This offer is no longer available on our site: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
If you fly with American Airlines on a regular basis, you might be interested in finding one of the best American Airlines credit cards.
But finding the right one for you can be confusing, because there are around a dozen American Airlines cards, issued by two separate banks: Citi and Barclays.
To help you make your decision, we came up with a list of the best American Airlines credit cards for different types of travelers.
- Best for rewards flights: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
- Best for perks: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- Best for traveling together: AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
- Best for budget travelers: American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
- Best for business travelers: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
Best for rewards flights: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Here’s why: The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® features a generous sign-up bonus that you can use to book rewards flights.
You’ll earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 on purchases within the first 3 months after account opening.
And you’ll earn two miles for every $1 you spend with American Airlines and at restaurants and gas stations. You’ll also receive one mile per $1 on all other purchases.
Each year that you spend $20,000 on purchases and renew your card, you’ll also receive a $125 American Airlines flight discount.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® can also make your trip more comfortable. When you fly, you’ll receive preferred boarding and one free checked bag on domestic flights for you and up to four travel companions.
If you fly with American Airlines on a regular basis, these rewards and perks can help make up for the annual fee ($0 intro, then $99 after first year).
Take a look at reviews of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® to learn more.
Best for perks: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Here’s why: You could travel in style with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®.
The sign-up bonus includes 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles after you spend $7,000 on purchases within the first 3 months after account opening. You’ll earn four miles for every $1 you spend on eligible American Airlines purchases, and one mile per $1 on all other purchases.
But it’s the travel perks that make this card special. When you arrive at the airport, you’ll be able to go straight to the priority check-in lane at select airports, where you and up to eight travel companions can each check one bag for free on domestic flights.
Then, you can head over to security, where you’ll have access to a priority airport screening lane at certain airports. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® will also reimburse you up to $100 when you apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Once you get through security, check out the Admirals Club — the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® features a complimentary Admirals Club membership, which gives you access to nearly 50 American Airlines lounges around the world.
When it’s time for your flight, you’ll enjoy priority boarding. And after you board, you’ll get 25% off in-flight food and drinks.
But all of these perks come with the cost of a hefty $595 annual fee.
Check out reviews of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® to learn more.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Best for traveling together: AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
Here’s why: The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is great for couples and friends who like to travel together.
You’ll earn a companion certificate each account year in which you spend at least $20,000 on purchases and keep your account open for at least 45 days after your anniversary date. This certificate allows you to bring along one guest on a domestic flight for only $99 plus taxes and fees. Depending on how expensive the flight is, that could save you a lot of money on your next trip together.
You’ll also earn 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after making one purchase in your first 90 days of holding the card and paying the card’s $99 annual fee.
You’ll earn two points per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases and one point per $1 on all other purchases.
And there are other travel perks, too, including preferred boarding, 25% savings on in-flight food and drink, and a free first checked bag for you and up to four travel companions.
Compare offers for travel credit cards on Credit Karma for more options.
Best for budget travelers: American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
Here’s why: Considering there’s no annual fee, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® offers a generous slate of flight perks and rewards.
The sign-up bonus includes 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases during the first 3 months after account opening.
You’ll earn two miles for every $1 you spend on eligible American Airlines purchases and at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services. And you’ll get one mile per $1 on all other purchases. You’ll also receive 25% off on in-flight food and drink purchases.
Our list of the best travel cards with no annual fee features some alternatives to this pick, too.
Best for business travelers: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
Here’s why: The CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® could make your next business trip a success.
You’ll earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases during the first 4 months after account opening. You’ll also receive two miles for every $1 you spend on eligible American Airlines purchases, as well as on gas, car rentals, select telecom merchants, and cable and satellite providers. Then, you’ll get one mile per $1 on all other purchases.
You could use these bonus miles, and any others you rack up, to help pay for your next business trip.
You could also earn an American Airlines companion certificate each membership year after spending $30,000 on purchases and renewing your card membership (you’ll have to keep your account open for at least 45 days after your card anniversary). This companion certificate entitles you to bring along a guest on a domestic flight for only $99 plus taxes and fees.
Beyond these rewards, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® features a handful of perks that can make each flight more comfortable, including preferred boarding and one free checked bag on domestic flights for you and up to four travel companions. You’ll also score 25% off in-flight food, drinks and Wi-Fi (if you need to get some work done during your flight).
But you’ll have to weigh these rewards and perks against the card’s annual fee ($0 intro, $99 after first year).
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
From cardholders in the last year
How we picked the best American Airlines credit cards
To find the best American Airlines credit cards, we reviewed all 11 credit cards mentioned on the airline’s website.
The list included six co-branded credit cards issued by Citi and five co-branded credit cards from Barclays. We compared similar credit cards across issuers and chose the best one for each type of traveler.
How to make the most of your American Airlines credit card
To make the most of your American Airlines credit card, it’s important to first consider whether you’re willing to commit to one airline. If you prefer to take the cheapest flight you can find (regardless of airline), or American Airlines doesn’t offer many flights out of your local airport, you might not get much use out of the card.
But if you’ve decided an American Airlines card will work for you, it’s a good idea to pick a card that offers a sign-up bonus with an attainable spending requirement. You can use these miles to book future rewards flights, but it’s important to consider whether the spending requirement (and the annual fee) fit into your budget.
We also recommend you show up early for your flight. The best American Airlines credit cards could make your trip more comfortable with perks like checking a bag for free, breezing through security with a priority screening lane, relaxing at an Admirals Club airport lounge or boarding your flight early.