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The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
Introduction to American Airlines Credit Cards
American Airlines offers an array of co-branded credit cards ranging from a no-annual-fee option to a $595-per-year premium credit card with access to the airline’s Admirals Club lounges.
If you fly American Airlines, even occasionally, opening one of the best credit cards for American Airlines could make sense for earning miles toward award flights and enjoying benefits like a free checked bag and the ability to board the plane before most other travelers.
Among these choices, the best 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.
The Best American Airlines Credit Card of 2024
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
: Best for earning American Airlines miles - American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
: Best for budget travelers - Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
: Best for lounge access - AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
: Best for discounts
Compare American Airlines Credit Cards
Best for earning American Airlines miles
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Regular APR
21.24% – 29.99% variable
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
- Bonus categories help you earn miles on everyday purchases
- First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines flights
- $125 American Airlines flight discount is nice, but you need to spend $20,000 in a cardmember year to earn it
Best for budget travelers
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
Regular APR
21.24% – 29.99% Variable
Earn 15,000 American Airlines miles
Recommended Credit
Excellent
- Earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles with no annual fee
- Rack up double miles at grocery stores in addition to American Airlines purchases
- 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
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
Annual Fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $99
Intro APR
0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening
Regular APR
20.24%, 24.24% or 29.24% variable
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
- You’ll earn the welcome bonus after making your first purchase and paying the annual fee
- Free checked bag and preferred boarding on American Airlines
- Inflight Wi-Fi statement credits
- To earn a companion certificate you have to spend $20,000 or more in a year
- Annual fee isn’t waived the first year
- No bonus categories outside of American Airlines purchases
Product Details
- The information related to the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® has been collected by Business Insider and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
- Earn 50,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase within the first 90 days
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- Earn 1X miles for every $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get up to $25 back as statement credits on inflight Wi-Fi purchases each year on American Airlines operated flights
- Earn a Companion Certificate good for 1 guest at $99 (plus taxes and fees) if you spend $20,000 on purchases and your account remains open for 45 days after your anniversary date
- Receive 25% inflight savings as statement credits on food and beverages when you use your card on American Airlines operated flights
American Airlines Credit Card Reviews
Having an American Airlines credit card is even more useful now that the AAdvantage program awards elite status based on Loyalty Points. For every dollar you spend on a co-branded AA card, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point toward elite status (in addition to redeemable miles).
American Airlines miles are worth an average of 1.4 cents apiece, according to Business Insider’s points and miles valuations. In other words, you’re getting a good deal on an award flight if the cash cost of your paid flight divided by the number of miles you spend is equal or greater to 1.4 cents per mile.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
If you want to earn American AAdvantage miles on everyday purchases, it’s hard to beat the earning rates from the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. This card earns 2 miles on eligible American Airlines purchases as well as restaurants and gas stations — two major expense categories for many consumers.
Cardholders also 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 new cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $2,500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Read more in our Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card review.
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
Want to earn AA miles on everyday purchases without the burden of a high annual fee? American Airlines introduced its no-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® a couple of years ago to target less-frequent flyers on a budget.
The card earns a respectable 2 miles per dollar spent on 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® comes with a welcome bonus of 15,000 American Airlines miles after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months of account opening — not a bad reward for a card with an annual fee of $0.
Read more in our Citi American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp card review.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
If you’re a frequent American flyer who values 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 $595 annual fee, but that’s still significantly cheaper than the cost of purchasing an Admirals Club lounge membership 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. Furthermore, cardholders can also add up to 10 authorized users at no cost, 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, enjoy priority boarding, and get 25% back on inflight food and beverage purchases. This card also doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, which saves cardholders around 3% per international purchase.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® offers new cardholders a welcome bonus of 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $7,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Read more in our Citi AAdvantage Executive card review.
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® has a $0 intro for the first year, then $99 annual fee and offers a welcome bonus of 50,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase within the first 90 days.
In addition to offering 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® also reimburses up to $25 each year for inflight Wi-Fi. And since it’s also a World Elite Mastercard, you can take advantage of perks recently added to that program including a $5 Lyft credit after taking three or more rides each month, cell phone protection (with a $50 deductible per claim) against loss or damage on up to $800, and more.
The card waives foreign transaction fees and earns 2x 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.
Learn more in our AAdvantage Aviator Red card review.
Choosing the Right American Airlines Credit Card for You
There are many ways to choose a credit card, but the universal rule is that the benefits should align with your lifestyle — not the other way around.
Factors to Consider
When deciding between an American Airlines credit card and a generic airline credit card or travel rewards credit card, think about how often you specifically fly AA rather than choosing the cheapest or most direct flight. If you live near a major American Airlines hub, it may make sense for you to focus your loyalty on this airline. But if you find yourself flying other airlines more often, an AA credit card may not benefit you all that much.
Matching Card Features with Travel Habits
If you don’t fly American very often, you may find some value from getting a no-annual-fee card such as the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®. Or if you occasionally find yourself spending money to pay for a checked bga on American Airlines, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® may be worth getting despite its $0 intro for the first year, then $99 annual fee because cardholders get a free checked bag for themselves and up to four companions when booking flights with this card.
The Best AA Credit Card For You May Not Be From American Airlines
Finally, you may find value in using a premium credit card that offers airline reimbursement credits. The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with a $200 annual airline incidentals credit, while the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® both offer $300 in annual travel credits.
Each of these cards comes with specific stipulations on how the credits can be used. Cardholders of The Platinum Card® from American Express must enroll in the benefit and choose a designated airline for the duration of the calendar year, and the credit only applies to incidental expenses such as checked bags or seat choices. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card’s $300 credit only applies to travel booked via the Capital One Travel portal, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers the most flexible redemption since the credit automatically applies to any eligible travel expense.
American Airlines Credit Card Consumer Insights
In addition to working with Business Insider’s team of credit card experts, we scanned online forums such as Reddit to compile customer feedback on American Airlines credit cards.
Get Free Flights for Everyday Spend
People who spend a lot on personal and business expenses can benefit greatly from getting a rewards credit card, especially ones that earn American Airlines miles. A Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® cardholder said she and her husband earn enough rewards for six round-trip flights each year, in addition to enjoying Admirals Club lounge access.
Others praise the free-bag and priority luggage benefits that come with being an AA cardholder, and the ability to bring their partner for free whenever they want to travel together.
Use the Card for Perks, Not Rewards
If you want American Airlines benefits but also want to earn rewards elsewhere, some cardholders recommend opening a lower-cost AA credit card just for the benefits. For example, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® comes with savings on in-flight food and beverages, annual credits toward onboard Wi-Fi, preferred boarding, and a free checked bag for up to five travelers on the same ticket. These perks alone can be worth significantly more than the card’s annual fee and can confer preferential treatment that infrequent travelers might not be able to enjoy otherwise.
American Airlines Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions
The main benefits include earning AAdvantage miles on purchases, priority boarding, free checked bags, and access to American Airlines Admirals Club lounges on certain cards. Cardholders also enjoy in-flight discounts and additional travel perks.
Compared to other airline rewards cards, American Airlines credit cards offer competitive earning rates on American Airlines purchases and often come with valuable travel benefits tailored to frequent flyers. But AA credit cards may lack flexibility in redeeming points for non-airline rewards compared to the best travel rewards credit cards.
Potential downsides to American Airlines credit cards include annual fees for most cards, and limited redemption opportunities beyond American Airlines and its airline alliance partners. The best benefits typically come with premium cards with higher annual fees.
To maximize rewards from an American Airlines credit card, use your airline credit card for all American Airlines purchases and take advantage of bonus categories if applicable. Leverage the travel benefits such as free checked bags and priority boarding to save money and enhance your travel experience. Consider pairing your card with other AAdvantage loyalty programs for additional earning potential.
Our guide features many of the best American Airlines credit cards, including the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® for Admirals Club airline lounge access, the no-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, and the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®.
You’ll need at least a good credit score to qualify for the American Airlines credit cards mentioned in this guide. The premium Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® typically requires an excellent credit score — that is, anything above an 800 FICO score.
An American Airlines credit card is worth it, particularly one that offers money-saving benefits like a free checked bag and preferred boarding, if you fly the airline — even a couple of times a year. The perks you receive can more than offset the annual fee on these cards, and you’ll earn miles you can redeem for free flights on American and its partners.
All co-branded American Airlines credit cards earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar you spend, regardless of category — so spending more in bonus categories isn’t going to make a difference in that regard. For instance, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® earns 2x miles per dollar spent on American Airlines purchases and at gas stations and restaurants, but you’ll only earn 1 Loyalty Point for every dollar spent on purchases even in these categories.
No, miles earned from opening an American Airlines credit card do not count toward earning Loyalty Points and elite status.
Most co-branded American Airlines cards (except the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®) come with early boarding privileges. The premium Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® includes Group 4 priority boarding, and the rest of the co-branded cards offer Group 5 preferred boarding.
American Airlines miles expire after 24 months of account inactivity. This means you could lose your miles if you don’t earn or redeem AA miles within that timeframe. Using an American Airlines credit card is a great way to generate earning activity in your account and keep your miles from expiring.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best American Airlines Credit Cards
We considered all of the American Airlines credit cards available right now and looked at several factors:
- Travel benefits — Does the card offer money-saving perks like free checked bags or other benefits like Loyalty Points for meeting spending thresholds, airport lounge access, or statement credits?
- Earning potential — Are there bonus categories outside of American Airlines purchases with the card, and are they appealing to a wide range of customers?
- Annual fee — Most American Airlines credit cards have an annual fee, but are the card’s benefits worth it?
- Cards for various types of travelers — We chose cards that appeal to different types of American Airlines flyers, including road warriors, leisure travelers, and small-business owners.
Be sure to read Business Insider’s guide to how we rate credit cards to learn more about our review methodology.