Best American Airlines Credit Cards of 2024
Best American Airlines Card Issued by Barclays
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® *
3.4
Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.
Up to 2X Reward Rate
Earn 2X miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases; Earn 1X mile for every dollar spent onRead More
Welcome Bonus
60,000 miles
Annual Fee
$99
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.99% variable
Credit Score
Excellent/Good(700 - 749)
Editorial Review
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is a good option for those who can leverage the AA flight perks to justify the annual fee. When factoring in the welcome bonus and intro companion certificate, the first-year rewards are quite impressive, but aside from 2x miles on AA purchases, the 1x base rewards rate is underwhelming.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to earn the generous welcome bonus
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual companion certificate earned after spending $20,000 in a year with card renewal
- Rich AA flight benefits
- No bonused spending categories other than AA purchases
- Depending on creditworthiness, APR can be very high
Card Details
- Earn 60,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days of account opening
- Earn a companion certificate for one guest at $99 (plus taxes and fees) after spending $20,000 on purchases and your account remains open for 45 days after your anniversary date
- Up to $25 back as statement credits on inflight Wi-Fi purchases on American Airlines operated flights every anniversary year
- 25% discount as statement credits on food and beverage purchases when you use your card on American Airlines operated flights
- Earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile for every dollar spent on all other purchases
Earn 60,000 bonus miles after your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days of account opening
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Best American Airlines Card for Lounge Access
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® *
2.9
Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.
Up to 10X Reward Rate
Earn 10 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through aa.com; 4 miles forRead More
Welcome Bonus
100,000 bonus miles
Annual Fee
$595
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.99% (Variable)
Credit Score
Excellent, Good(700 - 749)
Our Expert Take
For the AA frequent flier who will use the complimentary Admirals Club lounge access, this alone more than offsets the annual fee. Considering that all authorized cardholders are eligible, this can be an incredible value. Extra perks such as VIP check-in, priority boarding, concierge service, and free checked bag sweeten the deal.
Pros & Cons
- Free checked bag on domestic American Airlines flights for up to eight companions on the same reservation
- Discounted Admiral Club membership
- High annual fee with no first-year waiver
- Lackluster rewards rates
- Requires excellent credit
Card Details
- Earn 100,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $10,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 10 miles per dollar spent on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through aa.com, 4 miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile for all other purchases
- Admirals Club Membership: Access to nearly 100 lounge locations worldwide for you and your immediate family (or up to 2 traveling guests that accompany you)
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit up to $100 every 4 years
Earn 100,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $10,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Best American Airlines Card Issued by Citi
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® *
2.8
Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.
Up to 2X Reward Rate
Earn 2 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent at gas stations, restaurants, and qualifying American Airlines purchases; Earn 1 mile perRead More
Welcome Bonus
50,000 bonus miles
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.99% (Variable)
Credit Score
Excellent, Good(700 - 749)
Our Expert Take
For American Airlines frequent fliers, this card brings a nice set of perks and a strong welcome bonus. The miles you can earn on American Airlines, gas and restaurant purchases can easily justify the annual fee – so long as you don’t carry a balance on this high APR card.
Pros & Cons
- Free checked bag for you and up to four companions on domestic American Airlines flights
- Preferred boarding privileges
- No foreign transaction fees
- No limit on mileage earnings
- Lackluster ongoing rewards
- First checked bag free perk not applicable for international flights
- Doesn’t have other perks like lounge access or travel protections
Card Details
- Earn 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 2miles per dollar spent at gas stations, restaurants, and qualifying American Airlines purchases
- Earn 1 mile per every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
- Earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount after spending $20,000 or more in qualifying purchases during your card membership year and renew your card
- First checked bag is free for you and up to four companions on domestic American Airlines flights when traveling on the same reservation
- Preferred boarding privileges on American Airlines flights
Earn 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Best No-Annual-Fee American Airlines Card
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard® *
1.6
Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.
Up to 2X Reward Rate
Earn 2x AAdvantage miles per dollar on groceries and eligible American Airlines purchases and 1x AAdvantage mile per dollar onRead More
Welcome Bonus
15,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR
21.24% – 29.99% variable
Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Our Expert Take
This card makes sense for a narrow range of people: Casual AA fliers seeking a no-annual-fee card with moderate rewards and with no need to carry a balance. To maximize rewards earnings, spend on AA purchases and groceries to score 2x miles. The 3% foreign transaction fee and a lack of perks will turn off frequent international travelers.
Pros & Cons
- No annual fee
- Earn unlimited miles
- 25% discount on in-flight purchases
- Earn 2 miles per dollar on groceries and AA purchases
- 3% foreign transaction fee
- Lackluster travel perks
- Blackout dates apply to some redemptions
Card Details
- Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 2x AAdvantage miles per dollar on groceries and eligible American Airlines purchases
- Earn 1x AAdvantage mile per dollar on all other purchases
- No annual fee
- 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases on American Airlines flights when card is used
Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Here’s a Summary of the Best American Airlines Credit Cards
Credit Card
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® *
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® *
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® *
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard® *
Credit Card
Best For
Credit Score
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® *
Best American Airlines Card Issued by Barclays
Excellent/Good
$99
60,000 miles
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® *
Best American Airlines Card for Lounge Access
Excellent, Good
$595
100,000 bonus miles
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® *
Best American Airlines Card Issued by Citi
Excellent, Good
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99
50,000 bonus miles
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard® *
Best No-Annual-Fee American Airlines Card
Excellent, Good
$0
15,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Earn 60,000 bonus miles after your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days of account opening
Earn 100,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $10,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
Earn 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening
Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
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