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The best credit cards are those that make our lives better. And there's no denying that the right airline credit card can do just that. American Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world, so it makes sense that it has a ton of options. So how do you pick the best American Airlines credit card for you? Our guide will take a look at the best American Airlines cards, what they offer, and show you how to choose one for yourself.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Great for: Best for bonus miles on dining and gas
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.99% (Variable)
Rewards 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations, restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases, 1 mile per dollar on other purchases
1x - 2x miles
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Welcome Offer Earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $3,500 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
75,000 miles
The rewards program makes this a compelling card to carry with OK earning opportunities beyond just American Airlines purchases.
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®
Great for: Best for big sign-up bonus for business owners
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
17.49%-26.49%, variable
Rewards 2x AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, eligible office supply, telecom and car rental merchants, 1x AAdvantage® miles on other purchases.
1x-2x miles
Annual Fee
$95
Welcome Offer 80,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles and a $95 statement credit after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.
80,000 miles, $95 statement credit
Best suited to business owners who frequently fly American Airlines in coach with checked luggage. If you fly other airlines, typically fly business or first class, or fly carry-on only, you'll probably be better off with a regular travel rewards card.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
Great for: Free checked bags on business flights
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.99% (Variable)
Rewards Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and 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
1x - 2x miles
Annual Fee $0 intro annual fee for the first 12 months, $99 thereafter
$0 intro fee
Welcome Offer Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage®bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
65,000 miles
The rewards program and sign-up bonus make this a compelling card to carry with OK earning opportunities beyond just American Airlines purchases, particularly for business purchases.
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard
Great for: Best for free checked bag
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
17.49% - 26.49%, variable
Rewards 2X miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1X miles on all other purchases
1X - 2X miles
Annual Fee
$99
Welcome Offer Earn 60,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full within the first 90 days
60,000 AAdvantage miles
The sign-up bonus and companion certificates are nice perks that make up for what is otherwise a middle-of-the-road rewards program. Read Full Review
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Great for: Admirals Club Membership
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.99% (Variable)
Rewards Earn 2x miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, Earn 1x miles for each $1 spent on other purchases.
1x - 2x miles
Annual Fee
$595
Welcome Offer For a limited time, earn 100,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $10,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
100,000 bonus miles
A feature-packed airline credit card with an annual fee to match. Airport lounge access and a massive welcome offer are standout perks that could save frequent travelers lots of money.
American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card
Great for: Earning miles with no annual fee
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.99% (Variable)
Rewards Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services, Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, Earn 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases, Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases
1x - 2x miles
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles and receive a $50 statement credit after making $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening
10,000 miles, $50 statement credit
This card is a solid option for American Airlines flyers who don't check bags and want to earn Loyalty Points towards status without paying an annual card fee.
Unlike typical rewards cards, choosing the best credit card for American Airlines is going to be more about the perks than the purchase rewards. (Though the rewards can still be useful!) Here are a few questions to ask yourself to narrow down your choices.
The first thing to decide is how often -- if ever -- you use Admirals Club airport lounges. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive Mastercard® is so expensive because it comes with complimentary Admirals Club membership. This gives you -- and up to two guests -- unlimited access to Admirals Club lounges when you're flying with American or a partner airline.
One-day passes to Admirals Club lounges cost $79 each. At this rate, it would take eight visits a year to make up for a $595 annual fee. If you don't travel with American (or another oneworld® airline) often enough to take advantage of the membership, you may want to consider one of the less expensive cards.
Related: Best Credit Cards With Airport Lounge Access
The main difference between the mid-tier American Airlines cards and the no annual fee option is the checked bag waivers. Essentially, you get a free checked bag on eligible domestic American Airlines itineraries. This also extends to up to four people on your same reservation.
At $30 per bag, one way, you could easily make up for an annual fee in a single family trip. If you never check bags, however, then this perk isn't worth anything at all -- let alone a $99 annual fee.
No matter what kind of rewards credit card you get, you need to consider the annual fee. As mentioned above, it may be easy enough to make up the annual fee with perks from an airline credit card. But if you don't fly enough to use those perks, then what are you paying for? (You should also remember that you need to pay the annual fee out of pocket, typically right after you open the account. If you can't afford to pay the fee, it doesn't matter how many perks you get.)
For some travelers, the sign-up bonus alone is enough reason to get a new credit card. A good bonus may even make up for an annual fee even if the card's perks aren't worth it. For example, if you can redeem the miles from your sign-up bonus for $500 in flights paid with points, then a $99 annual fee may be worth the investment.
If you've answered all of the previous questions and you're still on the fence between two cards, take a look at the bonus categories. All AAdvantage cards earn bonus miles on eligible American Airlines purchases. But many also earn bonus miles in other categories. One card may offer better bonus rewards than the other, which can help you decide between two similar options.
Card | Rating | Great For |
---|---|---|
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Best for bonus miles on dining and gas |
|
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Best for big sign-up bonus for business owners |
|
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Free checked bags on business flights |
|
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Best for free checked bag |
|
Rating image, 4.25 out of 5 stars.
4.25/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Admirals Club Membership |
|
American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card
|
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Earning miles with no annual fee |
The exact benefits you get from your American Airlines card will depend on which card you have. You'll pay a premium for some of the best perks.
One great thing about American Airlines cards is that you can earn AAdvantage miles on your everyday purchases. Many American Airlines cards even offer bonus miles for certain category purchases. This ranges from groceries to gas to telecom purchases, depending on the specific card. You can also earn a good chunk of miles as a sign-up bonus. These credit card miles can then be used to book free flights.
The premium Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive Mastercard® comes with a complimentary Admirals Club membership. Lounges can turn a stressful airport visit into a pleasant wait. Not only do you get more space to spread out away from the crowds, but you'll also get free food and alcoholic beverages.
Checked bag fees can get expensive, especially if you're flying as a family. American Airlines charges $30 a pop, one way, on domestic flights. At that rate, a card with free checked bags can pay for itself in one family trip.
Loyalty Points are the currency used to get American Airlines elite status. Cardholders can earn 1 Loyalty Point per base dollar spent on their cards. This could mean you earn elite status without needing to fly a single mile.
As with most of the best travel rewards cards these days, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive Mastercard® offers a statement credit to cover the cost of TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
If you travel internationally, then Global Entry can be a priceless benefit. It speeds up the immigration process. It also comes with TSA PreCheck for free.
Although economy flights can often be great deals for your wallet, they often mean being the last to board. And when that happens, you risk not finding overhead space for your carry on. Several American Airlines credit cards offer preferred or even priority boarding. This lets you get on the plane earlier no matter which fare you book.
Unless you're in a premium class, you're going to pay a premium for food and drinks during your flight. An American Airlines credit card can help. All AAdvantage cardholders get 25% back on in-flight food and beverage purchases made with their card. The savings are posted as a statement credit on your card within 10 weeks of the transaction.
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate travel credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria Includes rewards systems and bonus categories, rewards redemption flexibility, and sign-up bonuses.
Our highest-rated travel credit cards have:
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best travel card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring travel credit cards from reputable brands.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
It's recommended that you have at least good credit -- a FICO® Score of 670 or more -- to apply for an American Airlines credit card. However, the issuer will look at your entire credit profile, not just your score, when making a decision.
The best sign-up bonuses change regularly. Compare card offers from multiple sources to make sure you're getting the best offer available.
All American Airlines miles expire after 24 months of account inactivity. However, you can keep your account active by using your American Airlines card to make a purchase that earns miles.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Mastercard.