“Where did you find out about this?”: San Francisco couple signs up as DoorDash delivery drivers to receive 5K in American Airlines points

Most people pick up a DoorDash side hustle to earn extra cash. But one couple jumped on the app for something entirely different: free airline miles.

You can apparently get 5,000 miles for “free” from DoorDash

TikTok creator Madison (@goinggonemadd) posted a video that’s pulled in more than 99,000 views.

In it, she explains that she and her boyfriend weren’t chasing tips or hourly pay when they dashed for the first time. Instead, they were after a promotion from American Airlines.

According to Madison, new DoorDash drivers who complete a single delivery through a special AAdvantage eShopping offer can snag 5,000 elite-qualifying miles.

That’s a hefty bonus, especially for travelers who want to rack up points without booking flights.

@goinggonemadd The funniest airline hack to get 5000 miles for “free” from @American Airlines through @DoorDash #doordashdriver #airlinehacks #flighthacks ♬ original sound – GoingGoneMadd

How the night went

Madison says they only needed to complete one delivery to qualify. But once they started, they ended up spending nearly two hours making multiple runs around San Francisco.

“Our first dash was from Salt & Straw,” she said. The biggest tip of the night came from a customer named Bruce in Russian Hill who dropped $10.

The app even labeled him a “big tipper,” which Madison joked made them hustle harder to deliver quickly.

She compared herself to the “scooter men” competing for orders, claiming she had the edge. “I delivered Panda Express from Fillmore to North Beach in 14 minutes,” she said, noting the $7 tip that came with it.

The couple also ran into what she called “sassy” customers. At one point, her boyfriend messaged someone to say he was in the lobby, only for the customer to respond, “no you’re not cause I’m standing here.”

By the end of the night, they earned the promised 5,000 miles and about $55. DoorDash later adjusted their pay to meet San Francisco’s minimum wage requirements.

So is this deal real? Yes. American Airlines does offer AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points for new drivers who sign up and complete a delivery through its portal. The miles don’t show up instantly—they can take up to two weeks to post.

In the comments, some users were surprised to learn about this deal, while others praised her.

“Catch me ordering from myself just to try to get you as my driver,” one person wrote.

Another said, “I can’t believe I haven’t heard anyone talk about this?? I’m on travel TikTok, side hustle TikTok, and an avid AA flyer. What other offers do you know about?? Or where did you find out about this? There’s nothing on TikTok other than you!”

And someone added, “Just an FYI, when DoorDash says it’s a big tipper, it really just means this person orders from DoorDash a lot, so don’t piss them off.”

The Daily Dot has reached out to Madison via TikTok direct messages.