FULL LIST OF EDITORIAL PICKS: BEST AMERICAN AIRLINES CREDIT CARDS
Before applying, confirm details on issuer’s website.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Our pick for: Routine American Airlines flyers
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® delivers offers solid value if you frequently fly American Airlines. Enjoy bonus rewards at gas stations and restaurants, a fine sign-up bonus, a checked-bag benefit, priority boarding and more. Plus, each purchase with the card earns points toward elite status. Read our review.
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2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
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2 miles per dollar at restaurants.
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2 miles per dollar at gas stations.
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1 mile per dollar on other purchases.
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1 Loyalty Point (toward elite frequent flyer status) for each eligible mile earned from purchases.
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First checked bag free for you and up to 4 people traveling with you on your reservation.
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$125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend at least $20,000 on the card in a year and renew your account.
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25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases.
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Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
Our pick for: Bonus offerings
Among the highlights: A fat bonus offer you can snag with minimal effort, a checked-bag benefit, the opportunity to earn a companion fare each year by hitting a spending threshold, and points toward elite status with every purchase. Read our review.
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2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
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1 mile per dollar on other purchases.
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1 Loyalty Point (toward elite frequent flyer status) for each eligible mile earned from purchases.
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First checked bag free for you and up to 4 people traveling with you on your reservation.
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$125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend at least $20,000 on the card in a year and renew your account.
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25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases.
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No minimum spending requirement for new cardholder bonus (see below).
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Earn 50,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Our pick for: Lounge access
The $595 annual fee on this card is actually a bargain if unfettered access to Admirals Club airport lounges is what you’re after. There’s also a generous checked bag benefit and other goodies for frequent American Airlines flyers. Read our review.
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4 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, on up to $150,000 spent per calendar year (5 miles per dollar afterward for the rest of the year).
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10 miles per dollar on hotels and card rentals booked through American Airlines.
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1 Loyalty Point (toward elite frequent flyer status) for each eligible mile earned from purchases.
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Admirals Club membership, plus access to participating partner lounges.
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First checked bag free for you and up to 8 people traveling with you on your reservation.
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VIP airport experience — priority check-in and security screening (where available) and preferred boarding.
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Credit for the application fee for TSA Precheck or Global Entry.
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Up to 20,000 bonus Loyalty Points — 10,000 after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Points in a year, and another 10,000 after reaching 90,000.
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25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases.
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Trip cancellation and interruption protection.
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Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
Our pick for: No annual fee
For occasional but loyal American Airlines flyers, the no-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® is a cost-effective way to earn not only miles but also credit toward elite frequent-flyer status. Read our review.
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2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
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2 miles per dollar at grocery stores, including eligible delivery services.
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1 mile per dollar on other purchases.
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1 Loyalty Point (toward elite frequent flyer status) for each eligible mile earned from purchases.
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25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases.
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Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Our pick for: Flexibility
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is probably the best-known general-purpose travel credit card, thanks to its ubiquitous advertising. You earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. Miles can be redeemed at a value of 1 cent apiece for any travel purchase, without the blackout dates and other restrictions of branded hotel and airline cards. The card offers a great sign-up bonus and other worthwhile perks (see rates and fees). Read our review.
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5 miles per dollar spent on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
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2 miles per dollar on other purchases.
(Note: Benefits may change over time.)
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Redeem miles for any travel expense, with no blackout dates or restrictions.
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Transfer miles to more than 15 partner airlines and hotel loyalty programs.
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Credit for application fee for TSA Precheck or Global Entry.
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Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
Our pick for: Business travelers
The card boasts a competitive sign-up bonus, high travel rewards and a slew of AA-specific perks. Plus, it gives extra rewards on several categories of common business purchases. Read our review.
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2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
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2 miles per dollar at gas stations.
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2 miles per dollar with cable and satellite providers and select telecommunications merchants.
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1 mile per dollar on other purchases.
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1 Loyalty Point (toward elite frequent flyer status) for each eligible mile earned from purchases.
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First checked bag free for you and up to 4 people traveling with you on your reservation.
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Companion Certificate good for a domestic economy fare after you spend $30,000 or more in purchases in a year and renew your account. (Redeeming the certificate costs $99 plus taxes and fees.)
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25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases.
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25% discount on inflight Wi-Fi.
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Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT AMERICAN AIRLINES CREDIT CARD FOR YOU
American Airlines is the world’s largest airline, and as a member of its AAdvantage frequent flyer program, you can fly just about anywhere using its award miles, either on American itself or on one of its OneWorld partners.
The easiest way to earn AAdvantage miles is by using an American Airlines branded credit card. But American has one of the more complicated credit card lineups in the airline industry. That’s because its cards are spread across two issuers, Citi and Barclays. All of the cards offer sign-up bonuses and enhanced earnings rates on American Airlines purchases, not to mention in-flight discounts on food and drink. Each also earns “Loyalty Points” toward elite status with the airline. But the cards differ significantly when it comes to annual fees and perks.
Here’s a look at the most popular American Airlines consumer credit cards:
The basics at a glance
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American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® |
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® |
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® |
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® |
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$0 intro for the first year, then $99. |
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AMERICAN AIRLINES REWARDS |
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First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 4 traveling companions on your reservation. |
First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 4 traveling companions on your reservation. |
First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 8 traveling companions on your reservation. |
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Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. |
Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. |
Earn 50,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. |
Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening. |
In addition to these cards, Barclays has the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Silver Mastercard®, which offers stepped-up rewards and perks for a higher annual fee. However, it is available only as an upgrade from the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, so you’d have to apply for that card first, then request the upgrade. For more information about the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Silver Mastercard®, see our review.
What’s differentiates these cards from one another?
Annual fee
A notable difference among these co-branded American Airlines cards is the yearly cost of carrying them.
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The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has an annual fee of $0, making it the cheapest of the options to carry. (Of course, its perks aren’t nearly as robust as those you’ll find on other American Airlines cards, so it’s not automatically the best choice for everyone.)
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At the midrange, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $99. This essentially gives you a year to try out the card before you decide whether it’s worth keeping around.
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The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is also at the midrange, with an annual fee of $99. That fee is not waived in the first year, and the card’s ongoing bonus rewards aren’t as varied as those on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. But it does have unique features of its own. (More on that later.)
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The priciest card of the bunch is the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®. It carries a hefty annual fee of $595. But in exchange for that fee, it comes with privileges that you won’t get with any of these other American Airlines co-branded cards.
Rewards on non-airline spending
There’s no difference among these cards when it comes to the rewards they earn on American Airlines purchases. But it’s worth noting that only two of them offer double miles on spending beyond American Airlines:
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The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® earns 2X miles at grocery stores.
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The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® earns 2X miles at restaurants and gas stations.
🤓Nerdy Tip
NerdWallet values American miles at 1.7 cents each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 1.7 cents or more in value from your American miles.
Bonus offer
The bonus offer on the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® isn’t a bad deal for a $0-annual-fee card: Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Of course, the other cards (with annual fees) offer higher bonuses:
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Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening..
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Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
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AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. Note that this may be the easiest bonus to snag.
Baggage benefits
The stripped-down American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® doesn’t cost you anything to carry, but it also does not offer a free checked bag perk, which is a big drawback.
Both the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® offer a free checked bag for you and up to four traveling companions on your reservation. Even if you’re a solo flyer who travels only once a year, this perk can easily pay for the cost of the annual fee.
The premium Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® covers a free checked bag for you and up to eight companions traveling on your reservation. For families who travel in a pack, this can save them a bundle on baggage fees.
Other perks
Thanks to its big annual fee, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® comes with some perks the other cards can’t match:
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It includes Admirals Club membership, which gives access to nearly 50 exclusive airport lounges plus partner lounges worldwide. Members can bring their immediate family or up to two guests with them into the lounge. Annual membership rates for the Admirals Club depend on your status with the airline. But if you’re only a member of the AAdvantage program and lack any kind of elite status, it would cost you $650 a year.
But the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® also carries perks that you won’t find among the other four:
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It offers a way to earn a companion certificate each year once you meet a spending threshold. Terms apply.
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It features an optional “Flight Cents” program, which lets you round up purchases to the nearest dollar and use that money to buy AAdvantage miles.
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You’ll get up to a $25 statement credit on in-flight Wi-Fi each year.
Big spenders eyeing the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® should note: Every cardmembership year you spend $20,000 or more on the card and renew it, you’ll also get a $125 American Airlines flight discount.
All cards except for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® offer some kind of early boarding privileges.
Issuers
Three of the cards — the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® — are issued by Citibank, which means they come with features like Citi Entertainment and Citi Concierge.
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is issued by Barclays and comes with its own set of perks.
What’s the same?
AAdvantage rewards on airline spending
All four cards earn AAdvantage miles at a rate of 2 miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
The cards all also offer a 25% in-flight discount on food and beverage purchases.
No 0% intro APR offers — with one exception
None of the cards offers a 0% APR on purchases, so if you were hoping for a little interest-free breathing room on a big-ticket item, you’re better off elsewhere.
However, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® does offer an intro APR period on balance transfers. You get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening. After that, a variable APR will apply, 21.24%-29.99%..
Ongoing APRs among the four cards differ slightly, but not enough to be a deciding factor.
Making the choice
Someone who tends to fly alone with a carry-on and doesn’t want to be bothered with an annual fee is likely best suited for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®.
If you fly round-trip at least once a year with one or more travel companions, it makes sense to spring for either the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® or the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®. The first checked bag on an American flight costs $40 one-way ($35 if you pay online), so the luggage fees for a round-trip flight for two will run you $160 without a free-checked-bag perk. That cost would outweigh those cards’ annual fees.
If an elite experience is what you’re after, and you can pledge loyalty to the American Airlines brand, the annual fee of $595 on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® will get you access to the exclusive Admirals Club lounge for you and your family. None of the other co-branded cards can offer that.
Keep in mind that a one-day pass to an Admirals Club lounge is $59 per person, with up to three children under 18 admitted for free if accompanied by an adult day pass visitor. A one-day pass is available at select locations. If you fly only a handful of times a year, you’ll come out ahead owning a less expensive card and just buying lounge access as needed.
Other options
If you don’t relish the idea of being restricted to a particular airline or you want to use your rewards on something other than flights, choose a general travel rewards card that earns points that you can use any way you’d like on flights or nights.
Consider a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. There’s an annual fee (see rates and fees), but it earns 2x back on most purchases — not just on American Airlines flights. The card also lets you redeem your earnings as statement credits for a variety of travel purchases — not just on American Airlines flights.
