Best American Airlines credit cards of December 2023
“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
BLUEPRINT
Updated 5:56 p.m. UTC Dec. 11, 2023
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When it comes to American Airlines credit cards, there are many you could choose from — everything from a card with no annual fee to one with a high annual fee that confers lounge membership. Choosing the best American Airlines card becomes even more complex, given that the airline has cobranded cards issued by both Barclays and Citi.
The right American Airlines credit card for you will depend on how much you’re willing to pay in an annual fee (if any), what types of benefits you’re most likely to take advantage of and your spending patterns that could earn you more miles.
We analyzed all the American Airlines credit cards to curate a list of the very best cards that reward you for flying their airline. Here are our selections.
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Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® *
The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
: Best American Airlines credit card
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AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® *
The information for the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
: Best American Airlines card for an easy welcome bonus
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CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® *
The information for the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
: Best American Airlines card for businesses that spend a lot on gas
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Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® *
The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
: Best American Airlines card for good benefits without a high fee
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American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® *
The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
: Best American Airlines card for earning miles with no annual fee
Why trust our credit card experts
Our team of experts evaluates hundreds of credit cards and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best card for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.
- 35+ cards analyzed.
- 8 data points considered.
- 5-step fact-checking process.
our partner
Blueprint receives compensation from our partners for featured offers, which impacts how and where the placement is displayed.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Best American Airlines credit cards of December 2023
Best American Airlines credit card
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
*The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best American Airlines card for an easy welcome bonus
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
*The information for the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best American Airlines card for businesses that spend a lot on gas
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
*The information for the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best American Airlines card for good benefits without a high fee
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
*The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best American Airlines card for earning miles with no annual fee
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
*The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, enjoy a complimentary Admirals Club® membership (a value of up to $850).
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 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening
50,000 American Airlines® AAdvantage miles after spending $2,500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
Earn 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles and receive a $50 statement credit after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Why this card made the list
Those looking for elite benefits when flying with American Airlines should look no further than the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard. While it has the highest annual fee of any card on this list, it offers the most perks by a long shot. Cardholders get a membership to the Admirals Club, including the ability to bring up to two complimentary guests, and access to partner lounges. Buying a membership can cost more than the card’s fee, making this benefit alone a major selling point.
Other benefits include reimbursement for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit every four years (up to $100), a free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions on AA flights, priority check-in and boarding benefits at the airport, Loyalty Point and miles-earning bonuses, hundreds of dollars in annual statement credits and travel protections that are almost nonexistent on other Citi credit cards.
- Annual fee: $595.
- Rewards: 10 AAdvantage miles per $1 on eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars and eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels, 4 miles per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases. Then after spending $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year, cardmembers will earn a total of 5 miles per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases for the remainder of that calendar year, 1 mile per $1 on other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: 70,000 miles after spending $7,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: None.
The information for the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Why this card made the list
Few credit cards offer a welcome bonus as easy as making a single purchase and paying the card’s annual fee, though the Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard provides other valuable benefits as well. Cardholders earn Loyalty Points toward elite status from their purchases, can earn statement credits from onboard Wi-Fi purchases, get a free first checked bag on AA flights, and even extend this benefit to up to four traveling companions.
Additionally, cardholders enjoy credits for onboard purchases and can earn a Companion Certificate for bringing someone on a flight for $99 plus taxes and fees, earned after spending $20,000 on purchases within a cardmember year.
- Annual fee: $99.
- Rewards: 2 miles per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: 50,000 miles after making a first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: 0% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
The information for the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Why this card made the list
The CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum card offers perks similar to AA’s other small business card, which is offered by Barclays. What sets this card apart is the ability to earn higher rewards at gas stations and rental car merchants. If your small business spends significantly in these categories, it can really add up.
Cardholder benefits include preferred boarding, a free first checked bag for you and up to four companions, 25% savings on inflight purchases of Wi-Fi when using your card, food and beverage, and earning a Companion Certificate after spending $30,000 or more on purchases in a cardmember year and renewing the card (account must be open for one full billing cycle after account anniversary month).
- Annual fee: $99, waived for the first 12 months.
- Rewards: 2 miles for every $1 on cable and satellite providers, select telecommunications merchants, eligible American Airlines purchases, car rentals and gas stations and 1 mile per $1 on other purchases. Also earn 1 loyalty point for every mile earned.
- Welcome bonus: 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first four months of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: 0%.
The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Why this card made the list
The Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select card offers many benefits people are looking for in an airline credit card, and it does so without a high annual fee. In addition to rewards on spending, you’ll earn Loyalty Points on purchases, get preferred boarding, 25% back on inflight food and beverage purchases and get a free checked bag on AA flights. The free baggage perk includes up to four companions on the same reservation. It also comes with a $125 American Airlines flight discount after spending $20,000 on purchases within a cardmember year and renewing the card.
- Annual fee: $99, waived for the first 12 months.
- Rewards: 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, restaurants and gas stations and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles after spending $2,500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: 0%.
The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Why this card made the list
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® * The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. earns airline miles without having to pay an annual fee, plus Loyalty Points toward AA elite status from purchases and a 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases. However, in exchange for the lack of an annual fee, you won’t get free checked bags or priority boarding when flying with AA.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services, 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 AAdvantage mile per $1 on all other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: 10,000 miles and receive a $50 statement credit after making $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: 3% of each purchase transaction in U.S. dollars.
Methodology
Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings.
Factors we considered included:
- Annual fees.
- Rewards rate on American Airlines purchases.
- Rewards rate on other purchases.
- Welcome bonus.
- Any free checked baggage perks.
- Any airport lounge access.
- If the card had a foreign transaction fee.
- Any other flight-specific perks like baggage insurance, trip insurance, Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee credits.
How much are American Airlines miles worth?
American Airlines miles aren’t always worth a fixed amount. Thus, you may get more or less value depending on how you’re using them. However, you should aim for about 1.5 cents per mile in value when redeeming your miles.
How do you calculate that value? Imagine a flight costs $170; alternatively, you see an award redemption for this flight costing 10,000 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and fees. Subtract the cash element of the award ticket ($5.60) from the cash price of the ticket; that leaves you with the money you won’t spend if you redeem miles: $164.40. Divide that by the miles you would need to pay. Dividing 164.4 by 10,000 is 0.01644 — 1.644 cents per mile used.
That’s above the 1.5 cents per mile value that we recommend, so this could be a good use of your miles.
Clearly, you’ll need to do this math each time you want to use miles. Some flights will provide more value for redeeming your miles than others; international flights in business class are a good example of when you may redeem your miles for 3 or more cents apiece. But other flights within the U.S. or economy flights across an ocean also can provide good value for your miles when the cash cost is high but the cost in miles is more reasonable.
Strategies to maximize your American Airlines credit card
To maximize the rewards offered by your credit card, you should first choose one that earns bonus miles in categories where you regularly spend money. All of the cards on this list provide extra earnings on American Airlines purchases, but some provide elevated rewards in certain spending categories. Consider how much you spend with AA annually and whether the extra miles will offset the extra cost from a card charging an annual fee of around $100 to one approaching $600.
The AAdvantage Executive card also earns 10 miles per $1 spent on rental cars and hotels booked through AA’s special portals; if you regularly make bookings this way, this can provide significant bonus earnings. But if you have elite status with hotel or rental car programs, booking through these portals won’t be ideal. Take the tradeoffs into consideration, as you’ll likely forgo your elite perks here. Plus, if you travel several times a year on American Airlines, the savings you’d realize in baggage fees offered by certain AA cards may also play into your decision.
Choosing the best American Airlines credit card
The key to obtaining value from a credit card is ensuring that the benefits and perks offer more value than the annual fee. This applies to any credit card — not just those from American Airlines.
And just because a credit card doesn’t charge an annual fee doesn’t automatically mean you’re getting positive value out of it. The AAdvantage MileUp Card is a good example. You earn AA miles from your purchases, but don’t get free checked bags or priority boarding.
Conversely, if you fly American Airlines regularly, but don’t have the elite status necessary to access the Admirals Club or don’t typically fly in premium cabins, then accessing this lounge for free food and drinks before your flights could provide significant savings when you consider the expensive price tag on food at airport restaurants. An annual membership to the Admirals Club can cost as much as $850, so paying $595 for the annual fee on the AAdvantage Executive card can provide savings over buying a membership.
Whichever American Airlines credit card you’re considering, ensure that the annual fee costs less than the value of the benefits you’re receiving. For example: If you regularly check a suitcase on flights, consider how much getting a free checked bag could save you over the course of a year.
You will with almost every American Airlines credit card that charges an annual fee. The no-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard doesn’t offer this perk.
Only one American Airlines co-branded credit card offers Admirals Club lounge access. It’s the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard. While this card has a $595 annual fee, that’s less than the cost of buying an Admirals Club lounge membership outright. No American Airlines credit cards offer memberships to other lounges, such as Priority Pass or The Centurion® Lounge.
There is nothing preventing this in the Admirals Club rules. However, the rules do state that employees have the right to ask people to leave the lounge if their behavior is “inappropriate, undignified, [or] disruptive.” If lounge staff decide that your sleeping is disruptive to others, such as putting your feet on furniture or snoring loudly, this could be an issue.
You also should note that most lounges aren’t open around the clock. If you’re wondering about sleeping in the lounge overnight, this most likely isn’t possible. Some Admirals Club lounges do offer quiet areas to rest as well as shower suites.
The highest status in American Airlines AAdvantage is Executive Platinum. There are three tiers below this, and Executive Platinum requires earning 200,000 Loyalty Points during the qualification year. Loyalty Points can be earned from paid flights, hotel bookings in the AA portal, credit card purchases, the online shopping mall, and more.
Executive Platinum members get three free checked bags, unlimited complimentary seat upgrades within North America, complimentary food and drinks (even when flying in economy), priority check-in and boarding, free same-day flight changes and standby priority, and even a special customer service line only for Executive Platinum members.
*The information for the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® and Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
