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Best American Airlines credit cards

Written by Edited by
Published on September 04, 2024 | 4 min read

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For frequent American Airlines flyers, having a co-branded airline credit card can provide valuable perks and rewards in the American AAdvantage program. However, it can be overwhelming to determine which card is the best fit for your needs. American Airlines co-branded credit cards offer varying annual fees, rewards structures and benefits. Here’s how to choose the best American Airlines credit card for your travel habits and preferences.

Comparing the best American Airlines credit cards

The best American Airlines credit cards help you earn more miles and can improve your flight experience. When choosing the right card for you, consider the following: how frequently you fly, rewards categories and perks offered.

Card name Best for Highlights Annual fee Bankrate score
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® No annual fee
  • Earn 15,000 miles after spending $500 in the first three months
  • 2X miles on American Airlines and grocery purchases
  • 1X miles on other purchases
$0 3.1
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® Welcome offer
  • Earn 60,000 miles after making your first purchase and paying the annual fee within the first 90 days
  • 2X miles on eligible American Airlines purchases
  • 1X miles on other purchases
  • 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on balance transfers within the first 45 days (21.24% to 29.99% APR after that)
$99 4.4
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® Frequent American Airlines flyers
  • Limited-time offer: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $3,500 in the first four months
  • 2X miles on American Airlines, gas stations and restaurant purchases
  • 1X miles on other purchases
$99 (waived for first 12 months) 4.6
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Admirals Club access
  • Earn 70,000 miles after spending $7,000 in the first three months
  • 10X miles on eligible hotels and car rentals through aa.com
  • 4X miles on American Airlines purchases (raised to 5X miles after spending $150,000 in purchases during the year)
  • 1X miles on other purchases
  • Loyalty Point milestone bonuses
  • Admirals Club membership
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit (up to $100 every four years)

 

$595
4.7
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® Business owners

  • Earn 75,000 miles after spending $5,000 in the first 5 months

  • 2X miles on American Airlines, telecommunications, cable and satellite providers, car rentals and gas station purchases

  • 1X miles on other purchases

 

$99, waived for first 12 months
4.1

Top American Airlines credit cards

American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card image
Best for no annual fee

American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card

Rating: 3.1 stars out of 5
3.1
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® image
Best welcome offer

AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®

Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® image
Best for frequent American Airlines flyers

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

Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
4.6
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® image
Best for Admirals Club access

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
4.7
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® image
Best for business owners

Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®

Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5
4.1

How to choose the best American Airlines credit cards

As you compare American Airlines credit cards, consider these tips to help you determine the best option.

Assess your needs and choose what works best.

  • Decide if you want to pay an annual fee: The MileUp card is the only co-branded American Airlines credit card without an annual fee, while the Platinum and Business cards waive the fee for the first year. Before you decide if a an annual-fee card is right for you, compare credit cards to see if you’ll get proper value from paying an annual fee.

  • Consider whether you need a card for personal or business expenses: You can have a personal American Airlines credit card and a business credit card simultaneously. Decide which fits your spending needs best.

  • Compare frequent flyer perks: Check which cards have the benefits you want. Occasional travelers probably won’t want or use all the perks that someone with Executive Platinum status desires. 

  • Compare bonus categories and welcome offers: If a card comes with a bonus category you will frequently use, it’s worth considering. Also, consider the minimum spending requirement to earn the highest welcome offer you can reasonably manage.

Consider flexible travel cards

If you prefer to fly American Airlines but don’t want to be tied down to a single frequent flyer program, you may want to consider flexible travel credit cards in addition to a co-branded credit card. Many of the best travel credit cards let you transfer points to multiple airlines or use points to book travel through a portal with any airline you want.

It’s worth noting that none of these flexible travel rewards cards can transfer points directly to American Airlines. However, American Airlines is a member of the Oneworld alliance. You can transfer points to a partner airline and book American Airlines flights using that partner’s frequent flyer program (subject to award availability). While this can be complicated, you can get exponential value in the right circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

What’s next? 

Check out the resources below to match a card with your travel needs and budget. 

The bottom line

Choosing the right American Airlines credit card can significantly benefit frequent flyers, but it all depends on personal preferences and needs. Travel credit cards with transferable points are also worth considering for those who prefer flexibility. To find the best American Airlines credit card, compare fees, perks and earning rates to determine which card best fits your travel needs.

*The information about the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®  and Citi® / AAdvantage Businessâ„¢ World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.