The 20-year-old secured his seventh pole position of the season, 0.179 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen.
Antonelli will clinch the drivers' championship if he wins in Austin on Sunday, provided his Mercedes teammate George Russell finishes outside the top eight and Lewis Hamilton finishes outside the top four.
Antonelli leads Russell by 102 points in the championship and is aiming to become Formula 1's youngest-ever champion.
“We took pole position, so we will try to win tomorrow,” Antonelli says.