The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is the best American Airlines credit card — it offers AAdvantage miles on everyday purchases, as well as valuable airline benefits like free checked bags.
American Airlines frequent flyers should consider applying for one of the airline’s co-branded credit cards to accelerate miles earnings (and earn more Loyalty Points). American Airlines cards — unlike most co-branded airline cards — offer a pretty generous earning rate.
Signing up for the right American Airlines card could also get you valuable airline perks, such as:
You can also opt to apply for a non-co-branded card if you want more flexible rewards that you can still use toward American Airlines flights. Read on to learn about each American Airlines AAdvantage credit card and the perks they have.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn 2 miles on gas, restaurant and American Airlines purchases
First year card value: $1,353
American Airlines benefits
We consider the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® to be the best all-around American Airlines credit card because of its generous sign-up bonus and solid ongoing rewards. This card offers the best miles-earning potential, with bonus miles on gas station and restaurant purchases. Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases..
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn 2 miles on American Airlines purchases
First year card value: $1,347
American Airlines benefits
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is a solid AAdvantage card for American Airlines customers, and comes with one of the easiest sign-up bonuses to qualify for. Just make any purchase and pay the card’s annual fee, and you’ll earn bonus miles worth enough to cover a free flight or two. However, it’s out-earned by the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, which provides more categories to earn bonus miles.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn 2 miles on groceries and American Airlines purchases
First year card value: $731
American Airlines benefits
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card is the top AAdvantage card for customers searching for a $0-annual-fee airline card. It’s actually one of the few airline co-branded cards on the market to not charge an ongoing membership fee. While frequent flyers won’t get the same level of perks they would with an annual fee card, the card’s generous grocery bonus stands out in the realm of no-annual-fee airline cards.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Get complimentary Admirals Club access
First year card value: $1,105
American Airlines benefits
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is the best American Airlines credit card for the American Airlines frequent flyer who wants lounge access and premium airline perks. The card comes with a hefty $595 annual fee, but it also grants cardholders access to the Admirals Club (up to a $850 value). Admirals Club gives you access to airport lounges with complimentary snacks, drinks, shower suites and business centers.
If airline perks aren’t important to you and you’re simply looking to earn miles for flying, or if you prefer to fly on a variety of airlines, a general travel credit card may be the best way to go. The following cards offer generous rewards and even a few cushy perks, like lounge access.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn 5X points on flight booked directly with airlines or American Express and on prepaid hotels
First year card value: $1,362
If you want a premium travel card that offers perks that extend well beyond flights with American, The Platinum Card® from American Express is worth considering. While a $695 annual fee applies, having transferable points means you can fly with whatever airline is most convenient — whether that’s American or not. You also get elite perks like Priority Pass™ Select airport lounge access*, as well as access to Amex Centurion lounges and Delta Sky Clubs when you fly with Delta. Annual credits for Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings, airline incidentals, digital entertainment*, Walmart+ membership* and more also add to this card’s overall value.
*Enrollment required
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn 10X points on Chase Dining purchases and on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
First year card value: $1,312
If you’re flexible with which airline you fly and you want a handful of travel perks that apply regardless, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® may be the best way to go. This card earns flexible points that transfer to major frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs. You can also get 50% more value for your points when you use them to book travel (including American Airlines flights) through the Chase portal. And while a $550 annual fee applies, the easy-to-use $300 annual travel credit, fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership and included airport lounge access make the fee well worth it.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases
First year card value: $1,802
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is another great choice for consumers looking to earn flexible points they can use toward American Airlines purchases, or elsewhere. For a moderate annual fee, this card offers a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards® hotel credit, $0 foreign transaction fees and a 10% anniversary points boost to help you fund your next trip. Plus, your points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Best of all, cardholders receive perks like trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay coverage, primary rental car coverage, trip delay reimbursement and more.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn 3x points on dining
First year card value: $565
The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® is a good option for you if you rent and travel with American Airlines often. It has a $0 annual fee and, unlike other cards, allows you to earn points on rent which you can then redeem for travel — including American Airlines flights. The card also provides great travel protections, like an auto rental collision damage waiver, trip cancellation/interruption protection and trip delay reimbursement.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Annual Fee | Rewards Rate | Welcome Offer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®*
|
Overall
|
$99, waived for first 12 months | Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases. | Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. | |
|
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®*
Learn More
on Barclays's secure site |
Runner-up
|
$99 | Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on all other purchases | Earn 60,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. |
Learn More
on Barclays's secure site |
|
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card*
|
No annual fee
|
$0 | Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services. Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. | Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. | |
|
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®*
|
Lounge access (co-branded)
|
$595 | Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases | Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening. | |
|
The Platinum Card® from American Express*
|
Lounge access (general travel)
|
$695 | 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Terms apply. | Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. | |
|
Chase Sapphire Reserve®*
|
Travel credits
|
$550 | Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | |
|
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card*
|
Travel insurance
|
$95 | Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | |
|
Bilt World Elite Mastercard®*
|
Apartment renters
|
$0 | Earn 3x Bilt Points on dining, 2x points on travel, and 1x points on other purchases, and rent (up to 100,000 points each calendar year) Earn double points on Rent Day (excluding rent) up to 1,000 bonus points Use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points | Bilt cardholders can earn double points on purchases made on the first of the month (excluding Rent) up to 1,000 bonus points. You must use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points. |
One of the main reasons to get a co-branded AAdvantage card is to score a range of important airline perks. The more often you fly with American Airlines, the more you can use those benefits and the more valuable the card will be. On the other hand, if you rarely fly with American Airlines, or if you’re unlikely to use the airline perks, a general travel card is probably the better way to go.
Here are the key benefits to consider:
You should take a close look at each card’s sign-up bonus, since this can be a quick way to earn an award flight on American Airlines. Some things to consider when evaluating the bonus:
With this in mind, the has the most generous sign-up offer among co-branded American Airlines credit cards right now.
By our estimates, AAdvantage miles value average $0.018 per mile. However, the value will vary depending on how you use your miles.
In addition, though you can redeem AAdvantage miles for merchandise and gift cards, you’ll find that you generally get less than 1 cent per mile on these redemptions.
Miles value of an American Airlines flight = Flight cash price (minus taxes and fees) / Number of miles needed for flight
The number of AAdvantage miles required for an award flight varies widely, depending on the type of fare, origin, destination, and whether you’re able to find a deal. Some flights can cost as little as 7,500 miles— on the other hand, international flights in first class can cost hundreds of thousands of miles. Here are some sample fares for different fare types on American Airlines reward flights:
| Region | Main cabin starting miles | Premium economy starting miles | Business/first class staring miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii + Alaska | 20,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 |
| Europe | 25,000 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
| South America – Long Haul | 30,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 |
| Asia + Middle East + South Pacific | 35,000 | 60,000 | 95,000 |
| Contiguous 48 U.S. states + Canada | 7,500 | - | 15,000 |
| Mexico + Caribbean + Central America | 10,000 | - | 20,000 |
| South America – Short Haul | 15,000 | - | 30,000 |
Elevate the rate at which you earn miles per dollar spent by flying with the American Airlines network to accumulate points more quickly. Prioritize earning status tier one (AAdvantage Gold), and work your way up from there.
| Status tier | Earning rate? | Increase in earning potential |
|---|---|---|
| AAdvantage® Member* | Earns 5 miles per dollar | No additional miles earned for membership |
| Tier 1: AAdvantage Gold® | Earns 7 miles per dollar | 40% bonus |
| Tier 2: AAdvantage Platinum® | Earns 8 miles per dollar | 60% bonus |
| Tier 3: AAdvantage Platinum Pro® | Earns 9 miles per dollar | 80% bonus |
| Tier 4: AAdvantage Executive Platinum® | Earns 11 miles per dollar | 120% bonus |
You should check the earning rate on the card, but some AAdvantage cards earn 2X miles on these purchases — a great way to stack up AAdvantage miles on major expenses.
Use your card when you fly domestically on American Airlines to save on luggage (if it waives the luggage fee)
Since the annual fee AAdvantage cards typically offer free checked luggage for up to four people on your itinerary, this can save you $100 or more each way. (This is a key benefit of the cards!) Note, the benefit doesn’t apply to international flights, so you might use another card when traveling overseas.
Link your card to the AAdvantage dining program to earn bonus miles at some restaurants
You can earn an additional 1x to 5x miles on your purchases.
Use your card for all in-flight purchases on American Airlines
If you opt to purchase an in-flight cocktail, be sure to reach for your co-branded AAdvantage card — you’ll score a huge 25% savings.
Add the American Airlines shopping button to your web browser
You’ll earn extra AAdvantage miles on top of your card rewards for online purchases at participating merchants through American Airlines’ shopping portal.
Co-branded American Airlines cards offer great airline perks that can be very valuable for loyal American Airlines flyers. However, if you’re just looking to earn miles for free flights, a flexible rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® may be the way to go.
In fact, you could pick up a card that earns flexible points in the Chase Ultimate Rewards®, Amex Membership Rewards or Capital One Travel programs and turn your rewards into a flight with American or other airlines.
As an example, all three of these programs let you transfer points to the British Airways Executive Club program at a 1:1 ratio. From there, you can use your newfound “avios” to book one-way domestic flights on partner American for as little as 7,500 avios one-way for short haul flights.
American AAdvantage miles expire if you don’t earn or burn them at least once every 24 months. That said, choosing one of the American Airlines credit card offers on this page and using it for spending will restart the clock and keep your miles valid for another two years.
The best American Airlines AAdvantage credit card for you is the one that comes with the perks and rewards you are most likely to use. That said, we named the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® as our top pick due to its array of benefits and great earning rate for a reasonable annual fee.
If you’re looking for an American Airlines credit card with no annual fee, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card is the only option available. This card comes with $0 annual fee, yet you’ll get a lower welcome offer and earning rate as a result.
American Airlines credit cards don’t disclose a specific minimum credit score requirement. However, rewards and travel credit cards are typically geared to individuals with good or excellent credit.
You can use your American Airlines points to book travel for yourself or for others. This makes it easy to use your rewards to book flights for your entire family, or to give someone an award flight as a gift.
All co-branded American Airlines credit cards offer a free checked bag benefit with the exception of the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card.
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® offers a few travel insurance perks, including trip cancellation and interruption coverage, baggage delay insurance and travel accident insurance.
To make choosing the right card easier, we’ve looked at credit cards reviewed on LendingTree as well as cards on major issuer sites to compile a list of the best rewards credit cards available right now. Our recommendations are based on the additional value you can earn with the cards — including the rewards value, cost of ownership and value of benefits such as travel and purchase protections, lounge membership and airline companion passes. Our choices are not influenced by our advertisers. Learn more on how we calculate rewards.
The information related to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card, Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, The Platinum Card® from American Express, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Bilt World Elite Mastercard® has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
