American Airlines Credit Cards: Here’s How to Pick the Right One for You
Advertiser Disclosure
Credit Card Insider is an independent, advertising supported website. Credit Card Insider receives compensation from some credit card issuers as advertisers. Advertiser relationships do not affect card ratings or our Editor’s Best Card Picks. Credit Card Insider has not reviewed all available credit card offers in the marketplace. Content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuers. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information, though all credit card information is presented without warranty. When you click on any ‘Apply Now’ button, the most up-to-date terms and conditions, rates, and fee information will be presented by the issuer. Credit Card Insider has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Credit Card Insider and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. A list of these issuers can be found on our Editorial Guidelines.
American Airlines offers a host of co-branded travel rewards cards for personal and business use alike. Each card earns AAdvantage miles, and most include perks like free checked bags, discounts on inflight food and beverages, and no foreign transaction fees.
Credit Card Insider receives compensation from advertisers whose products may be mentioned on this page. Advertiser relationships do not affect card evaluations. Advertising partners do not edit or endorse our editorial content. Content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when it's published. Learn more in our Editorial Guidelines.
The information related to British Airways Visa Signature® Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
American Airlines is one of my favorite ways to travel through the sky.
Not only does it offer an abundance of routes to Latin America, which I love to visit, but I’ve also never had major customer service issues with the carrier.
So, with a trip to Argentina soon on the radar, I’m considering applying for an American Airlines credit card. But which one? Frankly, there are too many to choose from.
To help me — and you! — decide, I dug into the details of the different American Airlines card offers.
Which American Airlines Credit Card Should You Get?
Let’s kick things off with my picks for the best American Airlines credit cards, depending on what you’re looking for.
We’ll get deeper into the details of each card later on.
| Best For | Card Name |
|---|---|
| All-Around Workhorse | Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® (Review) |
| Generous Bonus Miles, Low Minimum Spend | AAdvantage® Aviator™ Red World Elite Mastercard® |
| Good, Fee-Free Airline Card | American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card (Review) |
| Business Owners | CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard® |
| Frequent AA Flyers | Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (Review) |
Best All-Around Workhorse
Bonus miles are not available to you if you have opened or closed any Citi® / AAdvantage® card (other than an AAdvantage MileUp℠ or CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® card) in the past 48 months. A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest. Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
No matter how you look at it, this card is solid. Its annual fee is waived for the first year, it offers 2X miles in the high-spend categories of restaurants and gas stations, and it gets you a slew of AA-affiliated perks.
Best for Generous Bonus Miles and a Low Minimum Spend
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
Introductory bonus
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money for a lot of miles, this card’s low barrier to entry is super attractive. It also usually comes with an excellent welcome offer to boost your first-year gains.
Best for a Good, Fee-Free Airline Card
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Regular APR15.99% - 24.99% (Variable)
- Earn 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage®bonus miles and receive a $50 statement credit after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- No Annual Fee
- 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 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases
- Save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases when you use your card on American Airlines flights
- The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 15.99% - 24.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.
- 2X AAdvantage Miles per dollar on:
- Eligible American Airlines purchases
- Grocery stores
- 1X AAdvantage Mile per dollar for everything else
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
Statement credits and bonus miles are not available to you if you have received a statement credit or American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles for a new AAdvantage MileUp℠ account in the past 48 months.
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR15.99% - 24.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee3% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
- Penalty APRUp to 29.99% (Variable)
- Late FeeUp to $40
- Returned Payment FeeUp to $40
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee3%
Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Most airline credit cards come with annual fees of at least $95 or thereabouts, so if you want an airline card without one, this is a smart choice. It earns good rewards for a fee-free card and even comes with a decent intro bonus.
Best for Business Owners
This bonus is not available to you if you’ve received a new account bonus for a CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select account in the past 48 months. A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest. Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
This card’s introductory bonus is well worth the price of admission. Best of all, you can apply for it alongside the Platinum Select personal card, snagging you a ton of AAdvantage miles between the two. (Wondering if you’d qualify for a business card? Here’s what you need to know.)
Cardmembers who hold a companion certificate that expires 12/31/2020 will receive a six-month extension set to expire on 6/30/21.
Best for Frequent AA Flyers
Bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive account in the past 48 months. A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest. Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
Because of its $450 annual fee, this card’s only good for people who fly AA a lot. The free bags for up to eight companions are perfect for big families, but with this card, you’re mostly paying for Admirals Club airport lounge access for yourself and two guests. (Most Admirals Club lounges are still temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)
Cardmembers who opened their account on 3/31/2020 or before that date will receive a one-time courtesy credit of $225 within two billing statements after the annual fee is billed to their account, in reimbursement for the temporary closing of Admirals Lounges.
The Basics of the American Airlines Frequent Flyer Program
American Airlines is a member of the oneworld alliance, so you can use AAdvantage miles to fly on any of its 12 partner airlines. You can also fly with several other partners outside the alliance.
Image credit: American Airlines
The American Airlines AAdvantage program offers elite status to frequent flyers. You can use a combination of elite qualifying dollars (EQDs) along with either elite qualifying miles (EQMs) or elite qualifying segments (EQSs) to qualify for the four different tiers:
Image credit: American Airlines
When it comes to elite status, credit cards unfortunately aren’t going to help much. The only cards that offer any assistance are the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (Review) and AAdvantage® Aviator™ Business Mastercard®, but they require a lot of spending to earn bonus EQMs or EQDs.
The Benefits of American Airlines Credit Cards
The fastest way to earn AAdvantage miles is with the airline’s co-branded credit cards.
In addition to signup bonuses, all of them earn at least 2X miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1X mile per dollar on everything else. Most earn 2X miles in a few other bonus categories, too.
Another perk of being a cardholder is you won’t have to worry much about your miles expiring. Although AAdvantage miles generally expire after 18 months of inactivity, each mile-earning purchase resets the clock.
Here are two other big (but often overlooked) benefits:
Avoiding basic economy boarding
As you probably know, basic economy tickets are the pits. You have to board dead last, meaning there probably won’t be any room for your carry-on bag.
But if you carry a co-branded American Airlines credit card, you’ll get priority boarding — even if you paid for the ticket with a different card.
When you’re a cardmember, you’ll get to board in at least Group 5 (rather than Group 9 with basic economy and Groups 6–8 with standard economy tickets). Executive cardholders will get to board even earlier, with Group 4.
While you still won’t get to pick your seat, you’re more likely to find overhead bin space. You’ll receive this benefit on all the AA-branded cards in this post, with the exception of the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card (Review).
Booking reduced mileage awards
Cardholders can also get discounts on tickets purchased using miles. For flights of 500+ miles, you could get 7,500 miles off, and on flights under 500 miles, you could get 2,000 miles off.
To qualify, you must be a cardholder who is:
- Traveling entirely within the contiguous United States or Canada
- Going to or from a destination on AA’s list of reduced mileage awards cities, which changes every few months
- Booking a flight that has low-level MileSAAver space available (though you can book your seat in another fare class)
Follow the instructions on the reduced mileage awards webpage to book an eligible flight, which includes finding and using the appropriate award code.
You can check availability on the AA website, but if you want to avoid a booking fee you’ll have to book over the phone at 1-800-882-8880. If you book at a travel center you’ll incur a $35 fee for domestic travel or a $45 fee for international travel.
6 American Airlines Credit Cards Go Head-to-Head
While you might see lots of different AA cards floating around the interwebs — like the Aviator Silver or Blue — many aren’t accepting new applications.
Here are the six major American Airlines credit cards that you can apply for today, followed by a detailed breakdown of their features. The first four are issued by Citi, while the last two are issued by Barclays.
Statement credits and bonus miles are not available to you if you have received a statement credit or American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles for a new AAdvantage MileUp℠ account in the past 48 months. A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest. Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$99, waived for first 12 months
- Regular APR15.99% - 24.99% (Variable)
- Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants
- Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- Earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your cardmembership year and renew your card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation
- Enjoy preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
- The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 15.99% - 24.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.
- 2X AAdvantage miles per dollar at:
- American Airlines
- Gas stations
- Restaurants
- 1X AAdvantage mile per dollar on all other purchases
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
Bonus miles are not available to you if you have opened or closed any Citi® / AAdvantage® card (other than an AAdvantage MileUp℠ or CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® card) in the past 48 months.
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR15.99% - 24.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee3% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum
- Penalty APRUp to 29.99% Variable
- Late FeeUp to $40
- Returned Payment FeeUp to $40
- Additional Cards Annual Fee$0
- Foreign Transaction Fee0%
Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive account in the past 48 months. A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest. Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
This bonus is not available to you if you’ve received a new account bonus for a CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select account in the past 48 months. A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest. Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
Introductory bonus
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
Existing cardmembers, existing accounts, and previous cardmembers with accounts closed in the past 24 months may not be eligible for this bonus offer. A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
In addition to the features in the table below, all the cards offer:
- 1st checked bag free (with the exception of MileUp)
- 25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases
- No foreign transaction fees (with the exception of MileUp)
| Card Name | Annual Fee | Perks |
|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card (Review) | $0 |
|
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® (Review) | $99 (waived for first year) |
|
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (Review) | $450 |
|
| CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard® | $99 (waived for first year) |
|
| AAdvantage® Aviator™ Red World Elite Mastercard® | $95 |
|
| AAdvantage® Aviator™ Business Mastercard® | $95 |
|
| Card Name | Intro Bonus | 2X Mileage Categories |
|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card (Review) | 10,000 AAdvantage bonus miles and a $50 statement credit for spending $500 in the first 3 months |
|
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® (Review) | 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles for spending $2,500 in the first 3 months |
|
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (Review) | 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months of account opening (plus 10,000 EQMs for spending $40,000 in any given year) |
|
| CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard® | 70,000 AAdvantage bonus miles for spending $4,000 within the first 4 months of account opening |
|
| AAdvantage® Aviator™ Red World Elite Mastercard® | 60,000 AAdvantage bonus miles and a Companion Certificate for 1 guest at $99 (plus taxes and fees) after making a purchase in the first 90 days and paying the annual fee |
|
| AAdvantage® Aviator™ Business Mastercard® | 65,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days; 10,000 bonus miles after a purchase on an employee card |
|
Note the AA-affiliated perks can only be used on flights operated by AA — and, in some cases, on American Eagle-branded flights marketed by AA but operated by other airlines, like Envoy Air and Piedmont Airlines. Check your card’s terms before assuming a particular benefit will work for your flight if it’s not operated by AA.
Insider tip
Citi’s strict application rules state that, depending on the card, you won’t earn an introductory bonus if you’ve opened or closed a card in the same card family in the past 24 or 48 months, or received a new account bonus from certain cards. So if you get the Platinum card, then the Executive card six months later, you won’t get the second card’s intro bonus. Business and personal cards are separate entities, though, so you could apply for both the Platinum and Platinum Business within two years and get intro bonuses for both.
Other Cards That Can Earn American Airlines Miles
Hoping to book American Airlines flights with frequent flyer miles? You don’t have to limit yourself to AA cards. If you earn miles with any of American’s partner airlines, you could use their miles to fly AA, too.
Here’s an example:
- Get the British Airways Visa Signature® Card (Review) and earn Avios miles for spending with the card.
- Since British Airways is part of the oneworld alliance, you can then use those Avios to book a ticket with American Airlines.
So you could explore the world of co-branded airline credit card offers to find good options for earning partner airline miles.
For a broader, more complicated strategy, you could use a credit card that earns a specific type of rewards points, transfer them to AA or one of AA’s partner airlines, and then use those miles to book an American Airlines flight. Only certain cards, provided by several different issuers, have this point transfer feature.
Here’s what that could look like:
- Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Review) and earn Ultimate Rewards (UR) points for spending with the card.
- Transfer the UR points to Iberia, which is also part of the oneworld alliance.
- Use the Iberia points to book a flight on American Airlines.
As you can see, that method opens up a world of possibilities. Here’s how you could use cards from several major credit card issuers to snag seats on AA flights, plus some suggested cards from each.
American Express
How to use with American Airlines partners: Transfer Amex’s Membership Rewards (MR) points to British Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, Etihad, or Iberia. The transfer ratio is usually 1:1, or it may change; take note that there’s a $0.0006 fee per point for transfers to U.S. airlines, so choose one of the others.
Our pick
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest. American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Introductory bonus
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
Key Features & Terms
- Annual fee: $695 (Rates & Fees)
- 100,000 bonus points for spending $6,000 in the first 6 months; 10X points on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U.S., on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during the first 6 months
- 5X MR points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or via Amex Travel, and on prepaid hotels via Amex Travel (starting 1/1/21, on up to $500,000 spent per calendar year)
- Luxury travel perks and credits
Other Cards That Earn Membership Rewards Points
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$250
- Regular APRSee Pay Over Time APR
- Rose Gold is back. You can now choose between Gold or Rose Gold.
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, including takeout and delivery, and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- Get up to 12 complimentary months of an Uber Eats Pass subscription when you enroll with your Gold Card by 12/31/21.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- 4X Membership Rewards points per dollar at:
- Restaurants
- U.S. Supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X)
- 3X Membership Rewards points per dollar on:
- Flights booked directly with airlines
- Flights booked through amextravel.com
- 1X Membership Rewards point per dollar for every other purchase
Introductory bonus
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Balance Transfer FeeN/A
- Penalty APRSee Rates & Fees
- Late FeeUp to $40
- Returned Payment FeeUp to $40
- Additional Cards Annual Fee$0 for the first 5, then $35 each
- Foreign Transaction FeeNone
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Regular APR12.99%–23.99% Variable
- Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new Card to make $1,000 in purchases in your first 3 months.
- Low intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases, then a variable rate, currently 12.99%–23.99% Variable.
- 2x points at US supermarkets, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1x); 1x points on other purchases.
- Use your Card 20 or more times on purchases in a billing period and earn 20% more points on those purchases less returns and credits.
- Over 1.5 million more places in the U.S. started accepting American Express® Cards in 2017.
- No annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- 2X Membership Rewards points per dollar spent:
- At U.S. supermarkets, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1X)
- On eligible travel purchases from Amex Travel
- 1X Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Earn 20% more points: Make 20 or more purchases in a billing period to receive a 20% point bonus on those purchases
Introductory bonus
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Balance Transfer FeeN/A
- Penalty APR29.24% Variable
- Late FeeUp to $40
- Returned Payment FeeUp to $40
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee2.7%
The information related to Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$295
- Regular APR14.24% - 22.24% Variable
- 4X Membership Rewards points per dollar in the two categories with the highest spend per month, up to $150,000 in combined purchases per year (then 1X):
- Airfare purchased directly from airlines
- U.S. advertising purchases: online, TV, radio
- U.S. providers of computer hardware, software, and cloud solutions
- U.S. gas stations
- U.S. restaurants
- U.S. shipping
- 2X Membership Rewards points per dollar for eligible purchases from American Express Travel
- 1X Membership Rewards point per dollar for all other purchases
Introductory bonus
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR14.24% - 22.24% Variable
- Balance Transfer FeeN/A
- Penalty APR29.24% Variable
- Late Fee$39 or 2.99% of any past due Pay in Full amount, whichever is greater.
- Returned Payment Fee$39
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction FeeNone
The information related to American Express® Business Gold Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
Chase
How to use with American Airlines partners: Transfer Chase’s Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio to British Airways or Iberia.
Our pick
You are ineligible for this bonus if you have a Sapphire card, or you’ve received a new cardmember bonus for any Sapphire card in the past 48 months. A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
Key Features & Terms
- Annual fee: $95
- 100,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
- 5X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on Lyft rides; 2X UR points per dollar on travel and dining; 1X on everything else
With Chase you have yet another potential strategy. Only three Chase cards allow point transfers to partner airlines and hotels — the Sapphire Preferred and two others noted below — but several other cards earn UR points without the transfer option. You can use one of those other cards to earn UR rewards, then move those rewards to a card that does allow partner point transfers, and be on your merry way.
Other Cards That Earn Ultimate Rewards Points and Allow Point Transfers to Partners
- Min. credit levelExcellent
- Annual Fee$550
- Regular APR16.99%-23.99% Variable
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year. Through December 31, 2021, gas station & grocery store purchases will also count towards earning your Travel Credit
- 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 3X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 50% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
- 10X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on Lyft rides (through 3/31/22)
- 3X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on:
- Travel (after the full travel credit is used)
- Dining
- 1X Ultimate Rewards point per dollar on all other purchases
Introductory bonus
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A for N/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR16.99%-23.99% Variable
- Balance Transfer FeeEither $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Penalty APRUp to 29.99%
- Late FeeUp to $39
- Returned Payment FeeUp to $39
- Additional Cards Annual Fee$75
- Foreign Transaction Fee$0
- Min. credit levelExcellent
- Annual Fee$95
- Regular APR15.99%-20.99% Variable
- Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- With Fraud Protection your card transactions will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring.
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- $95 Annual Fee
- 5X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on Lyft rides (through March 2022)
- 3X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent per year on:
- Travel
- Shipping
- Internet, cable, and phone services
- Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
- 1X Ultimate Rewards point per dollar on all other purchases
Introductory bonus
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A for N/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR15.99%-20.99% Variable
- Balance Transfer FeeEither $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Penalty APRUp to 29.99%
- Late Fee$39
- Returned Payment Fee$39
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee$0
Cards That Earn Ultimate Rewards Points and Do Not Allow Point Transfers to Partners
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Regular APR14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
- Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- Earn 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
- No annual fee.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open.
- 5% cash back on:
- Travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Lyft rides (through March 2022)
- Grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart) up to $12,000 spent in the first year
- 5% cash back in rotating categories, up to $1,500 in spending each quarter, then 1%
- 3% cash back at:
- Restaurants
- Drugstores
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Introductory bonus
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A for N/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- Balance Transfer FeeEither $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Penalty APRUp to 29.99%
- Late FeeSee Terms
- Returned Payment FeeSee Terms
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
The information related to Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Regular APR14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- Earn 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No annual fee.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open.
- 5% cash back on:
- Travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Lyft rides (through March 2022)
- Grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart) up to $12,000 spent in the first year
- 3% cash back at:
- Restaurants
- Drugstores
- 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
Introductory bonus
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A for N/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- Balance Transfer FeeEither $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Penalty APRUp to 29.99%
- Late FeeN/A
- Returned Payment FeeUp to $38
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
Capital One
How to use with American Airlines partners: Transfer Capital One miles at a ratio of 1:1 to Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Finnair, or Qantas.
Our pick
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
Introductory bonus
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
Key Features & Terms
- Annual fee: $95
- 60,000 bonus miles for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
- 2X miles per dollar on all purchases
Other Cards That Earn Capital One Miles
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Regular APR15.49% - 25.49% Variable
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Travel when you want with no blackout dates and fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Transfer your miles to over 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 15.49% - 25.49% variable APR after that
- 1.25X miles per dollar spent on all purchases
Introductory bonus
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR15.49% - 25.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee$0 at this Transfer APR
- Penalty APRNone
- Late FeeUp to $40
- Returned Payment FeeNone
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction FeeNone
The information related to Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0 intro for first year; $95 after that
- Regular APR20.99% (Variable)
- Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles - equal to $500 in travel - once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account
- Transfer your miles to 15+ leading travel loyalty programs like JetBlue™, Air Canada, and Emirates™
- Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
- Fly through security with one statement credit for either the $85 TSA Pre✔® application fee or the $100 Global Entry application fee
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that
- Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
- 5X miles per dollar for:
- Hotels booked through Capital One Travel
- Rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar for every other purchase
Introductory bonus
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR20.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee$0 at this Transfer APR
- Penalty APR29.40% (Variable)
- Late FeeUp to $39
- Returned Payment FeeN/A
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction FeeNone
The information related to Capital One Spark Miles for Business has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Regular APR14.49% - 22.49% Variable
- 5X miles per dollar for:
- Hotels booked through Capital One Travel
- Rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 1.5X miles per dollar for every other purchase
Introductory bonus
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR14.49% - 22.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer FeeN/A
- Penalty APR30.90% Variable
- Late FeeUp to $39
- Returned Payment FeeNone
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction FeeNone
The information related to Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
Citi
How to use with American Airlines partners: Transfer Citi’s ThankYou (TY) points at a 1:1 ratio to Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Jet Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, or Qatar.
Our pick
You cannot receive the signup bonus points if you received a new cardmember bonus or have closed any of these cards in the last 24 months: Citi Rewards+℠, Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi ThankYou® Premier/Citi Premier® or Citi Prestige® A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest. Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
How to Transfer a Balance on a Credit Card
Key Features & Terms
- Annual fee: $95
- 80,000 ThankYou points for spending $4,000 in first 3 months (worth $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com)
- 3X ThankYou points per dollar on air travel, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets and hotels; 1X on everything else
Like Chase above, several Citi credit cards earn ThankYou points, but only a couple allow point transfers to the relevant partner airlines. And again like Chase, you can move rewards from one card that doesn’t offer those point transfer options to another card that does.
Other Cards That Earn ThankYou Points
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$495
- Regular APR16.99%–23.99% Variable
- 5X ThankYou points on Air travel and Restaurants
- 3X ThankYou points on Hotels and Cruise Lines
- No limit to the amount of points you can earn
- Rewards never expire
- $250 travel credit
- Complimentary 4th night free on eligible hotel stays, capped at twice per year
- Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
- Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ Application Fee Credit
- No foreign transaction fees
- $495 annual fee
- 5X ThankYou points per dollar spent on:
- Air travel
- Restaurants
- 3X ThankYou points per dollar spent on:
- Hotels
- Cruise lines
- 1X ThankYou point per dollar spent on everything else
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
You are ineligible for this introductory bonus if you’ve either closed or received an introductory bonus from any of the following cards in the past 24 months:
- Citi Rewards+® Card (Review)
- Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card (Review)
- Citi Premier® Card (Review)/Citi Premier
- Citi Prestige (Review)
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APR16.99%–23.99% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee3%, $5 minimum
- Penalty APRUp to 29.99% Variable
- Late FeeUp to $40
- Returned Payment FeeUp to $40
- Additional Cards Annual Fee$75
- Foreign Transaction FeeNone
Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$0
- Regular APR13.49% - 23.49% (Variable)
- The Citi Rewards+® Card - the only credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase - with no cap.
- Earn 15,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $150 in gift cards at thankyou.com
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 13.49% - 23.49%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfer fee — either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
- The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.49% - 23.49%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.
- 2X ThankYou points per dollar on up to $6,000 in purchases per year (then 1X), at:
- Supermarkets
- Gas stations
- 1X ThankYou point per dollar on all other purchases
- Point Round Up: Each purchase rounds up to the nearest 10 points
Introductory bonus
Bonus restrictions
Bonus ThankYou Points are not available if you received a new cardmember bonus for this card or any of the following cards, or have closed this or any of the following cards in the past 24 months:
- Citi ThankYou® Preferred
- Citi ThankYou® Premier/Citi Premier℠
- Citi Prestige®
A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR0% for 15 months
- Regular Balance Transfer APR13.49% - 23.49% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee3% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum
- Penalty APRUp to 29.99% Variable
- Late FeeUp to $40
- Returned Payment FeeUp to $40
- Additional Cards Annual FeeN/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee3%
Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
(The Rewards+ only allows point transfers to JetBlue TrueBlue.)
Wrapping Up
If you’re not devoted to American Airlines, we recommend using a general travel credit card — like the ones listed in the “other cards” section above — instead. Since these flexible cards aren’t co-branded with any particular airline, they work well for a variety of travel spending.
Or, if you’re a fan of a different travel service, check out some other co-branded airline and hotel credit cards.
No matter which American Airlines card you choose, be sure to pay your bill in full each month — and enjoy the journey!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best American Airlines card for bonus miles?
The card with the best welcome bonus is the AAdvantage® Aviator™ Red World Elite Mastercard®. It features:
- 60,000 AAdvantage bonus miles and a Companion Certificate for 1 guest at $99 (plus taxes and fees) after making a purchase in the first 90 days and paying the annual fee
But all American Airlines cards provide 2X bonus miles for AA purchases. Take a look at some of the top American Airlines cards and their respective welcome bonuses:
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® (Review): 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles for spending $2,500 in the first 3 months
- CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®: 70,000 AAdvantage bonus miles for spending $4,000 within the first 4 months of account opening
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (Review): 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
What’s the best American Airlines card for frequent flyers?
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (Review) features strong travel perks and airport lounge access with a high annual fee. Because of the fee, it’s best suited for frequent flyers who’ll get plenty out of the card.
What’s the American Airlines card with the lowest annual fee?
The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card (Review) is the only American Airlines card that doesn’t require an annual fee. However, it’s also the only card that features a foreign transaction fee and it has comparatively subpar benefits.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® (Review) has a reasonable annual fee, but it also has a better benefits package.
What’s the best American Airlines card for business owners?
The CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard® is the best choice for business owners who prefer to fly with American Airlines. It provides good rewards and some useful perks for the traveling businessperson.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, please click here.
Susan Shain
Susan is a freelance writer who specializes in turning complex financial topics into engaging and accessible articles. She's been writing about personal finance for six years, and was previously the senior writer at The Penny Hoarder and a staff writer at Student Loan Hero. Her personal finance writing has also appeared in publications like MarketWatch and Lifehacker.
Do you have a correction, tip, or suggestion for a new post? Contact us here.
The responses below are not provided or commissioned by bank advertisers. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by bank advertisers. It is not the bank advertisers' responsibility to ensure all posts are accurate and/or questions are answered.
