives of youth, families and adults in the Overtown community.
Deepening American’s investment in Miami
This sponsorship renewal underscores American’s nearly four-decade commitment to Miami. Earlier this year, the airline announced expansion plans for a brand-new, reimagined Concourse D at Miami International Airport (MIA) in partnership with Miami-Dade County. The new Gate D60 project will deliver gates built for modern aircraft, transform the customer experience and make travel more seamless at the country’s largest gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean.
In 1989, American operated 19 flights a day to six cities from MIA. Today, the airline operates more than 400 peak daily flights to 170 destinations across 46 countries and territories, serving more than 32 million customers annually to and from MIA.
American has also announced plans to open a new, state-of-the-art Flagship® lounge, along with a major expansion of its Admirals Club® facilities, at MIA. Over the past year, the airline has installed new self-service kiosks that make check-in faster than ever and implemented technology that has saved thousands of customer connections systemwide.
The airline has made significant progress with its federal partners at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in programs like TSA PreCheck® Touchless ID and Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP) that make security screening easier and quicker, while upholding the highest levels of security.