Best American Airlines business credit cards
Key takeaways
- American Airlines’ co-branded business credit cards earn American AAdvantage miles on business expenses and travel.
- Currently, there’s only one American AAdvantage program business card open for application: the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®*.
- The CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® offers standout perks, including a companion certificate that’s good for a $99 domestic economy companion fare.
- Though business options are limited, there are other consumer and business cards that can meet the needs of American Airlines loyalists.
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When the American AAdvantage program was unveiled in 1981, it was one of the first airline loyalty programs. These days, you can use this program to travel to hundreds of global destinations. If you fly frequently with American Airlines, you can earn elite status and qualify for special perks like priority check-in, priority boarding, free checked bags and more.
If you’re a business owner, you’ll be happy to know you can earn American AAdvantage miles on business-related flights and on each dollar you spend. This is thanks to the American AAdvantage program’s co-branded business credit cards.
There’s only one business card currently open to applications, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t options for those who frequently fly with American Airlines. Select consumer and business cards can be a rewarding addition to your wallet despite not being co-branded cards.
Top business cards for American Airlines
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Comparing the best business cards for American Airlines
| Card name | Best for | Annual fee | Recommended credit score | Reward highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® | Business spending | $99, waived for first 12 months | Excellent (740 – 850) |
|
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | Frequent flyers | $595 | Good to Excellent (670 – 850) |
|
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®* | Welcome bonus offer | $99, waived for first 12 months | Good to Excellent (670 – 850) |
|
| Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card | General business travel | $95 | Excellent (740 – 850) |
|
How to choose an American Airlines business credit card
It’s easy to become overwhelmed with all the credit card options available, but you got this. As long as you choose a card that plays into your business spending categories, preferred annual fee and extra perks, you can narrow down the choices.
With that in mind, here are factors to consider as you choose the best business credit card for your needs:
- Which sign-up bonus is easier to earn? Some welcome offers require a lot of spending in a short amount of time. If you’re comfortable with that, you can score a sizable offer — but don’t stretch your budget just to earn one.
- How do the categories align with your spending? Let’s be honest: The base rewards rate on most cards is low and it’s all about the bonus categories. Pick bonus categories that closely match your spending so you can keep the rewards rolling in.
- Will you use the cardholder perks? For example, American AAdvantage credit cards offer free checked bags, priority boarding, 25 percent off select in-flight purchases, a companion certificate and similar earning structures. But the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard offers 2X miles at gas stations, whereas the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has big rewards on hotels and car rentals.
- Do you want to pay an annual fee? In general, the bigger the annual fee, the better the benefits are. But will you use them? Only pay for what you’re confident you’ll use — and make a plan to do so.
Should you get a business card and a personal card?
If you’ve been researching American Airlines credit cards, you may have noticed that some versions are geared toward individuals while others are geared toward business owners. Either a personal card or a business card can be a swell option if your goal is to score frequent flyer perks and free flights, but remember you can pick up a personal card and a business card to earn even more miles over time.
For example, you could consider pairing an American AAdvantage business credit card with an American Airlines consumer credit card like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®.
While having both a personal and a business credit card may seem complicated, this strategy actually works rather well. Using a business credit card for business purchases can help you keep your expenses separate, thus simplifying your finances for bookkeeping and tax purposes. Having both types of cards can also help you double up on bonus offers and gain access to different perks and earning rates that can help you grow your miles balance over time.
What’s next?
The bottom line
If you’re a business owner interested in earning miles for award flights with American Airlines, you may want to consider getting the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard. Alternatively, getting business and personal cards can help you maximize earnings and perks for your next American Airlines flight. If you still don’t see the card for you, our CardMatch feature can help you find a card that fits your needs.
Frequently asked questions
*Information about the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® and Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
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