How to use travel credits when booking a flight on all 11 major US airlines

  • The upcoming holiday travel season is the perfect time to offload travel credit from flights canceled during the pandemic. 
  • Travel credit is often issued in lieu of a refund so an airline can keep the cash paid for the original flight.
  • Each airline is different in how flyers can use credit and this step-by-step guide for all 11 major US airlines explains how to book flights using it. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

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If you voluntarily canceled a flight during the pandemic, chances are that you received a travel or flight credit and not a cash refund. 

Issuing a credit is the preferred method for airlines instead of cash refunds. It's almost like an interest-free loan for airlines as it lets them keep the money paid for a flight without having to provide the service until a later date.

With the holiday season fast approaching, travelers are contemplating returning to the skies, and now is the perfect time to use up that credit before it expires.

Each airline is different in what they'll allow the credit to be used for. Some airlines require that the same passengers use the credit while others are transferable. Credits may also be used to purchase extras like seat assignments or baggage allowance, depending on the airline. 

Prospective flyers seeking to use a credit should call their airline to confirm what it can be used for and if their credit can be used multiple times if the full amount won't be used up in one trip. But once that's all done and it's time to book, the process is quite simple. 

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use travel credits when booking a flight on all 11 major US airlines. 

American Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

book american airlines with travel credit

Then, select the flight you'd like to take.

book american airlines with travel credit

Once you're ready to book, move forward through the booking process as normal. Enter your passenger information, select your seats, and so on.

book american airlines with travel credit

Once you arrive at the "review and pay" page, that's when you can enter your travel credit information.

book american airlines with travel credit

Scroll down to "how do you want to pay for your trip" and select "add flight credit."

book american airlines with travel credit

It will open this window and ask for your ticket number from the canceled flight for which you received a credit.

book american airlines with travel credit

That can be found in the booking email.

book american airlines with travel credit

Just scroll down to the payment information and the ticket number should be right there.

book american airlines with travel credit

Once that's in, enter your credit card information (if there's a difference between the credit amount and the fare) and pay as normal.

book american airlines with travel credit

Delta Air Lines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

book american airlines with travel credit

Once you arrive at the "review and pay" page, that's when you can enter your travel credit.

book american airlines with travel credit

Scroll down to "payment" and select "use eCredits" in the top right corner.

book american airlines with travel credit

It will open this window and ask for up to three eCredit numbers from the canceled flight or flights for which you received a credit. Delta will have sent an email with the eCredit number.

book american airlines with travel credit

United Air Lines: If you have a future flight credit with United, you wouldn't start the booking process as normal.

book american airlines with travel credit

Instead, go to "my trips" on the homepage. It will ask for the confirmation number for the flights in which you canceled to receive the credit, and your last name.

book american airlines with travel credit

The website will then show you how much credit you have to use and by when you need to rebook. When you're ready to proceed, hit "book with credit."

book american airlines with travel credit

Then, search for a flight as normal.

book american airlines with travel credit

Prices will then reflect the difference you'll have to pay, not the actual cost of the flight.

book american airlines with travel credit

Select the flight you wish to take.

book american airlines with travel credit

Then, you can book as normal since the discount is already applied.

book american airlines with travel credit

If United gave you an electronic travel credit, you'll have to start over and search for the flight as if it was a new booking altogether.

book american airlines with travel credit

Once you've selected your flight and have reached the payment page, scroll down to "payment information" and select "travel certificates."

book american airlines with travel credit

You can then enter the pin code and your last name to retrieve the credit. Once applied, you can book as normal.

book american airlines with travel credit

Southwest Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

book american airlines with travel credit

The "passenger & payment info" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

book american airlines with travel credit

Once you've entered in all the required passenger information, hit "continue to payment."

book american airlines with travel credit

Scroll down to and click "apply travel funds, LUV vouchers, and gift cards." You'll then enter in the confirmation number and passenger information from the canceled flight for which the credit was issued.

book american airlines with travel credit

Frontier Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

book american airlines with travel credit

Once a flight is selected, proceed normally through the booking process by entering passenger information, choosing any extras, and so on.

book american airlines with travel credit

The "payment" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

book american airlines with travel credit

Scroll down to "add additional payment" under the credit card section and select "Frontier voucher."

book american airlines with travel credit

It'll then ask for the email address and confirmation number of the canceled flight for which the credit was issued.

book american airlines with travel credit

You can use some of the credit or all of it. You should also check to see if any residual value will go back to the credit as some airlines choose to operate under a one-time use policy when it comes to travel credits.

book american airlines with travel credit

The amount of the credit with then be taken off of the purchase price.

book american airlines with travel credit

Spirit Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

book american airlines with travel credit

Scroll down to "redeem a voucher or credit" just above the credit card section.

book american airlines with travel credit

It'll then ask for the voucher number – if you have a voucher – or the confirmation number of the canceled flight for which the credit was issued.

book american airlines with travel credit

JetBlue Airways: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

book american airlines with travel credit

If you're a TrueBlue member, you should sign in as it makes it easier to access the credit on the next page.

book american airlines with travel credit

The "review trips" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

book american airlines with travel credit

Scroll down to "payment details" and find "apply JetBlue funds" just above the credit card section.

book american airlines with travel credit

Click the box for "travel bank" and if you're logged into TrueBlue, the credit amount should come up. If you're not a TrueBlue member, a separate travel bank account with login information would've been emailed to you.

book american airlines with travel credit

You can use any amount of the credit and any unused portion will remain until its expiration date.

book american airlines with travel credit

The discounted price will then show under "payment amount."

book american airlines with travel credit

Alaska Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

book american airlines with travel credit

The "checkout: review and complete payment" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

book american airlines with travel credit

Scroll down to "wallet and certificates" just above the credit card section. If you're logged in to Mileage Plan, the travel credit should appear until "wallet funds." If you're not logged in, you can check the "use certificates or gift cards (not deposited in a wallet account)" box.

book american airlines with travel credit

You'll then be asked to enter the certificate code and pin, followed by a security verification check.

book american airlines with travel credit

Allegiant Air: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

book american airlines with travel credit

The "payment information" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

book american airlines with travel credit

Scroll down to "do you have an Allegiant voucher or promo code" section, just under the travel insurance offer.

book american airlines with travel credit

You'll then be asked to provide a voucher number from the canceled flight for which the credit was issued.

book american airlines with travel credit

Sun Country Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

book american airlines with travel credit

The "review & pay" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

book american airlines with travel credit

Scroll down to the "payment" section, and select "use a Sun Country flight credit or voucher."

book american airlines with travel credit

You'll then be asked to provide the confirmation code and last name or a voucher number from the canceled flight for which the credit was issued.

book american airlines with travel credit

Hawaiian Airlines: The airline requires customers booking with a travel credit to call its reservations department at 1-800-367-5320 for US and Canada residents.

book american airlines with travel credit

Flyers can also call the reservations department of any airline for assistance with booking using a credit.

book american airlines with travel credit

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Canceling an AA flight paid for with flight credit? - Air Travel Forum

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' class=

Note: This will only work if you bought from the airline or a reputable agent. If you bought from a cheap online seller you likely won't get anything back

book american airlines with travel credit

It all depends what waivers AA have in place for your ticket - these can vary

book american airlines with travel credit

I’ve cancelled and rebooked a bunch with AA throughout the pandemic and ultimately never lost my money, but I’d advise calling them, as they aren’t like Southwest where it’s all possible online and obvious where you stand.

Just check to make sure whether you have to actually complete your travel by then or just book another flight . Some of the terms on flight credits can be different and people have gotten tripped up with this. They think as long as they booked a flight by say March, 2022 that they can use it for flights scheduled after that date.

If it was me I would not be rebooking till I am more sure or it gets closer to the expiration date.

That, dear lady, is a great question to ask AA directly. Would recommend a call. Best wishes. 🥃

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Best Ways To Book American Airlines First Class Using Points [Step-by-Step]

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Best Ways To Book American Airlines First Class Using Points [Step-by-Step]

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American Airlines has the world’s largest fleet of aircraft, which means you have plenty of options to experience its first class product.

Whether you’re going to Tokyo , Hong Kong , Paris , or even Sydney — you can get there in first class on American Airlines.

Rather than pay thousands of dollars for this experience, you have your choice of several frequent flyer programs to book your first class ticket!

A Look Inside American Airlines First Class

If you are departing from Chicago (ORD), London (LHR), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), or New York (JFK), you will have access to American’s Flagship First check-in process, complete with an individual customer service representative and expedited security access.

Your first class ticket also grants you access to Flagship Lounges when traveling internationally. American currently has Flagship Lounges at 5 airports : Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), and New York (JFK); it is expanding to Philadelphia (PHL) soon.

Admirals Club Miami International Airport Flagship Lounge Chairs

If you are flying into London, you will even have access to the American Airlines arrivals lounge to freshen up before venturing into the city .

Flights within North America and the Caribbean usually do not grant access to Flagship Lounges, but transcontinental flights between New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX)/San Francisco (SFO) and between Los Angeles (LAX) and Miami (MIA) also provide access.

American Airlines Flagship First Dining LAX tarmac view with Krug and mojito

American Airlines also boasts a Flagship First Dining experience at its Dallas (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), and New York (JFK) Flagship Lounges.

Note that credit cards offering lounge access, such as The Platinum Card ® from American Express , do not offer entry to any of these premium lounges.

Now, let’s talk about what to expect on your American first class flight.

Your seat will have direct aisle access, so you don’t have to crawl over someone while they’re sleeping when you want to stretch your legs — and your flight attendant won’t have to reach over someone to hand you food and drink.

American Airlines Flagship First Class A321T seat 1F

For your comfort, all seats are lie-flat, so you can sleep during your flight as well.

American still offers the hot towel amenity, which is a lovely way to refresh and clean up at the beginning and end of the flight.

Additionally, you’ll receive pajamas and a Shinola amenity kit complete with D.S. & Durga products.

2021 American Flagship First amenity kit

From start to finish, American Airlines pulls out all the stops for its first class passengers, so you can relax and enjoy the experience!

Hot Tip: Check out our detailed guide to American Flagship First and Flagship Business , including amenities, routes, and booking options.

How To Book American Airlines First Class Using Points

You can, of course, use American AAdvantage miles to book first class on American Airlines, or you can book through one of its Oneworld partner airline programs like Japan Airlines or Alaska Airlines.

If you have Etihad Guest miles, you can also use them to fly American since it has an individual partnership with the airline.

While most people aren’t aware of American Airlines’ partnership with Etihad Airways, this is an incredibly lucrative option to consider.

Etihad Guest , in addition to having fantastic award redemption prices on American Airlines-operated flights, is one of the few partners with an abundance of transfer partnerships.

Here’s what the first class award chart looks like:

To book American Airlines flights using Etihad miles, you have to give Etihad Guest a phone call. Here are the recommended instructions:

  • Find American Airlines first class availability using Qantas’ website or British Airways’ website .
  • Jot down the itinerary details and call Etihad Guest at 877-690-0767. Ask the agent to assist with booking an American Airlines award ticket.
  • Provide the representative with the flight information, redeem your miles, and use a credit card to pay for taxes and fees.

Earning Etihad Guest Miles

Etihad Guest miles, as we mentioned above, is an Amex transfer partner , Citi transfer partner , Capital One transfer partner , and Marriott transfer partner .

Amex and Citi transfer almost instantly at a 1:1 ratio, while Capital One transfers in around 36 hours at a 1:1 ratio.

Marriott Bonvoy transfers in approximately 3 business days at a 3:1 ratio. Also, for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer to Etihad Guest, you’ll earn an extra bonus of 5,000 Etihad miles.

Recommended American Express Cards

The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

  • The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
  • 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
  • 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
  • Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment ( airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit )
  • TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
  • Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
  • Access to Amex International Airline Program
  • No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
  • $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
  • Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card ® , Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
  • Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
  • $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
  • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card ® . Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
  • $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
  • $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
  • $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card ® . Learn more.
  • $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck ® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card ® . An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
  • Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
  • $695 annual fee.
  • Terms Apply.

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American Express® Gold Card

American Express ® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

The American Express ® Gold Card  is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

  • 4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
  • 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
  • 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
  • Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com , Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
  • Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash : get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
  • No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees )
  • Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
  • Access to American Express transfer partners
  • $250 annual fee (see rates and fees )
  • No lounge access
  • Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards ® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards ® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 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: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
  • Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
  • Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $250.
  • Find the Amex Gold 75k or 90k Welcome Bonus Offer
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One of the easiest ways to book American first class is through its own AAdvantage program. Here’s the first class award chart for travel from the contiguous 48 United States and Canada:

American Airlines first class award chart

You can complete the entire booking process online using these easy steps:

  • Go to the American Airlines website .
  • Log in to your AAdvantage account.
  • Select Redeem Miles .
  • Enter your departure and destination cities as well as travel dates.
  • Select your class of service to see the mileage cost (make sure to choose SAAver level so you get the cheapest award price).
  • Confirm your travel date.
  • Select your flight and hit Continue.
  • Enter passenger details.
  • Enter your payment information.

Fortunately, American Airlines will hold your award reservation up to 5 days (if you book at least 15 days in advance), so you will have time to transfer points.

Keep in mind that American’s AAdvantage program does not allow stopovers on award tickets, but you can book one-way awards.

Hot Tip: Need some inspiration? Check out our posts on the best ways to redeem AAdvantage miles  in general — and the best ways to use 100k AAdvantage miles  if you’ve got a big stack!

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage Miles

American Airlines AAdvantage has just 2 transfer partners. Marriott Bonvoy transfers to AAdvantage at a 3:1 ratio while Bilt Rewards points transfer at a 1:1 ratio.

Recommended Marriott Bonvoy Cards

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card , the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.

  • 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
  • 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2X points)
  • 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
  • Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
  • 15 Elite Night Credits per year
  • 1,000 bonus points per paid stay
  • 1 Free Night Award (up to 50,000 points) when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year
  • $250 annual fee ( rates and fees )
  • Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit
  • Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy ® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
  • Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
  • Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Marriott Bonvoy 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy ® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
  • With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy ® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit, available for Qualifying Rates.
  • Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy ® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card ® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy ® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
  • Plan It ® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
  • $250 Annual Fee.
  • Terms apply.
  • APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable
  • Hotel Credit Cards
  • Marriott Transfer Partners
  • Best Credit Cards for Marriott Loyalists
  • Best Marriott Credit Cards

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card  is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

  • 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy   program
  • 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
  • 25 Elite Night Credits each year
  • Priority Pass Select membership upon enrollment
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit
  • Annual Free Night Award after card renewal
  • Complimentary Platinum Elite status
  • Steep annual fee of $650 ( rates and fees )
  • 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card
  • Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card at restaurants worldwide.
  • With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
  • Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
  • $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton ® or St. Regis ® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ® : Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck ® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy ® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
  • Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
  • With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
  • $650 Annual Fee.

Marriott Bonvoy

  • Best Credit Cards with Priority Access

Citi and Barclays both issue AAdvantage co-branded credit cards that earn miles directly, which is an easy way to add to your mileage balance.

Unlike American Airlines and many other frequent flyer programs, Japan Airlines’ Mileage Bank program uses a distance-based award chart. The award chart is broken into tiers based on how many miles you fly.

Japan Airlines partner award chart

If you fly multiple segments, you’ll need to account for the distance between each airport.

Japan Airlines allows you to book AA award flights online if you follow the steps below.

  • Go to the Japan Airlines website .
  • Log in to your JAL Mileage Bank account.
  • Select JMB Partner Airlines Award Ticket Reservation .
  • Select American Airlines under Partner Airlines .
  • Select first class, your travel dates, and the departure and destination airports.
  • Select your flights and hit Next.
  • Confirm the Mileage Bank miles and taxes/fees required and book the ticket.

Japan Airlines allows stopovers , so you can see multiple destinations on your trip if you want. Remember, each stop will add additional flight miles that must be considered when determining the number of Japan Airlines miles that will be required for booking .

Earning Japan Airlines Miles

Japan Airlines has 1 transfer partner: Marriott Bonvoy . Marriott points transfer to JAL at a 3:1 ratio in 2 business days.

As with other partners, when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to Japan Airlines, you’ll get a bonus of 5,000 miles.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is one of the best ways to book American Airlines first class flights using points, thanks to a solid award chart:

To book, follow these simple steps:

  • Go to Alaska’s website .
  • Sign in to your account.
  • Search for your desired route (make sure you select Use Miles ).
  • Select your desired flight and Add To Cart .
  • Pay the necessary taxes/fees and complete your booking.

Not only are Alaska’s award prices better than American’s own, but you can also book a stopover. Make sure you consider using Alaska miles when booking this cabin class!

If you need some other ideas for using your Alaska miles, check out our best ways to redeem Alaska miles .

Earning Alaska Airlines Miles

Alaska Airlines has partnered with Bank of America to offer co-branded personal and business credit cards. That way, you can access a sign-up bonus and earn Alaska miles directly.

In addition, Marriott Bonvoy is a 3:1 transfer partner with Alaska Airlines. For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer to Alaska Airlines, you’ll receive an extra 5,000 Alaska miles as a bonus.

Marriott Bonvoy takes around 4 business days to transfer to Alaska Airlines.

American Airlines has several other partners that can be useful when booking award flights.

Cathay Pacific and British Airways (Oneworld partners) both have some sweet spots, but you’ll be on the hook for hefty fuel surcharges .

If you’re looking for a way to try American first class with its Flagship services, check out these great international options:

American Airlines and Alaska Airlines both have credit card partnerships you can utilize to earn more miles as well.

Learn more about the  Citi and Barclays co-branded American Airlines credit cards to see how you can use them to earn AAdvantage miles directly.

If you’d like to learn more about how to earn Alaska Mileage Plan miles , check out your options with its co-branded Bank of America cards.

Here are all of the transfer partnerships you can maximize to book American Airlines Flagship First Class using any of the frequent flyer programs above:

  • Amex Membership Rewards transfers at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly to Etihad Guest.
  • Citi ThankYou Rewards transfers at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly to Etihad Guest.
  • Capital One Miles transfers at a 1:1 ratio within 36 hours to Etihad Guest.
  • Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio to Japan Airlines Mileage Bank (2 days), American Airlines AAdvantage (2 days), Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan (4 days), and Etihad Guest (3 days).

American Airlines is notoriously bad about releasing first class award space at the MileSAAver level. You can pay its AAnytime award rates, but it requires an unreasonable amount of miles.

Your best bet for finding first class award space is to start searching as soon as you have an idea of your travel dates and keep checking regularly.

Unfortunately, American is not predictable in how it releases space, so this process can be time-intensive.

What Makes American Airlines First Class a Great Redemption?

American Airlines’ Flagship Lounges are where the ground experience really shines. From the buffet to the beer, wine, and spirits selection, you’ll definitely be able to relax while waiting for your flight.

Even better, American Airlines has stepped up its game by adding revamped dining options for first class passengers. The buffet might be nice, but a fine-dining experience is better! Flagship First Dining provides a fantastic sit-down dining option exclusively for first class passengers.

We mentioned the arrivals lounge in London (LHR) earlier, but you might be wondering what that actually means for you. At the arrivals lounge, you will have the chance to take a shower and change clothes after a long transatlantic flight.

Additionally, you’ll be able to get a nice meal from the buffet or order from an à la carte menu. To top it off, you can have a cup of coffee or a glass of Champagne. Whether you’re in London for business or vacation, this is a great way to start your trip!

As you’re planning your next first class flight across the Pacific or the Atlantic, make sure you consider American Airlines first class!

Not only will you have a great flight, but you’ll have a fantastic experience from the moment you walk into the airport. How many passengers can say that?!

All you have to decide is where to go and which airline program you want to use to book the flight!

The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click  here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business ® American Express ® Card, click here . For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the American Express ® Business Gold Card, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to book american airlines first class.

If you are planning a first class experience, the best deal will likely be by using Etihad Guest miles or redeeming Japan Airlines miles. Make sure you also consider using American Airlines AAdvantage for enhanced award availability of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan if you happen to have a bunch of Alaska Airlines miles.

Japan Airlines’ distance-based award chart provides some great redemptions, but generally, Etihad Guest offers better deals.

What credit cards can help me fly American Airlines first class?

Etihad is transfer partners with Amex, Citi, Capital One, and Marriott Bonvoy, so using any card that earns these points will go a long way.

If you need to boost your American miles balance, you can use one of its co-branded Barclays or Citi cards .

Bank of America offers co-branded cards that earn Alaska miles if you need to top off your Mileage Plan account.

What do I get when flying American Airlines first class?

Flying first class on American Airlines is a great experience from start to finish. From priority check-in, security, and boarding to fine dining in the Flagship Lounge, you won’t be disappointed.

If you are flying to London, you will also have access to a lounge upon arrival so you can have a meal and take a shower.

What is difference between business class and first class on American Airlines?

On international flights, first class is much more exclusive than business class. You’ll sit in a spacious, open-air suite in first class and have access to better amenities, like better bedding, elevated service, more extensive food and beverage options, and luxury amenities.

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About Spencer Howard

Always a fan of flying, it was only natural that Spencer was drawn to finding a way to improve the travel experience.

Like many, he started this journey searching for cheap flights to take him around the world. This was fun for a while, but Spencer was intrigued by the idea of flying in business and first class!

Throwing himself into what became an extensive research project, Spencer spent 3-4 hours per night learning everything he could about frequent flyer miles over the course of several months (he thinks this is normal). He runs Straight to the Points, an award-seat alert platform.

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Earn 15,000 american airlines aadvantage® bonus miles with our no annual fee credit card*, bonus miles earned after $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, bonus miles earned after $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, no annual fee *.

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Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Offer availability.

American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® account in the past 48 months.

The card offer referenced in this communication is only available to individuals who reside in the United States and its territories, excluding Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Bonus miles

Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) are not purchases. American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles typically will appear as a bonus in your AAdvantage® account 8-10 weeks after you have met the purchase requirements. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Purchases must post to your account during the promotional period. Many merchants will wait for a purchase to ship before they post the purchase to your account. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account.

First checked bag free

For benefit to apply, the Citi® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember's American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, these benefits will be cancelled.

Eligible Citi® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmembers may check one bag free of charge when traveling on domestic itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on itineraries marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. All flights on the itinerary must be domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. For the Citi® / AAdvantage® credit card, up to four (4) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get their first checked bag free of charge if they are listed in the same reservation. Waiver does not apply to overweight or oversized bags. This benefit cannot be combined with any existing AAdvantage® elite program benefits, or with First or Business class benefits, including any waiver of baggage charges. Please see aa.com/baggage » for baggage weight and size restrictions. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Double miles on American Airlines purchases

Eligible American Airlines purchases are items billed by American Airlines as merchant of record booked through American Airlines channels (aa.com, American Airlines reservations, American Airlines Admirals Club®, American Airlines Vacations℠, Google Flights, and American Airlines airport and city ticket counters). Products or services that do not qualify are car rentals and hotel reservations, purchase of elite status boost or renewal, and AA Cargo℠ products and services. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8-10 weeks.

Double miles at restaurants and gas stations

Earn 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent on purchases at restaurants (including cafes, bars, lounges, and fast food restaurants) and at gas stations. Food and beverage purchases made at the American Airlines Admirals Club® will be awarded 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent as part of the Double Miles on American Airlines purchases benefit.

Certain non-qualifying purchases: Restaurant purchases not eligible to receive double miles include, but are not limited to, supercenters, warehouse clubs, discount stores, restaurants / cafes inside department stores, bowling alleys, public and private golf courses, country clubs, convenience stores, movie theaters, caterers and meal kit delivery services. Gas station purchases not eligible to receive double miles include, but are not limited to, purchases made at warehouse clubs that do not code gas station purchases under a gas station code, discount stores, department stores and convenience stores.

Merchant classification for rewards categories: Merchants are assigned a merchant category code ("MCC"), which is determined in accordance with Visa/Mastercard/American Express procedures based on the kinds of products and services the merchants primarily sell. Citi does not control the assignment of these codes and are not responsible for the codes used by merchants. When you use your card to make a purchase, Citi is provided an MCC for that purchase. Citi groups similar merchant codes into categories for purposes of making rewards offers. Sometimes you may expect a purchase to fit within a rewards category, but if the code assigned to the merchant wasn't grouped into that category as recognized by Citi, your purchase will not qualify for additional miles. [For example, you won't earn additional miles for purchases at a restaurant located within a retailer if the restaurant is assigned a "retailer" code instead of a "restaurant" code.] Please also note – purchases made through mobile/wireless technology may not earn additional miles depending on how the technology is set up to process the purchase.

Citi® reserves the right to determine which purchases qualify for this offer. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) do not earn miles. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8-10 weeks.

1 mile per $1

AAdvantage® miles are earned on purchases, except balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions). Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8-10 weeks.

Preferred boarding

For benefit to apply, the Citi® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember's American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, this benefit will be cancelled. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Up to four (4) companions traveling with and listed in the same reservation as the Citi® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmember are eligible to board at the same time as the primary credit cardmember. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Eligible credit cardmembers will board after Priority boarding is complete, but before the rest of economy boarding. The boarding benefit will display on your American Airlines boarding pass as Group 5. This benefit applies on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc.

$125 American Airlines Flight Discount

Earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount certificate (the "Flight Discount") after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases that post to your Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® credit card billing statement during your credit cardmembership year (every 12 months from the billing cycle after your anniversary month through the billing cycle of your next anniversary month). With the exception of special account status or circumstances (e.g. Military relief programs), the anniversary month will coincide with the month in which the annual fee is billed. To receive the Flight Discount, your account must be open for one full billing cycle after your anniversary month. For your first year of credit cardmembership, purchases qualify as of the date of your account opening. The Flight Discount expires one year from date of issue of the certificate. The Flight Discount is redeemable toward the initial ticket purchase of air travel wholly on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. for itineraries originating in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or U.S. Virgin Islands, and sold in US Dollars. The Flight Discount is also redeemable for air travel on any oneworld® carrier or American Airlines codeshare flight. The Flight Discount is redeemable online at aa.com, or by calling American Airlines Reservations. A reservations services fee may apply for travel booked through American Airlines Reservations. The Flight Discount is redeemable only toward the purchase of the base airfare and directly associated taxes, fees and charges that are collected as part of the fare calculation for travel. The Flight Discount cannot be used to pay the taxes and charges on mileage redemption tickets where only taxes and fees are being collected. The Flight Discount may not be used for flight products and/or services that are sold separately or non-flight products and/or services sold by American Airlines. If the ticket price is greater than the value of the Flight Discount, the difference must be paid only with a credit, debit or charge card, or with American Airlines Gift Cards. Any unused balance can be applied towards eligible future travel until the stated expiration date. If travel booked with the Flight Discount is cancelled or changed by the credit cardmember, the Flight Discount will be forfeited and the credit cardmember will be responsible for any applicable fare difference and the applicable change fee. The Flight Discount will not be replaced for any reason. The Flight Discount is non-refundable, may not be sold and has no cash redemption value. After qualification, please allow 8-12 weeks for delivery of the Flight Discount.

25% savings on eligible inflight purchases

Citi® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their Citi® / AAdvantage® card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases, such as wireless internet access. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember's card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Authorized user

Before adding an authorized user to your credit card account you should know:

You're responsible for all charges made or allowed to the credit card account by the authorized user. Miles earned on an authorized user’s credit card will be allocated to the AAdvantage® account of the primary credit cardholder and not the authorized user. Authorized users have access to your credit card account information. Before adding an authorized user, you must let him/her know that we may report credit card account performance to the credit reporting agencies in the authorized user's name. If we ask for information about the authorized user, you must obtain their permission to share their information with us and for us to share it as allowed by applicable law. Authorized users do not receive the first checked bag free or boarding benefits.

Fraud Disclosure

If Citi sees evidence of fraud, misuse, abuse, or suspicious activity, as determined by Citi in its sole discretion, Citi reserves the right to take action against you and your credit card account. This may include, without limitation and without prior notice, declining your credit card account application, stopping you from earning American Airlines AAdvantage® miles for purchases made with your card, suspending or closing your Citi® / AAdvantage® card account, and advising American Airlines of such activity. Citi may also take legal action against you to recover monetary losses, including litigation costs and damages. Examples of activities that may trigger such actions include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) application for a card account in an attempt to take advantage of a bonus offer that was not intended for you or for which you are not eligible per the terms of the offer; (2) repeated cancellation or conversion of your Citi card accounts within one year after account opening or conversion; (3) returns of purchases you made to satisfy all or a substantial portion of the purchase requirements for a bonus offer or excessive returns of purchases for which you have earned AAdvantage® miles or (4) using your account other than for personal, family or household purposes.

Card Account Disclosure

The Card Account is only available if you have an open AAdvantage® program membership in your name. Citi reserves the right to cancel your Card Account if you or American Airlines terminates or deactivates your AAdvantage® program membership.

American Airlines reserves the right to change the AAdvantage® program and its terms and conditions at any time without notice, and to end the AAdvantage® program with six months’ notice. Any such changes may affect your ability to use the awards or mileage credits that you have accumulated. Unless specified, AAdvantage® miles earned through this promotion/offer do not count toward elite-status qualification or AAdvantage Million Miler℠ status. American Airlines is not responsible for products or services offered by other participating companies. For complete details about the AAdvantage® program, visit aa.com/aadvantage » .

Travel booked on American Airlines may be American Eagle® service, operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc.

American Airlines, American Eagle, AAdvantage, AAdvantage Million Miler, MileSAAver, Business Extra, Flagship, Admirals Club, Platinum Pro, AAdvantage MileUp, AA Cargo, the Flight Symbol logo and the Tail Design are marks of American Airlines, Inc.

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Citibank is not responsible for products or services offered by other companies. Cardmember program terms are subject to change.

Mastercard, World Elite and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.

© 2021 Citibank, N.A. Citi, Citi and Arc Design and other marks used herein are service marks of Citigroup Inc. or its affiliates, used and registered throughout the world.

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American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp® Mastercard®

Statement credit and American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a statement credit or American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles for a new AAdvantage MileUp® account in the past 48 months.

Double miles on grocery store purchases

Earn 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent on purchases at grocery stores. Grocery stores are classified as supermarkets, freezer/meat locker provisioners, dairy product stores, miscellaneous food/convenience stores, markets, specialty vendors, and bakeries.

Certain non-qualifying purchases: You won’t earn double miles for purchases at general merchandise/discount superstores, wholesale/warehouse clubs, candy/confectionery stores, cafes, bars, lounges, and fast food restaurants.

Merchant classification for rewards categories: Merchants are assigned a merchant category code (“MCC”), which is determined in accordance with Visa/Mastercard/American Express procedures based on the kinds of products and services the merchants primarily sell. Citi does not control the assignment of these codes and are not responsible for the codes used by merchants. When you use your card to make a purchase, Citi is provided an MCC for that purchase. Citi groups similar merchant codes into categories for purposes of making rewards offers. Sometimes you may expect a purchase to fit within a rewards category, but if the code assigned to the merchant wasn’t grouped into that category as recognized by Citi, your purchase will not qualify for additional miles. [For example, you won’t earn additional miles for purchases at a restaurant located within a retailer if the restaurant is assigned a “retailer” code instead of a “restaurant” code.] Please also note – purchases made through mobile/wireless technology may not earn additional miles depending on how the technology is set up to process the purchase.

AAdvantage MileUp® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their AAdvantage MileUp® credit card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases, such as wireless internet access. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember's card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

No mileage cap

There is no maximum number of American Airlines AAdvantage® miles that you can accumulate through your Citi® / AAdvantage® credit card account.

You're responsible for all charges made or allowed to the credit card account by the authorized user. Miles earned on an authorized user’s credit card will be allocated to the AAdvantage® account of the primary credit cardholder and not the authorized user. Authorized users have access to your credit card account information. Before adding an authorized user, you must let him/her know that we may report credit card account performance to the credit reporting agencies in the authorized user's name. If we ask for information about the authorized user, you must obtain their permission to share their information with us and for us to share it as allowed by applicable law.

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American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive account in the past 48 months.

Eligible Citi® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmembers may check one bag free of charge when traveling on domestic itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on domestic itineraries marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. All flights on the itinerary must be domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. For the Citi® / AAdvantage® card, up to eight (8) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get their first checked bag free of charge if they are listed in the same reservation. Waiver does not apply to overweight or oversized bags. This benefit cannot be combined with any existing AAdvantage® elite program benefits, or with First or Business class benefits, including any waiver of baggage charges. Please see aa.com/baggage » for baggage weight and size restrictions. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Enhanced airport experience

For benefits to apply, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel AND reservation must include the primary credit cardmember's American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, these benefits will be cancelled. Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive credit cardmembers will have the following benefits: priority check-in (where available), priority airport screening (where available), and priority boarding privileges. The priority boarding benefit will display on your American Airlines boarding pass as Group 4.

These benefits apply when traveling on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. Up to eight (8) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get priority check-in (where available), priority airport screening (where available), and priority boarding privileges if they are listed in the same reservation. You may check in at any Business Class check-in position or First Class check-in when Business Class is not available, regardless of the class of service in which you are traveling on American Airlines.

These benefits will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Exclusive lanes at security checkpoints are available, subject to TSA approval. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Citi® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their Citi® / AAdvantage® credit card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases, such as wireless internet access. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember's card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Admirals Club® membership and credit card authorized user access

Only Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® primary credit cardmembers who are eighteen (18) years of age or older will receive full membership access privileges to Admirals Club® lounges. An authorized user of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® who is eighteen (18) years of age or older will receive access privileges to American Airlines Admirals Club® lounges. Full Admirals Club® membership privileges do not apply to a credit card authorized user. An Admirals Club® membership includes access to other airline lounges and clubs with which American Airlines may have reciprocal lounge or club access privileges. Membership also includes special pricing on conference rooms and other special offers that are available exclusively to Admirals Club® members. Neither membership nor the credit card authorized user access benefit provides access privileges to the Arrivals Lounge, International First Class Lounges, or Flagship® Lounge facilities, including Flagship® First Dining. Additionally, the credit card authorized user access benefit does not provide: (i) access privileges to other airline lounges or clubs with which American Airlines may have reciprocal lounge or club access privileges; or (ii) special pricing on conference rooms or other special offers. To locate a current list of Admirals Club® lounges please visit aa.com/admiralsclub » .

To access an Admirals Club® lounge, primary credit cardmembers and credit card authorized users must present: (i) their (a) active and valid Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® or (b) with respect to primary credit cardmembers only, AAdvantage® number; (ii) their current government-issued I.D.; and (iii) a boarding pass for same-day travel on an eligible flight, which includes any departing or arriving flight that is (1) marketed or operated by American Airlines, (2) marketed and operated by any oneworld® carrier, or (3) marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines; and (iv) any additional documentation required by American Airlines. Either immediate family members (spouse or domestic partner and children under eighteen (18) years of age) or up to two (2) guests traveling with the primary credit cardmember or authorized user may be admitted for free when accompanied by the primary credit cardmember or authorized user. Family members and guests must present a same-day boarding pass for an eligible flight as defined above. All persons must be of valid drinking age, based on applicable law, to consume alcohol.

If the primary credit cardmember is an Admirals Club® member on the date his or her Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit card account is approved by Citi® and has sixty (60) or more days remaining on such current Admirals Club® membership, he or she is eligible to receive a prorated refund from American Airlines for any unused portion of his or her current Admirals Club® membership fee. The refund will be a prorated amount of the annual membership fee calculated based on the number of days remaining on such primary credit cardmember’s current Admirals Club® membership as of the date his or her Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit card account is approved by Citi®. Refunds will be automatically made in the original form of payment within twelve (12) weeks of becoming a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit cardmember. Memberships redeemed with Business Extra points, Lifetime Admirals Club® members and AirPass members with Admirals Club® privileges are not eligible for a refund.

Upon closure of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® account, all Admirals Club® benefits and access associated with the account will be immediately terminated, including, but not limited to, all benefits afforded to credit card authorized users. All Admirals Club® membership rules, terms and conditions apply. AMERICAN AIRLINES RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY ANY OR ALL RULES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. SUCH MODIFICATIONS SHALL BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND INCORPORATED INTO THIS AGREEMENT. BY ACCESSING ANY ADMIRALS CLUB® LOUNGE YOU SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE ACCEPTED THE ADMIRALS CLUB® TERMS AND CONDITIONS. To review the complete Admirals Club® membership terms and conditions, visit aa.com/admiralsclub » .

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit cardmembers are eligible to receive one statement credit up to $100 per account every five years for either the Global Entry or the TSA PreCheck® program application fee. Credit cardmembers must charge the application fee to their Citi®/ AAdvantage® Executive credit card to qualify for the statement credit. Credit cardmembers will receive a statement credit for the first program (either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®) to which they apply and pay for with their eligible card, regardless of whether they are approved for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Please allow 1-2 billing cycles after the qualifying Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® fee is charged to the eligible account for the statement credit to be posted to the account. Only fees associated with either the Global Entry or the TSA PreCheck® application fee will be eligible towards the statement credit.

For information on Global Entry, visit globalentry.gov. For information on TSA PreCheck®, visit tsa.gov. Applications are made directly with these organizations, and this information is not shared with Citi, nor does Citi have access to Global Entry or TSA records. Citi does not share account information with Global Entry or TSA. Decisions to approve/deny applications are made solely by these organizations, and Citi has no influence over these decisions. Citi is not notified of approvals or denials of applications.

TSA PreCheck® is a registered trademark of the Department of Homeland Security.

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American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® account in the past 48 months.

Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) are not purchases. American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles typically will appear as a bonus in your AAdvantage® account 8-10 weeks after you have met the purchase requirements. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmember and employee cardmembers. Purchases must post to your account during the promotional period. Many merchants will wait for a purchase to ship before they post the purchase to your account. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account.

For benefit to apply, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember's American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, these benefits will be cancelled.

Eligible CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmembers may check one bag free of charge when traveling on domestic itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on itineraries marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. All flights on the itinerary must be domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. For the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® card, up to four (4) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get their first checked bag free of charge if they are listed in the same reservation. Benefit does not apply to overweight or oversized bags. This benefit cannot be combined with any existing AAdvantage® elite program benefits, or with First or Business class benefits, including any waiver of baggage charges. Please see aa.com/baggage » for baggage weight and size restrictions. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Double miles on purchases in select business categories

Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on purchases at certain telecommunications merchants, car rental merchants, cable and satellite providers, and at gas stations. Telecommunications merchants are classified as merchants that sell telecommunications equipment such as telephones, fax machines, pagers, and cellular phones, along with providers of telecommunications services including local and long-distance telephone calls and fax services. Car rental merchants are classified as providers of short-term or long-term rentals of cars, trucks, or vans. Cable and satellite providers are classified as merchants that provide the connection and ongoing delivery of television, internet (computer network, information services, email website hosting services) telephone and radio programming via cable or satellite on a subscription or fee basis. Gas stations are classified as merchants that sell fuel primarily for consumer use and may or may not be attended.

Certain non-qualifying purchases: Car rental purchases not eligible to receive double miles include purchases at merchants that rent motor homes or other recreational vehicles and purchases made through travel agencies, tour operators and online third party travel sites, and charges paid on car rental redemptions through RocketMiles. Gas station purchases not eligible to receive double miles include, but are not limited to, purchases made at warehouse clubs that do not code gas station purchases under a gas station code, discount stores, department stores and convenience stores.

Merchant classification for rewards categories: Merchants are assigned a merchant category code (“MCC”), which is determined in accordance with Visa/Mastercard/American Express procedures based on the kinds of products and services the merchants primarily sell. Citi does not control the assignment of these codes and are not responsible for the codes used by merchants. When you use your card to make a purchase, Citi is provided an MCC for that purchase. Citi groups similar merchant codes into categories for purposes of making rewards offers. Sometimes you may expect a purchase to fit within a rewards category, but if the code assigned to the merchant wasn’t grouped into that category as recognized by Citi, your purchase will not qualify for additional miles. [For example, you won't earn additional miles for purchases at a restaurant located within a retailer if the restaurant is assigned a “retailer” code instead of a “restaurant” code.] Please also note – purchases made through mobile/wireless technology may not earn additional miles depending on how the technology is set up to process the purchase.

Citi® reserves the right to determine which purchases qualify for this offer. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) account do not earn miles. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8–10 weeks.

For benefit to apply, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember's American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, this benefit will be cancelled. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Up to four (4) companions traveling with and listed in the same reservation as the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmember are eligible to board at the same time as the primary credit cardmember. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Eligible CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers board after Priority boarding is complete, but before the rest of economy boarding. The boarding benefit will display on your American Airlines boarding pass as Group 5. This benefit applies on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc.

25% savings on eligible inflight purchases of food and beverage

CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember's card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

25% savings on inflight Wi-Fi purchases

Receive a 25% savings when you use your CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum® Select credit card for the purchase of inflight Wi-Fi service from American Airline’s Wi-Fi merchants Gogo, Viasat, or Panasonic, and on American Airlines’ Wi-Fi Subscription Plan. This benefit applies to flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember's card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

American Airlines Companion Certificate

The primary credit cardmember will earn a $99 domestic economy fare American Airlines Companion Certificate after you spend $30,000 or more in purchases that post to your CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® credit card billing statement during your credit cardmembership year (every 12 months from the billing cycle after your anniversary month through the billing cycle of your next anniversary month). With the exception of special account status or circumstances (e.g. Military relief programs) the anniversary month will coincide with the month in which the annual fee is billed. To receive the Companion Certificate, your account must be open for one full billing cycle after your anniversary month. For your first year of credit cardmembership, purchases qualify as of the date of your account opening. After these conditions are met, please allow at least 8-10 weeks for availability of the Companion Certificate. You must have an open AAdvantage® account for the Companion Certificate to be awarded to your account and to redeem the certificate. When used according to its terms, the primary credit cardmember will pay a $99 companion ticket fee plus $21.60 to $43.20 in government taxes and fees, depending on itinerary, for one round trip qualifying domestic economy fare ticket for a companion when an individual round trip qualifying domestic Main Cabin fare ticket is purchased and redeemed through American Airlines Meeting Services. Travel must be booked and purchased in select Main Cabin inventory. The certificate must be redeemed and all travel completed by midnight of the Travel Expiration Date shown on the certificate. Valid for travel on flights within the 48 contiguous United States on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. For residents of Alaska and Hawaii, the companion certificate is also valid for round-trip travel originating in either of those two states and continuing to the 48 contiguous United States. For residents of U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, companion certificate eligible travel is also defined as round-trip travel originating in either of those two territories and continuing to the 48 contiguous United States. The Companion Certificate is not redeemable for air travel on any oneworld® carrier or on an American Airlines codeshare flight. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Details, terms and conditions, certain restrictions, and restricted dates apply and will be disclosed on the certificate.

Employees may be added to the account as authorized users. Miles earned on an authorized user’s credit card will be allocated to the AAdvantage® account of the primary credit cardholder and not to the authorized user. You must pay us for all charges made or allowed by authorized users. Authorized users are able to get account information. Authorized users must be employees or contractors of your business. You need the authorized user's permission to give us any information about them that we request and to allow us to share information about them as allowed by applicable law. This includes information we may get from you, any authorized user and others. It also includes information about their transactions on the account.

If Citi sees evidence of fraud, misuse, abuse, or suspicious activity, as determined by Citi in its sole discretion, Citi reserves the right to take action against you and your credit card account. This may include, without limitation and without prior notice, declining your credit card account application, stopping you from earning American Airlines AAdvantage® miles for purchases made with your card, suspending or closing your CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® card account, and advising American Airlines of such activity. Citi may also take legal action against you to recover monetary losses, including litigation costs and damages. Examples of activities that may trigger such actions include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) application for a card account in an attempt to take advantage of a bonus offer that was not intended for you or for which you are not eligible per the terms of the offer; (2) repeated cancellation or conversion of your Citi card accounts within one year after account opening or conversion; (3) returns of purchases you made to satisfy all or a substantial portion of the purchase requirements for a bonus offer or excessive returns of purchases for which you have earned AAdvantage® miles or (4) using the account other than for business purposes.

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American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard Review: Doesn’t go the distance unless you are spending for status

Photo of American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard® a green abstract background

Our take: American Airlines’ only no-annual-fee cobranded credit card may be light on fees but it’s also light on benefits, notably lacking a free checked bag perk. That said, if you want to spend toward elite status without an annual fee, it’s the only choice. 

American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®

Intro bonus.

Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

Rewards Rates

  • 2x Earn 2X AAdvantage® miles at grocery stores (including grocery delivery services)
  • 2x Earn 2X AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases
  • 1x Earn 1X AAdvantage® mile on other purchases
  • Earns AAdvantage miles, which are not easily accessible outside of co-branded AAdvantage credit cards.
  • Every dollar spent earns one Loyalty Point toward elite status.
  • Easy to earn welcome bonus
  • No annual fee
  • No free checked bag perk
  • No priority boarding benefit
  • Charges a foreign transaction fee
  • Other benefits: 25% off in-flight purchases, standard Mastercard benefits
  • Foreign transaction fee: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each transaction.

American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard® Overview

Card type: Airline , Travel

The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®, issued by Citibank, is more of a pace car than a race car. It gets the job done, but other AAdvantage cards offer a bit more sizzle. Arguably the cards biggest drawback is that there’s no free checked bag perk, which can be one of the most valuable perks of owning a co-branded airline card. American currently charges $35 for a one way checked bag if you pay in advance on line or $40 if you pay when you get to the airport. Someone who flies just once a year with a companion and pays ahead of time will fork over $140 round trip to check their bags. But with any of the other currently available American Airlines credit cards, they’ll get free first checked bags for the cardholder and up to four or more travel companions.

There’s an argument to be made that someone who rarely flies and can typically fit their bag in the overhead compartment can benefit from this no-annual-fee card’s elevated rewards on American purchases and grocery spending. However, if you rarely fly, you aren’t going to earn meaningful rewards on American Airlines spending. And if you’re earning 2 miles per dollar at grocery stores and 1 mile on everything else, you’d be better off with either a card that earns cash back at a higher rate at grocery stores or a simple 2% cash-back card and use those funds to pay for your flights or anything else you’d like.

Who is the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard® good for? 

The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard is good for someone who wants to earn AAdvantage miles at a slow and steady rate and refuses to pay an annual fee for a cobranded airline card. It could also be good for someone who owns a pricier AAdvantage card, who realizes they aren’t getting enough value to justify the annual fee and wants to downgrade rather than lose the line of credit.

Who shouldn’t get the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®? 

Someone seeking perks like a free checked bag, priority boarding and other airline benefits should look to another card.

American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®: How to earn rewards

AAdvantage miles are a highly coveted airline currency among points and miles enthusiasts as they’re one of the hardest to earn. None of the major transferable credit card programs (American Express, Chase, Citi and Bilt after June 2024) allow you to transfer your rewards to the American AAdvantage program. This means the best way to earn them is typically through flying the airline or spending on a cobranded credit card.

The Citi AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard earns rewards at the following rates:

  • 2X AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases
  • 2X AAdvantage® miles at grocery stores (including grocery delivery services)
  • 1X AAdvantage® mile on other purchases

The card also comes with a welcome bonus of 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

How to redeem Citi AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard rewards 

AAdvantage miles can be used in any of the following ways:

  • Travel on American Airlines, Oneworld alliance members and other partner airlines. This is typically the most valuable use of your miles.
  • Upgrade your seat class on American, British Airways, Iberia and Qantas flights.
  • Reserve a seat on an American flight in the Main Cabin.
  • Buy or renew an American Airlines Admirals Club membership.
  • Redeem miles to rent a car, book a hotel or a vacation package through American Airlines.
  • To book Five Star Flagship service at participating airports for those who hold business or first class tickets with the airline. This premium service can include expedited airport check-in, private escort through the airport, car service and more.

Maximizing American Airlines miles can provide tremendous value, but also isn’t easy for those new to booking partner awards. When using your AAdvantage miles to book a flight, the value per point can fluctuate significantly. A good redemption will generally give you at least 1.5 cents per mile but this can wax or wane depending on the specific redemption you’re looking to make. 

Short-haul flights in the U.S. can give you an incredible value for your miles. For example, this flight in September 2024 from Dallas/Fort Worth to Los Angeles is $229 for a Main Cabin seat or 10,500 AAdvantage miles (plus taxes and fees) giving you a value of nearly 2.2 cents per mile.

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Flights on American Airlines are dynamically priced, meaning they fluctuate based on demand, but flights on American’s partner airlines tend to be fixed and based on region which means there are times when there are deals to be had with an AA partner instead of flying on an AA-owned plane. When searching for an award flight through American, make sure to select the “All airlines” option and not just for American Airlines planes to see all of the partner Oneworld flights options.

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Unfortunately, only Oneworld partner airlines and some of the other partners are shown when searching through the AA site. If you’re looking to book flights on select partners like Aer Lingus or China Southern Airlines, you’ll have to call American Airlines directly.

Citi AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard rates and fees

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Purchase APR:  20.74%–29.74% Variable

Additional benefits

  • Loyalty Points: In addition to earning AAdvantage miles on every dollar spent, you’ll also earn 1 Loyalty Point for each mile earned. Loyalty Points are the airline’s metric for elite status and each point gets you closer to an elite status tier and corresponding benefit.
  • 25% savings on in-flight purchases: On domestic flights operated by AA, save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases. Not that this does not apply to WiFi purchases.
  • No authorized user fee. There’s no charge to add authorized users to your account.
  • Mastercard benefits: As a standard Mastercard, the AAdvantage Mileup comes with benefits including ID theft protection, zero liability protection and access to global assistance services.

Credit cards similar to the Citi AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard

The AAdvantage MileUp isn’t the only way to earn miles towards free flights. Here’s how the MileUp card compares to some alternatives.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® vs. American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then ($99 thereafter), but that annual fee after year one is likely worth it for those who fly American with any regularity. Ownership of the card includes a free checked bag perk for the cardholder and four companions on the same reservation. That can be worth more than the card’s annual fee. The Platinum Select card earns 2X AAdvantage miles on American Airlines purchases, gas and at restaurants and 1X AAdvantage miles on all other purchases . 

Other card perks include preferred boarding on American flights, no foreign transaction fees and the ability to earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount after $20,000 in purchases within a year and after the card is renewed. The MileUp offers none of these perks, making it difficult to find a reason to choose the MileUp over the Platinum Select, even with the Platinum Select’s ongoing annual fee.

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card vs American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®

The no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is ideal for those seeking uncomplicated rewards on travel and other spending. The card earns 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans, and 1X points on other purchases. That’s a much stronger rewards rate than what the MileUp card offers. Points are worth a penny each and can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards or used to book travel through Wells Fargo, or they can be transferred to a limited number of travel partners.

Most people will come out ahead rewards-wise with the Wells Fargo Autograph card. Plus the Autograph card comes with cell phone protection of up to $600 against damage or theft (a $25 deductible applies) and doesn’t charge any foreign currency conversion fees – unlike the MileUp card’s 3% fee on each foreign transaction.

Is the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard® right for you?

The Citi AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard is right for you only if you never check a bag when you fly or you want a card to earn AA miles for the infrequent occasion when you do fly with the airline. Anyone who flies American more than once a year and checks a bag will likely be better off with a card that comes with a free checked bag perk, or a card that offers stronger rewards than this one.

Frequently asked questions 

Does the american airlines aadvantage mileup card have foreign transaction fees.

The American Airlines Citi AAdvantage MileUp card has a 3% foreign transaction fee making it best to use only for domestic spending.

What is the credit limit on the AAdvantage MileUp card?

Each person who applies for and is approved for a credit card is likely to have a different credit limit. Issuers look at a number of factors when considering your application and how much credit to extend to you including your income, current debt obligations and credit history. This is why there is no one set credit limit on the AAdvantage MileUp card.

What is the annual fee on the MileUp card?

The MileUp card does not charge an annual fee.

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.  

EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE : The advice, opinions, or rankings contained in this article are solely those of the Fortune Recommends ™ editorial team. This content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of our affiliate partners or other third parties.

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Best American Airlines credit cards of 2024

I t's easy to spot an American Airlines jet on the tarmac thanks to the distinctive red, white, and blue coloring—what can be a little harder is selecting the best American Airlines credit card for your travel needs, due to the variety of options on the market. Citi and Barclays both issue co-branded American cards, and Wells Fargo issues a flexible travel card that earns points you can transfer to the airline’s AAdvantage loyalty program. 

We’ll help you choose the best American Airlines card based on factors such as whether you’re willing to pay an annual fee, whether you need Admirals Club airport lounge access, and whether you need the flexibility to use your rewards with other airlines.

Best American Airlines Credit Cards

  • Best for frequent American Airlines flyers: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | Learn more
  • Best for no annual fee: American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard® | Learn more
  • Best for luxury perks: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | Learn more
  • Best for renters: Bilt Mastercard | Learn more

Best for casual American Airlines flyers: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

With a reasonable annual fee and valuable perks such as a free checked bag, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is a strong choice for frequent American Airlines travelers.

Why we like this card: If you fly on American several times a year, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® could be a great fit. With an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then ($99 thereafter) and a generous welcome bonus offer that can help you rack up AAdvantage miles, the card offers incredible value, especially in the first year of card ownership. 

Plus, there are several airline-specific benefits on the AAdvantage Platinum Select card that can make your travels easier. These include a 25% discount on in-flight food and beverage purchases, priority boarding, and the star perk for most travelers—your first checked bag free on select American flights for the primary cardholder and up to four travel companions.

First checked baggage fees for domestic flights range from $35 to $40 per bag. Thus, this benefit alone could save significant money if you frequently travel with family or other people.

The card also offers a $125 American Airlines flight discount after $20,000 in purchases within a year and after the card is renewed. 

Check out our full review of the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card . 

Best for no annual fee: American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®

Maybe you fly American Airlines once in a while, and would like a card that earns miles and keeps the miles in your count from expiring, but you don’t want to pay an annual fee. In that case, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard® is your best (really your only) option.

Why we like this card: The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card is the airline's entry-level card, which means it has fewer benefits than the AAdvantage Platinum card. However, one way to prevent AAdvantage miles from expiring after 24 months is to be the primary cardholder on an American Airlines credit card. And, the MileUp card charges no annual fee, making it your best choice if you only rarely fly on American. 

The MileUp card comes with a so-so bonus offer but only requires $500 spending in the first three months to earn it, so it should be attainable for most cardholders. You’ll also receive a 25% discount on in-flight food and beverage purchases when you use your card to pay and will earn miles at OK bonus rates on American Airlines purchases and at the grocery store.

Unfortunately for an airline credit card, the MileUp card does charge a 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each transaction., so it’s not what we recommend keeping in your wallet if flying internationally. 

In short, this is a bare-bones card, with rewards you probably won’t be moved to write home about and few benefits. But if you want to earn rewards redeemable for American Airlines flights and not have to worry about the miles in your account expiring, the MileUp card is a serviceable choice—particularly if you don’t usually need to check a bag and you mostly fly domestically.

Best for luxury perks: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

Access luxury benefits, including entry to Admirals Club lounges, with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®.

Why we like this card: The Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is for loyal American Airlines customers who want the very best benefits and perks offered by the airline and aren't afraid to pay for them. The card comes with a massive $595 annual fee but can offer enough value in the right hands to offset the cost. 

Cardholders receive an annual membership to Admirals Club, the airline's airport lounge network. The membership is worth up to $850 and also provides lounge access for select family members or guests traveling with you. 

The Citi / AAdvantage Executive card also offers a huge welcome bonus and an incredibly high earning rate on American Airlines purchases. Plus, you can earn an even higher rate after spending $150,000 in a calendar year. You’ll also enjoy a first checked bag free on domestic American flights for you and up to eight companions traveling on the same reservation. 

In addition, the card provides priority check-in (where available) and boarding, priority screening at select airports, a credit to reimburse the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, credits for Grubhub purchases, Lyft rides, and Avis and Budget car rentals, a 25% discount on in-flight purchases of food and beverages, and a dedicated concierge to assist with travel, shopping, dining and more.

Travelers will also appreciate an array of insurance benefits: trip delay protection, trip cancellation and interruption protection, worldwide car rental insurance and lost baggage protection.

Check out our full review of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® .

Best for renters: Bilt Rewards Mastercard

The Bilt Mastercard earns rewards on rent payments, travel, and dining. These points can be transferred to numerous airline and hotel loyalty programs, including American Airlines AAdvantage. If you’re a traveler who prioritizes flexibility over perks on one specific airline, the Bilt card might be right for you.

Why we like this card: The Bilt Rewards Mastercard is becoming a favorite of renters everywhere. The card offers something rare—the ability to earn rewards on rent payments while avoiding the convenience fee typically charged for paying rent by credit card.

Cardholders earn 3X on dining, 2X on travel booked directly or in the Bilt portal, 1X on rent (up to 100,000 points per year) and 1X on other purchases. You must use the card five or more times per statement period to earn points. 

Bilt offers a myriad of redemption options, including more than a dozen airline and hotel transfer partners—the American Airlines Advantage program among them. At the time of writing, Bilt is one of the main flexible credit card rewards programs allowing points transfers to American. Points transfer 1:1 to all partners. (Marriott Bonvoy is another program where points can be transferred to American, but at a 3:1 rate.) 

The Bilt card is great for international travel, too, with no foreign currency conversion fees. However, one downfall of this otherwise standout card is that it has no welcome bonus.

On the other hand, cardholders can earn double points (up to 10,000 points) on all non-rent spending the first of every month, dubbed Rent Day. This means 6X on dining, 4X on eligible travel and 2X on other purchases excluding rent.

The Bilt card also offers primary rental car insurance (except to New York State residents), trip cancellation and interruption protection, and trip delay reimbursement. These are surprisingly robust travel benefits for a no-annual-fee card.

How Do American Airline Credit Cards Work?

American Airlines credit cards earn rewards, called miles, on purchases with American Airlines and other eligible spending. These miles can be redeemed for award flights on American Airlines as well as eligible flights with Oneworld alliance airlines and partner airlines.

Beyond flights, you can redeem miles for cabin and seat upgrades, Admirals Club membership, to book rental cars, hotels and vacations, luxury and exclusive experiences or to make donations to partner charities. 

In addition to rewards earning, American Airlines cards offer a range of airline-specific perks, which can vary greatly depending on the card you have. For example, the AAdvantage Platinum Select card offers a first checked bag free, potentially saving you $35 to $40 every time you fly.

Types of American Airlines Credit Cards

American Airlines is one of few brands to have co-branded credit cards through multiple issuers. Both Citi and Barclays issue American Airlines credit cards. 

At the time of writing, the only Barclays-issued American Airlines card available to new applicants is the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®. (Though Barclays continues to service other previously issued American Airlines cards.)

Citi currently has three personal co-branded American Airlines cards and one business card available to new applicants. These cards are as follows:

  • American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®
  • Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
  • Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive Mastercard®
  • CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®

How to choose the best American Airlines credit card

When choosing an American Airlines card, consider your travel preferences and needs. Luckily, the airline offers several options to suit different types of travelers. American Airlines cards offer a range of benefits and annual fees—from a card with no annual fee to one that charges $595 per year just to carry. Determine whether you just need a card to earn a few AAdvantage miles, for perks like free checked bags and priority boarding, or luxury benefits like lounge access and travel-related credits. 

Should you get an American Airlines credit card? 

You should consider an American Airlines credit card if American is your preferred airline and offers flights to the travel destinations you frequent. For example, if you live in a city with a big American Airlines hub (think DFW in Dallas or CLT in Charlotte), a card that rewards you for flying American is probably a solid choice.

On the flipside, American Airlines doesn't fly everywhere, so it may not offer flights out of your home airport or to destinations you regularly visit. If that’s the case, you may get more utility out of a different airline credit card or flexible travel card . 

Frequently asked questions

Do american airlines credit cards come with free checked bags .

Most American Airlines co-branded credit cards that are currently available come with a free first checked bag on eligible domestic flights. The only one that does not come with a free checked bag is the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card.

Do you get priority boarding with American Airlines credit cards?

Almost all American Airlines co-branded credit cards offer preferred boarding for cardholders. The one exception is the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card.

How many American Airlines miles do you need for a free flight? 

The amount of miles needed to book award flights through American Airlines varies based on the date, destination and other factors. American Airlines award flights start at around 7,500 miles one way plus taxes and fees.  

Do AAdvantage miles expire?

Yes. Unless you take an action that extends the life of your miles, they expire after 24 months. However, qualifying activity (earning or redeeming miles on American or with a partner airline) extends the life of your miles 24 months from when you took that action. 

And, if you’re the primary cardholder on an American Airlines co-branded credit card account, you don’t have to worry about your miles expiring while the account is open and in good standing. 

What credit card rewards transfer to American Airlines?

You can transfer points earned with the Bilt Mastercard to American Airlines and receive AAdvantage miles in exchange. 

Several hotel loyalty programs with accompanying credit cards also allow you to transfer points to American Airlines AAdvantage program, including World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, Wyndham Rewards and Drury Rewards. Conversion ratios vary between the programs so check to see how much your points are worth in American Airlines miles before you transfer them. 

However, popular credit card rewards programs including American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Chase Ultimate Rewards cannot transfer points directly to American Airlines. Instead, you’d have to look for a workaround involving a partner airline, such as transferring your Chase points to British Airways and using British Airways Executive Club to search for partner flights on American metal. 

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

Best American Airlines credit cards of 2024

Airline credit cards vs. travel credit cards: Which are best?

Danyal Ahmed

Credit cards aimed at travelers come in various forms, the two most popular being airline credit cards and travel credit cards . While both types of cards can help you pay for travel, several differences may affect your choice.

Choosing a card that best suits your travel needs can be challenging considering how competitive the landscape has become regarding welcome offers, card rewards and other benefits. We review the ins and outs of airline and travel credit cards to help you determine which type of card is right for you.

What is an airline credit card?

Airline credit cards are cobranded cards offered by the issuer and a partner airline that provide benefits for flying with that specific airline. Airline credit cards earn miles associated with the airline's frequent flyer program , which you can redeem for flights on that carrier or its partner airlines.

book american airlines with travel credit

The annual fee for airline credit cards can range from no annual fee to upward of $500. Usually, an airline credit card with a higher annual fee includes impressive benefits such as increased earning rates, free checked bags and statement credits, among other perks.

For example, the United Quest℠ Card has an annual fee of $250 and offers 8 miles per dollar spent on United Airlines purchases, up to $125 annual statement credit for United purchases, priority boarding and other impressive benefits.

Related: Are airline credit cards worth it anymore?

Pros and cons of airline credit cards

When comparing airline and travel credit cards, there are several reasons why you might prefer an airline credit card. Although not an exhaustive list, the following table highlights the pros and cons of airline credit cards.

When does an airline credit card make sense?

Several factors may play a role in dictating whether an airline credit card makes sense. As a cardholder, if you live near an airport with a hub for a specific airline, having a card for that airline makes sense to maximize your benefits.

For example, residents who live near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD), a United hub, should consider a United credit card , such as the United Club℠ Infinite Card or the United℠ Explorer Card , to take advantage of lounges, free checked bags, priority boarding and redemption options for award flights.

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If you don't live near an airline hub and aren't committed to a particular carrier, an airline credit card might not be your best option.

Related: The best credit cards to reach elite status

What is a travel credit card?

A travel credit card earns rewards on all purchases, including bonus-earning categories. You can use your rewards to book flights, hotels, rental cars and more. A travel credit card earns rewards within the issuer's own ecosystem rather than through a specific airline frequent flyer program.

Examples of credit card programs include American Express Membership Rewards , Chase Ultimate Rewards , and Capital One Miles .

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Annual fees for travel credit cards can range from nothing to $700, corresponding to the card's perks and benefits. Typically, the higher the annual fee, the more valuable the benefits, whereas the lower the annual fee, the opposite is true.

For example, The Platinum Card® from American Express has an annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees ) but offers perks and benefits that can easily top $1,000. Benefits include an annual up to $200 hotel credit, an annual up to $200 airline credit, up to $100 Saks Fifth Avenue statement credit (up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December; enrollment required), a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit and an entertainment credit for select streaming services.

Travel credit cards can offer other travel-related perks, such as complimentary travel insurance, including emergency travel medical, trip delay or cancellation**, and baggage insurance***.

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, cardmembers are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

***Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Related: The best time to apply for these 10 popular travel credit cards, based on offer history

Pros and cons of travel credit cards

Based on your personal preferences, travel credit cards may be more appealing than airline cards. Although not an exhaustive list, consider the following travel credit card pros and cons before you apply.

Travel credit cards maximize flexibility for cardholders thanks to their ability to earn transferable currency points . In addition to not being limited to one airline, you can often redeem your points toward hotels, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages and more.

As cards become more premium, so do their benefits, which translates to high annual fees. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a $300 annual credit and Priority Pass lounge access but has an annual fee of $550.

When does a travel credit card make sense?

If you are flexible about the airline carriers you choose to fly with, a travel credit card makes sense. You'll benefit from bonus points for travel-related purchases, such as airfare, hotels, rental cars and sometimes parking meters and tolls.

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When contemplating between travel and airline credit cards, remember that travel credit cards won't help you earn elite status, unlike some airline cards like the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® . The biggest benefit of a travel credit card is the flexibility you get when redeeming your points or miles.

Unlike an airline credit card, travel credit cards have a variety of transfer partners you can use to book your next adventure.

Related: How many credit cards should I have?

Should you get both?

Both airline credit cards and travel credit cards have pros and cons. For example, it pays to have an airline credit card if you regularly check bags for domestic flights, especially considering the increase in checked bag fees across numerous carriers . Meanwhile, travel credit cards offer various travel insurance coverages that can provide peace of mind while traveling.

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My very first travel-orientated card was the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® because I found value in American Airlines' award chart and had several American flights lined up for the year in which I needed checked bags.

The information for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Soon afterward, I opened a Chase Sapphire Reserve for its lounge access, transfer partners and annual travel credit. Nowadays, I use both cards. However, since I have elite status with American, the Citi card's free checked bag is less important. That said, I still hold onto the card to earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles.

Bottom line

Both airline credit cards and travel credit cards offer benefits. They can offset travel costs and provide perks such as priority boarding, free checked bags, lounge access and various statement credits. We recommend choosing a card based on your travel needs and circumstances. You may even benefit from holding both types of cards, as long as you're maximizing the perks.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here .

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Table of Contents

American Airlines airline partners

Earning miles with american airlines partners, redeeming miles with american airlines partners, how to book partner flights on aa.com, elite benefits on partner airlines.

You don't have to fly with American Airlines just to earn and redeem American Airlines AAdvantage miles. Thanks to a robust network of American Airlines partners, you can transfer your miles to about two dozen other airlines, getting yourself to more than 1,000 destinations around the world.

While American Airlines primarily serves destinations in the U.S., even international travelers can flex their status and miles to travel all around the world.

American is a founding member of the Oneworld Alliance , a network of about a dozen member airlines offering seamless travel between partners, transferable elite status perks and expanded options for earning and redeeming miles. That opens massive possibilities for ways you can earn American Airlines miles when flying with those airlines — while also allowing you to redeem American Airlines miles for flights on other airlines.

American also has plenty of other partners outside the Oneworld Alliance as well, providing even more opportunities for flexible flying.

Here’s everything AAdvantage members need to know about American Airlines partners.

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AAdvantage members can earn by flying the following Oneworld carriers and other partners. Flights on these airline partners are bookable with AAdvantage miles and many can be booked directly through the American Airlines website.

Other airline partners

You will have to call customer service for assistance to book partners that you do not see on AA.com.

In 2022, American Airlines overhauled how elite status is earned with the airline. EQMs, EQDs and EQSs are gone, which simplifies things by eliminating complicated alphabet soup. Instead, flyers earn Loyalty Points, which can be earned when flying on American Airlines and its partners; spending through AAdvantage credit cards ; and shopping, dining and making transactions with American’s other partners.

To learn all about earning status under the new program, check out our guide to American Airlines elite status .

If you fly on a Oneworld partner airline, you can expect to earn Loyalty Points on the base miles earned according to the distance flown plus cabin bonuses where applicable.

If you fly on American Airlines, you’ll receive Loyalty Points for the base AAdvantage miles earned according to the ticket price (excluding government-imposed taxes and fees). No cabin bonus applies. If this sounds confusing, you're not alone — Loyalty Points are kind of hard to earn .

When it comes to earning AAdvantage miles that can be redeemed for award flights, know this: The number of miles earned will depend on your status level, with general members earning 5 miles per $1, to Executive Platinum Elites earning 11 miles per $1.

When flying with partners, always make sure that your AAdvantage number is in the reservation and also printed on your boarding pass. Save boarding passes and ticket receipts from partner flights so that if miles don’t post to your account, you can request missing AAdvantage credit retroactively .

When it comes to redeeming AAdvantage miles, things can change quickly. In Spring 2023, American switched to fully dynamic award pricing. Award rates will now vary by demand, regardless of fare class.

Even so, the airline has published an "award chart," but note that there are no guarantees you'll be able to get the starting rate, depending on when you travel:

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American’s website can be finicky. It's important to play around with it when looking for award availability since results can appear differently depending upon how you sort them on the page.

Watch out for taxes

While points redemptions can be a swell deal on partner airlines, beware of one caveat: taxes and fees.

You'll almost always still have to pay taxes and fees when booking on points. For flights within the U.S. on American, the fees are typically a negligible amount (starting $5.60 per person, per award).

However, that's often not the case when booking flights via American transfer partners. Here's an example when you book British Airways awards through American AAdvantage that shows how taxes and surcharges on these awards are through the roof. The example below shows American’s 60,000-mile round-trip award pricing, but when it comes with nearly $600 in fees, the value changes significantly.

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With this mix of dynamic pricing and award chart standards, it can be hard to gauge how many miles will be needed for an award flight. Still, American deserves accolades for not deleting its award charts entirely. American publishes “region definitions” at the bottom of this page if you are unsure of how the airline categorizes each country.

» Learn more: How to save on American Airlines flights by redeeming other miles

Since American’s website does not provide every possible route, a phone reservation agent might be able to search for more options. All Oneworld airlines appear in AA.com search results, but airline partners may not always appear. For airlines like Etihad, AAdvantage members should call American to redeem miles.

To book flights, use the search tool from the homepage or select flights from the “Plan Travel” dropdown at the top of AA.com.

This will take you to a page where you can enter your travel information with the option to select “All Airlines” at the bottom of the page.

book american airlines with travel credit

For the best results, use the calendar search. Another trick is to search for award space segment by segment using the form above.

Let’s say you are flying between New York and Helsinki. Try searching New York to a Oneworld hub like London or Madrid first. If you find space, then search for flights from that hub to Helsinki. Once you find both, try to see if you can price the entire itinerary together as one award. Sometimes, longer connections that don’t appear in the initial search might prove fruitful.

American is generous in that it allows travelers to hold award tickets, giving you more time to search for a better option or other parts of your trip. This means you can call American and have a specific award ticket set aside for you (without paying for it) while you finalize plans or search other options. The allowable length of hold times varies based on when the award flight is scheduled for departure and can last as long as five days. Not all award tickets are eligible for holds, so it's best to call the airline.

Once you purchase the award, changes or cancellations result in a fee for award tickets, which varies based on where the reservation was made.

One of the perks of achieving elite status is enjoying benefits when flying partner airlines .

When you hold elite status with American Airlines, you'll have automatic elite status benefits when flying on other Oneworld partners. Here's how each American Airlines elite status tier maps to Oneworld elite status:

Among the top benefits of each tier of Oneworld elite status :

Oneworld Emerald

Access to business and first class lounges.

Access to priority check-in.

Fast track at select security lanes.

Priority boarding.

Preferred or reserved seating.

Priority status on standby waitlists.

Priority baggage handling.

Extra baggage allowance.

Oneworld Sapphire

Access to business class lounges.

Oneworld Ruby

How to maximize your rewards.

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Citibank Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ MasterCard® Credit Card

on Citibank's application

1x Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.

70,000 Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

book american airlines with travel credit

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Breeze Airways Just Launched a New Credit Card and New Routes — Plus, $49 Flights for a Limited Time

The Breeze Easy Visa Signature card, will have an $89 annual fee and come with a host of benefits, including up to 10x BreezePoints for Breeze purchases and priority boarding.

book american airlines with travel credit

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Low-cost airline Breeze Airways is introducing its first-ever branded credit card card with flight perks and is also adding five new cities to its network this fall in its continued efforts to expand just three years after its founding.

The Breeze Easy Visa Signature card, will have an $89 annual fee and come with a host of benefits, including up to 10x BreezePoints for Breeze purchases and priority boarding, the carrier shared with Travel + Leisure . The card will also include complimentary inflight Wi-Fi on the airline’s Airbus fleet (a bonus since Breeze recently committed to using an all-Airbus A220 fleet for its scheduled service by the end of 2024). 

The card, which is co-branded with Barclays US Consumer Bank, includes 50,000 BreezePoints as an introductory sign-up bonus after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days.

“Combined with Barclays’ trusted track record with major travel brands, I’m confident the Breeze Easy Visa will be THE airline card of choice for Breeze guests and frequent travelers,” David Neeleman, the founder and CEO of Breeze Airways, said in a statement shared with T+L.

In addition to the new card, the rapidly expanding airline will add flights to five new cities: Bangor, Maine, Dallas, Texas, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Lansing, Michigan, and Pensacola, Florida. Each of these new routes will launch in October. 

“We’re thrilled to announce five more cities to our expanding network as we continue to add great destinations and also connect the dots between Breeze’s existing cities,”  Breeze Airways’ President Tom Doxey said in a statement shared with T+L. “With Breeze’s added convenience and affordability, our business model continues to see success in cities across the country.”

From Bangor, travelers will be able to fly to Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Myers in Florida; fly to Provo/Salt Lake City from Dallas; fly to Orlando from Lancaster; fly to both Orlando and Fort Myers from Lansing; and fly to Tampa from Pensacola. 

Beyond the new cities, Breeze — which has plans to add international flights in the near future — will also add several new routes from nine of the cities it already serves, including an October flight from Norfolk, Virginia, to Phoenix. With the new routes, the airline, which was first created in 2021 by former JetBlue founder and current Breeze CEO Neeleman , will fly to a total of 56 different cities across 29 states.

To celebrate the new routes, Breeze is offering certain flights starting at just $49 each way when travelers book by 11:59 p.m. ET on April 1 and travel by Jan. 7, 2025.

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  27. Breeze Airways Just Launched a New Credit Card and New Routes

    Low-cost airline Breeze Airways is introducing its first-ever branded credit card card and is also adding five new cities to its network. ... just $49 each way when travelers book by 11:59 p.m. ET ...