Which American Airlines Credit Card Is Best?

American Airlines is a major global carrier and part of the Oneworld® Alliance.

If you fly often enough with American, you may find value in a co-branded American Airlines credit card.

American Airlines partners with both Barclays and Citi to offer co-branded credit cards. Citi offers three consumer cards and one business card while Barclays offers four consumer cards and one business card. However, only one of the Barclays cards is accepting new applications—the rest are available through product changes only.

Let’s look at the best American Airlines credit card and which is best suited to you based on your spending habits and travel goals.

Best American Airlines Credit Cards 2024

Here’s an overview of the best American Airlines credit cards from Citi, including their annual fees and who they’re best suited to.

And here’s an overview of the best American Airlines credit cards from Barclays.

Here’s a look at each of these cards in detail.

Best Co-Branded Citi American Airlines Cards

Let’s first take a look at Citi’s range of co-branded American Airlines credit cards. Unlike Barclays co-branded American Airlines credit cards, all of Citi’s cards are currently open to new applications.

American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card

If you want to earn American Airlines AAdvantage® miles without paying an annual fee, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card will be your best option.

The card earns 2X miles on American Airlines purchases. It also earns 2X miles at grocery stores, enabling you to earn miles toward your next flight on everyday purchases.

For every mile earned on your card, you’ll earn 1X Loyalty Points toward elite status.

You’ll also benefit from 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines.

For a $0 annual fee, this card lets you earn miles and benefit from savings on in-flight purchases when you fly with American Airlines.

Pros

• 2X miles on American Airlines purchases
• 2X miles at grocery stores
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• 1X Loyalty Points per mile earned
• 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines.*

Cons

• Foreign transaction fee of 3%
• Limited perks

* The 25% savings benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Air Wisconsin Airlines, PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. Codeshare flights that aren’t operated by American Airlines won’t be eligible for the discount.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

If you’re a semi-frequent American Airlines flyer and want to balance fees with perks, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® will likely be your best bet.

The card earns 2X miles on American Airlines purchases, as well as at restaurants and gas stations. This enables you to rack up miles on your typical everyday expenses and on your occasional flight purchases.

The Platinum Select card offers an array of benefits when flying with American Airlines.

You and up to four companions on the same reservation will have your first checked bags fly for free on domestic American Airlines itineraries. You’ll also receive preferred boarding, enabling you to board after priority travelers.

Considering a first-checked bag costs $40 with American Airlines, it doesn’t take much to offset the annual fee of $99 using this perk.

A round-trip flight with one companion would save you $160 if you both had checked baggage, offsetting the annual fee. If you maxed out your four companion allowance, you could even save a grand total of $400 per round-trip flight. Alternatively, you’d have to take three flights with checked baggage to offset the annual fee if flying solo.

If you spend $20,000 or more with your card within a card membership year, you’ll receive a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount certificate. You can use this toward airfares on any American Airlines or Oneworld® Alliance flights.

If you’re a big spender, this perk alone would more than offset the annual fee every year.

The card is also free of foreign transaction fees, enabling you to continue spending and earning miles while abroad.

The annual fee stands at $99, which is waived in the first year of card membership. This mid-tier card offers significant value with perks that allow you to offset its annual fee quickly.

Pros

• 2X miles on American Airlines purchases
• 2X miles at restaurants and gas stations
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• 1X Loyalty Points per mile earned
• First checked bag flies for free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four travel companions on the same reservation
• Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
• 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines.
• $125 American Airlines flight discount certificate after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card. This can be redeemed on any American Airlines or Oneworld® Alliance flight.
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• $125 flight discount certificate available only after spending $20,000

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

If you’re a frequent flyer with American Airlines who wants access to top of the range perks, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® will offer the premium experience you’re after.

The card earns 10X miles on eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars as well as on eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels. It also earns 4X miles on American Airlines purchases, which is double the earning rate offered on the Platinum Select card. If you manage to spend $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year using your card, you’ll earn 5X miles on all subsequent American Airlines purchases for the remainder of the year.

The standout perk of the card is complimentary Admirals Club® membership, which has a value of $850 in the first year and $800 in subsequent years. You’ll be able to enjoy unlimited Admirals lounge access. This perk alone can offset the annual fee of $595 every year.

When flying with American Airlines on domestic itineraries, the first-checked bags for you and up to eight companions on the same reservation will fly for free. That’s up to $720 in potential savings for a single round-trip.

Aside from lounge access, you’ll enjoy premium airport privileges when flying with American Airlines, including priority check-in, screening and boarding. You’ll also receive a statement credit of up to $100 every four years for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee, giving you an even smoother flight experience.

When it comes to car rental, you’ll receive a $1 statement credit for every $1 spent on eligible Avis and Budget car rental purchases, with a maximum of $120 in credits per calendar year.

It’s also one of the only American Airlines cards to offer a range of travel insurance, including trip cancellation and interruption protection, trip delay protection, lost baggage protection and rental car insurance.

If you can take advantage of perks such as Admirals Club membership, free first checked bags and travel insurance, offsetting the $595 annual fee will be a breeze.

Pros

• 10X miles on eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars
• 10X miles on eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels
• 4X miles on American Airlines purchases
• After spending $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year with your card, earn 5X miles on eligible American Airlines purchases for the remainder of the year
• 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after earning 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year. Receive a second 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after earning 90,000 Loyalty Points in the same status qualification year.
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• 1X Loyalty Points per mile earned
• Complimentary Admirals Club® membership
• Up to $100 statement credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, every four years
• First checked bag flies for free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation
• Airport privileges when flying with American Airlines such as priority check-in, screening and boarding
• $1 statement credit for every $1 spent on eligible Avis and Budget car rental purchases, up to $120 per calendar year.
• $10 Lyft credit after taking three eligible rides in a calendar month, for a total of up to $120 in Lyft credits annually
• $10 Grubhub statement credit for eligible purchases, issued monthly, for a total of up to $120 annually
• No foreign transaction fees
• Trip cancellation and interruption protection. Reimburses you for up to $5,000 in non-refundable costs if your trip is canceled or interrupted due to a covered reason.
• Trip delay protection. Covers unreimbursed costs such as lodging and meals when trip delays exceed six hours, up to $500 per trip.
• Lost baggage protection. Receive up to $3,000 coverage for lost baggage ($2,000 for New York residents), when you charge the trip to your card.
• Rental car insurance. Charge your rental car cost to your card, decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver and receive up to $50,000 in coverage for collision damage or theft. Coverage is secondary in the U.S. and primary abroad, for up to 31 days in either case.

Cons

• No everyday bonus spending categories
• High annual fee

CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®

If you’re a small business owner wanting a card that earns AAdvantage miles and offers perks when flying with American Airlines, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard® is your best option.

It earns 2X miles on American Airlines purchases, as well as 2X miles on telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, gas stations and car rental merchants. This enables you to earn miles on a range of typical business expenses.

When flying with American Airlines, you’ll enjoy 25% savings on in-flight Wi-Fi, food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines. The first-checked bags for you and up to four companions on the same reservation will fly for free on American Airlines operated flights. That’s up to $300 in potential savings per round-trip flight.

You’ll also receive an American Airlines Companion certificate for $99 (plus taxes and fees) for domestic flights after you spend $30,000 or more with your card during a membership year.

With such lucrative benefits, offsetting the $99 annual fee—which is waived in the first year—will be little of a challenge.

Pros

• 2X miles on American Airlines purchases
• 2X miles on telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers
• 2X miles at gas stations and car rental merchants
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• 1X Loyalty Points per mile earned
• First checked bag flies for free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four travel companions on the same reservation
• Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
• 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines.
• 25% savings on in-flight Wi-Fi purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines.
• American Airlines Companion Certificate for $99 (plus fees and taxes) for domestic travel usage after spending $30,000 or more in purchases in a card membership year.
• Employee cards for free

Cons

• Companion certificate requires a minimum spend of $30,000

Best Co-Branded Barclays American Airlines Credit Cards

Barclays co-branded American Airlines credit cards offer serious value.

However, not every card is accepting new applications. In fact, out of the four consumer cards and one business card, only one consumer card is open to new applications. The other four cards can be accessed through product changes only.

Let’s take a look at these cards in detail.

AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Mastercard®

The AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Mastercard® isn’t open to new card applications. Instead, it’s offered as a downgrade option through a product change for existing cardholders.

The card earns 1X miles on American Airlines purchases and 0.5X miles on all other purchases, making it less than ideal for earning miles. You’ll earn 1X Loyalty Points per mile earned.

The main benefit of the card is the 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines.

If you no longer wish to hold an annual fee-incurring American Airlines card, downgrading to the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Mastercard® would prevent you from having to cancel a card and take a hit to your credit score.

Pros

• 1X miles on American Airlines purchases
• 0.5X mile on all other purchases
  1X Loyalty Points per mile earned
• 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines.

Cons

• Not accepting new applications
• Limited perks and low earning rates

AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Blue Mastercard®

For existing American Airlines card holders considering a product change, the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Blue Mastercard® offers some perks over its $0 annual fee subordinate.

For an annual fee of just $49, you’ll earn 2X miles on American Airlines purchases and 1X miles on all other purchases.

The card has zero foreign transaction fees, allowing you to spend and earn miles abroad.

You’ll still benefit from the 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases on American Airlines operated flights.

Unfortunately, this card isn’t open to new applications, making it available through product changes only.

Pros

• 2X miles on American Airlines purchases
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• 1X Loyalty Points per mile earned
• 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines.
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• Not accepting new applications

AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®

If you value a companion certificate without paying a hefty annual fee, the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Red Mastercard® could be a great option.

If you hit the minimum spending requirement of $20,000 within a calendar year, you’ll receive a companion certificate for one guest at $99 (plus taxes and fees).

If you’ll get use out of the companion certificate, this could be more valuable than the $125 flight discount certificate offered on the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard that shares the same minimum spending requirement of $20,000.

The Red World Elite Mastercard earns 2X miles on American Airlines purchases and 1X miles on all other purchases. However, if you’re looking to earn miles on everyday spending, the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard would better equip you, for the same annual fee.

The Red Mastercard also offers 25% savings on in-flight Wi-Fi, food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines.

The first-checked bags for you and up to four companions on the same reservation will fly for free, saving you up to $400 per round-trip. You and your companions will also enjoy preferred boarding on all American Airlines operated flights.

If you maximize the card’s perks, offsetting the $99 annual fee will be easy. And unlike other Barclays Aviator cards, the Red Mastercard is currently accepting new applications.

Pros

• 2X miles on American Airlines purchases
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• 1X Loyalty Points per mile earned
• Companion Certificate for one guest at $99 (plus taxes and fees) if you spend $20,000 on purchases within a calendar year and your account remains open for 45 days after your anniversary date.
• Preferred boarding for you and up to four companions on the same reservation for all American Airlines operated flights.
• First checked bag flies for free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation.
• 25% savings on in-flight Wi-Fi purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines.
• 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines.
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• No everyday spending bonus categories
• Companion certificate requires a minimum spend of $20,000

AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Silver Mastercard®

If you’re already an AAdvantage Aviator World Elite Red Mastercard holder who’s looking for premium perks, you can upgrade to the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Silver Mastercard® after six months of card membership. The World Elite Silver is a mid-tier card with top-tier benefits.

The card earns 3X miles on American Airlines purchases and 2X miles on hotels and rental cars.

Just as with the Red Mastercard, there’s an opportunity to earn a companion certificate. However, with the Silver Mastercard, you’ll receive a companion certificate for two guests at $99 each (plus taxes and fees). To do this, you’ll need to meet the same minimum spending requirement of $20,000 in purchases.

You’ll also receive loyalty point boosts for reaching certain minimum spending thresholds. You’ll receive 5,000 loyalty points each time you hit $20,000, $40,000 and $50,000 in spending within a status qualification year. That’s 15,000 loyalty points that are up for grabs.

When flying with American Airlines, you’ll enjoy up to $25 back per day on in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit. That means no matter how often you fly, you’ll receive up to $25 back per day, with no annual maximum. You’ll also enjoy up to $50 back annually on in-flight Wi-Fi purchases on American Airlines operated flights each anniversary year, given as a statement credit.

You can save up to $720 per round-trip with a first checked bag flies-for-free policy for you and up to eight companions on the same reservation. You and your companions will also enjoy preferred boarding on all American Airlines flights.

You can further offset the annual fee of $199 with a Global Entry statement credit of $100 every five years.

With such a wide range of perks, the Silver Mastercard is a great upgrade option for existing Red Mastercard holders.

Pros

• 3X miles on American Airlines purchases
• 2X miles on hotels and rental cars
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• 1X Loyalty Points per mile earned
• Companion Certificate for two guests at $99 each (plus taxes and fees) if you spend $20,000 on purchases and your account remains open for 45 days after your anniversary date.
• Up to 15,000 in total Loyalty Point bonuses after meeting minimum spending thresholds within the status qualification year starting on March 1 and running through the end of February of the following year. 5,000 point boost each time you reach the following spending requirements: $20,000, $40,000 and $50,000.
• Up to $25 back per day on in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, with no annual cap.
• Up to $50 back annually on in-flight Wi-Fi purchases on American Airlines operated flights each anniversary year, given as a statement credit.
• $100 statement credit every five years for the Global Entry application fee
• First checked bag flies for free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to eight companions traveling with you on the same reservation.
• Preferred boarding for you and up to eight companions on your reservation for all American Airlines operated flights.
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• No everyday bonus spending categories
• Companion certificate requires a minimum spend of $20,000

AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®

For small business owners, the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® earns miles on business expenses and offers lucrative perks when flying with American Airlines.

You’ll earn 2X miles on American Airlines purchases and select telecom, office supply and car rental purchases.

Every account anniversary year, you’ll receive a 5% mile bonus boost equivalent to the total number of miles earned with your card in the previous year.

You’ll enjoy preferred boarding for yourself and up to four companions, as well as the free first checked bag perk, offering up to $300 in savings per round-trip.

If you spend $30,000 or more using your card, you’ll receive a companion certificate good for one guest for $99 (plus taxes and fees).

Unfortunately, this card is available through product change only.

Pros

• 2X miles on American Airlines purchases
• 2X miles on select telecom, office supply and car rentals
• 1X miles on all other purchases
• 1X Loyalty Points per mile earned
  5% mile bonus boost every year after your account anniversary date equivalent to the total number of miles earned using your card
• Preferred boarding for you and up to four companions on the same reservation for all American Airlines flights.
• First checked bag flies for free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation.
• Companion certificate for one guest at $99 (plus taxes and fees) when you spend $30,000 on purchases and your account remains open for 45 days after your anniversary date
• 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases, given as a statement credit, when charged to your card on flights operated by American Airlines
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• Companion certificate requires a minimum spend of $30,000

American Airlines Credit Card Welcome Bonuses

Welcome bonuses on these cards can vary from 10,000 bonus miles when you spend $500 in the first three months to 100,000 bonus miles when you spend $10,000 in the first three months. The average is around 50,000 to 80,000 when you spend about $4,000 in the first three months. You’ll want to look at what each card is offering right before you apply, as welcome offers can change at a moment’s notice.

Below are some of the current offers on select cards:

When it comes to earning the welcome bonus on Citi co-branded American Airlines cards, keep in mind that you can’t have received the welcome bonus from any card within the last 48 months.

Are American Airlines Credit Cards Worth It?

When it comes to accessing exclusive perks, co-branded American Airlines credit cards are unbeatable. Whether it’s free checked bags, companion certificates, Admirals Club membership or in-flight discounts, these are perks you won’t find on any other card.

American Airlines miles could be hard to earn and Marriott Bonvoy points are the only transferable “currency” that transfer to American Airlines, but at a paltry ratio of 3:1.

Alternatively, you can transfer other credit card rewards currencies to other Oneworld® alliance partners, with whom you can book American Airlines flights. For example, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Iberia and British Airways, with whom you can then search for and book American Airlines flights. You can also transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Cathay Pacific, Iberia, British Airways, Qantas and Etithad, using them to book flights with American Airlines.

For example, you could earn thousands of points on everyday expenses using a lucrative card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the American Express Gold® Card and transfer your rewards to British Airways or another Oneworld alliance partner. You can then book American Airlines flights through its partner airlines, giving you outsized value.

By pursuing this strategy, you can take advantage of the higher bonus spending category rates on general travel rewards credit cards, earning you a greater return on your spending compared to using a co-branded American Airlines credit card.

Overall, for access to exclusive perks, you can’t go wrong with a co-branded American Airlines credit card. But for earning points to redeem toward award flights with American, you may be better off using a general travel rewards credit card.

How to Select the Best American Airlines Credit Card

To select the best American Airlines credit card, you need to begin by considering how often you fly with American Airlines.

The more you fly, the easier it will be to reap value from card perks and offset higher annual fees.

For infrequent flyers wanting to benefit from 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases, as well as earn AAdvantage miles on their purchases, the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card would be the one to go for. There’s no annual fee, so you won’t need to stress about using the card frequently.

However, the card offers little value for the frequent or at least semi-frequent American Airlines flyer. In this case, you’d be better suited to one of the mid-tier cards.

That means your choice is between the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard or the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard.

Both cards charge an annual fee of $99, which is waived in the first year on the Citi card.

In terms of benefits, the main difference is between the $125 flight discount certificate on the Citi card vs. the companion certificate on the Barclays card. The minimum spending requirement of $20,000 is the same for both of these perks, so the question comes down to which one you’ll reap more value out of.

However, in terms of earning miles, the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card wins as you can earn 2X miles at gas stations and restaurants, enabling you to earn miles on everyday spending.

That said, something to consider is the flexibility the Barclays Red World Elite Card gives you.

Once you hold the Red Mastercard, you can upgrade or downgrade to other Aviator cards that aren’t open to new applications, after six months of card membership.

If you want access to premium benefits such as an annual companion certificate for two guests (after spending $20,000) and free checked bags for up to eight companions, upgrading to the AAdvantage Aviator World Elite Silver Mastercard is a lucrative option.

The real advantage here is that while the Silver Mastercard charges a mid-tier annual fee of $199, there is no mid-tier equivalent with Citi. Instead, you’d be forced to pay the $595 annual fee on the Executive card to receive similarly premium benefits.

On the other hand, if you realize that you’ll fly less with American Airlines for a given period of time, making it harder to offset the Red Mastercard’s annual fee, you could downgrade to the AAdvantage Aviator World Elite Mastercard. While the card itself isn’t lucrative, downgrading prevents you from having to cancel a credit card, keeping the overall age of your accounts older and your credit utilization ratio lower, protecting your credit score.

This flexibility is an unquantifiable benefit of the Red Mastercard.

If you fly frequently with American Airlines and want top-of-the-range perks, the Citi / AAdvantage Executive Mastercard will do the job. Complimentary Admirals Club membership is worth $850 alone, offsetting the annual fee from the get-go. Not to mention perks such as free first checked bags for you and up to eight companions, saving you potentially thousands if used frequently.

If you’re a small business owner looking to earn AAdvantage miles on your purchases as well as enjoy exclusive perks when flying with American Airlines, your choice is going to be between the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard and the AAdvantage Aviator World Elite Business Mastercard.

There is little difference between the two cards. The annual fees are almost the same, with the benefit of it being waived in the first year on the Citi card. However, you can access the Aviator Business card through product changes only, so you’ll already need to be an Aviator cardholder to be eligible.

Both cards offer the opportunity to earn companion certificates after spending $20,000. The Citi card also offers a 25% discount given in statement credits for in-flight Wi-Fi purchases.

How to Maximize Your American Airlines Credit Card

The strategy for maximizing your American Airlines credit card is simple.

You’ll want to begin by applying when the welcome bonus is highest. That’ll enable you to get the greatest bang for your buck, setting you up with thousands of miles to redeem.

That means it’s key to apply for your American Airlines credit card when you’ll be able to hit the minimum spending requirement. Periods of naturally high expenditure are the best for earning welcome bonuses. So if you have upcoming bills to pay, apply for and use your new credit card to cover them.

After earning the welcome bonus, the next step is using the card frequently.

Charge daily expenses—big or small—to the card and watch your miles rack up. You could even add an authorized user, enabling their spending to earn you extra miles.

Likewise, you’ll want to take advantage of as many of the card’s perks as possible. The more you use, the quicker you’ll offset the annual fee.

Finally, make sure you don’t ruin all your hard work by forgetting to pay your balance off before its due date. If that happens, the value of your miles will be effectively erased through high interest charges and late penalty fees.

Treat your credit card like a debit card and you’ll be set for success.

Final Thoughts

There’s no doubt about it—American Airlines credit cards offer a lucrative range of perks. For the frequent flyer, these perks can make the annual fee seem like a drop in the ocean.

If you find yourself boarding an American Airlines flight more than once a year, consider the value and savings you could enjoy by applying for a co-branded credit card.