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If you fly American Airlines, even occasionally, a co-branded American Airlines card could make sense for earning miles toward award flights, and enjoying benefits like a free checked bag.
Between its two issuer partners, Citi and Barclays, American Airlines offers an array of co-branded credit cards. They range from a no-annual-fee option to a $450-per-year premium credit card that includes access to the airline’s Admirals Club airport lounges and rewards high spenders with elite-qualifying miles.
With all those choices, the right airline credit card for your travel style depends on the benefits and perks that are most useful to you. Here’s what to know to help you decide.
Regular APR
15.99%-22.99% Variable
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Pros & Cons
Details
Pros
High sign-up bonus starts you off with lots of points
Strong travel coverage
Cons
Doesn’t offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening.
Earn 2X points on dining including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required.
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If you know you’ll fly American once or twice this year but want to keep your options open with rewards that you can use across multiple airlines (and hotels), a card that earns transferable points is your best bet. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a good option thanks to its reasonable $95 annual fee and the valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points you’ll earn.
The card is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. You’ll earn 2x points on all dining and travel purchases, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
While American Airlines isn’t a Chase transfer partner — meaning you can’t move your Chase points into the AAdvantage frequent flyer program — you can use your rewards from the Chase Sapphire Preferred to book American Airlines flights directly through the Chase travel portal. Even better, your points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel, so you’ll get 1.25 cents in value toward flights.
If you prefer a premium credit card, you could consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve instead. It earns 3x points (instead of 2x) on travel and dining, and your points are worth 1.5 cents apiece toward American Airlines flights booked through Chase. The card has a $550 annual fee, but up to $300 in annual travel credits help offset that cost.
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Regular APR
15.99% – 24.99% variable
Credit Score
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
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Pros & Cons
Details
Pros
Bonus categories help you earn miles on everyday purchases
Fee checked bag on domestic American Airlines flights
Cons
$125 American Airlines flight discount is nice, but you need to spend $20,000 in a cardmember year to earn it
The information related to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected by Business Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
Earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your cardmembership year and renew your card
No Foreign Transaction Fees
First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation
Enjoy preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 15.99% – 24.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi’s discretion.
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Read Our Review
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If your primary goal is to rack up American AAdvantage miles quickly on everyday purchases, the earning rates on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® can’t be beat. That’s because it accrues 2x miles not only on eligible American Airlines purchases but also at restaurants and gas stations, two major expense categories for a lot of consumers.
Aside from that, cardholders get a free checked bag on domestic AA itineraries for themselves and up to four companions, preferred boarding, and 25% back on inflight food and beverage. Those who spend $20,000 or more on purchases in a calendar year and renew the card can earn a $125 flight discount certificate.
The card’s annual fee is $99, waived for first 12 months, and it’s currently offering a sign-up bonus of 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Regular APR
15.99% – 24.99% (Variable)
Pros & Cons
Details
Pros
Earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles with no annual fee
Rack up double miles at grocery stores in addition to American Airlines purchases
Cons
Modest sign-up bonus is much lower than other American Airlines cards
No meaningful frequent flyer benefits
You’ll pay foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad
Earn 10,000 bonus American AAdvantage miles and a $50 statement credit when you spend $500 on your card within three months of account opening
Earn 2x miles on American Airlines purchases and grocery store purchases, as well as 1x miles on all other purchases
Qualify for 25% off in-flight purchases of internet service, food, and drink
No annual fee
Want to earn miles on everyday purchases without the burden of a high annual fee? American Airlines introduced its no-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card a couple of years ago to target less-frequent flyers on a budget.
The card earns a respectable 2x miles on both eligible American Airlines purchases and at grocery stores, and 1x on everything else. Its only day-of-travel benefit is 25% back as a statement credit on inflight food and beverage, so don’t expect free checked bags or priority boarding.
The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card is currently offering 10,000 bonus miles and a $50 statement credit after you make $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Regular APR
15.99% – 24.99% (Variable)
Pros & Cons
Details
Pros
Full Admirals Club membership gets you (and authorized users) access to American Airlines lounges
Lots of American Airlines benefits, including priority boarding and check-in and a free checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions
Cons
High annual fee
Only earns bonus miles on American Airlines purchases
The information related to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected by Business Insider and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after you make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® application fee credit up to $100 every 5 years
Priority check-in and priority airport screening (where available)
A $450 annual fee
If you’re a frequent American flyer and value access to the airline’s Admirals Club airport lounges, then the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is the right card for you. It does have a $450 annual fee, but that is still $200 cheaper than Admirals Club membership costs if you buy it outright.
Unlike other airlines’ club cards, which merely offer lounge access, Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® cardholders enjoy full Admirals Club membership privileges including entry to some partner lounges. Cardholders can also bring immediate family or up to two guests with same-day boarding passes on American or partner airlines. Not only that, but you can also add up to 10 authorized users, each of whom can also access Admirals Clubs with up to two guests.
Cardholders are eligible for up to a $100 statement credit to cover the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee once every five years. They also get free checked bags for themselves and up to eight companions on American Airlines domestic itineraries, are entitled to priority boarding, and get 25% back on inflight food and beverage purchases.
Those who spend $40,000 or more on purchases in a calendar year receive 10,000 elite-qualifying miles toward status with the airline. Foreign transaction fees are waived, and cardholders can book reduced-mileage awards on some domestic routes.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is currently offering 50,000 bonus AAdvantage miles after you make $5,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver Mastercard® is not open to new applicants, but you can upgrade to it if you have the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard. The reason this card wins in this category is that it allows you to earn both elite-qualifying miles (EQMs) and elite-qualifying dollars (EQDs) toward American Airlines AAdvantage status.
You can earn 5,000 EQMs by spending $20,000 or more on purchases in a calendar year, and an additional 5,000 EQMs for hitting $40,000. Not only that, but cardholders can also earn $3,000 EQDs after spending $50,000 on purchases in a calendar year. Those are some big numbers, but if you’re the type of flyer who takes longer flights on less-expensive fares, those extra EQDs might be all the boost you need to hit the next tier of status.
This card’s other value-packed perks include up to a $100 credit to cover the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck once every five years, up to $25 back per day on inflight food and beverage purchases, and up to $50 refunded for Wi-Fi purchases on American flights each year.
Cardholders also enjoy preferred boarding, free checked bags on domestic American Airlines itineraries for the cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation, and two $99 (plus taxes) companion certificates after spending $20,000 in purchases each account year that they can redeem toward round-trip domestic economy itineraries.
The card earns 3x miles on American Airlines purchases, 2x miles on hotels and car rentals, and 1x on everything else. Its annual fee is $195.
While the Aviator Silver offers more significant onboard discounts, you might still want to consider the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® instead for a few reasons. First and foremost, it’s open to new applicants and is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 60,000 miles that you earn after making a single purchase in the first 90 days and paying the $99 annual fee.
In addition to offering 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases, it will also reimburse you up to $25 each year for inflight Wi-Fi. However, since it’s also a World Elite Mastercard, you can take advantage of perks recently added to that program including a $10 Lyft credit after taking five or more rides each month, and a 5% cash rewards credit for shopping on Boxed. Plus, the card includes cell phone protection (with a $50 deductible per claim) against loss or damage on up to $800 per claim, or up to two claims and a total of $1,000 per year, which can be a lifesaver.
The card waives foreign transaction fees and earns 2x miles on American Airlines purchases and 1x on everything else. Day-of-travel benefits include preferred boarding and a free checked bag for the cardholder and up to four companions on the same domestic American Airlines reservation. If you spend more than $20,000 on purchases per account year, you will also receive a $99 (plus taxes) companion certificate good for a round-trip domestic economy ticket.
Barclays’ AAdvantage® Aviator® Business Mastercard® wins out in this category for a few reasons, not the least of which a sign-up bonus of up to 75,000 miles. You’ll earn 65,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days, and 10,000 miles when a purchase is made on an employee card.
The card earns 2x miles not just on American Airlines purchases, but also at office supply stores and on purchases from telecom companies and car rental agencies, and 1x everywhere else. Cardholders also get a 5% annual bonus on all the points earned each account year.
Those who make $25,000 in purchases on it in a calendar year are eligible to receive $3,000 EQDs toward elite status, while those who spend $30,000 or more during an account year receive a $99 (plus taxes and fees) companion travel certificate. During travel, the first checked bag is free for cardholders and up to four companions on the same domestic American Airlines reservation, all of whom also receive preferred boarding, and inflight food and beverage purchases are eligible for 25% back. The annual fee is $95.
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Regular APR
15.99% – 24.99% (Variable)
Featured Reward
65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening
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Pros & Cons
Details
Pros
Lots of bonus categories for earning miles on business-related purchases
Annual fee is waived the first year
Offers a free checked bag on American Airlines flights
Cons
Smaller businesses may have trouble meeting the $30,000 spending threshold to earn the companion certificate
The information related to the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected by Business Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
Designed for businesses
Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries to reduce travel costs and boost your bottom line.
25% savings on American Airlines inflight Wi-Fi when you use your card
Enjoy preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations.
Earn 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on other purchases
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Your other small-business option is the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®. It’s offering new cardholders 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening, and has an annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months.
The bonus earning categories include 2x on eligible American Airlines purchases, gas stations, cable and satellite services, telecommunications, and car rentals. This card has the same checked bag and boarding benefits as the Barclays version, though its inflight purchase discount includes Wi-Fi.
Those who spend $30,000 or more on purchases in an account anniversary year and renew their card receive a $99 companion travel certificate, too (provided their account remains open for at least 45 days after the account anniversary).
Eric Rosen is a travel and credit card expert who has been helping readers reap the rewards of loyalty programs for over a decade. Eric is based in Los Angeles, though you’ll often find him globetrotting to destinations like Australia, Kenya, and Laos on assignment.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they’re subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. What you decide to do with your money is up to you. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team.
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